Health

A team of Swedish researchers has identified biomarkers in the blood associated with symptoms of long Covid, particularly severe respiratory disorders. Long Covid is a condition characterised by persistent symptoms including acute breathlessness and fatigue, after an infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The team from Karolinska Institutet discovered a set of proteins in the blood of people with long Covid. The findings may pave the way for future diagnosis and treatment. "The proteins were mainly found in patients with long Covid and severe respiratory problems," said Marcus Buggert, docent at the Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet. "This is a biomarker pattern that we know to be linked to inflammatory signal pathways involved in cell death and lung damage and that has ...

Unchecked irregular periods can sometimes indicate or lead to serious health problems. While occasional irregularity is normal, regular irregular periods can indicate certain underlying medical issues like: Dr Ashwin Shetty, consultant, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, shares: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): A hormone disorder that might cause infertility, insulin resistance, and a heightened risk of diabetes and heart disease. Thyroid Disorders: Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can affect menstrual cycles and influence metabolism, cardiac health, and fertility. Endometriosis: A condition in which tissue that is like the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, leading to intense pain, heavy bleeding, and possible fertility problems. Uteri...

With growing medical advancements, young and old people are able to find hope when they are faced with challenging health complications, especially in severe cases. These miracles are ones that involve not only elderly people already dealing with kidney issues, who have suffered from critical issues, but also one that saw a challenging liver transplant take place across two cities, to showcase how hope is never lost. 85-year-old dialysis-dependent man treated for massive brain haemorrhage defies At an age when most people are expected to slow down, an 85-year-old man has redefined what it means to fight for life. Frail in appearance but strong in spirit, the long-term dialysis patient arrived at Manipal Hospitals in Kolkata`s Dhakuria, unconscious and battling an acute brain haemorrhage—h...

Depression in young teenagers could be easier to treat than in adulthood due to the symptoms being more flexible and not yet ingrained, according to a study on Tuesday. Depression is a complex condition, characterised by a range of connected symptoms. Current interventions treat overall depression severity and do not consider how symptoms interact and evolve. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh, in the UK, explained that symptoms such as sadness, fatigue, and a lack of interest are less predictable in teenagers. However, these become more fixed in adults, which can lead to persistent depression. “The findings highlight the importance of targeting depression at an early age when symptoms are still changing,” said Poppy Z. Grimes, Division of Psychiatry, at the varsity. In the p...

In a post-Covid world, many people are scared any time there is a health scare. Understandably, it is difficult for those going through it. However, there are many advancements being made every other day to highlight how there are an equal number of medical miracles that can give people hope.  Surgical removal of a 2.5 kg tumour In the most recent example, a 41-year-old woman from Thane has successfully undergone a complex surgical procedure to remove a massive 2.5-kilogram hemangioma liver tumour from her liver at the hospital.  The woman who underwent the surgery at Jupiter Lifeline Hospital in the same city, had been living with the condition unknowingly for many years. Hemangiomas are benign tumours composed of blood vessels and typically remain small and asymptomatic. They predomina...

Israeli researchers have discovered that stress experienced by mothers during pregnancy affects the foetus`s brain. The discovery led by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) could pave the way for new treatments or interventions to support a baby`s healthy development after birth, Xinhua news agency reported. Published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, the study revealed that maternal stress during pregnancy could "reprogramme" key molecular pathways in the foetus, particularly the cholinergic system -- a network of nerve cells responsible for regulating stress responses and inflammation. The researchers analysed blood samples from 120 newborns and their mothers collected at birth, focusing on small RNA molecules known as tRNA fragments (tRFs), many of which origi...

Do you regularly eat ready-to-eat-or-heat foods? Beware, a global study on Monday showed that the consumption of such ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can significantly increase the risk of preventable premature deaths. Previous studies have linked UPFs -- rich in sodium, trans fats, and sugar -- with 32 different diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, some types of cancer, and depression. The new study analysed data from nationally representative dietary surveys and mortality data from eight countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, United Kingdom, and the US). The findings published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, show that premature deaths attributable to consumption of UPFs increase significantly according to their share in ind...

Reducing salt intake is one of the most cost-effective strategies to boost health, said experts as salt consumption in India is exceeding safe limits, contributing significantly to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. Doctors and public health leaders called for stronger physician-led campaigns, reformulation of packaged foods, and consumer education to curb India`s rising salt crisis, at The Salt Fight 2025: Say NO to Na workshop organised by the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) and other organisations. Addressing modifiable risk factors like excess salt intake is critical to reversing the country`s non-communicable disease burden, which accounts for nearly 65 per cent of all deaths, said Dr Vinod Kumar Paul, Member, of NITI Aayog, during the event, held in the national capit...

A team of US researchers has uncovered the cellular culprit behind age-related abdominal fat, providing new insights into why our midsections widen with middle age.  Published in the journal Science, the findings suggest a novel target for future therapies to prevent belly flab and extend our healthy lifespans. Preclinical research by City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organisations in the US, has done this research. “People often lose muscle and gain body fat as they age — even when their body weight remains the same,” said Qiong (Annabel) Wang, an associate professor of molecular and cellular endocrinology at City of Hope’s Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute.  “We discovered aging triggers the arrival of a new type of...

Screening for both active and dormant tuberculosis (TB) infection simultaneously can help improve detection, which is key for better outcomes, according to a study.  The new strategy, proposed by a team of researchers led by Queen Mary University of London, can curtail infection rates, potentially save lives. It provides a solution to problems with current TB screening, which does not always accurately detect disease. "Global TB control requires early identification and treatment of TB in risk groups. Our novel screening algorithms show that screening for active and dormant TB can be done simultaneously with high accuracy for migrants from countries where TB is common to improve individual and population benefits,” said Dr Dominik Zenner, Clinical Reader in Infectious Disease Epidemiolog...