Health Bulletin 27/January/2023

Here are the top health news for the day:

Resident Doctor Welfare: Delhi doctors give 10 point docket to Union Health Minister

The doctors under the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) have recently submitted a 10-point docket to the Union Health Minister and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) where they have submitted several demands for the welfare of the medical fraternity and especially the resident doctors.

Among the several demands submitted by FORDA, the first one is formation of Indian Medical Services cadre, "who will better understand & be solely responsible for the bureaucratic and administrative decisions and redressal of complaints."

For more details, check out the link given below:

Resident Doctor Welfare: Delhi Doctors Give 10 Point Docket To Union Health Minister, Here Is What They Demand

Doctors from other hospitals can now be medical superintendents at AIIMS Delhi

Hypertension drug Rilmenidine can extend lifespan and delay ageing, Study Reveals

A recent study published in Aging Cell has claimed that rilmenidine, a drug currently used for hypertension treatment, can slow ageing and extend lifespan.

The findings show that animals treated with rilmenidine at young and older ages increase lifespan and improve health markers, mimicking the effects of caloric restriction.

They also demonstrate that the healthspan and lifespan benefits of rilmenidine treatment in the roundworm C. elegans are mediated by the I1-imidazoline receptor nish-1, identifying this receptor as a potential longevity target.

For more details, check out the link given below:

Hypertension Drug Rilmenidine Can Extend Lifespan And Delay Ageing, Study Reveals

Thousands suffer from mystery illness called VEXAS syndrome

About 13,200 men and another 2,300 women in the United States over age 50 are estimated to have VEXAS syndrome, according to a new study. Long considered a mystery illness until its genetic basis was identified in 2020, the latest findings, led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, offer the first indication of how common the illness is domestically.

Although a rare disorder, the syndrome carries a high mortality rate, with up to half of people, mostly men, dying within five years of diagnosis. The syndrome most often involves unexplained fevers and low blood oxygen levels in people diagnosed with other diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and blood cancer. Some of the symptoms have been linked to an overactive immune system, which can cause inflammation and classifies the syndrome as an autoimmune condition.

Reference:

Beck DB, Bodian DL, Shah V, et al. Estimated Prevalence and Clinical Manifestations of UBA1 Variants Associated With VEXAS Syndrome in a Clinical Population. JAMA. DOI:10.1001/jama.2022.24836