Hypoalbuminemia linked to severe ED in ulcerative colitis patients: Study

Japan: A cross-sectional study published in the International Journal of Urology has shed light on serum albumin levels as a useful complementary marker for erectile dysfunction (ED) in ulcerative colitis (UC).

The researchers revealed an independent inverse association between serum albumin and severe erectile dysfunction in Japanese patients with ulcerative colitis. The findings suggest that hypoalbuminemia might be a useful complementary marker for assessing the severity and prevalence of erectile dysfunction in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Recently, studies have reported a close association between ulcerative colitis and erectile dysfunction. An inverse relationship is found between serum albumin and ED in patients with chronic disease. However, there seemed no clarity on the association between serum albumin levels and ED in patients with UC. Therefore, Shinya Furukawa, Health Services Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan, and colleagues aimed to investigate this issue in Japanese patients with ulcerative colitis.

For this purpose, the researchers enrolled one hundred and thirty-six Japanese male UC patients. Information on medications for UC and serum albumin levels were obtained from medical records, Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) score information from self-administered questionnaires, and information on UC severity from physician reports were obtained from self-administered questionnaires, medical records, and reports from physicians.

Based on the total protein, serum albumin, serum globulin, aspartate aminotransferase, and C-reactive protein levels, the participants were divided into tertiles. The definitions of ED and severe ED were SHIM score < 22 and SHIM score < 8, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between these serum markers and ED.

The study led to the following findings:

  • The prevalence of severe erectile dysfunction in the low, moderate, and high albumin groups was 66.0%, 51.0%, and 28.3%, respectively.
  • After adjusting for confounding factors, the low albumin group was independently and positively associated with severe ED (adjusted odds ratio: 2.74).
  • There was no association between other markers and erectile dysfunction.

“Serum albumin was independently inversely associated with severe erectile dysfunction in Japanese patients with ulcerative colitis,” the researchers wrote. “Hypoalbuminemia might be a useful complementary marker for evaluating the prevalence and severity of ED in UC patients.”

Reference:

Yamamoto, Y., Furukawa, S., Miyake, T., Yoshida, O., Shiraishi, K., Hashimoto, Y., Tange, K., Kitahata, S., Ninomiya, T., Yagi, S., Hanayama, M., Suzuki, S., Shibata, N., Murakami, H., Ohashi, K., Tomida, H., Takeshita, E., Ikeda, Y., & Hiasa, Y. (2024). Serum albumin levels as a useful complementary marker for erectile dysfunction in ulcerative colitis: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Urology, 31(2), 154-159. https://doi.org/10.1111/iju.15327

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Do Gender Disparities Impact Cancer Mortality in Women? – Dr Bharath VM

Gender
inequality persists as an ongoing social issue, manifesting in various aspects
of life. From wage disparities to under recognition in sports and politics,
women frequently encounter barriers hindering their access to resources and
well-being.

Although progress has been made to address these disparities, one
area that has been overlooked is the impact of gender inequality on women’s
health, specifically in the realm of cancer care.

The Lancet report has
presented data on the gender inequality experienced by women and has also
outlined policies to help them attain an equal position on par with men.

Women interact with cancer in
multiple and complex ways:

Cancer, the world’s second-largest killer after heart
disease, is on the rise in India. The study report by ICMR and NCRP indicates
that the number of cancer patients, currently around 14.6 lakh, will reach 16
lakh by next year.

The gender inequality in cancer care extends beyond mere
statistics; it profoundly impacts women in various roles. Women engage with
cancer as healthy individuals participating in prevention and screening, as
survivors living beyond diagnosis, caregivers for loved ones, advocates, healthcare
professionals, researchers, and policymakers.

The Lancet report highlights that
cancer ranks among the top causes of premature mortality for women globally,
yet it is often deprioritized in healthcare agendas.

According to the report,
the elimination of key risk factors or early detection and diagnosis could save
approximately 1.5 million lives. Another 800,000 deaths could be avoided if all
women had access to high-quality cancer care.

Globally, women face financial challenges in coping with
cancer, aggravated by fewer financial resources than men. In the cancer
workforce, women report pervasive gender-based discrimination, including
bullying and sexual harassment.

Shockingly, only 16% of global cancer-related
organizations are led by women. Moreover, the unpaid caregiving work for those
with cancer is predominantly shouldered by women, representing a significant
percentage of national health expenditures in various countries.

A Call to
Action

Acknowledging the magnitude of gender disparities in cancer
care, the Lancet Commission proposes ten policies and a comprehensive working
plan. The core objectives include prioritizing data collection, ensuring
equitable healthcare access, promoting screening and early diagnosis, spreading
awareness among rural women, and advocating for equal opportunities and pay
standards.

The Lancet Commission report challenges prevailing
misconceptions that addressing gender inequality in cancer care is a mere
feminist or politically driven agenda.

Instead, it emphasizes the urgency of
recognizing the undeniable numbers and statistics that reveal a disparity in
the treatment of women facing cancer.

The report serves as a call for
collective responsibility, urging fathers, brothers, and husbands to stand up
for women’s rights and equity in cancer care and healthcare at large.

As society strives for inclusivity and equality, addressing
gender disparities in cancer care is not just a moral imperative but a public
health necessity.

So, a roadmap for systemic change, emphasizing the need for
individual and collective action to bridge the gap in cancer care, is highly
recommendable. It is time to move beyond rhetoric and translate awareness into
tangible policies that ensure women receive the equitable, compassionate care
they deserve in their battle against cancer.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are of the author and not of Medical Dialogues. The Editorial/Content team of Medical Dialogues has not contributed to the writing/editing/packaging of this article.

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32-year-old doctor assaulted, 2 held

In a jaw-dropping incident, two final-year students of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) were arrested on Monday for allegedly sexually assaulting a 32-year-old male doctor and forcing him to perform unnatural sex.

The accused locked the doctor in the hostel room and robbed him of Rs 60,000 with other valuable gold items.

According to the police, the accused students called the doctor for a medical emergency at the university’s hostel. They then imprisoned him in the hostel room, physically assaulted him, coerced him into engaging in non-consensual sexual acts, and robbed him by threatening to share a nude video of him on social media.

Along with these two students, three others were also in the hostel room when the incident occurred.

For the full story, check out the link given below:

UP Shocker: Doctor Assaulted, Robbed On Pretext Of Medical Emergency, Forced To Perform Unnatural Sex

32-year-old doctor assaulted, 2 held

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Kilkari, Mobile Health Academy launched for Maharashtra and Gujarat

Mumbai: Prof S P Singh Baghel and Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare recently virtually launched the Kilkari programme, a Mobile Health (m-health) initiative for beneficiaries in local content in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Mobile Academy, a free audio training course designed to expand and refresh the knowledge of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and improve their communication skills via their mobile phones was also launched. Shri Rushikesh Patel, Health Minister, Gujarat was also present on the occasion.

Also Read:Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurates 3 CGHS Wellness Centres in Delhi, Robotic Unit at NITRD

Expressing her elation at the launch, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar associated the launch of the m-health initiative with the rapid speed of transformation of the health sector in the country in keeping with the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi for a Digital Health India based on harnessing technology for the benefit of mankind.

Applauding the health care professionals, especially the front-line health workers for their contributions in taking up the ‘Kilkari’ Programme, she said that the programme aims to offer weekly services, timely accessible, accurate and pertinent 72 audio messages through IVRS about reproductive maternal, neonatal and child health care to the targeted beneficiaries.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof S P Singh Baghel said, “The launch of the Kilkari Programme is in line with the Government’s commitment to prioritize the public health infrastructure and strengthen citizen-centric health services by leveraging India’s expanding mobile phone penetration.”

Highlighting that “only a healthy mother can deliver a healthy child”, Prof. Baghel said that under the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, the Union Government has taken several steps towards ensuring the health and well-being of women.

The Union Ministers also appreciated the efforts of all stakeholders involved in the launch of the and invited suggestions from the stakeholders to strengthen the programme further.

Shri Rushikesh Patel, Health Minister, Gujarat thanked the Union Government for the launch of the two initiatives. He also highlighted that more than 95% of deliveries in Gujarat are now institutional which is leading to safer deliveries for both mothers and children.

‘Kilkari’ (meaning ‘a baby’s gurgle’), is a centralized interactive voice response (IVR) based mobile health service which delivers free, weekly, time-appropriate 72 audio messages about pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare directly to families’ mobile phones from the second trimester of pregnancy until the child is one year old.

Women who are registered in Reproductive Child Health (RCH) portal) based on the woman’s LMP (last menstrual period) or the child’s DoB (Date of Birth), receive a weekly call with pre-recorded audio content directly to the mobile phones of pregnant women and mothers with children under the age of one year. Kilkari audio messages are present in the form of voice of a fictitious doctor character called Dr. Anita.

Kilkari Programme is centrally hosted by MoHFW for all the States/UTs and no further investment in the technology, telephony infrastructure or operational costs is required to be borne by States/UTs. This service is FREE of cost for States/UTs and beneficiaries. The programme is service is integrated with centralized Reproductive Child Health (RCH) portal of MoHFW’s and is the single source of information for this mHealth service.

Mobile Academy is a free audio training course designed to expand and refresh the knowledge of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and improve their communication skills via their mobile phones, which is both cost-effective and efficient. It is an anytime, anywhere training course that can train thousands of ASHAs simultaneously via mobile phone.

Currently Kilkari is under implementation in 18 States / UTs namely Andhra Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Uttarakhand & Mobile Academy is operational in 17 States/UTs except Chandigarh with six languages viz. Hindi, Bhojpuri, Oriya, Assamese, Bengali & Telugu version.Senior officials of the Union Health Ministry, Government of Gujarat, Government of Maharashtra as well as representatives from the implementing agencies were also present on the occasion.

Senior officials of the Union Health Ministry, Government of Gujarat, Government of Maharashtra as well as representatives from the implementing agencies were also present on the occasion.

Also Read:Health Minister inaugurates series of new facilities at AIIMS

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Study says women antidepressant use spikes post-breakup

Ever wondered how breakups and the loss of a loved one impact men and women differently? A study examining antidepressant usage among over 200,000 individuals aged 50 to 70 in Finland from 1996 to 2018 sheds light on this. Before a breakup, both genders showed an uptick in antidepressant use, but women seemed to be hit harder. In the four years leading up to a split, women’s usage increased significantly more than men’s, and even after, they continued relying more on antidepressants compared to their pre-breakup days. Gender-specific family roles, responsibilities, and economic disparities likely contribute to this discrepancy, as women often bear more caregiving and household duties. Despite facing more challenges, women tend to have broader social networks and stronger social support, which might help them cope better. When it comes to the loss of a partner, both genders saw an increase in antidepressant usage leading up to the event, but women experienced a more significant spike, especially in the months surrounding the bereavement. Interestingly, more men than women entered new relationships within a couple of years after a breakup or loss. It’s an intriguing glimpse into how gender dynamics play out in the realm of relationships and emotional well-being.

Reference: Hu Y, Metsä-Simola N, Malmberg S, et al Trajectories of antidepressant use before and after union dissolution and re-partnering in later life: a prospective total population register-based cohort study, J Epidemiol Community Health, DOI: 10.1136/jech-2023-221529

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Faulty DNA disposal system found to cause inflammation

Cells in the human body contain power-generating mitochondria, each with their own mtDNA—a unique set of genetic instructions entirely separate from the cell’s nuclear DNA that mitochondria use to create life-giving energy. When mtDNA remains where it belongs (inside of mitochondria), it sustains both mitochondrial and cellular health—but when it goes where it doesn’t belong, it can initiate an immune response that promotes inflammation.

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Patterns of brain connectivity found to differ between pre-term and term babies

A new King’s College London scanning study of 390 babies has shown distinct patterns between term and pre-term babies in the moment-to-moment activity and connectivity of brain networks.

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Researchers develop model to assess biology of human placental barrier

During pregnancy, the human placenta plays multiple essential roles, including hormone production and nutrient/waste processing. It also serves as a barrier to protect the developing fetus from external toxic substances. However, the placental barrier can still be breached by certain drugs. In a study appearing in Nature Communications, a team led by researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) have developed a trophoblast stem (TS) cell-based organoid model of the placental barrier to support further biological research.

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‘I want to rest in peace’: Ecuador decriminalizes euthanasia

Ecuador decriminalized euthanasia on Wednesday, becoming the second Latin American country to allow the procedure, in response to a lawsuit brought by a terminally ill patient.

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Drugs group AstraZeneca sees annual profit almost double

British drugs group AstraZeneca on Thursday said its net profit almost doubled to $6 billion last year, with a strong cancer division helping offset a wipeout for sales of COVID treatments.

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