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Friday, April 19, 2024
Coronavirus

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The coronavirus, COVID-19 is the Pandemic currently ravaging the world. Being a Virus, treatment has been elusive. There have been various treatments that have been proposed including hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine and there have been many pros and cons including endorsements by some individuals, groups and Regulating body.

My own candid opinion is that hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine should not be considered as a first-line drug, at the moment. In the eighties and nineties, there were publications on fatalities from chloroquine therapy, including some experimental studies by my group in Lagos. These were few reports, which were probably not considered then to be significant, as some deaths may have been ascribed to the malaria infection rather than as a possible side effect of chloroquine. In some of the reports, the administration of chloroquine resulted in deaths in some children and adults, especially from injections. Some of these fatalities were probably accentuated by the fever. In many cases, death was by cardiac arrest. In our experiments, we showed that chloroquine caused a fall in blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities that can lead to cardiac arrest and death. It is possible that some fatalities were occurring with chloroquine administration then, but were not appreciated because it was so widely used for treating malaria and no one thought that it might be dangerous, which may be part of its side effects.

More recent studies in the year 2020 have indicated that hydroxychloroquine causes derangements of heart activity and rhythm-causing irregularities in a heartbeat which can be fatal and this may even be worsened by the use of Azithromycin. It is, therefore, being advocated that an ECG should accompany its use. This has led the American College of cardiologists to recommend the stopping of its use in COVID-19 patients. Recently on May 22, 2020, the Lancet published a report of a large-scale study, though now retracted, suggesting hydroxychloroquine may not be effective. However recent reports also doubt the usefulness of the drug in the treatment of COVID-19.

However one’s belief is that it is not wise, at the moment, to allow for the therapeutic use of hydroxychloroquine. There must be proper clinical and randomised drug trial and well-controlled to prove or disprove the effectiveness of the drug, which is not the case as at now. This assertion also applies to the use of the antiviral drug, Remdesvir. It is when we collate all these data that we can give a verdict. But for now, it is my humble suggestion that it is a drug that must be used with caution under supervision, not ‘Off the Counter’ pending the verdict from the several on-going clinical trials worldwide. The extent of the Covid-19 is a big worry and so we should hasten the trials of all the candidate therapy, also bearing in mind the need to provide safety guidelines while conducting the trials.

*Soga Sofola is a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science (FAS) and Emeritus Professor of Physiology, College of Medicine University of Lagos

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The novel coronavirus (COVID-19), a respiratory infection which according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), causes fever, tiredness, sore throat and in severe cases, shortness of breath and respiratory difficulty, is the most challenging health issue the world has experienced in the past few decades.

WHO and other global public institutions have confirmed that the severity of COVID-19 infection is heavily linked with the overall state of the body’s immune system, a reason why people with pre-existing health challenges are said to be most vulnerable to the contagion.

It is, therefore, not surprising that since earlier this year when WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, people are now increasingly mindful of the state of their immune system.

For instance, the shopping lists of households across different parts of the world, including Nigeria, have revealed changes remarkably. CNN reported that the United States retail sales of orange juice jumped about 38 percent in the four weeks ending on March 28 when compared to the same period last year. Also, the Florida Department of Citrus disclosed that there was a spike in demand for 100% orange juice within the same period. The department forecasts a considerable increase in the short-term demand for the commodity.

Just like in the United States, there has been surplus demand for fruit juices in every other part of the world. During the five weeks the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun were on lockdown, shops and supermarkets had run out of orange fruit juice stock in the first two or three weeks of the restriction.

In fact, less than a week into the lockdown, my favorite 100% Real Orange Fruit Juice, which would have made the stay-at-home less boring for me, had rapidly been purchased off the shelves in Lagos. The scramble for unavailable raw fruits in the open markets started in earnest. That the restriction on movement cut off a large chunk of the supplies did not help matters.

This major spike in the demand for pure fruit juice, especially the orange category, could be attributed to the immune-boosting power of orange juice. Peter McCaffery, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Aberdeen, said vitamin C, which is contained in orange juice, helps to strengthen the immune system to fight off bacteria and virus infections like the one the world is currently grappling with.

There are still relatively very few studies on the effect of nutrition on the human immune system. Yet, Harvard Medical School in its Harvard Health Publishing says deficiency in zinc, iron, copper, folic acid, Vitamin A, B6, C (which is contained in large quantity in fruit juice) and E have negative impacts on immune responses. Fruit juice contains the vital micronutrients needed to boost immunity.

However, fruit juice intake is just one of the ways to boost one’s immune system. There are several other things one can do to achieve this – adequate sleep, thorough cooking of meat, maintaining good hygiene, moderate intake of alcohol and regular exercise.

There are lots of herbal mixtures on the shelves of local stores with labels containing ‘support immunity’, ‘immune booster’ etc. So far, there is no evidence that such substances can strengthen immunity.

Regular exercise is an essential component of healthy living. It improves cardiovascular function, helps control body weight, removes toxins in the body, increases blood circulation and lowers blood pressure. The result of these is a strengthened immune system that protects the body against infections and diseases. Regular exercise is most valuable when one shuns junk food and sticks to healthy eating habits and balanced diet.

Individuals are often advised to ‘eat well’ as protection against the risk of infection. This advice has become even more relevant since the outbreak of COVID-19. What is missing in this counsel is the real definition of ‘eating well’. It is good to fill your stomach, but at best, that may only give you energy. What about ‘going green’?

Fruits are also an awesome option, but you also need to be sure you are not eating trouble. You really might not know how many hands must have touched the mango or apple you want to eat. Pure fruit juice contains the same nutritional value as raw fruit. So, if you can find a pack of trusted and healthily-processed 100% fruit juice on the store shelf, you will be making a smarter choice considering the prevailing health challenge.

*Malomo is a nutritionist

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Encephalitis is a rare condition that is most often caused by viruses (viral encephalitis). It can also be caused by non-infectious diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematous and Behcet’s disease (an autoimmune disorder). The leading cause of severe encephalitis is the herpes simplex virus.

Other causes include enterovirus infections or mosquito-borne viruses; Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE); Western equine encephalitis (WEE); Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE); Japanese encephalitis; and Zika virus.

The very young and the elderly are more likely to have more severe encephalitis.

Exposure to viruses can occur through breathing in respiratory droplets from infected people, certain insect bites, and direct skin contact.

What are encephalitis symptoms and signs?
The signs and symptoms of encephalitis can range from very mild flu-like symptoms to potentially life-threatening events. Signs and symptoms of encephalitis include sudden fever, headache, vomiting, visual sensitivity to light, stiff neck and back, confusion, drowsiness, unsteady gait, irritability, loss of consciousness, poor responsiveness, seizures, muscle weakness, sudden severe dementia, and memory loss.

How do health care professionals diagnose encephalitis?
A health care professional diagnoses encephalitis after performing a thorough history and exam. The exam will incorporate special techniques to look for signs of inflammation of the membranes that surround the spinal cord and brain (meninges). The doctor will order specific tests to help determine the diagnosis.

Tests that evaluate individuals suspected of having encephalitis include cerebrospinal fluid analysis, brain scanning such as computerized tomography scan (CT or CAT scan)/ Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and an evaluation of the blood for infection and the presence of bacteria.

The most common method of obtaining a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (or CSF) for examination is a spinal tap. A spinal tap, or lumbar puncture (LP), involves the insertion of a needle into the fluid within the spinal canal. The needle goes between the spine’s bony parts until it reaches the CSF. A medical professional then collects a small amount of fluid to send to the laboratory for an exam.

Evaluating the CSF is necessary for a definitive diagnosis of encephalitis and to decide on the best treatment options.

Abnormal spinal fluid results confirm the diagnosis and, in the event of an infection, by identifying the organism that caused the infection.

What is the treatment of encephalitis?
People require urgent treatment with antibiotics and/or antiviral medications if a physician suspects that person has encephalitis. Patients may need to take sedatives for irritability or restlessness. Doctors may administer other medications to decrease fever or treat headaches.

Prevention
Basic steps to avoid the spread of infections (handwashing, covering mouth when coughing, etc.) can help prevent encephalitis.

*Dr. Nwaoney is an epidemiologist, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Medical Director of Richie Hospital and El Shaddai Group.

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Faulty regulation of copper levels in tissues plays a major role in a wide range of illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and motor neuron disease. An investigation of molecules that carry copper in the bloodstream has provided new leads for diagnosis and treatment.

The metal copper is crucial for a healthy metabolism, and yet, scientists know surprisingly little about how the body transports it and maintains optimum levels in tissues.

Bonded to protein molecules, copper is a vital component of numerous enzymes that catalyze key metabolic reactions.

“Biochemists have known about the importance of copper in the human body for a long time, but even they do not know, for example, how this element reaches from our food to the right destinations, i.e., various copper enzymes,” says Prof. Peep Palumaa, head of the Research Group of Metalloproteomics at Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia.

Copper is present in trace amounts throughout the body. The highest concentrations occur in areas of the body that have extremely high activity, such as the liver, brain, heart, kidneys, and skeletal muscle.

Multiple roles

Among its many roles, the metal is vital for producing energy during cell respiration, making red blood cells, mounting immune responses, and maintaining nerve cells.

In excess, however, it can trigger the production of destructive free radicals and contribute to inflammation.

Research has linked the faulty regulation of copper levels to several neurodegenerative illnesses, including Menkes syndrome, motor neuron disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

A study that Medical News Today reported on in 2013, for example, found that when copper accumulates in the brain, it promotes the development of the beta-amyloid plaques that are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.

The study found that copper not only inhibits the removal of soluble beta-amyloid molecules from the brain but also encourages them to clump together to form insoluble plaques.

Biochemists have been trying to get a better grasp of how the body maintains optimum levels of copper in its tissues and what happens when this homeostatic process goes awry.

The knowledge could help them develop new ways to diagnose, monitor, and treat diseases that involve the breakdown of copper homeostasis.

As part of this endeavor, Prof. Palumaa and his colleagues wanted to find out how copper is transported around the body in the bloodstream.

Unusually for science, they discovered that the process was less complicated than they had expected. Previously, biochemists believed that three proteins play a role in transporting copper, but, according to the new study, only one is a major player.

Their results appear in Scientific Reports.

Affinity for copper

To measure each protein’s affinity for copper — meaning how tightly it binds to copper ions — the researchers developed a new and innovative approach called liquid chromatography and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). These biochemical techniques separate and identify molecules that are present in trace amounts in a biological fluid, such as blood or cerebrospinal fluid.

The scientists found that in the blood, about 75% of copper ions are bound to an enzyme called ceruloplasmin, while about 25% are bound to an enzyme called albumin.

However, ceruloplasmin binds to copper so tightly that it is unlikely to play a role in transporting the metal to where it is needed. The enzyme’s main job appears to be helping another protein transport iron in the blood.

Albumin, on the other hand, binds to copper much less strongly and is likely to be the principal copper transporter.

The researchers found that a tiny proportion of copper in the blood (about 0.2%) also binds to an amino acid called histidine. They speculate that histidine acts as a catalyst, helping release copper from albumin when it reaches a destination such as the liver.

Biochemists had assumed that a further protein, called alpha-2 macroglobulin, also transports copper. However, Prof. Palumaa and his colleagues report that in their experiments, it did not bind to copper in blood plasma in significant quantities.

Regulating copper levels

The research is a product of collaboration between scientists at Tallinn University of Technology and the Swedish pharmaceutical company Wilson Therapeutics AB.

Wilson Therapeutics AB’s lead product is Decuprate, which is a promising therapeutic agent to treat Wilson’s disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes copper to accumulate in toxic quantities in the liver, brain, and other tissues.

By binding to copper, Decuprate promotes its excretion from the body.

In their paper, Prof. Palumaa and his colleagues say that their findings could make it possible to detect the disturbances in copper metabolism that characterize diseases such as Wilson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Their research could also provide new ways to monitor the effectiveness of drugs such as Decuprate in regulating copper levels.

“[Our] research findings can be used for various applications. First, they help to understand the normal copper metabolism in the body, which has a direct diagnostic value. Second, these results also help to identify disturbances in the body’s copper metabolism. The latter occur in several genetic diseases, such as Wilson’s and Menkes disease, as well as the most common neurodegenerative disease — Alzheimer’s disease.”

– Prof. Peep Palumaa

He continues, “In addition to specific diagnoses, the effect of pharmaceuticals normalizing copper metabolism that are used for the treatment of the abovementioned diseases can also be monitored through copper equilibrium in blood.”

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A new study has suggested that loneliness decreases with age. In addition, it seems to be less prevalent in collectivist societies than in individualistic ones and less common in women than in men.

New research suggests that young people are more likely than older people to feel lonely, that people in countries that are collectivist rather than individualistic are less likely to feel lonely, and that loneliness is more likely to affect men than women.

The research, which appears in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, draws on a newly published significant global dataset that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) gathered for their “Loneliness Experiment.”

Loneliness

In recent years, loneliness has become a focus of research as the body of evidence demonstrating its effects on both individuals and society continues to grow. Loneliness negatively affects people’s well-being and the economy, and it increases the likelihood that a person will need medical care.

The authors of the present study state that loneliness can be understood as “the discrepancy between actual and desired social relationships.”

According to this definition, two people who have the same number of social relationships may experience loneliness differently if one desires more social relationships than the other.

Conversely, two people who desire the same number of social relationships may experience different levels of loneliness if one of them has more social relationships.

While researchers know that many other factors can affect loneliness, few studies have been large or diverse enough to get an accurate picture as to what these may be and how they might interact.

To address this, the authors of the present study drew on a large and diverse new dataset to explore the ways in which culture, age, and gender affect loneliness.

More than 46,000 participants

The study drew on the BBC’s Loneliness Experiment dataset. This dataset contains information from nearly 55,000 people aged between 16 and 99 from 237 countries, islands, and territories, making it one of the largest and most diverse of its kind.

The authors of the present study focused on a subset of this data, including people who had indicated their age and specified that they were a man or a woman. There were insufficient data available to include those who chose “other” as their gender. In total, they used data from 46,054 people.

To determine the participants’ level of individualism or collectivism, the authors drew on a previous study that assigned relative individualism or collectivism to 101 countries. The participants in the current study only included those who indicated that they were from one of these 101 countries.

The researchers asked the participants various questions to determine their loneliness:

  • Do you feel a lack of companionship?
  • Do you feel left out?
  • Do you feel isolated from others?
  • Do you feel in tune with people around you?

The participants responded on a scale of one to five, indicating how often they experienced these feelings. One indicated never, and five indicated always.

Age, gender, and culture affect loneliness

The authors found that loneliness tended to increase based on people’s individualism and reduce as they got older. Loneliness was more prevalent among men than women. Taken together, the interaction of age, gender, and cultural background predicted loneliness.

The authors noted that their study was unable to explain why this might be. For example, while developmental processes could explain a reduction in loneliness as people get older, historical changes in the stigma surrounding talking about loneliness could also account for it.

According to Prof. Manuela Barreto of the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, and first author of the study: “Contrary to what people may expect, loneliness is not a predicament unique to older people. In fact, younger people report greater feelings of loneliness.”

“Since loneliness stems from the sense that one’s social connections are not as good as desired, this might be due to the different expectations younger and older people hold. The age pattern we discovered seems to hold across many countries and cultures.”

While the authors found that individualism was more likely to result in loneliness, much of the data from the study came from countries that people consider to be more individualistic. However, the authors suspect that individualism is likely to enhance loneliness, particularly if other factors are at play.

The authors also highlight that other factors could influence the finding that men are likely to be more lonely than women. For example, it may be that men felt particularly encouraged to discuss their loneliness for this study, given that gender stereotypes dictate them as being reluctant to discuss their emotions.

Radio hosts and other listeners actively invited men to participate in this study. The authors suggest that using an online survey provided them with the conditions that they needed to discuss their emotions.

Prof. Pamela Qualter, of the University of Manchester, U.K., and a co-author of the study, notes: “With regard to gender, the existing evidence is mixed. There is an awareness that admitting to feeling ‘lonely’ can be especially stigmatizing for men.”

“However, when this word is not used in the measures, men sometimes report more loneliness than women. This is indeed what we found.”

As the authors note, their findings were not representative, and the effects of the variables that they identified were relatively small. Nonetheless, the size and diversity of the study have led the authors to believe that “those effects are real and that loneliness is a fairly universal experience across demographic categories.”

For Prof. Barreto, their study has implications for young people living through the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. She says, “Though it is true that younger people are better able to use technology to access social relationships, it is also known than when this is done as a replacement — rather than an extension — of those relationships, it does not mitigate loneliness.”

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Contrary to the World Health Organisation (WHO’s) advice on the control of the spread of coronavirus, an official of the global health body yesterday declared that it is rare for asymptomatic patients to transmit the disease.

The WHO, however, added that, “Much is still unknown about the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Its comments by one of its scientists that transmission of coronavirus from persons who never showed symptoms was “very rare,” drew criticisms from physicians and others experts on social media.

That admission sent shock waves throughout the world, much of which has been locked down for months for fear of spreading the virus by persons who show little or no signs of the virus.

Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, had on his tweeter said, “About 80 per cent of COVID-19 cases show mild or no symptoms at all. These cases won’t be in isolation facilities under normal circumstances.

“Asymptomatic patients are primarily isolated to prevent transmission of the virus, especially to their loved ones”

An asymptomatic person is someone with COVID-19 who does not have symptoms and never develops symptoms. Both scientists clarified that it is not the same as someone who later develops symptoms, who would be classified as pre-symptomatic.

The first published study on how the first 32 patients with coronavirus in Nigeria were treated, showed that 75 per cent of them presented in moderately severe condition, while 16 per cent were asymptomatic. The most common presenting symptoms amounted to 59 per cent and dry cough constituted 44 per cent.

The study titled “Clinical presentation, case management and outcomes for the first 32 COVID-19 patients in Nigeria” was published in The Pan African Medical Journal.

Head of WHO’s emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, said, “Asymptomatic spread is a really complex question and much is still unknown. We don’t actually have that answer yet.”

Meanwhile, she explained that studies also have shown that about 16 per cent of the population may be asymptomatic, saying that some models developed by other scientists suggest about 40 per cent of global transmissions may be due to asymptomatic individuals.

Executive Director of WHO’s Emergencies Programme, Dr. Mike Ryan, said, “While asymptomatic spread of coronavirus does occur, the portion of individuals who transmit the virus remains a big open question. There is much to be answered on this. There is much still unknown,” he added.

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blood donation - beautiful girl in the clinic

Despite lockdown measures being in place to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2, it is crucial that people still donate blood.

COVID-19’s sudden emergence and rapid spread across the world have fundamentally changed how societies function, requiring radical restrictions on movement.

These lockdowns aim to limit the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to reduce both the number of people dying after becoming infected and the strain on overloaded intensive care units.

However, while staying at home as much as possible is important, it is also crucial that many essential workers can leave their homes safely. These individuals include care workers in hospitals and the community, public service workers, and people working in food industries, as well as anyone else who plays a key role in helping the country keep functioning, whether there is a pandemic or not.

Donating blood

As well as these key workers, other people who are crucial for maintaining the health of a population are those who donate blood.

A country’s blood supply is integral to supporting people in a critical condition. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), blood transfusions are necessary if a person loses too much blood due to injury or during a surgical procedure. They can also be necessary if a person’s body is not producing blood properly.

Depending on the reason why a person needs a blood transfusion, the NHLBI highlight that it is possible to give four different types of blood product during transfusion: whole blood, red blood cells, platelets, or plasma.

The American Red Cross note that scientists cannot manufacture blood and platelets, and the NHLBI say that the majority of the products given in blood transfusions come from whole blood donations from members of the public.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), blood transfusions are lifesaving procedures that occur every day in hospitals across the United States. There are more than 13.2 million blood donors in the U.S., who are crucial for the country’s blood supply. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) point out that someone needs a blood transfusion every 2 seconds.

Without ready access to supplies of blood, many people would not be able to undergo lifesaving blood transfusion procedures.

“Dramatic reduction” in blood donations during lockdown

As with all the other resources that a country depends on, supply and demand largely determine its blood reserves. At a local level, if there is a significant accident causing a loss of blood from many people, blood reserves may become stretched as the demand increases.

Conversely, too few people donating blood can put pressure on the blood reserves, as the supply of blood cannot meet the demand.

The physical distancing policies that authorities have implemented during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak have put severe pressure on the supply of blood in the U.S.

According to Dr. Peter Marks, Director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, “[t]he COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented challenges to the U.S. blood supply. Donor centers have experienced a dramatic reduction in donations due to the implementation of physical distancing and the cancellation of blood drives.”

Dr. Marks describes people who donate blood as “part of our critical infrastructure industries.” Despite the physical lockdown measures, it is crucial that people continue to donate blood.

It is the responsibility of local governments to encourage people to donate blood and to help them do it in a safe way that does not significantly increase their risk of getting or passing on SARS-CoV-2.

In short, the benefits of giving blood at this critical stage of the pandemic far outweigh the negative consequences of the increased number of people traveling from their homes.

Donating blood safely

While it is crucial that people continue to donate blood, doing so safely is, of course, also important.

As with other people who are critical to the functioning of society and thus unable to stay at home, people who donate blood should adhere to physical distancing policies when traveling outside, wear masks in areas where they are unable to keep 6 feet apart from other people, and frequently wash their hands to reduce their chances of catching or spreading the virus.

As Dr. Marks points out, blood donation centers are ideally placed to manage the donations of blood safely during the pandemic, as they are highly skilled in infection control practices.

In Dr. Marks’ words, “[b]lood donation centers always take steps to prevent staff and donors who are not feeling well or who have a fever from reaching the donor area, and they are now taking additional social distancing precautions wherever possible, consistent with the President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America.”

“Donating blood is safe and takes only a little of your time. At many blood donation centers, those who are interested in donating can make an appointment to minimize the time it takes to donate blood. Centers can arrange to call a donor’s mobile phone when they’re ready for the donor to come in.”

The CDC have issued advice to blood and plasma collection facilities on how to operate safely during the pandemic. They recommend:

  • maintaining good respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette
  • following hand hygiene practices
  • cleaning and disinfecting surfaces regularly
  • placing seats 6 feet apart in waiting areas and the collection area
  • ensuring that donation center workers do not work if they have COVID-19 symptoms
  • making sure that all staff are aware of the latest policies and safety procedures in response to the pandemic

Various organizations can help a person find a local blood donation center where they can schedule an appointment. These organizations include:

  • AABB
  • America’s Blood Centers
  • American Red Cross
  • Armed Services Blood Program
  • Blood Centers of America

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Photo Taken In Oradea, Romania

A new study has identified how ketamine can combat difficult-to-treat depression.

New research has revealed the specific parts of the brain that ketamine affects when doctors use it to treat people with difficult-to-treat depression.

The study, which appears in the journal Translational Psychiatry, may open the door to new therapies in the treatment of depression.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States, about 7.6% of people over the age of 12 have depression during any 2-week period. The CDC describe depression as a sad mood that extends for a long period and affects a person’s ability to live a normal life.

When severe, depression can have a serious negative effect on a person’s life, sometimes leading to suicidal thoughts.

Experts do not fully understand why some people experience depression, although the National Institute of Mental Health suggest that genetic, environmental, biological, and psychological factors may play a role. It is treatable with medication, psychological therapy, or a combination of the two.

Previous research has made it clear that the drug ketamine can be an effective antidepressant, and some scientists have proposed it as a treatment in cases of depression that do not respond to conventional treatments.

However, precisely how and why ketamine functions as an antidepressant is less clear. As a consequence, the authors of the present study wanted to identify precisely what effects ketamine has on the brain of a person who is not responding to conventional treatments. They hope that this research may lead to better treatment options for these individuals.

Suicide prevention

If you know someone at immediate risk of self-harm, suicide, or hurting another person:

  • Ask the tough question: “Are you considering suicide?”
  • Listen to the person without judgment.
  • Call 911 or the local emergency number, or text TALK to 741741 to communicate with a trained crisis counselor.
  • Stay with the person until professional help arrives.
  • Try to remove any weapons, medications, or other potentially harmful objects.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, a prevention hotline can help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours per day at 800-273-8255. During a crisis, people who are hard of hearing can call 800-799-4889.

Looking at ketamine’s effect in the brain

To do this, the researchers gave participants doses of ketamine that were low enough not to have an anesthetic effect and then took images of their brains using a positron emission tomography (PET) camera.

According to the study’s first author, Dr. Mikael Tiger, a researcher at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at the Karolinska Institutet in Solna, Sweden, “In this, the largest PET study of its kind in the world, we wanted to look at not only the magnitude of the effect but also if ketamine acts via serotonin 1B receptors.”

“We and another research team were previously able to show a low density of serotonin 1B receptors in the brains of people with depression.”

By using a radioactive marker that binds to a person’s serotonin receptors, the PET images could highlight what effects ketamine was having on these receptors, which play a crucial role in depression by modulating the amount of serotonin that a person receives. Experts believe that low levels of serotonin correlate to more severe experiences of depression.

The authors of the study recruited people through internet advertising. After receiving 832 volunteers, the authors reduced this number to 30 to make sure that the participants were as relevant to the study as possible.

Other than having major depressive disorder (MDD), the participants were healthy. They had not responded to previous treatment for MDD.

The researchers split the participants into two groups, treating 20 people with ketamine and the other 10 with a placebo.

The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, meaning that neither the doctors nor the participants initially knew to which group each participant belonged.

Prior to the treatment, the researchers took a baseline scan of the participants’ brains. They took a second scan in the days following the treatment.

For the second phase of the study, 29 of the participants agreed to take ketamine twice a week for 2 weeks.

Serotonin reduced, dopamine increased

Using a rating scale for depression, the researchers found that 70% of the participants in the second phase of the study responded to the ketamine.

Furthermore, after analyzing the PET images, the authors found that the ketamine was affecting the participants’ brains in a previously unidentified manner, reducing the output of serotonin but increasing the output of dopamine, which is also important for mood regulation.

According to the last author of the study, Dr. Johan Lundberg, research group leader at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, “We show for the first time that ketamine treatment increases the number of serotonin 1B receptors.”

“Ketamine has the advantage of being very rapid-acting, but at the same time, it is a narcotic-classed drug that can lead to addiction. So it’ll be interesting to examine in future studies if this receptor can be a target for new, effective drugs that don’t have the adverse effects of ketamine.”

– Dr. Johan Lundberg

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Sanofi, a global biopharmaceutical company, is set to host a live virtual scientific and educational summit where healthcare practitioners from Nigeria and Ghana will update their knowledge about evolving issues in patient care in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dedicated scientific sessions will provide new insight on treatment of COVID- 19 patients who live with other disease conditions.

The two-day summit will include a plenary session on the first day, June 10, 2020 at 14:00 WAT and clinical breakout sessions on the second day, June 11, 2020 at 14:00 WAT and 15:30. Attendance is open only to healthcare professionals through registration. The capacity building session will accommodate up to 10,000 doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other health practitioners in Nigeria and Ghana.

Speaking during the buildup to the summit, Folake Odediran, General Manager, General Medicines, Nigeria & Ghana and Country Lead, Nigeria stated that “Sanofi has been at the forefront of initiatives that could have both immediate and lasting impact in the fight against COVID-19. As a global healthcare leader, Sanofi will continually support healthcare practitioners with up-to-date knowledge to effectively manage patients with improved outcomes. This is in line with our purpose of Empowering Life.”

The plenary session will focus discussions on the journey so far in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria and Ghana and examine challenges and future prospects in both countries. It will also provide update on the global collaborative efforts at finding a treatment for the disease, as exemplified by Sanofi.

The clinical breakout meeting, which will comprise of eleven separate scientific sessions each of one-hour duration, will hold in two parts. Each session will focus on a specific healthcare or disease management topic and healthcare practitioners will be able to attend a session of their choice. Each session will be followed by a Q&A session moderated by healthcare experts.

During the first part, which will start at 14:00 WAT, healthcare experts will lead discussions on six topics related to COVID-19 infections. This includes clinical management of neonates and young children, hypertension, diabetes, pneumonia, immunization as well as clinical and community pharmacy practice. The second part will start at 15:30 WAT and will examine peculiarities and challenges of managing diabetes in hospitalized patients, complications of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalized patients, updates on roles of ACE-inhibitors and ARBs in COVID-19 patients with hypertension, COVID-19 and liver health and challenges and prospects of cancer chemotherapy in COVID-19 patients.

Some of the health experts and facilitators who will feature during the summit include Dr. Chinwe Ochu (NCDC, Abuja), Dr.Asiedu-Bekoe, Franklin (Ghana Health Service), Dr. Marie Sebille (Global Medical, Sanofi), Prof. Olufemi Fasanmade (Consultant Endocrinologist, LUTH, Lagos), Prof. Sunday Adewuyi (Consultant Radio-oncologist, ABUTH, Zaria), Prof. Amam Mbakwem (Consultant Cardiologist, LUTH, Lagos), Dr. (Pharm) Modupe Oyawole (Clinical Pharmacist and Deputy Director of Pharmacy, LASUTH, Lagos) and Dr. Yacoba Atiase (Consultant Endocrinologist, KBTH, Ghana).

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Dutch researchers studying COVID-19 patients admitted to Canisius Wilhelmina hospital have applauded benefits of vitamin K after discovering link between deficiency and the worst coronavirus outcome.

The research was undertaken in partnership with the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, one of Europe’s largest heart and vascular research institutes, which studied 134 patients hospitalised for Covid-19 between 12 March and 11 April.

Meanwhile, Iyayi Efianayi Foundation has counselled Nigerians on different measures to protect themselves and manage the pandemic. The recommendations, which were contained in a statement by president of the foundation, Dr. Caesar Osaheni-Iyayi, are outcomes of research instituted by the foundation as part of its effort to equip Nigerians with survival information.

While harping on importance of strong immune system and functioning of the circulatory system in management of COVID-19, Osaheni-Iyayi emphasized the need for more exposure to sunlight and appealed to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to increase the time that patients at the treatment centres are exposed to sunlight from 15 minutes to at least one hour between 10 and 11a.m.

His words: “Studies have shown that for white people, 15 minutes is sufficient but for black people we have to stay for over an hour. Vitamin D is useful for the absorption of calcium and phosphorous but there is a new concern in Norway and America. People found out many black people were dying disproportionately to the population compared to the white. And what is the commonality between all these black people is that they lack vitamin D.

The same scenario, the statement disclosed played itself out in Holland where a group of black Ethiopians domiciled in a particular region with less than one percent of the entire population while about 48 percent of the death in Holland is attributed to the group.

“We know that the primary function of vitamin D is to aid the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, but it is also linked to promotion of immunity. So, what we want to say at this point is that if our people cannot be allowed to stay under the sun at the NCDC centre for more than 15 minutes, then they should be given vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D3, it is inexpensive, it contains 1000 international units. That is how vitamin D is measured. We are not too sure whether they are giving them zinc, we know they are getting vitamin E. Zinc is also important in the buildup of immunity”.

As researchers embark on seeking funding for a clinical trial, a scientist working on the project, Dr. Rob Janssen emphasised that in light of the initial findings, he would encourage a healthy intake of vitamin K, except to those on blood-clotting medications such as warfarin.
On the ‘Hot Water Therapy’, Dr. Osaheni-Iyayi said: “There are other things I want to talk about. It is a bit on the offside. Many people will regard it as something that should not be practiced in modern day era, but it makes sense. I know many doctors and nurses in Nigeria, America and Europe that are using this system to deal with coronavirus.

What we know about coronavirus is that at 27’Celsius, some people say 57’Celsius, coronavirus will not be able to survive. So, what our grandparents did when we were children was that they will get a hot bucket of water, because water boils at a 100’Celsius, seat in front of you, give you a small stool and cover you completely with a blanket. Because you must breath, you will be breathing in hot steam that will be may be about 70’Celsius. It will be going into your lungs and coronavirus is supposed to be forming inflammations in your lungs.

“So, that is another way to address it. I know many doctors in America that when they return home from their offices, the first thing they do is to seat down, cover themselves with blanket and hot water, but I don’t know why they are not talking about it. I do not know what the reason is. They are doing it and because of that, they are able to go to work freely without interruption.

“We are talking about how we in Nigeria can survive. These are some of the points that we have put together on behalf of Iyayi Efianayi Foundation.”

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