Fact Check: Viral Post Claiming Dr. Kailash Rathi was Attacked by Jihadi is Fake

New Delhi: The viral social media post claiming that Nashik-based Pulmonologist Dr. Kailash Rathi was attacked by a “Jihadi”, a Muslim person using a sickle is a fake.

While the viral post on X (formerly Twitter) is trying to give the issue a communal angle, the reality is that Dr. Rathi was brutally attacked inside a hospital in Maharashtra over a monetary dispute by the husband of a former colleague, a Hindu man.

The horror was captured on a CCTV camera and the viral video shows that the attacker struck the 49-year-old doctor around 18 times with a sickle on last week. Thereafter, the doctor, a chest physician and critical care specialist, was admitted to a local hospital in a critical condition.

The Claim: 

The disturbing video of the accused attacking Dr. Rathi went viral on social media as members of the medical fraternity and general public alike expressed their shock over the brutality of the attack.

However, one such viral post claimed that the doctor was attacked by in Nashik’s Suyog Hospital by a Jihadi attacker, giving it a communal look. The rough Hindi-to-English translation of the X post states, “Take heart and watch today’s most heart-wrenching video••••••••* *In Maharashtra, Nashik’s Suyog Hospital, a Jihadi attacker entered the ICU and attacked Dr. Kailash Rathi with a sharp weapon, due to multiple indiscriminate attacks in 30 seconds.”

Fact Check: 

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about the brutal and horrifying attack on Dr. Rathi. The Panchavati police arrested the accused, who has been identified as Rajendra More, a Hindu. The police secured custody for seven days after producing him in the city court. 

The accused and his wife, who is a former colleague of the doctor, have been booked by police based on a complaint of the victim’s wife.

Therefore, the claim that the doctor was attacked by a “Jihadi”, a Muslim man is misleading. There was no communal reason for the attack. In reality, the doctor was attacked by the husband of a former colleague, who is Hindu by religion.

Also Read: Nashik Shocker: Pulmonologist Dr Kailash Rathi brutally Attacked 18 Times with Sickle, critical in ICU

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7 doctors transferred to GMC Wayanad, Medical services hit in Kozhikode

Wayanad: In an unexpected move, the Directorate of Medical Education has instructed the transfer of a group of seven senior resident doctors from the Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) Kozhikode and Government General Hospital to the Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) Wayanad for a month, starting from February 22 to May 21.

This sudden decision has reportedly intensified the strain on patient care at the two healthcare institutions in Kozhikode, which were already grappling with a shortage of doctors.

According to a recent media report by The Hindu, among the transferred doctors, two are from the department of Gynaecology, while the rest are from the departments of Anaesthesia, General Medicine, General Surgery, Orthopaedics, and Paediatrics. Sources revealed that the transfer order carried a stern tone, warning of potential disciplinary action if the resident doctors failed to comply with the directive. Previously, authorities used this strategy of deploying resident doctors to address the immediate workforce crunch.
Also Read:Forceps left inside patient’s abdomen at GMC Kozhikode in 2017: Court summons doctors, nurses
Speculations arise that the transfers might be a response to criticism regarding inadequate infrastructure at the medical college hospital in Wayanad, highlighted after a recent incident involving a farmer attacked by a tiger. 
Additionally, the move is suspected to be connected to the impending annual inspections by the National Medical Commission, scheduled between February and March, reports The Daily. 
Meanwhile, the General Surgery department at the popular ‘Beach Hospital’ in Kozhikode faces a reduction in outpatient services due to the transfer of two consultant doctors. Despite the government order for their transfer being issued in June last year, they were asked to continue their service citing staff shortages.
However, the decision to implement the transfer was finalized on February 28, with one doctor being sent to the Government District Hospital at Vadakara and another to the Government General Hospital at Thalassery in Kannur.

Considering that certain departments are left with only two doctors now, the hospital management has come up with a strategic move of assigning days to particular works to handle the work pressure. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday outpatient (OP) services will be available while surgeries will take place only on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Previously patients could avail OP services 6 days a week and the hospital could accommodate 150 to 180 surgeries in a month. The ENT department of the hospital is also grappling with the shortest of doctors after the retirement of a senior doctor. The creation of new posts and appointment of more doctors are being demanded by the doctors considering the increasing number of patients in the facility. 

Also Read: Private Practice: GMC Kozhikode Nephrologist faces suspension

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New antibodies target “dark side” of influenza virus protein

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have identified antibodies targeting a hard-to-spot region of the influenza virus, shedding light on the relatively unexplored “dark side” of the neuraminidase (NA) protein head. The antibodies target a region of the NA protein that is common among many influenza viruses, including H3N2 subtype viruses, and could be a new target for countermeasures. The research, led by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Vaccine Research Center, part of NIH, was published today in Immunity..

Influenza, or flu, sickens millions of people across the globe each year and can lead to severe illness and death. While vaccination against influenza reduces the burden of the disease, updated vaccines are needed each season to provide protection against the many strains and subtypes of the rapidly evolving virus. Vaccines that provide protection against a broad range of influenza viruses could prevent outbreaks of new and reemerging flu viruses without the need for yearly vaccine reformulation or vaccinations.

One way to improve influenza vaccines and other countermeasures is to identify new targets on the virus’s surface proteins in “conserved” regions-portions that tend to be relatively unchanged between different strains of the virus. Influenza NA is a surface protein containing a globular head portion and a narrow stalk portion. The underside of the NA head contains a highly conserved region with targets for antibodies-known as epitopes-that make it vulnerable to antibody binding and inhibition of the virus, as well as not being impacted by mutations common in drug-resistant strains. This region is termed the “dark side” due to its partially hidden location and relatively unexplored characteristics.

The researchers isolated human antibodies that target the NA dark side from the blood of two people who had recovered from influenza type A subtype H3N2, a major subtype of seasonal flu viruses. In lab tests, the antibodies inhibited propagation of viruses from subtype H2N2, the subtype that caused pandemic influenza in 1957-58, and H3N2 viruses from humans, swine, and birds. The antibodies also protected mice from lethal infection by a subtype H3N2 virus when given to the animals either one day before or two days after infection, showing that the antibody may treat and prevent influenza in this model.

The scientists analyzed the structure of two of the antibodies while bound to NA using advanced microscopy techniques known as cryogenic electron microscopy. Each antibody targeted different, nonoverlapping regions of the dark side, demonstrating that this region has multiple areas that may be useful to explore for countermeasure development.

These findings show that the NA dark side has unique, previously untapped epitopes that could be applied to the development of new vaccine and therapeutic strategies. They suggest that antibodies targeting the NA dark side could be useful in combination with antivirals or other types of antibodies for interventions against influenza, as they are effective against influenza viruses with drug-resistant mutations. The researchers also note that NA dark side targets could be included in the next generation of broadly protective vaccines against influenza.

Reference:

Lederhofer, J. et al. Protective human monoclonal antibodies target conserved sites of vulnerability on the underside of influenza virus neuraminidase. Immunity. DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.02.003(link is external) (2024).

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One hospital bed per 5000 population is essential: AYUSH Ministry Guidelines

New Delhi: Considering the requirement of quality in-patient care, Ayush hospitals should be spread across the country following the bed per population norm, according to a set of new guidelines issued by the Ayush Ministry. 

According to the norm, one hospital bed per 5,000 population is “essential” while 1 bed per 2,000 population is “desirable”.

There are 3,844 Ayush hospitals in various categories across the country run by central and state governments. These hospitals together have a bed strength of 60,943.

The “essential” number of beds in Ayush hospitals may be provided through the public health system such as medical colleges, district hospitals, 10-bedded, 30-bedded, 50 or more bedded Ayush hospitals, the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) for Ayush healthcare facilities stated.

To achieve the “desirable” number of beds, the contribution of the private sector may also be considered while continuing to strengthen and increase bed provision at public health facilities, the guidelines said.

Also Read:Strenghthen AYUSH programmes to enhance quality of lives of people: Shri Sarbanand Sonowal

As a thumb rule, all beds available and functional for a patient for more than 24 hours have been calculated as in-patient hospital beds.

The Ayush hospitals, in adherence to IPHS standards, are expected to provide a comprehensive range of essential services that align with the principles of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, SowaRigpa and Homoeopathy, the document said.

This includes but is not limited to promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative services catering to a wide spectrum of health conditions.

These facilities are encouraged to integrate traditional and complementary medicine practices with the contemporary healthcare system, fostering a harmonious blend that caters to the diverse healthcare needs of the population, the document said.

The guidelines also stressed ensuring a continuum of care, establishment of assured referral systems along with facility readiness to manage referred cases.

All Ayush healthcare facilities should be strategically situated to ensure convenient access for the rural and urban communities they serve, it stated, adding that adequate space and infrastructure should be allocated to cater to the evolving healthcare needs.

All Ayush hospitals should be resilient to climatic and environmental changes and able to handle sudden healthcare needs during disasters and emergencies, epidemics and pandemics.

The IPHS guidelines for Ayush hospitals has emphasised strategic planning for service delivery as a priority, before investing in other components such as infrastructure, human resources, drugs, diagnostics, equipment, and others.

To achieve this, the set of guidelines has categorised healthcare services as either ‘essential’ or ‘desirable’ and correspondingly classified human resources in a similar fashion.

According to the guidelines, states and Union territories should conduct Ayush-specific training needs assessment to identify the training requirements of the Ayush healthcare workforce.

Apart from this, identify the need for integrating Ayush and modern medicine training for Ayush healthcare professionals, if required, the document said, adding that a robust grievance redressal mechanism should be established in all such hospitals.

Every state and Union Territory should have an occupational safety and health policy for Ayush hospitals, outlining the framework for ensuring the safety, health and well-being of employees, patients, and visitors.

The document stated that quality plays an important role and it should ideally be maintained in such a manner that the outcome meets the prescribed standards, even without any supervision.

Any proposed system must incorporate best practices from contemporary systems like the National Quality Assurance System.

National Accreditation Board for Hospital and Healthcare Providers standards for various Ayush systems will be referred and consulted to customise them for meeting the needs of Ayush Centers, the document said.

Also Read:Chandigarh: 50-bedded AYUSH hospital to be ready in 2 months

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New faster and simpler point-of-care test for rapid diagnosis of malaria developed

USA: The researchers from Rice University in Texas, US, have developed a rapid, accurate test that could be a game changer for diagnosing malaria, especially in areas with limited access to healthcare facilities.

The test, which is significantly faster and easier to use than traditional tests, can help healthcare providers quickly identify and treat severe cases, potentially saving lives. By enabling early detection and appropriate management of malaria cases, the disease burden can be reduced and can improve patient outcomes in Africa and beyond. 

The work is published in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

Malaria remains a significant global health challenge with an estimated 247 million cases and more than 600,000 deaths annually, the majority of which occur in sub-Saharan Africa. The most severe form, cerebral malaria, has a high mortality rate, particularly in children under 5 years of age.

Current rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria provide only a binary result-positive or negative-often missing asymptomatic infections and lacking the sensitivity needed to detect severe cases early. Molecular assays, while more sensitive, are expensive, time-consuming and require specialized equipment and trained personnel, making them impractical for widespread use in resource-limited settings.

To address these challenges, a team led by mechanical engineer Peter Lillehoj of Rice’s Brown School of Engineering, created a microfluidic point-of-care (mPOC) immunoassay for quantifying a malaria parasite biomarker, Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (PfHRP2), in whole blood.

The device features two diagnostic modes for detecting PfHRP2 at low and high concentrations, making it useful for various diagnostic applications, including the detection of asymptomatic infection and the prediction of disease outcomes. Test results are available in just 15 minutes and can be accessed on a smartphone app, developed by the research team.

“The mPOC immunoassay was designed to be simple, accurate and field-deployable, making it suitable for use in rural and remote health centers in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Lillehoj, associate professor of mechanical engineering. “Unlike traditional tests, this device does not require plasma separation, pipetting, complicated sample processing or long incubations, making it easy to use even by minimally trained health care providers.”

In testing conducted in Malawi, the mPOC immunoassay demonstrated similar accuracy to a commercial PfHRP2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test, while being 12 times faster and simpler to use. The ability to quickly and accurately diagnose malaria, particularly cerebral malaria, at the point of care could lead to early identification and treatment of severe cases, according to Lillehoj.

“In areas with limited access to health care facilities, our test could be a game-changer,” he said. “It can help health care providers quickly identify and treat severe cases, potentially saving lives. By enabling early detection and appropriate management of malaria cases, we can reduce the burden of the disease and improve patient outcomes in Africa and beyond.”   

Reference:

Li J, Saidi AM, Seydel K, Lillehoj PB. Rapid diagnosis and prognosis of malaria infection using a microfluidic point-of-care immunoassay. Biosens Bioelectron. 2024 Apr 15;250:116091. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116091.

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Donidalorsen taken every eight weeks is safe and has durable efficacy in reducing attack rates in hereditary angioedema: Study

USA: A previous phase 2 open-label extension (OLE) study of donidalorsen in patients with Type 1/2 hereditary angioedema (HAE) showed a 76% reduction in monthly attack rate and improved quality-of-life (QoL) with every eight weeks (Q8W) dosing at Year 1.

A recent article published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology reports the Year 2 results of patients who received donidalorsen Q8W.

Michael Manning, Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Associates, and colleagues reported that at Year 2, donidalorsen Q8W was well-tolerated, had plasma prekallikrein levels similar to Q4W dosing, and showed durable efficacy in hereditary angioedema attack reduction. The findings supported the continued study of Q8W dosing.

Hereditary angioedema is an inherited condition with characteristics of recurrent episodes of nonpitting, nonpruritic, subcutaneous or submucosal swelling without urticarial lesions. Multiple body areas, including feet, hands, genitalia, intestinal wall, face, larynx, or tongue, can be involved.

There exist two main types of HAE that are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Type I HAE accounts for about 85% of cases and results from a quantitative deficiency of C1 inhibitor. Type II HAE is responsible for about 15% of cases and results from a dysfunctional C1 inhibitor protein. Donidalorsen is an investigational ligand-conjugated antisense oligonucleotide designed for hepatic uptake and inhibition of prekallikrein production.

Dr. Manning and the team presented the two-year update on the impact of donidalorsen taken every 8 weeks in patients with HAE.

The OLE study had fixed (Weeks 1–16, donidalorsen 80 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks [Q4W]) and flexible (Weeks 17–105, donidalorsen 80 mg Q4W, 80 mg Q8W, or 100 mg Q4W) dosing periods.

Based on the analysis, the researchers reported the following findings:

  • Eight of 17 patients received donidalorsen Q8W; 5 patients remained attack-free, and 3 patients returned to Q4W by Year 2.
  • 63% of patients reported a treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE); only 1 patient reported a possible study drug-related TEAE (abdominal pain).
  • The mean monthly attack rate across all 8 patients was 0.04 at Year 2 compared with 0.28 at Year 1, an 83% reduction from baseline (randomized study run-in rate, 2.70).
  • The mean percent change in plasma prekallikrein at Year 2 was similar for patients receiving Q8W (–59.1) and Q4W (–54.3) dosing.
  • Year 2 (27.4) and Year 1 (25.0) improvement in mean Angioedema QoL total scores were comparable.

“At Year 2, donidalorsen Q8W was well-tolerated, had plasma prekallikrein levels comparable to Q4W dosing, and showed durable efficacy in HAE attack reduction, supporting the continued study of Q8W dosing,” the researchers wrote.

Reference:

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2023.11.031

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Patients with OSA at Greater risk of Gout, finds study

Patients with OSA are at Greater Gout Risk suggests a new study published in the Cureus.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a comorbidity, which has shared risk factors with gout as well as causes pathophysiological mechanisms causing hyperuricemia. The relationship remains contentious. TrinetX, a global federated research network that provides a dataset of electronic medical records from different healthcare organizations (HCOs). We utilized this network to query patients who had a BMI greater than 30 and then two subgroups were made based on the presence or absence of OSA. Furthermore, propensity score matching (PSM) was carried out to match age, sex, race, chronic kidney disease (CKD), heart failure, and the use of diuretics. Compare outcome analytic function was utilized to map the co-relation with Gout. Results: A total of 3541566 patients who had a BMI >30 were identified, out of which 817638 (23.09%) patients had OSA. 7.19% of patients with OSA had gout while 2.84% without OSA had gout (p<0.0001). The odds of having gout are 2.65 times higher in patients with OSA than patients without OSA (hazard ratio is 2.393, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.367-2.419, p<0.0001). After PSM, both the groups of obese patients with and without International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis of OSA included 801526 patients, within which 6.93% of patients with OSA had gout while 4.63% of patients without OSA had gout (p<0.0001). The odds ratio was 1.533 (95% CI 1.512-1.554, p<0.0001) and the hazard ratio was 1.404 (95% CI 1.386-1.423).The study demonstrated that there is a strong correlation between gout and OSA. Chronic hypoxia-induced hyperuricemia is the most widespread explanation. OSA is a treatable condition with timely diagnosis and proper treatment. Prospective cohort studies are required to further test the strength of the relationship between OSA and gout.

Reference:

Khandwala P, Desai D, Sen M. Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Contributing Factor in Gout. Cureus. 2024 Jan 11;16(1):e52115. doi: 10.7759/cureus.52115. PMID: 38344618; PMCID: PMC10858747.

Keywords:

Cureus, obstructive sleep apnea, gout risk, big data analysis; clinical rheumatology; gout; obstructive sleep apnea (osa); risk factor analysis.

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CAPS system may streamline fabrication process of implant supported fixed complete dental prostheses in one single visit: Study

CAPS system may streamline the fabrication process of implant-supported fixed complete dental prostheses in one single visit suggests a new study published in the Journal of Dentistry.

This article presents a novel complete-arch pillar system (CAPS) to register implant position and maxillomandibular relationship in one single visit for implant-supported fixed complete dental prostheses (IFCDPs). The novel system presents a 3-unit toolset comprising intraoral scan bodies (ISBs), lateral pillar attachments (LPAs) and occlusal pillar attachments (OPAs). A 2-stage single visit workflow by an intraoral scanner (Trios 5) was introduced. The first stage “Screw-Scan-Done” was used to describe complete-arch intraoral implant scanning using LPAs. The second stage “Screw-Occlude-Done” involved virtual occlusal recording using OPAs. Two patients with one single edentulous arch were selected for this study. In the first patient, 6 bone level implants (Bone Level Tapered, Straumann) were placed in the edentulous maxilla at positions 12, 14, 16, 22, 24 and 26. In the second patient, 4 bone level implants (NobelActive CC, Nobel Biocare) were placed in the edentulous mandible at positions 32, 35, 42 and 45. A CAD-CAM procedure was initiated with the acquired IOS data to fabricate an interim IFCDP at the same day. Periapical radiographs were obtained of the implant-prosthetic connection of the definitive IFCDPs to verify the passive fit. Metrology software (Geomagic Qualify, 3D Systems – Matlab, Mathworks) assessed the implant analog position in the 3D-printed casts used for fabricating the definitive IFCDPs. A quantitative occlusal relationship analysis was performed with IOS. Results: Radiographic examination revealed no gaps at the implant-prosthetic connection of the definitive IFCDPs. The 3D-printed casts showed an overall average distance deviation within the clinically acceptable range of errors of 150 µm. Quantitative occlusal relationship analysis with IOS showed well-distributed contacts. Within the limitations of this study, the following conclusions can be drawn: (1) A 3-unit toolset with ISBs, LPAs and OPAs allows to register the implant position and maxillomandibular relationship in one single visit; (2) the 2-stage clinical workflow with the CAPS system facilitates the IOS data acquisition for fabrication of an interim IFCDP at the same day; (3) a passive fit was demonstrated for the interim and the definitive IFCDPs. The CAPS system can help clinicians register the implant position and the maxillomandibular relationship in one visit to fabricate an IFCDP.

Keywords: Scan body; Complete-arch; Intraoral scanner; Pillar; Scan body attachment; Occlusal pillar

Reference:

Philippe Nuytens, Francesco Grande, Rani D’haese, Ziad Salameh, Luca Lepidi,

Novel complete-arch pillar system (CAPS) to register implant position and maxillomandibular relationship in one single visit, Journal of Dentistry, Volume 143, 2024, 104885, ISSN 0300-5712. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2024.104885.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300571224000551)

Keywords:

CAPS system, streamlined fabrication process, implant supported, fixed complete dental prostheses, one single visit, Journal of Dentistry, Philippe Nuytens, Francesco Grande, Rani D’haese, Ziad Salameh, Luca Lepidi

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Antisperm Antibodies After Vasectomy Reversal Not Linked to Pregnancy Rates or contraception method: Study

Following vasectomy reversal, patients often have concerns about whether antisperm antibodies (ASAs) will affect their ability to conceive. However, existing research on the relationship between ASA levels and pregnancy rates after vasectomy reversal is limited. A recent retrospective study aimed to examine this relationship and provide insights for patient counseling. This study was published in the journal of Urology by Catherine s. And colleagues.

While vasectomy reversal is a common procedure for restoring fertility in men who have undergone vasectomy, questions remain regarding the impact of ASAs on pregnancy outcomes post-reversal. The American Urological Association vasectomy guidelines highlight the need for further research to address these uncertainties.

The study conducted a retrospective chart review and phone interviews with patients who underwent vasectomy reversal between 2000 and 2018. Patients were categorized based on their ASA levels, and pregnancy rates and methods of conception were analyzed as primary outcomes.

Key Findings:

  • A total of 204 patients were included in the study, with a median age of 40 years and a median obstruction interval of 7.3 years.

  • 85 patients (42%) had low ASA levels (<50%), while 119 (58%) had high ASA levels (≥50%).

  • Among the patients with low ASA levels, 70% achieved pregnancy, with 59% resulting from spontaneous conception.

  • For patients with high ASA levels, 75% achieved pregnancy, with 40% resulting from spontaneous conception.

  • Fisher’s exact test p-value for the difference in pregnancy rates based on ASA levels was 0.2, indicating no significant association.

The study found no association between ASA levels and pregnancy rates or method of conception following vasectomy reversal. These findings provide valuable insights for patient counseling, alleviating concerns regarding the potential impact of ASAs on fertility outcomes post-reversal. As such, clinicians can better inform patients about their likelihood of achieving pregnancy after vasectomy reversal, regardless of ASA levels.

Reference:

Nam, C. S., Tooke, B. P., Strasser, O., Hameed, M. A., Chinnusamy, S., Van Til, M., Daignault-Newton, S., & Dupree, J. M. Antisperm antibody levels after vasectomy reversal are not associated with pregnancy rates or method of conception. Urology,2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2024.02.028

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Lower risk of death, major adverse cardiovascular events in hyperthyroid patients treated with surgery than with medication

Hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid, happens when your thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs. Excessive thyroid hormones from hyperthyroidism elevate cardiovascular risks. While hyperthyroidism can be treated with anti-thyroid drugs, radioactive iodine ablation or surgery, evidence comparing long-term benefits and risks of the three treatment modalities presents a challenge for informed decision-making and likely contributes to variations in treatment.

In a new study from Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, researchers have found that hyperthyroid patients treated with surgery had a 47% lower risk of death and a 24% lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events than patients treated with medication. They also found that patients treated with radioactive iodine had a 55% lower likelihood of major adverse cardiovascular events compared to the patients treated with medication.

“While there are three main treatment options for this condition, the selection of therapy needs to be individualized-this is not one-size-fits-all,” explains co-corresponding author Elizabeth Pearce, MD, MSc, professor of medicine at the school. “Our study suggests that it may be important to consider an individual’s cardiovascular risk in making decisions about hyperthyroidism treatment.”

The researchers used data from 114,062 patients from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database who were diagnosed with hyperthyroidism between 2011 and 2020. They compared rates of major cardiovascular events (acute myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and death from cardiovascular disease) and death from all causes in patients treated with each of the three types of hyperthyroidism treatment.

According to the researchers, thyroid surgery or radioactive iodine treatment may be better treatment options than long-term anti-thyroid drug use in patients with hyperthyroidism who also are at high risk for cardiovascular diseases. “The improved outcomes observed in our study with surgery or radioactive iodine may have been related to more prompt and complete resolution of hyperthyroidism than was achieved with medication. However, future prospective studies will be needed to better understand these risks,” added Pearce who also is an endocrinologist at Boston Medical Center.

These finding appear online in JAMA Network Open.

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