Opportunistic chest X-rays effective in identifying bone loss risk: Study

A new study published in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health revealed that it may be possible to detect people at risk of bone loss outside of the conventional screening age range by using chest x-rays opportunistically.

The primary method of osteoporosis screening is dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans, which measure bone mineral density. Typically, screening doesn’t begin until age 65. In primary care settings, where DXA may not be easily accessible, individuals with osteoporosis risk and symptoms of bone demineralization may be identified by the opportunistic use of chest X-rays taken for other purposes.

Between May 1, 2021, and May 31, 2021, this research performed a cross-sectional assessment of the electronic medical records of patients aged 50 to 65 who underwent a chest X-ray at the emergency room of a sizable Level 1 trauma center in an urban teaching hospital. Based on the X-ray data, they calculated the prevalence of “bone demineralization” and contrasted it with the results of a review by an impartial radiologist.

This research also looked into the clinical and demographic correlates of LBM and estimated the number of persons aged 50 to 65 who may be at risk for the disease using data from the 2020 US population census. This study analyzed 390 patient data, including 201 (51.5%) males and 189 (48.5%) females. A radiologist analysis showed 49 (12.6%) reports with a bone demineralization remark, when compared to 4 (1.0%) reports.

This study predicted that roughly 8.4 million persons in the US population aged 50 to 64 will have bone demineralization, based on a sex-adjusted prevalence of 13.1% (using the direct method, using the 2020 US population as benchmark). In women, LBM was linked to hypertension (OR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.03-5.64).

Overall, using plain chest radiographs obtained for other causes might offer a way to identify people at risk at little or no additional expense to the patient, even if mass screening for osteoporosis or bone demineralization in all persons aged 50 to 65 is not currently advised. 

Source:

Chinapuvvula, N. R., Hatley, M., Khan, R., Awiwi, M., des Bordes, J., & Rianon, N. (2025). Opportunistic use of chest X-ray for identifying older adults at risk of osteoporosis and not meeting criteria for screening. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 16(21501319251353372), 21501319251353372. https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319251353372

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Robot-assisted surgery tied to Higher postoperative Pulmonary Complications versus conventional laparoscopic surgery: Study

Researchers have found in a new cohort study published in JAMA Surgery that patients undergoing robot-assisted surgery were more likely to experience postoperative pulmonary complications compared with those who had conventional laparoscopic procedures, raising important questions about perioperative management in minimally invasive surgery.

The study evaluated outcomes in a large group of patients undergoing abdominal and pelvic operations and specifically examined differences in pulmonary function following robot-assisted versus conventional laparoscopic approaches. Findings revealed that individuals in the robot-assisted surgery group required longer and more intensive mechanical ventilation after surgery, and this increased need for respiratory support appeared to contribute to the higher incidence of pulmonary complications observed.

However, when researchers adjusted for potential confounders, only ventilation duration—not intensity or surgical approach itself—was independently associated with pulmonary complications, suggesting that prolonged ventilation times during robot-assisted procedures may explain the elevated risks rather than the robotic technique alone. This distinction is clinically meaningful, as it emphasizes the role of anesthetic management and ventilatory strategies in reducing pulmonary risks, rather than placing the burden solely on surgical modality choice. The findings also underscore the importance of enhanced intraoperative monitoring, lung-protective ventilation strategies, and careful postoperative respiratory care for patients undergoing robot-assisted operations, particularly given the increasing adoption of robotic platforms in general and subspecialty surgery.

Pulmonary complications remain a leading cause of morbidity after abdominal surgery, and understanding modifiable contributors such as ventilation time provides an avenue for targeted interventions to improve outcomes. While the data indicate that robot-assisted procedures may expose patients to longer anesthetic and ventilation times, they also suggest that optimizing perioperative respiratory management could mitigate risks without negating the potential benefits of robotic technology, such as improved dexterity, visualization, and precision. The authors conclude that further research should evaluate strategies to shorten ventilation duration and assess whether tailored respiratory care protocols can reduce pulmonary complication rates in robot-assisted surgery, ultimately supporting safer integration of robotic systems into surgical practice.

Keywords: robot-assisted surgery, conventional laparoscopic surgery, postoperative pulmonary complications, ventilation, minimally invasive surgery, JAMA Surgery

Reference: JAMA Surgery. Association of Robot-Assisted Surgery With Postoperative Pulmonary Complications Compared With Conventional Laparoscopic Surgery. Published September 17, 2025. DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2025.3445.

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Low- and alcohol-free drinks gaining popularity among ‘risky’ UK drinkers

There’s been a significant rise in the use of low- and alcohol-free drinks to curb alcohol intake among “risky drinkers” over the past five years in England, Wales, and Scotland, finds research published in BMJ Public Health.

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SII, Vidal Health join hands on HPV vaccine access

Mumbai:  Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd., part of Cyrus Poonawalla Group, and Vidal Health, a 100 percent subsidiary of Bajaj Finserv Health, India’s TPA service provider, have announced a strategic collaboration to enhance cervical cancer prevention and awareness across the country.

Starting October 1, 2025, Vidal Health’s platform will offer an end- to-end, convenient and cashless experience for HPV vaccine – from digitally booking a doctor’s appointment at a preferred location, to providing consent and receiving certification – all with zero paperwork. The fully managed health programme will provide complete support with timely dosage reminders, adherence monitoring, and efficient network management to ensure continuity of care.

Vidal Health is a 100% subsidiary of Bajaj Finserv Health, a digital platform that integrates the fragmented healthcare delivery ecosystem and offers products and services ranging from preventive to prepaid healthcare, including OPD care and telemedicine.

Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman & Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv, said, “Healthcare in India is experiencing a fundamental shift from reactive, post-illness care to preventive care, driven by awareness and transformative initiatives like Ayushman Bharat. At Bajaj Finserv Health, we are shaping this change by building a digital platform that empowers people to stay healthy, with preventive healthcare at its core. Our collaboration with Serum Institute marks a strong start to our vaccination programme. By equipping individuals and corporates with digital convenience to manage health proactively, we not only help them cut long-term healthcare costs but also contribute to the nation’s sustained well-being.”

Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer, Serum Institute of India, said, “The HPV vaccine is an important step in preventing cervical cancer, but wider access and awareness are key to its impact. Our collarboration with Vidal Health helps bridge that gap by using technology to deliver the vaccine more efficiently and at scale. This initiative supports our ongoing efforts to make essential vaccines more accessible and improve public health outcomes.”

Neetha Uthaiah, Whole Time Director, Vidal Healthcare Services Ltd, said, “The collaboration with Serum Institute is significant in our journey towards making healthcare inclusive and accessible to all. It enables us to deliver transparent and preventive healthcare, in addition to our existing offering of efficient claims processing and a range of wellness programmes. Through this fully managed programme, we aim to reduce hospitalisations and out-of-pocket medical spends, which are high in India, thus optimising the care ecosystem.”

The initiative brings together healthcare providers, vaccine manufacturers and national digital platforms such as Aarogya Setu. It also broadens the gamut of Vidal Health’s preventive healthcare offering for individuals — allowing it to expand its health-focused solutions to a broader range of preventive care. Vidal Health’s digital platform currently offers doctor consultations, diagnostic tests, health check-ups, wellness programs, and health financing options.

As per the release, The HPV vaccine will be directly available on Vidal Health’s digital platform. The platform will enable digital registration, cashless payment and automated tracking of the multi-dose vaccination schedule. Employees at corporates will have the flexibility to get vaccinated at the work premises or at any Vidal Health partner clinic. The entire health programme has been designed to maximise transparency and adoption across user groups with a pricing that is affordable and inclusive.

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Journal retracts paper on apple cider vinegar and weight loss

BMJ Group has retracted research suggesting that small daily quantities of apple cider vinegar might help people who are overweight or obese to lose weight.

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Drinking any amount of alcohol likely increases dementia risk

Drinking any amount of alcohol likely increases the risk of dementia, suggests the largest combined observational and genetic study to date, published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine.

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Retired Gynaecologist sentenced to 5 years in jail for bribery

Bengaluru: A retired gynaecologist from a government hospital in Tumakuru has been sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 20,000 for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000 from a pregnant daily wage worker in February 2021 to perform her delivery.  

The judgment was delivered by a special court for Lokayukta cases, comprising Judge Yasmin Parveen Ladkhan. The judge noted that, despite being a government employee, the doctor demanded money from a financially weak pregnant woman to carry out the delivery. 

The incident dates back to February 2, 2021, when the complainant, a daily wage worker, was brought to the government hospital in labour pain, accompanied by her brother-in-law. 

Also read- Doctor sentenced to 20 years jail for sexually assaulting minor

At that time, the doctor allegedly refused to attend to the complainant unless her brother-in-law paid Rs 3,000 in advance for the delivery. Since the husband of the complainant was away for work, the brother-in-law managed to arrange Rs 2,000 and handed it over to the doctor through a Group D staff member. 

Later, when he questioned the doctor whether it was right to act so ruthlessly during an emergency, which could have affected the pregnant woman and the child. In response, the doctor said that almost every pregnant patient who visits the hospital for delivery pays Rs 3,000. Therefore, he was not an exception. 

To keep the information as evidence, the complainant’s brother-in-law recorded his conversation with the doctor. Later, he filed a complaint with the Lokayukta police on February 4, 2021. 

Following the complaint, the police launched an investigation. The audio recording was sent to the forensic science laboratory, which confirmed that the voices belonged to the doctor and the brother-in-law. Along with other circumstantial evidence, the police filed a chargesheet against the doctor, accusing her of demanding and accepting the bribe. 

After the matter was taken up by the court, Special Public Prosecutor N Basavaraju informed the judge that the case was not a trap and the voice recording was played during the trial. 

Speaking to TOI, Basavaraju said, “The woman was writhing in pain, but that did not affect the doctor. The woman’s husband, also a daily wage worker, was away in the field. Summoned by his brother, he rushed to the hospital. With great difficulty, they arranged a Rs 2,000 bribe, and the brother-in-law handed it over to the doctor through a Group D staffer of the hospital.”

Considering his side, the court sentenced the doctor to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a Rs 20,000 fine. The judge also imposed an additional six months of simple imprisonment in case of payment default.

Also read- 66-year-old doctor sentenced to 3 years jail for molesting minor

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Intermittent energy restriction may improve outcomes in people with obesity and diabetes, suggests study

Intermittent energy restriction, time-restricted eating and continuous energy restriction can all improve blood sugar levels and body weight in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes, according to a study being presented Sunday at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco, Calif.

“This study is the first to compare the effects of three different dietary interventions intermittent energy restriction (IER), time-restricted eating (TRE) and continuous energy restriction (CER) in managing type 2 diabetes with obesity,” said Haohao Zhang, Ph.D., chief physician at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in Zhengzhou, China.

Although researchers identified improved HbA1c levels, and adverse events were similar across the three groups, the IER group showed greater advantages in reducing fasting blood glucose, improving insulin sensitivity, lowering triglycerides, and strengthening adherence to the dietary interventions.

“The research fills a gap in directly comparing 5:2 intermittent energy restriction with a 10-hour time-restricted eating in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. The findings provide scientific evidence for clinicians to choose appropriate dietary strategies when treating such patients,” Zhang said.

Zhang and colleagues performed a single-center, randomized, parallel-controlled trial at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from November 19, 2021 to November 7, 2024.

Ninety patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to the IER, TRE or CER group, with consistent weekly caloric intake across all groups. A team of nutritionists supervised the 16-week intervention.

Of those enrolled, 63 completed the study. There were 18 females and 45 males, with an average age of 36.8 years, a mean diabetes duration of 1.5 years, a baseline BMI of 31.7 kg/m², and an HbA1c of 7.42%.

At the end of the study, there were no significant differences in HbA1c reduction and weight loss between the IER, TRE and CER groups. However, the absolute decrease in HbA1c and body weight was greatest in the IER group.

Compared to TRE and CER, IER significantly reduced fasting blood glucose and triglycerides and increased the Matsuda index, a measure of whole-body insulin sensitivity. Uric acid and liver enzyme levels exhibited no statistically significant changes from baseline in any study group.

Two patients in the IER group and the TRE group, and three patients in the CER group, experienced mild hypoglycemia.

The IER group had the highest adherence rate (85%), followed by the CER group at 84% and the TRE group at 78%. Both the IER and CER groups showed statistically significant differences compared with the TRE group.

Zhang said these findings highlight the feasibility and effectiveness of dietary interventions for people who have obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Reference:

Intermittent energy restriction may improve outcomes in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes, The Endocrine Society, Meeting: ENDO 2025.

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Smoking or vaping may increase your risk of diabetes, suggests research

People who use e-cigarettes. cigarettes or both face an increased risk for developing diabetes, according to new University of Georgia research.

Smokers were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with prediabetes and diabetes than nonsmokers, the study found.

“In an era when e-cigarettes are marketed as a ‘safer’ alternative to smoking, this suggests they may carry a hidden peril and may be quietly contributing to long-term health problems like prediabetes and diabetes,” said Sulakshan Neupane, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “As the use of e-cigarettes rises rapidly, it’s vital we understand their broader health impacts. This is not just about the lungs anymore but the entire body and metabolic health.”

The use of electronic cigarettes, also known as vaping, is increasing, particularly among youth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings of the new study suggest rates of diabetes may continue to climb as well for this group.

Additionally, researchers found the risk of developing diabetes or prediabetes is even greater for Hispanic and Black populations in poor socioeconomic conditions, as well as those who have underlying health conditions.

Using cigarettes, e-cigarettes together increases risk of prediabetes by 28%

Utilizing over 1.2 million data points from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, the researchers analyzed e-cigarette and standard smoking use, and how it correlated to both prediabetes and diabetes diagnoses.

The study found vaping was associated with a 7% increased risk of prediabetes. E-cigarette use may cause short-term insulin resistance and weight gain, both risk factors for prediabetes.

That may seem like a small increase, but it translates to an additional 7,000 cases of prediabetes each year in the U.S based on current rates.

Smoking traditional cigarettes and cigars raised that risk to 15%. For people who vaped and smoked, the risk was even greater at 28%.

Users of both cigarettes and e-cigarettes also had higher odds, 7 and 9% respectively of being diagnosed with diabetes in general as well, not just developing risk factors for it.

“E-cigarette use alone elevates the likelihood of prediabetes, with dual use conferring an additional risk. This study highlights potential compounding harm from using both product types,” said Neupane.

Pre-existing conditions, demographics could exacerbate diabetes risk

Researchers found a variety of characteristics could further elevate the risk of prediabetes and diabetes diagnoses.

Being overweight or obese while smoking increased the chances of developing these conditions, as e-cigarette users with a higher body mass index experienced worse outcomes than normal-weight vapers.

Hispanic, Black and Asian individuals who smoked or vaped were more likely to be diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes than white people.

People in lower income categories likewise faced a higher risk (12%) of both conditions.

“People who aren’t earning enough money experience mental stress and tend to smoke or use alcohol to reduce that stress, which leads to these increased risk factors,” Neupane said.

But regular exercise made a difference, cutting the risk of prediabetes for smokers down by 8%, which researchers say offer a chance at mitigation.

“These findings have important implications for public health efforts to curb smoking and improve diabetes outcomes,” said Neupane.

This study was published in AJPM Focus. Co-authors included are Agricultural and Applied Economics Professor Wojciech J. Florkowski and Chandra Dhakal, a Ph.D. graduate from UGA who now works for the CDC Foundation.

References: Sulakshan Neupane, MS1 sn14022@uga.edu ∙ Wojciech J. Florkowski, PhD1 ∙ Chandra Dhakal, PhD2,† Published online October 5, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.focus.2024.100281 External Link

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Risk-Guided Screening Spots Early Heart Damage in Cancer Survivors: REDEEM Trial

Australia: A risk-guided screening approach can successfully uncover hidden heart problems in adults who have survived cancer treatments known to damage the heart, baseline results from the ongoing REDEEM trial have revealed.

The investigators found that nearly one in four long-term survivors carried signs of subclinical or stage B heart failure (SBHF) despite having normal pumping function, highlighting the need for structured surveillance in this growing population.
The REDEEM study, led by Dr. Joshua Wong and colleagues from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia, was published in the American Heart Journal. It focuses on adults aged 40 years and older who had completed potentially cardiotoxic cancer therapy at least five years earlier and who also had at least one established heart-failure risk factor. Participants underwent comprehensive echocardiographic screening to detect subtle cardiac changes before symptoms emerged.
The key findings of the study are as follows:
  • Out of 1,124 cancer survivors assessed, 604 underwent complete echocardiographic evaluation.
  • Subclinical or stage B heart failure (SBHF) was detected in 145 participants, representing about 24 percent of those screened.
  • The average three-dimensional left ventricular ejection fraction remained preserved at around 53 percent.
  • Global longitudinal strain averaged 15.6 percent, indicating early, subclinical cardiac dysfunction.
  • Reduced cardiorespiratory fitness (VO₂peak ≤18 ml/kg/min) was observed in 39 percent of participants tested.
  • Abnormal global longitudinal strain was associated with higher body mass index, diabetes, older age, and prior anthracycline exposure.
  • Lower exercise capacity was linked only to increasing age.
  • Abnormal strain and diminished fitness did not consistently overlap, suggesting distinct underlying mechanisms.
Eligible participants with SBHF are now being randomly assigned either to a multidisciplinary cardio-oncology disease-management program or to usual care. The intervention includes guideline-based neurohormonal therapy, supervised exercise training, and aggressive risk-factor control. Investigators will measure changes in peak oxygen uptake over six months as the primary outcome to see whether early treatment can prevent progression to overt heart failure.
Dr. Wong and the research team emphasize that there are currently no clear clinical guidelines for heart-failure surveillance in cancer survivors. Their baseline findings demonstrate that a structured, risk-based screening pathway is both practical and revealing, identifying a substantial subset of seemingly healthy individuals who already harbor silent cardiac injury years after chemotherapy.
These results set the stage for the interventional phase of REDEEM, which the authors describe as the first randomized controlled trial designed to test whether proactive, risk-guided disease management can delay or prevent symptomatic heart failure in this vulnerable group.
Reference:
Wong, J., Smith, J., Soh, C. H., Howden, E., Talbot, J. S., Nolan, M., Whitmore, K., Wright, L., Sherriff, A., Sivaraj, E., Wheeler, G., Wiltshire, K., Campbell, P., Ramkumar, S., Tam, C., & Marwick, T. H. (2025). Risk-Guided Disease Management To Prevent Heart Failure In Adult Cancer Survivors of Previous Cardiotoxic Cancer Treatments: Baseline Results of the REDEEM Trial. American Heart Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2025.09.009

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