Bihar: Pregnant woman dies after quack performs C-section watching YouTube video

Begusarai: In a shocking case of medical fraud, a 30-year-old pregnant woman recently lost her life due to excessive bleeding after a quack allegedly performed C-section on her while taking guidance from a YouTube video at his clinic in the Begusarai district of Bihar. 

According to the sister of the deceased, the patient was kept in the operating room for 24 hours, during which the unqualified practitioner used a video tutorial to perform the surgery. She alleged that the patient’s condition worsened severely after the procedure, ultimately leading to her death.

Also read- Quack held for duping elderly woman of Rs 7.20 lakh with Fake Knee Surgery

It was later revealed that the doctor performing the surgery was a quack with no medical qualifications or experience who was running the clinic in the area. He allegedly targeted poor families by claiming to be a qualified physician.

The incident occurred after the patient from Arjunatol village in Cheria Bariarpur block was admitted to the clinic on November 2 with labour pain. As per a Hindustan news report, she underwent the surgery on the recommendation of the quack and gave birth to a girl. However, she died on the evening of November 5 due to excessive bleeding.

After the patient’s death, the family members created a ruckus in the clinic accusing the quack of negligence in treatment. Following this, the fake doctor, nurse and clinic staff reportedly fled from the spot.

The patient’s sister told Lokmat Times, “The doctor was performing the surgery after watching a video on YouTube. The operation had been going on for the past 24 hours. When my sister’s condition deteriorated and she died, the doctor fled on a bike.”

A police action regarding this incident remains pending. 

Also read- 16-year-old dies after quack administers injections for fever, Telangana Medical Council takes suo moto action

Powered by WPeMatico

Fluorescence-guided imaging technique could improve head and neck cancer surgery

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) ranks as one of the most common cancers globally, with over 650,000 new cases reported each year. Surgical intervention is often the primary treatment, but surgeons face a difficult challenge: they must completely remove the cancer while preserving as much surrounding healthy tissue as possible. This balance is crucial, as damage to nearby nerves can lead to significant post-surgical complications, affecting patients’ quality of life.

Powered by WPeMatico

Metabolic surgery may help reduce heart failure-related risk factors

Pennington Biomedical Research Center researchers at the Metamor Institute, along with colleagues from Our Lady of the Lake and LSU Health-New Orleans, have recently determined that metabolic surgery on patients with heart failure can result in a reduction in the need for oral diuretics, which are used to manage symptoms such as venous and vascular pressures.

Powered by WPeMatico

Biomarker identified for predicting inflammatory bowel disease treatment success

Not everyone responds equally well to treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). What will work for individual patients involves trial and error during the treatment process. Now, a team of researchers led by Charité—Universitätsmedizin, in collaboration with colleagues in Berlin and Bonn, has succeeded in identifying a biomarker that indicates whether or not treatment with a certain medication called an immunomodulator will be successful.

Powered by WPeMatico

Increased focus on comorbidities, socioeconomic factors could help improve health equity for people with COPD

Health care providers treating people with COPD also need to focus on the person’s socioeconomic factors, along with considering their additional health conditions or comorbidities, according to a new article. The article is published in the September 2024 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation.

Powered by WPeMatico

‘Radar stethoscope’ could improve contactless health monitoring technology

A new advance in health monitoring which uses radar to “listen” to patients’ heart sounds with remarkable accuracy could lead to a new generation of contactless medical monitoring equipment.

Powered by WPeMatico

Calcium Prescription in Hemodialysis: Study Highlights Impacts on Patient Survival Rates

Netherlands: Recent research published in the Clinical Kidney Journal has explored the influence of dialysate calcium prescriptions on mortality outcomes among patients beginning hemodialysis. The study offers critical insights into how variations in calcium concentrations may affect overall patient survival and cardiovascular health.

The researchers found no significant differences in all-cause or cardiovascular mortality between patients undergoing hemodialysis who are prescribed dialysate calcium at 1.50 mmol/L compared to those receiving 1.25 mmol/L.

“Unlike the unadjusted analysis, which indicated a higher risk associated with a dialysate calcium level of 1.50 mmol/L, the adjusted analysis revealed no significant differences in all-cause or cardiovascular mortality between dialysate calcium concentrations of 1.50 and 1.25 mmol/L,” the researchers wrote. “Following adjustment, patients receiving dialysate calcium at 1.50 mmol/L exhibited a lower risk of sudden cardiac death. Additionally, a higher serum-to-dialysate calcium gradient was linked to an increased risk of adverse outcomes.”

The optimal prescription of dialysate calcium concentration for hemodialysis remains a topic of debate. As a result, Jeroen P. Kooman, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, the Netherlands, and colleagues explored the relationship between dialysate calcium levels and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and sudden cardiac death.

For this purpose, the researchers conducted a historical cohort study that included adult patients who began hemodialysis between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2017, and survived for at least six months (the grace period). They assessed the relationship between dialysate calcium concentrations of 1.25 or 1.50 mmol/L and various outcomes over the two years following the grace period. Additionally, the study explored the association between the serum-to-dialysate calcium gradient and these outcomes.

The following were the key findings of the study:

  • The study included 12,897 patients receiving dialysate calcium at 1.25 mmol/L and 26,989 patients at 1.50 mmol/L, with a median age of 65 years, of whom 61% were male.
  • The unadjusted risk of all-cause mortality was higher for those on dialysate calcium 1.50 mmol/L, showing a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.07.
  • In the fully adjusted model, no significant differences were found, with an HR of 1.05.
  • Similar trends were observed for cardiovascular mortality risk, which had an HR of 1.03.
  • The adjusted risk of sudden cardiac death was lower for patients on dialysate calcium 1.50 mmol/L, with an HR of 0.81.
  • The analysis also revealed significant positive associations with all outcomes concerning larger serum-to-dialysate calcium gradients, primarily influenced by serum calcium levels.

Based on the findings, the researchers suggest that the prescription of dialysate calcium should take into account individual patient characteristics, aligning with the guidelines set forth by European Renal Best Practice.

Reference:

Ter Meulen, K. J., Carioni, P., Bellocchio, F., M, F., Bouman, H. J., Stuard, S., Neri, L., & Kooman, J. P. (2024). The effects of dialysate calcium prescription on mortality outcomes in incident patients on hemodialysis. Clinical Kidney Journal, 17(10). https://doi.org/10.1093/ckj/sfae288

Powered by WPeMatico

FDA authorises marketing of light therapy as treatment of AMD

The US Food and Drug Administration has FDA has granted marketing authorization to a form of light therapy as the first-ever treatment for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The LumiThera’s Valeda Light Delivery System is the first treatment shown to improve vision loss associated with dry AMD. The new photobiomodulation (PBM) system generates light at different wavelengths to stimulate and improve the function of retinal mitochondria.

The Valeda therapy is the first ever authorized treatment by the FDA for vision loss in dry AMD patients. Valeda provides an improvement in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) over 24 months of >5 letters or equivalent to a line on the eye chart. In the pivotal U.S. LIGHTSITE III trial, the Valeda treatment met its primary endpoint and was shown to be safe and effective in increasing and maintaining improved visual acuity.

LumiThera submitted the US LIGHTSITE III clinical data as part of a technical package to the FDA under a De Novo request with special controls.

“The De Novo authorization established Valeda as the first device for treatment of dry AMD patients with vision loss and creates a threshold for this novel class of PBM devices that must show similar clinical and nonclinical performance controls equivalent to the Valeda Light Delivery System,” stated Lori Holder, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, LumiThera, Inc.

“The RCT results demonstrated clinical benefits in early to intermediate dry AMD patients out to 24 months and an excellent safety profile,” stated David Boyer, MD, Retina Vitreous Associates Medical Group, Beverly Hills, CA. “Patients will now be able to try a non-invasive treatment that can help improve their vision earlier in the disease process. This is an exciting option for patients and something doctors and patients have been waiting for.”

“The primary endpoint for the study was visual acuity gain,” indicated Glenn Jaffe, MD, Duke Reading Center. However, we also followed multiple anatomical endpoints from BL throughout the 24-month study to determine whether PBM helped to preserve retinal anatomy. The PBM treatment had a beneficial effect on multiple anatomic biomarkers. For example, we looked at whether PBM affected progression to geographic atrophy and found that incident geographic atrophy was reduced in the PBM-treated eyes compared to the sham treated eyes respectively, 6.8% versus 24%. Although incident GA was not a prespecified clinical endpoint, the results supported overall safety benefits of treating earlier in dry AMD disease.

“We have been working hard to bring Valeda, a multiwavelength photobiomodulation device to our U.S. patients for several years. We now have a non-invasive treatment option for dry AMD patients that may improve vision and address the disease earlier, before permanent vision loss,” stated Clark Tedford, Ph.D., President and CEO. “The FDA authorization of the Valeda treatment to improve vision in dry AMD now provides a significant option for our US patients.”

About AMD

AMD is a leading cause of vision loss for people aged 65 and older. Losing central vision can make it harder to see faces, drive, or do close-up work like cooking or fixing things around the house. The overall prevalence of AMD is estimated to increase 7-fold with age, from 4.2% in those aged 45-49 years, to 27.2% in those aged 80–85 years. Globally, the prevalence is estimated to increase by 20% between 2020 (195.6 million) and 2030 (243.3 million).

Powered by WPeMatico

Psilocybin promising treatment for anorexia nervosa, reveals first clinical trial

In a groundbreaking exploration of psychedelic medicine’s potential for treating one of psychiatry’s most challenging conditions, researchers at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) provided an analysis and further details of a trial published in Nature Medicine that had shown how psilocybin therapy affects individuals with anorexia nervosa. In the new peer-reviewed Emerging Topic article in Psychedelics the authors of the original trial offer “a granular view of findings based on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews, extensive feedback and interviews from participants, and [their] subjective interpretations of data patterns.” This new Emerging Topic review reveals both promising outcomes and important limitations that could shape future treatment approaches.

The study, published November 7, 2024, in Psychedelics, offers a unique first-hand perspective on how psilocybin treatment impacts patients with anorexia nervosa, a condition that maintains the highest mortality rate among psychiatric illnesses and has historically resisted conventional treatments.

“Our findings suggest that psilocybin may be helpful in supporting meaningful psychological change in a subset of people with anorexia nervosa,” says Dr. Stephanie Knatz Peck, lead author of the study. “What’s particularly interesting is that 60% of participants reported a reduction in the importance of physical appearance, while 70% noted quality-of-life improvements and shifts in personal identity.”

Key findings from the trial include:

• 90% of participants ranked their psilocybin session among their top five most meaningful life experiences

• Four out of ten participants showed clinically significant reductions in eating disorder psychopathology

• Treatment effects were most pronounced in shape and weight concerns

• Changes in psychological outlook didn’t automatically translate to weight restoration

The research raises intriguing questions about the intersection of psychedelic medicine and eating disorder treatment. Why do some patients respond dramatically while others show minimal improvement? How might genetic variations in serotonin receptors influence treatment outcomes?

“You are able to act in a way that maybe had felt unachievable before if you set the right intention,” reported one participant, while another noted, “Things might not look that different from the outside, but they feel completely different from the inside.”

The study employed a single 25mg dose of psilocybin combined with specialized psychological support before, during, and after administration. While the results show promise, they also highlight the complexity of treating anorexia nervosa, suggesting that psychedelic therapy might work best as part of a comprehensive treatment approach rather than a standalone intervention.

Dr. Walter H. Kaye, senior author and director of the UCSD Eating Disorders Treatment Center, emphasizes the need for larger, well-controlled studies that include brain imaging and genetic analysis to better understand who might benefit most from this novel treatment approach.

The findings open new avenues for research into personalized medicine approaches for eating disorders, while also raising important questions about how to optimize therapeutic protocols for this vulnerable population.

Reference:

Stephanie Knatz Peck, Hannah Fisher, Jessie Kim, Samantha Shao, Julie Trim, and Walter H. Kaye, Psychedelic treatment for anorexia nervosa: A first-hand view of how psilocybin treatment did and did not help, Psychedelics, https://doi.org/10.61373/pp024e.0034.

Powered by WPeMatico

Chili Peppers may Exhibit Antitumor Effect on Mesothelioma Cancer Cells: Study

Capsaicin, the compound in chili peppers which gives them their spicy taste, may become a source of new, natural drugs for the hard-to-treat Mesothelioma type of cancer.

Mesothelioma is a very aggressive cancer with very poor survival and limited therapeutic options, commonly, but not always, associated with exposure to asbestos.

The paper, “Capsaicin Exerts Antitumor Activity in Mesothelioma Cells,” describes the discovery in the international-peer-reviewed journal Nutrients.

In this study, the authors demonstrated that treatment of various mesothelioma cell lines covering all mesothelioma subtypes inhibits several biological parameters of transformation. In addition, these results supported an antitumor effect of capsaicin on cisplatin-resistant mesothelioma cells, suggesting that it may enhance therapy by reducing resistance to cisplatin.

“This research could pave the way for further studies to evaluate the use of capsaicin for mesothelioma treatment,” says Antonio Giordano, M.D., Ph.D., President of the Sbarro Health Research Organization (SHRO) and Professor at Temple University. “There is evidence that capsaicin may sensitize mesothelioma cells to chemotherapy, making treatment more effective, and that it may reduce the spread of mesothelioma.”

Reference:

Emanuela Andretta et al, Capsaicin Exerts Antitumor Activity in Mesothelioma Cells, Nutrients (2024). DOI: 10.3390/nu16213758.

Powered by WPeMatico