Environmental noise is among the top environmental risks to health

The probiotic VSL#3 and fecal microbiota transplantation could help induce remission in patients with ulcerative colitis, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (Mina Fransawy Alkomos, MD, from New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation and Ain Shams University, Cairo).

Environmental noise is among the top environmental risks to physical and mental health and well-being,according to the WHO report “Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region 2018”.

Erectile dysfunction was reported by 29% of male survivors of childhood cancer in the first large study that set out to investigate this issue. The study was published as a research letter October 4 in JAMA Oncology.

The CDC withdrew its Ebola experts from an outbreak zone in the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to security concerns, according to STAT.

The Union health ministry is creating a group of expert faculty from government colleges to provide technical assistance to the Board of Governors (BoG) that superseded the Medical Council of India (MCI), particularly in assessing colleges for registration or renewal of licences

A simple change in behavior could help prevent recurrent cystitis, a common UTI in women, according to a randomized controlled study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in October 2018. The study showed that drinking more water daily led to fewer episodes of recurrent cystitis and less need for antibiotics.

Degree of calcification in the abdominal aorta is strongly associated with decline in GFR: Abdominal aorta calcification is associated with a decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), as per results of a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a randomized controlled clinical trial (RENEXC) s conducted to examine the association of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in patients with non-dialysis dependent CKD. The prevalence of AAC was found to be 73% and 47% had severe calcification (AAC score ≥ 7). The degree of calcification in the abdominal aorta was strongly associated with a decline in GFR, a decrease in plasma albumin, an increase in plasma phosphate, an increase in pulse pressure, and cardiac structural changes, such as an increase in left ventricular mass (LVM), left atrial volume (LAV) and left atrial volume index (LAVI). These findings are published Oct. 12 in the journal Clinical Nephrology.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “A previous substance use disorder is a risk factor for future development of substance use disorder (SUD),” but “It is also possible that someone who once had an SUD but doesn’t currently have one has a balance of risk and protective genetic and environmental factors that could allow for alcohol consumption without developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD).”

Exposure to sulfur dioxide was associated with preterm birth as per a systematic review of 41 studies of air pollution and birth outcomes found; exposure to fine particulate matter was associated with low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth and small for gestational age (SGA) births; and exposure to particulate matter ≤10 µm was associated with SGA births (Environ Int. 2011;37:498).

An association between fine particulate matter (2.5µ) and autism has been demonstrated in recent epidemiological studies (Environ Health Perspect. 2015; 123:264).

This year, more than half of all US states have had confirmed or possible cases of acute flaccid myelitis, the polio-like illness that can cause paralysis and mostly affects children, according to a new CNN analysis.

Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi was launched by the Union Minister for Earth Sciences and Environment, Dr. Harsh Vardhan in Delhi on Monday. Developed jointly by the scientists at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, India Meteorological Department and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), the System is designed to predict extreme air pollution events and give alerts to take necessary steps as per Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Government of India. Speaking at the launch, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that the early warning system will help in proactively forewarning, 3-4 days in advance, any large scale air pollution events which may occur over the Delhi region.

Video to watch: TEDx Video: 

Doctor-patient relationship www.youtube(dot)com/ watch?v=i9ml1vKK2DQ

Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma Shri Awardee
President Elect CMAAO
President Heart Care Foundation of India