Increased GDM risk observed in pregnant women with isolated maternal hypothyroxinemia: Study

A new study published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology showed that gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was much more likely to occur in pregnant women with isolated maternal hypothyroxinemia (IMH), particularly if IMH continued throughout both trimesters.

In contrast to overt hypothyroidism, isolated maternal hypothyroxinemia (IMH) is a pregnancy disease characterized by low free thyroxine (fT4) levels with normal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Although IMH frequently shows no symptoms, it can affect the development of the embryonic brain, particularly during the first trimester. A frequent pregnancy condition, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) involves glucose intolerance and raises the risk of complications such as preterm delivery, macrosomia, preeclampsia, and neonatal problems. This study was carried out by Hao-Yi Jia and associates to investigate the relationship between early pregnancy IMH and the risk of GDM as well as its correlation with unfavorable perinatal outcomes.

Between January 2020 and June 2021, 2,741 pregnant women who visited Shanghai General Hospital’s obstetric outpatient clinic and had standard obstetric exams were included in the research. Individuals who had a IMH diagnosis during the first trimester were classified as H1(+), while those who did not were classified as H1(−).

In a similar vein, those with a IMH diagnosis during the second trimester were classified as H2(+), whereas those without were classified as H2(−). Group A H1(−) H2(−), (n = 1,886); group B H1(+) H2(−), (n = 99); group C H1(−) H2(+), (n = 613); and group D H1(+) H2(+), (n = 143) were created based on these classifications. All four groups’ clinical data, including pregnancy problems, were examined using retrospective analysis.

With the following trend: group D > group C > group B > group A, the incidence of GDM was substantially greater in groups B, C, and D than in group A. In particular, the greatest prevalence of GDM was seen in group D.

IMH in the first trimester, IMH in the second trimester, and persistent IMH in both trimesters were determined to be significant risk factors for GDM by logistic regression analysis that controlled for confounding variables. Also, the risk of GDM was 73.97 times greater than the usual risk in instances with chronic IMH.

In additionally, this study discovered a substantial correlation between unfavorable perinatal outcomes and isolated maternal hypothyroxinemia (IMH). Overall, an increased risk of GDM and insulin resistance is closely linked to IMH in the first or second trimester, and especially chronic IMH in both trimesters. 

Source:

Jia, H.-Y., He, P.-Y., Lu, C., Zhou, M.-J., Zhan, S.-T., Zhong, H.-Q., & Xu, X.-M. (2025). Association of isolated maternal hypothyroxinemia with gestational diabetes mellitus and perinatal outcomes. European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, 114015, 114015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2025.114015

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Vaccinated COVID-19 Patients with AKI Have Better Outcomes, Less Likely to Require Dialysis: RECOVID Study

USA: A recent study published in Kidney Medicine revealed that COVID-19 patients who developed acute kidney injury (AKI) had shorter dialysis duration and lower mortality rates if they were vaccinated, compared to unvaccinated AKI patients.

The retrospective single-center study, led by Dr. Niloofar Nobakht from the Division of Nephrology at the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, examined the long-term kidney outcomes and survival in hospitalized patients with COVID-19-associated AKI. Although AKI is a frequent and serious complication of COVID-19, affecting up to 32%-46% of hospitalized patients, there has been limited understanding of how vaccination status impacts renal recovery and mortality in these cases.

The study analyzed data from 972 adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and AKI between March 1 and March 30, 2022, at a large urban academic hospital. Of these, 411 patients (42.3%) were unvaccinated, while 467 patients (48.0%) had completed their primary vaccination series.

Researchers compared outcomes between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients, focusing on in-hospital mortality as the primary outcome, with secondary outcomes including length of hospital stay, dialysis requirements at discharge, and long-term survival. The analysis used Kaplan-Meier survival estimates, log-rank tests, and multivariable regression models.

The study led to the following findings:

  • Unvaccinated patients had a higher need for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) during hospitalization (15.8%) compared to vaccinated patients (10.9%), with statistical significance.
  • CRRT use was strongly linked to in-hospital mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.82).
  • CRRT use was also strongly associated with long-term mortality (adjusted HR 2.44).
  • Unvaccinated patients were 2.56 times more likely to be discharged with ongoing dialysis needs than vaccinated patients.
  • Unvaccinated patients had more than a fivefold higher risk of in-hospital death compared to vaccinated individuals (adjusted HR 5.54).
  • Unvaccinated patients had nearly five times greater risk of long-term mortality after discharge compared to vaccinated patients (adjusted HR 4.78).

While the study highlights the protective effect of vaccination, the authors acknowledged certain limitations — specifically, the absence of data regarding ventilator use and disease severity in ICU patients, as well as the lack of information on booster vaccination status.

The authors conclude, “Patients with COVID-19-associated AKI who had completed their primary vaccination series experienced better survival outcomes and were less likely to remain dialysis-dependent at discharge. The study emphasizes the importance of vaccination in improving renal and overall outcomes in this high-risk population.”

The authors emphasized the need for further research to better understand the causes of COVID-19-associated AKI and to develop strategies for optimizing long-term kidney care, especially as more patients continue to face lingering symptoms and organ dysfunction after recovering from COVID-19.

Reference:

Nobakht N, Jang C, Grogan T, Fahim P, Kurtz I, Schaenman J, Wilson J, Kamgar M, on behalf of the RECOVID Investigators, RECOVID: Retrospective Observational Study of Renal Outcomes and Long-Term Mortality in Patients With COVID-19 Associated AKI, A Comparison Between Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Patients, Kidney Medicine (2025), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xkme.2025.101020.

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Iron Supplementation in Early Pregnancy may Increase Infection Risk among Iron deficient and Iron sufficient women: Study

Researchers have found in a new study that women with anemia or iron deficiency (ID) in early pregnancy who received daily iron supplementation (~55 mg elemental iron) experienced more gastric and prolonged respiratory infections compared to iron-sufficient women. Notably, iron-sufficient women given the same dose had nearly double the risk of respiratory illness during pregnancy compared to those with iron deficiency anemia (IDE).

Antenatal iron deficiency (ID) and anaemia, but also elevated ferritin and haemoglobin (Hb) have been associated with morbidity during pregnancy. In South Africa, pregnant women receive routine iron supplementation for anaemia prevention regardless of iron status. Our aim was to assess whether iron status at early pregnancy is associated with infectious morbidity and symptoms during pregnancy.

This prospective cohort was conducted in 250 pregnant women at a public maternal and child hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa. Biomarkers of maternal iron status at < 18 weeks’ gestation were measured. Women kept a symptoms diary throughout pregnancy. Associations were determined using multivariable regression models. Results: ID women had 2.6 times greater odds for experiencing gastric illness (OR: 2.642, 95% CI: 1.116, 6.255, p = 0.027). Anaemic women (Hb < 10.5 g/dL) tended to have double the duration of respiratory illness [median 15.5 (5.0, 31.0) days] compared to non-anaemic women [median 8.0 (6.0, 12.1) days], (β: 0.167, 95% CI: -0.007, 0.342, p = 0.060) and had more incidences of vomiting throughout pregnancy (p = 0.028). In the partially adjusted models, iron sufficient erythropoiesis (non-IDE) women tended to have 2.3 times increased odds for respiratory illness (OR: 2.314, 95% CI: 0.939, 5.701, p = 0.068) and there were more incidences of fever during pregnancy in the non-IDE group (p = 0.006). Anaemic and ID pregnant women in this largely overweight population, receiving ~ 55 mg iron daily, experience more and longer infectious morbidity, potentially related to poor iron absorption. However, although presenting with weaker evidence, iron-sufficient erythropoiesis women at early pregnancy receiving the same routine iron supplementation may have twice the risk to contract infectious respiratory illness than IDE women during pregnancy.

Reference:

Goodchild, C., Symington, E.A., Baumgartner, J. et al. Iron status at early pregnancy is associated with infectious respiratory and gastric illness in women receiving routine iron supplementation: the NuPED prospective cohort. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 25, 657 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07786-8

Keywords:

Iron, Supplementation, Early Pregnancy, Increase, Infection, Risk, among, Iron deficient, Iron sufficient, women, Study, Goodchild, C., Symington, E.A., Baumgartner, J, Anaemia, Infectious morbidity, Iron supplementation, Pregnancy

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ERCP Effective for traumatic pancreatic injury Management Across Age Groups, suggests study

Researchers have found in a new study that endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a safe and effective approach for treating traumatic pancreatic injury (TPI) in both pediatric and adult populations. It demonstrates high success in preserving ductal integrity and minimising complications. However, further prospective research is essential to establish standardised treatment protocols.

Traumatic pancreatic injuries (TPI) are rare, critical complications increasingly managed by minimally invasive Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). We systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed ERCP’s efficacy and safety for TPI regarding pancreatic duct integrity and clinical outcomes in diverse populations.

PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched (2000–2024) for studies reporting on ERCP for TPI. Primary outcomes were pancreatic duct integrity and complications; secondary outcomes included mortality and hospital stay. Pediatric and adult populations were compared via subgroup analysis. Publication bias was assessed. Results: Fifteen studies comprising 1,823 patients (54% male, 32% pediatric) were included in the meta-analysis. ERCP demonstrated a pooled clinical success rate of 89% (95% CI: 83–93%) and significantly improved pancreatic duct integrity (OR for pancreatic duct integrity: 9.17, 95% CI: 6.73–12.49). Complication rates ranged from 4 to 17%, with pancreatitis and bleeding being the most common adverse events. Mortality rates were low (3–5%), and ERCP significantly reduced hospital stay by an average of 3.1 days compared to surgical interventions. Pediatric patients had slightly lower success rates (OR: 6.73, 95% CI: 4.01–11.31) compared to adults (OR: 10.87, 95% CI: 7.40–15.98). ERCP is an effective and safe modality for managing TPI in both pediatric and adult patients, yielding high success rates in maintaining ductal integrity and reducing complications, although interpretation requires caution due to potential publication bias. Further prospective studies are required to optimize standardized protocols.

Reference:

Karpuzcu, H.C., Erdoğan, Ç. The clinical efficacy and safety of ERCP in traumatic pancreatic injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. World J Emerg Surg 20, 52 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13017-025-00631-5

Keywords:

ERCP, Effective, traumatic, pancreatic, injury, Management, Across, Age, Groups, suggests, study, Karpuzcu, H.C., Erdoğan, Ç, Traumatic pancreatic injury, Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, Pancreatic duct injury, Meta-analysis, Trauma

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NEET 2025: Check Expected Cutoffs for Govt MBBS Colleges in West Bengal

New Delhi : With the NEET UG 2025 results announced, medical aspirants across India are now focusing on counselling and seat allocation processes. For students targeting government MBBS colleges in West Bengal, understanding the cutoff trends is crucial for making informed decisions during state counselling.

West Bengal offers a wide network of government medical colleges, from prestigious institutes in Kolkata to newer colleges in districts like Raiganj, Purulia, and Coochbehar. Here’s a comprehensive look at the estimated NEET closing ranks and scores based on past years’ trends across various categories—General, SC, and ST—for these institutions.

NEET Cutoff for West Bengal Government Medical Colleges

College
Name		 General SC ST
NEET Rank NEET Scores NEET Rank NEET Scores
Bankura
Sammilani Medical College, Bankura		 13239 616 70248
Burdwan
Medical College, Burdwan		 11002 622 68808
Calcutta
National Medical College, Kolkata		 8030 632 51137
College of
Medicine and JNM Hospital, Kalyani		 11906 620 71109
College of
Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital, Kolkata		 9568 626 64765
Coochbehar
Government Medical College and Hospital, Coochbehar		 13985 614 72144
Diamond
Harbour Government Medical College and Hospital, Diamond Harbour		 13285 616 71040
ESI PGIMSR
ESIC Medical College and ESIC Hospital Joka, Kolkata		 10104 625 68277
Institute of
Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata		 5038 644 36520
Malda Medical
College and Hospital, Malda		 14349 613 70132
Midnapore
Medical College, Midnapore		 14515 612 74413
Murshidabad
Medical College and Hospital, Murshidabad		 14585 612 75602
Nilratan
Sircar Medical College, Kolkata		 7127 635 47735
North Bengal
Medical College and Hospital, Sushrutanagar		 11987 619 70142
Purulia
Government Medical College and Hospital, Purulia		 14735 612 75714
Raiganj
Government Medical College and Hospital, Raiganj		 14639 612 75331
Rampurhat
Government Medical College and Hospital, Rampurhat		 14698 612 70430
RG Kar Medical
College and Hospital, Kolkata		 8065 631 58652
Also Read:NEET 2025: Targeting MBBS in Govt Medical Colleges? Here are State-wise cutoff trends to help you plan better

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NEET 2025 Candidate Seeks Compensatory Marks Over Biometric Glitch at exam centre, Delhi HC Notice to NTA

New Delhi:  The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the National Testing Agency (NTA) in response to a plea filed by a NEET 2025 candidate seeking compensatory marks.

The petitioner alleged that a faulty biometric verification process at the examination centre caused significant mental distress and affected his performance in the highly competitive MBBS entrance test.

The candidate, who appeared for the NEET-UG 2025 exam on May 4 at Trishla Devi Kanohar Lal Balika Inter College in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, claimed he was allowed entry into the examination hall just five minutes before the test began. He further stated that he was asked to leave the hall during the exam for biometric re-verification, which disrupted his focus.

As per a recent PTI report, the Delhi High Court asked the National Testing Agency to respond to a NEET-UG 2025 candidate’s plea seeking compensatory marks on the ground of being mentally disturbed due to the defective biometric verification system at the exam centre.

Justice Prathiba M Singh on June 20 issued notice to the National Testing Agency (NTA) on the candidate’s plea.

The petitioner alleged that during the authentication process, prior to the exam, the biometric verification did not work at the test centre and he was made to file an application requesting permission to enter the examination hall.

The court directed the preservation of the CCTV recordings, log book entries and any other registers at the test centre, subject to its further orders.

The candidate appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) (UG) 2025 exam on May 4 at Trishla Devi Kanohar Lal Balika Inter College in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

The petitioner sought certain reliefs including compensatory marks in the medical entrance exam and preservation of CCTV footage from the test centre concerned.

The petitioner claimed being permitted to exam enter only five minutes before the commencement of the test.

While the examination was underway, he was asked to step out for the biometric verification and made to submit an application in both English and Hindi to the centre superintendent which led to considerable mental disturbance to him while giving the exam, his plea said.

The candidate was stated have scored 98.86 percentile in the exam.

The court order said, “Let the contentions in the writ petition be rebutted by the NTA by filing a counter affidavit, specifically in respect of the allegations relating to the biometric verification. In addition, the CCTV recordings, log book entries and any other registers at the test centre shall also be preserved, subject to further orders of this court,” quotes PTI

After the petitioner’s counsel said compensatory marks could also be calculated in line with a Supreme Court decision, the high court said it would be consider the plea on the next hearing after examining the stand of the NTA on the biometric verification.

When the counsel informed that counselling would tentatively commence July 1 onward, the court posted the hearing on June 27. 

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Karnataka HC Orders FIR Against Doctors Over Alleged Medical Negligence Leading to Patient Death

The Karnataka High Court has issued an order to register a medical negligence FIR against two doctors attached to private hospitals, including Fortis Hospital Bengaluru and GM Hospitals, for allegedly operating on a patient without obtaining proper consent. After undergoing two operations at two hospitals, the patient passed away.

Approaching the High Court bench, the patient’s son alleged that even though the accused doctor at Bengaluru-based GM Hospital obtained consent for inserting a catheter on the right side of his father’s body, the procedure was conducted on the left side.

For more information, click on the link below:

Sanctity of medical care breached! HC orders FIR against doctors, 1 from Fortis Hospital

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Health Bulletin 30/June/ 2025

Here are the top health news for the day:

Senior Doctor Assaulted with Liquor Bottle at GTB Hospital Campus, Accused in Police Custody

In a shocking incident, a senior faculty member from the Medicine Department of Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital was assaulted yesterday by three unidentified men near Gate 12 of the GTB Campus.

Due to the attack, Dr. Kuldeep Kumar, who is an Associate Professor at the institute, received a head injury.

Police have arrested three accused involved in the incident, the President of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of University College of Medical Sciences & Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Dr. Rajat Sharma, informed Medical Dialogues. All the accused are currently in police custody.

The incident took place at around 9 PM on Friday. At that time, Dr. Kuldeep Kumar, who is also the Hostel Warden, was doing rounds inside the campus. He found the three accused publicly drinking on the campus.

For more information, click on the link below:

GTB Hospital Associate Professor Attacked with Liquor Bottle, Suffers Head Injury

Can Dentists Perform Hair Transplants? Conflicting Notices Stir Confusion in Telangana

A day after the Telangana Medical Council announced that dentists, dental surgeons, and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons do not possess the required qualifications to perform aesthetic procedures and hair transplants, the Telangana Dental Council has now presented a completely contradictory stand in this regard.

Issuing a public notice today, the Dental Council, Telangana, clarified that duly registered Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, trained under the standards prescribed by the Dental Council of India, are fully qualified and authorized to perform facial aesthetic procedures and hair transplantation.

For more information, click on the link below:

Can Dentists Perform Hair transplants, Aesthetic Surgeries? Tug of War erupts between Medical and Dental Councils

Karnataka HC Orders FIR Against Doctors Over Alleged Medical Negligence Leading to Patient Death

The Karnataka High Court has issued an order to register a medical negligence FIR against two doctors attached to private hospitals, including Fortis Hospital Bengaluru and GM Hospitals, for allegedly operating on a patient without obtaining proper consent. After undergoing two operations at two hospitals, the patient passed away.

Approaching the High Court bench, the patient’s son alleged that even though the accused doctor at Bengaluru-based GM Hospital obtained consent for inserting a catheter on the right side of his father’s body, the procedure was conducted on the left side.

For more information, click on the link below:

Sanctity of medical care breached! HC orders FIR against doctors, 1 from Fortis Hospital

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Can Dentists Perform Hair Transplants? Conflicting Notices Stir Confusion in Telangana

A day after the Telangana Medical Council announced that dentists, dental surgeons, and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons do not possess the required qualifications to perform aesthetic procedures and hair transplants, the Telangana Dental Council has now presented a completely contradictory stand in this regard.

Issuing a public notice today, the Dental Council, Telangana, clarified that duly registered Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, trained under the standards prescribed by the Dental Council of India, are fully qualified and authorized to perform facial aesthetic procedures and hair transplantation.

For more information, click on the link below:

Can Dentists Perform Hair transplants, Aesthetic Surgeries? Tug of War erupts between Medical and Dental Councils

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Senior Doctor Assaulted with Liquor Bottle at GTB Hospital Campus, Accused in Police Custody

In a shocking incident, a senior faculty member from the Medicine Department of Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital was assaulted yesterday by three unidentified men near Gate 12 of the GTB Campus. Due to the attack, Dr. Kuldeep Kumar, who is an Associate Professor at the institute, received a head injury.

Police have arrested three accused involved in the incident, the President of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of University College of Medical Sciences & Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Dr. Rajat Sharma, informed Medical Dialogues. All the accused are currently in police custody.

For more information, click on the link below:

GTB Hospital Associate Professor Attacked with Liquor Bottle, Suffers Head Injury

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