Medically Speaking

Overweight and obese adults are more likely to acquire diabetes, although the specific process is unknown.
A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis may help explain how obesity contributes to diabetes and may present researchers with a target to help prevent or postpone diabetes in some at-risk individuals. The findings reveal that many patients with increased insulin levels – an early indicator of diabetes risk – also have abnormalities in an enzyme involved in the digestion of a crucial fatty acid from the diet. The findings were published in the journal Cell Metabolism on January 11th.

“Between 30 million and 40 million people in the United States have Type 2 diabetes, and another 90 million to 100 million have risk factors that make them likely to develop Type 2 diabetes in the future,” said senior investigator Clay F. Semenkovich, MD, director of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research at the School of Medicine.

When a person has too much body fat, the pancreas’s beta cells release more insulin. When insulin levels rise and stay high, the body becomes insulin resistant, and the beta cells that generate insulin eventually die, resulting in diabetes.

Semenkovich, the Irene E. and Michael M. Karl Professor; lead author Guifang Dong, PhD, a senior scientist; Xiaochao Wei, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine; and other Washington University researchers discovered that insulin overproduction is caused by a process known as palmitoylation. Cells link the fatty acid palmitate to proteins by this mechanism.

Thousands of human proteins can be connected to palmitate, but the researchers discovered that diabetes occurs when this fatty acid is not removed from proteins in beta cells. The researchers discovered that persons with diabetes were weak in an enzyme that removes palmitate from beta cells when they examined tissue samples from people who were thin or overweight, and with and without diabetes.

David W. Piston, PhD, the Edward W. Mallinckrodt Jr. Professor and Head of the Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, and Maria S.

“We’ve found several candidate drugs, and we’re pursuing those,” Semenkovich said. “We think that by increasing APT1 activity, we might reverse this process and potentially prevent people at risk from progressing to diabetes.”

The research team, led by Remedi, PhD, a professor of medicine and cell biology & physiology, and Fumihiko Urano, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine and pathology & immunology, also genetically engineered a mouse that was deficient in the enzyme APT1, which is responsible for palmitate removal from proteins. Diabetes developed in the altered mice. Because reduced APT1 function increased the risk of diabetes, the researchers collaborated with the university’s Center for Drug Discovery to screen and find drugs that potentially improve APT1 enzyme activity.

“We’ve found several candidate drugs, and we’re pursuing those,” Semenkovich said. “We think that by increasing APT1 activity, we might reverse this process and potentially prevent people at risk from progressing to diabetes.”

Although Semenkovich stated that the new discoveries identifying APT1 as a target are a significant step, he added that APT1 is merely one therapy target among several. “There are several ways that Type 2 diabetes may develop,” he said. “This enzyme is not the answer, but it’s an answer, and it appears we have some promising tools that might keep some people with prediabetes from developing diabetes.”

According to a new study, significant inflammation impairs the body’s capacity to eradicate malignant blood cells in people with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Experiments in human cells also demonstrated how increased levels of inflammation, as indicated by an aggressive response of immune cells in the bone marrow, affected the makeup of immunity B and T cells required to combat the disease as if it were an invading pathogen or virus. Researchers at NYU Langone Health and its Perlmutter Cancer Center were able to rate each patient’s level of inflammation using bone marrow samples from 20 adults and 22 children with the fatal condition.

These “iScores” were then associated to survival rates, with people with the lowest iScores often outliving those with higher iScores. Patients with leukaemia who had high iScores died at least four years earlier than those who had modest levels of inflammation. According to the NYU researchers, the new “iScore” method may be added to current instruments for detecting AML severity and utilised by clinicians and patients when choosing on immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or bone marrow transplantation.

“Our scoring system gives an accessible tool for clinicians and patients to quantify their risk from inflammation associated with their leukaemia and alter their treatment programmes accordingly to reduce this risk,” research co-lead scientist Audrey Lasry, PhD, explains. She claims that the measurements required to determine a patient’s iScore are openly available to academic researchers and doctors in the study article, which was published in the journal Nature Cancer.

According to Lasry, a postdoctoral fellow at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Perlmutter Cancer Center, some patients may prefer immunotherapy to enhance immune cells needed to combat cancer if their inflammation score is high. Others may prefer alternate therapy in situations of mild inflammation related to cancer since their immune system does not require strengthening.

The study also discovered that in both adults and children with AML, bone marrow levels of defective (atypical) immunological B cells were connected to inflammation. A dozen gene mutations, or flaws in the genetic code, were discovered to be associated with high iScores and severe instances of the disease. Another significant result was that the efficiency of certain immunological T cells, which directly attack cancer cells, was inhibited in kid instances of leukaemia with high inflammation but not in adult cases.

“Our study is the first to provide a detailed description of how inflammation alters the tumour microenvironment in both adults and children with acute myeloid leukaemia,” says study co-lead investigator Bettina Nadorp, PhD, who is also a postdoctoral fellow at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Perlmutter Cancer Center.

“These study findings suggest that monitoring inflammation in patients with AML and possibly lowering inflammation levels with drug therapy should be considered as part of treatment for the disease,” says study senior investigator Iannis Aifantis, PhD.

The team plans to analyse bone marrow samples from people with myelodysplastic syndrome, another blood cancer related to acute myeloid leukaemia, to see if the same risk stratification applies based on inflammation, according to Aifantis, the Hermann M. Biggs Professor and chair of the Department of Pathology at NYU Grossman and Perlmutter.

Researchers compared bone marrow samples from patients with acute myeloid leukaemia to bone marrow samples from 10 healthy adults of comparable age, race, and gender who did not have cancer. In adults with the condition, 246 genes associated with inflammation were found to be highly or less active, whereas 187 genes associated with inflammation were found to be similarly active in children.

Researchers reduced their investigation to 38 important genes in adults and 11 in children by factoring in how long each patient had survived with the condition, and were then able to construct a score that linked inflammation levels to survival. When a group of patients’ iScores are compared, researchers claim it’s straightforward to identify who’s iScore is higher or lower than the average and by how much, which may then be used to direct a patient’s therapy.
For any economic activity stemming from the usage of the iScore, the research team has a patent application filed. The terms and conditions of this patent are controlled in line with NYU Langone’s regulations.

Acute myeloid leukaemia develops in the bone marrow and is characterised by the accumulation of aberrant blood cells, which can interfere with the formation of healthy blood cells. The most prevalent kind of blood cancer affects largely adults and kills around 11,500 Americans each year. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy are all treatment possibilities. If all other methods fail, bone marrow transplantation may be considered.

Lupin stated on Tuesday that the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has approved its abbreviated new drug application (ANDA), Prasugrel tablets for 5 mg and 10 mg, which is a generic counterpart of Cosette Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s Effient tablets, 5 mg and 10 mg.

According to a statement from Lupin, the product would be manufactured in the company’s Goa site.
According to IQVIA, prasugrel tablets of 5 mg and 10 mg have expected annual sales of USD 18 million in the United States.

A release said Lupin, headquartered in Mumbai, develops and commercialises a wide range of branded and generic formulations, biotechnology products, and APIs in over 100 markets in the US, India, South Africa, and across the Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East regions.

Lupin said it has 15 manufacturing sites, seven research centres, more than 20,000 professionals working globally, and has been consistently recognised as a ‘Great Place to Work’ in the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals sector.

According to recent research, people who are depressed or anxious can help themselves heal by helping others.

The study discovered that performing acts of kindness resulted in benefits when compared to two different therapeutic procedures used to treat sadness or anxiety. Most crucially, according to research co-author David Cregg, who conducted the experiment as part of his PhD dissertation in psychology at The Ohio State University, the acts of kindness strategy was the only intervention examined that made individuals feel more connected to others.

“Social connection is one of the ingredients of life most strongly associated with well-being. Performing acts of kindness seems to be one of the best ways to promote those connections,” Cregg said.

Cregg conducted the research with Jennifer Cheavens, professor of psychology at Ohio State. Their study was published recently in The Journal of Positive Psychology.

The research also revealed why performing acts of kindness worked so well: It helped people take their minds off their own depression and anxiety symptoms.

This finding suggests that one intuition many people have about people with depression may be wrong, Cheavens said.

“We often think that people with depression have enough to deal with, so we don’t want to burden them by asking them to help others. But these results run counter to that,” she said.

“Doing nice things for people and focusing on the needs of others may actually help people with depression and anxiety feel better about themselves.”

The study included 122 adults from central Ohio who had moderate to severe depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms.
Following an introduction session, participants were divided into three groups. Two of the groups were randomly allocated to strategies commonly used in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for depression: social activity planning and cognitive reappraisal.

The social activities committee was given the task of organising social events for two days every week. Another group was taught one of CBT’s mainstays: cognitive reappraisal. These participants kept diaries for at least two days each week, which assisted them in identifying negative thinking patterns and revising their ideas in a way that might lessen sadness and anxiety.

Members of the third group were instructed to perform three acts of kindness a day for two days out of the week. Acts of kindness were defined as “big or small acts that benefit others or make others happy, typically at some cost to you in terms of time or resources.”

Some of the acts of kindness that participants later said they did included baking cookies for friends, offering to give a friend a ride, and leaving sticky notes for roommates with words of encouragement.

Participants followed their instructions for five weeks, after which they were evaluated again. The researchers then checked with the participants after another five weeks to see if the interventions were still effective.

The findings showed that participants in all three groups showed an increase in life satisfaction and a reduction of depression and anxiety symptoms after the 10 weeks of the study.

“These results are encouraging because they suggest that all three study interventions are effective at reducing distress and improving satisfaction,” Cregg said.

“But acts of kindness still showed an advantage over both social activities and cognitive reappraisal by making people feel more connected to other people, which is an important part of well-being,” he said.

In addition, the acts of kindness group showed greater improvements than the cognitive reappraisal group for life satisfaction and symptoms of depression and anxiety, results showed.

Cheavens noted that just participating in social activities did not improve feelings of social connection in this study.

“There’s something specific about performing acts of kindness that makes people feel connected to others. It’s not enough to just be around other people, participating in social activities,” she said.

Cregg said that while this study used techniques of CBT, it is not the same experience as going through CBT. Those who undergo the full treatment may have better results than those in this study.

But the findings also show that even the limited CBT exposure given in this study can be helpful, Cheavens said.

“Not everyone who could benefit from psychotherapy has the opportunity to get that treatment,” she said. “But we found that a relatively simple, one-time training had real effects on reducing depression and anxiety symptoms.”

And beyond traditional CBT, acts of kindness may have additional benefits in creating social connections, Cregg said.
“Something as simple as helping other people can go above and beyond other treatments in helping heal people with depression and anxiety,” he said.

Tau and tubulin proteins are primarily responsible for many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The buildup of these proteins in the brain is mostly to blame for the progression of neurodegenerative disorders.

Jiali Li, a physics professor at the University of Arkansas, and her colleagues created a novel silicon nitride nanopore-based sensing device in response to a doctoral student’s wish to examine tau and tubulin proteins. Acharjee et al. present the gadget in AIP Publishing’s Journal of Applied Physics, which is meant to offer volume information on tau and tubulin protein molecules and their aggregation states at the single-molecule level inside their native environment.

“Ohm’s Law is the basic physics that enables the nanopore device to sense protein molecules,” said Li. “A tiny hole — from 6 to 30 nanometers — is made in a thin silicon nitride membrane and supported by a silicon substrate. When that is placed into a solution with salt ions, applying an electric voltage drives the ions’ flow through the hole, or nanopore. This, in turn, generates an open pore ionic current.”

When a charged protein molecule — often thousands of times larger than the ions — is near the nanopore, it also gets driven into the nanopore and blocks the flow of some ions. This causes the open pore current to drop.

“The amount of current drop produced by a protein molecule is proportional to the protein’s volume or size and shape,” said Li. “This implies that if protein A binds to protein B, they will cause a current drop proportional to the volume of A+B, and an aggregated protein A will cause approximately multiple amounts of current drop.”

This allows Li and her group to look at the protein binding and aggregation within a nanopore device. The amount of time a protein stays in a nanopore is inversely proportional to its charge, which also provides useful information about a protein molecule.

“Our study shows that a silicon nitride nanopore device can measure volume information of tau and tubulin protein molecules and their aggregation under different biological conditions, and this gives us a better understanding of the protein aggregation process, as well as developing drugs or other therapeutic methods to treat neurodegenerative diseases,” said Li.

Using their solid-state nanopore device, along with other nanotechnology tools, “we plan to study the mechanism of protein aggregation under different biological conditions systematically, such as temperature, pH, and salt concentration,” she said.

A leading health expert stated on Tuesday that testing of sewage samples has not shown any new variants of COVID, implying that the chance of an increase in cases is quite low.

“The sewage sampling is being done and there also we are not getting any indication that either a new variant is here or there is a possibility of the upsurge of cases in the coming days or weeks,” Chairman of COVID-19 working group NTAGI, Dr NK Arora told ANI.

The official said that India has maintained to be in a “reasonably comfortable position” during the last 12 months.
“Our genomic surveillance system has identified almost 300 plus sub-variants of Omicron and they are spread all over the place. From time to time a certain sub-lineage becomes dominant. But the important point is that throughout the years we did not have any massive increase or surge in hospitalizations or deaths,” he said.

“Another important point is that the Omicron variants we are seeing in India are very much the same which are seen in any other parts of the world. And the second point is that they are not able to gain a foothold, or cause hospitalisation or severe disease,” the official added.

Dr Arora said that the country need not panic about the overall COVID situation, however, he suggested keeping a close watch.

“I would say the overall situation is something which we need not get panicky about. But the important point is that we have to keep a very close watch, in view of an upsurge in some of the other countries, European North American and East Asian countries,” he said.

On Monday Union Health Ministry also said that “Sentinel sequencing of 324 COVID Positive Samples reveals the presence of all Omicron Variants in Community.No mortality or rise in transmission was reported in areas where these variants were detected”.

Winter’s new phase has arrived! And, as the temperature drops, arm yourself with nourishing winter superfoods. Yes, we are discussing ‘dry fruits,’ which are a staple in India. They are commonly ingested throughout the winter since they help keep you warm and enhance your immunity to common winter diseases. Dry fruits supply your body with energy, protein, vitamins, and other essential components. Several nuts are referred regarded be dry fruits because they provide comparable advantages. If you want to lose weight, it is recommended that you include a bit of dry fruit in each meal because it is a healthier alternative to fried meals.

These nutrient-dense dried fruits have several health advantages, including the capacity to fight infections, increase immunity, and improve digestion.
They are widely accessible on the market and may be consumed either raw or cooked. Remember that consuming too much dry fruit can cause digestive troubles, weight gain, and other complications.

1. Raisins (Kishmish)

Raisins are dried grapes that are high in vitamins and minerals. Because they are naturally sweet and heavy in calories, they are a delight for individuals with a sweet tooth. It aids digestion and provides dietary fibre, which helps to decrease dangerous cholesterol levels. It also has sufficient levels of iron, calcium, and boron, all of which promote bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis. Iron also promotes the formation of red blood cells, which helps to avoid anaemia. They include anti-oxidants, which help to fight against diseases like as cancer and heart disease. Seeded raisins have 122 calories in one-fourth cup due to their high sugar and calorie content, therefore eat them in moderation. They are delicious with cereal, yoghurt, cookies, bread, oats, and bread.

2. Dried dates

Dates are a superfood that is commonly seen in Indian households. Dates, which are eaten raw or used in desserts, include calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and other elements that can benefit your health. Polyphenols in dried dates can aid in diabetes management, digestion, and cancer prevention. They also aid in detoxification and inflammation reduction. It may alleviate digestive issues as well as successfully and naturally induce labour, making it useful for pregnant moms as well. Dates, a nutrient-rich energy source, are frequently used in protein bars. One-fourth cup of chopped dry dates has 125 calories. Despite its high caloric content, it has a low glycemic index due to its high fibre content. Two to three dates can be eaten while on a diet, which can help you fulfil your sweet appetite.

3. Pistachios (Pista)

India is well-known for its delectable pistachios. Potassium and healthy fat, which are rich in pistachios and have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, are beneficial to your heart. Pistachios are excellent for gut health because of their capacity to increase healthy gut flora.

Furthermore, it can improve the percentage of healthy bacteria to hazardous bacteria, which is favourable to your heart’s health. They also help with weight reduction since their high protein and fibre content keeps you feeling fuller for longer. Pistachios have 173 calories in a quarter cup, making them a filling snack for dieters. Eat them in moderation since they contain salt. Excessive salt consumption may be hazardous to your health. They are commonly used in sweets, ice cream, and dessert meals.

4. Cashew nuts (Kaju)

Cashews are healthy nuts that have several health advantages. They are high in magnesium, copper, and manganese, all of which promote brain function, bone health, and immune system performance. It also includes antioxidants, which aid in disease prevention. Cashews may also improve heart health by raising good cholesterol and decreasing blood pressure. They are also an excellent source of energy. Cashew is a versatile nut that may be utilised in a wide range of meals, including soups, salads, and stews. Cashew nuts are used in several traditional Indian desserts, including Barfi and Laddu. Cashews have 170 calories per quarter cup, making them a low-calorie nut that can help you lose weight. It’s fantastic as a snack or with salads. It should be noted, however, that raw cashews have a high salt and oil content, which may be lowered by roasting them.

5. Almonds (Badaam)

Almonds are well-known for their ability to improve memory. After soaking them all night, consuming them in the morning can increase cognitive performance. They are high in vitamin E, which improves memory and reduces the incidence of dementia in the elderly.
They can also prevent plaque accumulation in your arteries, decreasing your risk of heart disease. Almonds are high in magnesium, which may help you regulate your blood sugar levels. Because they include fibre, healthy fats, and protein, they may aid in weight loss. A quarter cup has 162 calories (23 almonds). Almond milk and flour are versatile ingredients that may be utilised in a number of ways. They can also be used as a garnish on desserts such as kheer.

6. Walnuts (Akhrot)

Walnuts are a delightful and nutritious snack. They include a high concentration of antioxidants, which enhance skin health and mitigate the effects of high cholesterol. Walnut fatty acids may be beneficial to your heart and reduce your chances of getting heart disease.

They also increase the quantity of helpful bacteria in the stomach, which improves gut health. With proper gut health, many illnesses may be prevented. Because walnuts contain vitamin E and polyunsaturated fats, they help your brain by lowering inflammation and increasing brain function. A quarter cup of walnuts, which are commonly used in salads, desserts, stir-fries, and yoghurt, has around 190 calories. Some persons who are allergic to nuts should avoid walnuts, and walnuts can irritate the stomach if ingested in excess.

A new study discovered that a range of healthy eating habits are linked to a decreased risk of dying before your time. They discovered that, when compared to participants with lower scores, those with high scores on adherence to at least one of four healthy eating patterns had a lower risk of dying from any cause and a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, cancer, or respiratory disease during the course of the study. The findings are in accordance with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which advocate for a variety of healthful eating behaviours. JAMA Internal Medicine published the findings online.

“The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are intended to provide science-based dietary advice that promotes good health and reduces major chronic diseases. Thus, it is critical to examine the associations between DGAs-recommended dietary patterns and long-term health outcomes, especially mortality,” said corresponding author Frank Hu, Fredrick J. Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology and chair of the Department of Nutrition.

Few studies have been conducted to determine if greater adherence to the DGAs-recommended dietary patterns is related with a lower risk of total and cause-specific death over time. The researchers analysed health data from 75,230 women in the Nurses’ Health Study and 44,085 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study obtained during a 36-year period.

At the start of the trial, all patients were clear of cardiovascular disease or cancer, and they completed dietary questionnaires every four years. Their data was graded using each of the four dietary pattern indices (Healthy Eating Index 2015, Alternate Mediterranean Diet, Healthful Plant-based Diet Index, and Alternate Healthy Eating Index). Key components shared by everyone include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, however other components vary among dietary patterns.

A higher score on at least one of the measures was linked to a decreased chance of mortality from any cause, as well as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory illness. Higher AMED and AHEI scores were related with a decreased probability of dying from neurodegenerative illness. The findings were similar for non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and Hispanics.

The current DGAs (2015-2020) advocate for a variety of healthy eating patterns that may be tailored to individual dietary traditions and tastes. The US Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture issue an updated version of the Guidelines every five years (USDA).

“It is important to evaluate adherence to DGAs-recommended eating patterns and health outcomes, including mortality, so that timely updates can be made,” said Hu. “Our findings will be valuable for the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which is being formed to evaluate current evidence surrounding different eating patterns and health outcomes.”

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reported 121 new instances of Covid-19 across India in the previous 24 hours on Tuesday morning. According to the Health Ministry, India has 2,319 current cases. According to an official statement, the overall number of recoveries from the virus has risen to 4,41,47,174, with 172 in the previous 24 hours alone. India’s recovery rate is at 98.8 percent.

The daily and weekly positivity rates in India are now 0.07 and 0.11 percent, respectively. The Union Health Ministry further stated that 1,69, 568 Covid tests had been performed in the previous 24 hours, as of Tuesday morning, and that the total cost of the tests had reached 91.23 crores.

India has delivered 220.14 crore Covid-19 Vaccine doses (95.14 cr Second Dose and 22.43 cr Precaution Dose) under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive, with 56,829 doses administered in the previous 24 hours.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday urged the people not to panic over the ongoing worldwide Covid spike, but to be vigilant and follow the Centre’s directives.

He stated that while Covid will continue to mutate and other strains or varieties would emerge, residents should not be overly concerned and should only trust information supplied by government authorities to avoid panic. Notably, Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla commended India’s fight against the Covid epidemic on Sunday, saying the government and healthcare professionals played a significant role in combating the pandemic in the nation.

“Everyone is looking at India today and our Covid management is one of the primary reasons why. “It was all made possible by the government, healthcare professionals, and a shared aim to conquer the virus,” he said during the inauguration of Bharti Super Speciality Hospital in Pune.

“I’ve travelled the world, but the Covid situation in India is superior to everywhere else. I would strongly advise everyone to stay in India “He went on to say. He also stated that their Covovax vaccine would be approved for use as a booster dose against Covid-19 within the next 10 to 15 days. Poonawalla informed reporters that the vaccination is particularly effective against the Omicron type of coronavirus.

According to a study published online in the journal Gut, antibiotic usage may raise the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) in adults over 40. According to the data, the risk appears to be cumulative and is greatest 1-2 years after usage and for antibiotics used to treat gastrointestinal infections. Environmental variables are likely involved in the development of inflammatory bowel disease, according to mounting research (IBD). According to the researchers, close to 7 million people worldwide have the illness, with that figure predicted to climb over the next decade.

The use of antibiotics is one factor related with IBD risk in younger individuals, although it is unclear if this relationship applies to older persons. To go deeper, the researchers examined national medical data from 2000 to 2018 for Danish people aged 10 and above who had not been diagnosed with IBD.

They were particularly interested in learning if the time and dose of antibiotics were relevant in the development of IBD, and whether this varied by IBD and antibiotic type. The survey comprised approximately 6.1 million people, with women accounting for slightly more than half of the participants. Between 2000 and 2018, 5.5 million people (91%) were administered at least one course of antibiotics.

Approximately 36,017 new instances of ulcerative colitis and 16,881 new cases of Crohn’s disease were identified during this time period. Overall, usage of these medicines was related with a greater risk of developing IBD, regardless of age, as compared to no use. However, greater age was related with the greatest risk.

Those aged 10-40 were 28% more likely to be diagnosed with IBD, those aged 40-60 were 48% more probable, and those over 60 were 47% more likely. Crohn’s disease had a somewhat greater risk than ulcerative colitis: 40% among 10-40 year olds, 62% among 40-60 year olds, and 51% among those over 60.

The danger appeared to be cumulative, with each consecutive course increasing the risk by 11%, 15%, and 14%, respectively, depending on age band. The biggest risk was reported among individuals administered 5 or more courses of antibiotics: a 69% increase in risk for 10-40 year olds, a doubling in risk for 40-60 year olds, and a 95% increase in risk for those over 60.
Timing appeared to be important as well, with the largest risk for IBD occurring 1-2 years following antibiotic exposure, and each subsequent year linked with a decrease in risk.

IBD risk was 40% greater 1-2 years after using antibiotics among 10-40 year olds, compared to 13% 4-5 years later. The similar percentages for 40-60 year olds were 66% vs 21%, and 63% vs 22% for those over 60. In terms of antibiotic class, nitroimidazoles and fluoroquinolones, which are often used to treat gut infections, were related with the highest risk of IBD. Broad spectrum antibiotics are so named because they target all bacteria, not only those that cause illness. Nitrofurantoin was the only antibiotic that was not linked to an increased risk of IBD at any age.

Narrow spectrum penicillins were also linked to IBD, but to a lesser extent. This lends credence to the idea that alterations in the gut microbiome may play an important role, and that many medications have the ability to alter the composition of microorganisms in the gut. Because this is an observational research, it cannot determine causality.

The researchers also remark that there was no information available on what the medications were for or how many of them patients really consumed. However, they provide some reasonable scientific reasons for the findings, noting the natural decline in both the resilience and diversity of microorganisms in the gut microbiome associated with age, which antibiotic use is expected to exacerbate.

“Furthermore, with repeated antibiotic treatments, these alterations might become more prominent, eventually restricting regeneration of the gut microbiota,” they write.
Limiting antibiotic prescriptions may assist to reduce not just antibiotic resistance but also the risk of IBD, scientists speculate.

“The connection between antibiotic exposure and the development of IBD emphasises the need of antibiotic stewardship as a public health strategy, and implies that the gut microbiota is a significant determinant in the development of IBD, particularly among older persons,” they write.