• Several rumours have been circulating about the vaccine’s effects on fertility
• Professor Lucy Chappell has reassured there is ‘absolutely no basis for concerns’
• However, she added that pregnancy, the new virus and vaccines are ‘a constantly evolving area’ which needs further research 

After months of anticipation, the first Covid-19 vaccines finally started being administered in the UK last month. 

Amid the rollout, several rumours and myths have been circulating about the vaccine, including fears that the jab could affect fertility. 

Now, Professor Lucy Chappell, NIHR Research Professor in Obstetrics at King’s College London, is attempting to reassure women that the Covid-19 jab will not affect their fertility. 

Her advice comes shortly after a poll of 55,642 Brits found that more than a quarter of 18-to-34-year-old women said they would say no to the jab, citing concerns over the vaccine’s effect on fertility and pregnancies. 

Professor Chappell says it is understandable that there have been questions about the new vaccines but notes that fearful claims which can be easily found online have never been substantiated.

‘I dug into all those sources and I can see absolutely no basis for concerns about any of the Covid-19 vaccines that are licensed in the UK and fertility,’ she told the PA news agency.

She described the claims as ‘spurious’ because they relate to similarities between some aspects of the proteins involved in fertility and the Covid-19 vaccines, but these are ‘very speculative and entirely not supported by any of the data’.

There is no concern from a biological point of view and evidence has not been presented that women who have been vaccinated have gone on to have fertility problems, she said.

Pregnancy, the new virus and vaccines are ‘a constantly evolving area’ which needs further research, as there is very limited experience in trials on pregnant women, according to Prof Chappell.

She hopes that vaccine companies may change this situation in the future.

Women who are in the highest risk Covid-19 groups, such as carers and health workers or the clinically extremely vulnerable such as those with underlying health conditions, should try to have ‘a sensible discussion’ about their concerns about the jab.

They are among the first phase of people to be vaccinated and their obstetrician or midwife is the obvious person to try and seek useful information from.

Prof Chappell suggested that ‘we may be in a different place in six months in terms of how we can have those discussions’ as new and updated information comes through from the real-life current use of vaccines.

Bigger trials are needed involving pregnant women to help answer questions about safety and risk but how the woman views her risk of exposure and complications is an important factor that needs to be taken into the mix.

Prof Chappell said there are ‘very clear checks and balances’ involving the women who take part in research trials.

Professor Chappell’s advice comes shortly after a poll revealed that young women are the most likely to turn down the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Find Out Now poll, which sampled 55,642 people, found that more than a quarter of 18-to- 34-year-old women said they would say no to the jab, citing their concerns over the vaccine’s effect on fertility and pregnancies.

By contrast, only seven per cent of those aged 65 and over said the same. 

WHY CAN’T PREGNANT WOMEN HAVE THE COVID-19 VACCINE? 

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Shimla | Jagran News Desk: The Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government on Monday announced its decision to impose a night curfew in four districts — Mandi, Shimla, Kullu and Kangra — of Himachal Pradesh in wake of the rising coronavirus cases in the state.

In its order, the state government said that the night curfew will be imposed from November 24 to December 15 in the four districts, adding that 50 per cent Class 3 and Class 4 are allowed to attend their respective offices till December 31.

The Himachal Pradesh government has also increased the fine for not wearing masks to Rs 1,000 and prohibited all kind of rallies in the state.

“It has also been decided that winter closing Institutions would remain closed from January 1 to February 12, 2021. However, online studies would continue even during the winter time,” the state government said.

The decision has been taken in wake of the coronavirus crisis in the state. According to information available at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website, the deadly pathogen has infected over 34,000 and claimed more than 500 lives in Himachal Pradesh so far.

Meanwhile, nearly 28,000 have recovered from the infection in the state, said the Health Ministry, adding that the active number of coronavirus cases in Himachal Pradesh is 7,034.

Himachal Pradesh govt to conduct survey to identify COVID-19, other patients

With a surge in coronavirus cases across the state, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to conduct a survey to identify COVID-19 tuberculosis, leprosy, sugar and high blood pressure patients.

The Himachal Pradesh government has informed that around 800 teams having two members each has been formed which will conduct the survey across the state from November 25 to December 27.

“Himachal Pradesh government will conduct a door-to-door survey to identify the patients of COVID-19, tuberculosis, leprosy, sugar and high blood pressure between November 25 and December 27. Eight hundred teams having 2 members in each team have been constituted,” said the state government, as reported by news agency ANI.

Posted By: Aalok Sensharma

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Source – https://www.khaleejtimes.com/

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Otoplasty Market Overview Paragraph
We will talk starting from the basic information, the report includes the global Otoplasty market in-depth analysis, focusing on several significant factors so that provide a whole outlook of the market. The report also discusse the technical growth in production and manufacturing that are helping the Otoplasty market to grow at a swift pace. The report spilts the market into various segments based on different qualities of the products and services. The valuable insights present in the report are very useful for newcomer companies and developing companies to understand the important trends in the worldwide market. The report also covers the present key player’s information on the strategies used by them to grow their business. The report also focus on the sales, market revenue, key factors to develop the business, etc. The report forecasts the future trends and scope of the global Otoplasty market for the forecast period. The analysis provides a wider outlook of the market.

Key Drivers and Constraints
The report categories the companies who are major contributing towards the swift growth of the Otoplasty market also mentioned market factors that are leading the market towards the way of expansion growth. the report also provide the information on the restrictions that are limiting the growth. The Otoplasty market studies value trends, pricing margin, demand & supply, etc. that define the future growth prospects in the market. The report delivers detailed information on the market drivers, restraints, growth opportunities, challenges, and threats associated with the Otoplasty market while covering the market dynamics.

Regional Depiction
The report studies the global Otoplasty market in various regions to provide a real-time picture of the regional markets. The report covers the dominating nature of growth for the regional markets by its trends. This report also mentions the key players existent in the regional market. The global Otoplasty market report covers North America (United States, Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain and Benelux), Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia and Australia), Latin America (Brazil, Argentina and Colombia), Middle East and Africa and its key areas for existing growth in these regions. The report purposes for evaluating the market size, market revenue, and growth projections in the regions revealed above.

Key Players Analysis
The report presents the key player in the market who have played a major role in the growth of Otoplasty market and also rule the market share. The report also covers the information of market revenue of these players. The report studies the key strategies used by the leading market players to gain a strong hold over the Otoplasty market.

Key players in the Global Otoplasty market are Allergan, Invotec International, Sklar Surgical Instruments, Earfold, Earbuddies, Phoenix Medical Systems

Questions Answered by the Report:
1. What will be the size of the global Otoplasty market in the upcoming years?
2. What is the recent CAGR of the global Otoplasty market?
3. Which product is likely to show the maximum market growth?
4. Which application is projected to gain a share of the global Otoplasty market?
5. Which region can provide the most numbers of opportunities in the global Otoplasty market?
6. Which are major companies presently functioning at the top level in the global Otoplasty market?
7. How will the market situation changes in the coming years?
8. What is the growth stance of the global Otoplasty market?

Market Type in the Global Otoplasty Market are Anti-Helical Fold Manipulation, Conchal Alteration, Correction Of Earlobe Prominence

Market Applications in the Global Otoplasty Market are Hospital, Clinic, Others

The Final Report Will Include the Post COVID-19 Impact Analysis.

Research Methodology
The research on the Global Otoplasty Market has been shown by a research team of specialists who have in-depth knowledge of the industry. The researchers have studied the strength of the market competition along with the scope of growth in the market using altered parameters of Porter’s Five Force analysis model. The report covers facts and historical data to provide an impartial analysis of the Otoplasty market. The SWOT analysis has been executed to judge the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the Otoplasty market.

Latest Industry News
The report covers government policies, which favor or go against the Otoplasty market, as we believe this can change the level of growth. At the same time, technological advancements which have the power to influence the growth will appear in the latest industry news.

About Us :
Kandjmarketresearch.com is part of the KnowledgeNJournals Research Firm which provides premium progressive market research reports, statistical surveying, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments from hundreds of publishers around the world. We have almost all top publishers reports in our collection to provide you with instant online access to the world’s most complete and fresh database on a Daily Basis. We are at KandJ Market Research are inspired to help our clients grow by providing appropriate business insight with our huge market intelligence source.

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Researchers discovered the virus in the testicles, which might be bad news for fertility down the line

Months into the pandemic, we’re still learning new, often bad and sometimes contradictory things about the coronavirus every day. Now, researchers have discovered that COVID-19 could impact male fertility, according to a new study by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

An evaluation of tissue from the autopsies of six men who died from COVID-19 revealed the virus was still present in the testicles, which researchers suggest means that COVID-19 could affect fertility.

“We also identified the presence of the virus in a man who underwent a testes biopsy for infertility but had a previous history of COVID-19,” said Dr. Ranjith Ramasamy, an associate professor and director of reproductive urology at the Miller School. “So the patient tested negative and was asymptomatic after having COVID-19 but still showed the presence of the virus inside the testes. The finding is novel, remarkable, and certainly worthy of further exploration.”

While it’s unclear how exactly COVID-19 might affect fertility, Ramasamy suggested effects of some kind are likely to become apparent in some male COVID-19 patients down the line.

“I’m fairly certain, just like mumps, about 20 to 30 percent of men are going to have some sort of affected fertility in their future,” said Ramasamy.

Based on the new research, Ramasamy also suggested men who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and are experiencing testicular pain should be seen by a urologist.

“Testicular pain along with other symptoms could be a sign that COVID-19 has entered the testis,” said Ramasamy. “If men are thinking about fertility and/or low testosterone either at present or in the future, they should get their testosterone levels evaluated with a blood test and sperm parameters evaluated with a semen analysis.”

The post COVID-19 Could Affect Male Fertility, New Research Suggests appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

New concerns in the management of the disease with the Covid 19 pandemic have created a state of anxiety amongst expectant mothers.

New Delhi: The rising incidence of gestational diabetes in India and globally is a cause for global concern amongst clinicians and obstetricians. Prevalence of the condition is higher in the urban than the rural population in India. Established risk factors for GDM are a family history of diabetes, obesity, advancing maternal age, reduced physical activity, desk jobs, sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits, smoking and alcohol consumption, history of PCOD and associated factors such as hypertension.

Due to compromised fetal outcomes in the form of higher incidence of miscarriages, congenital birth defects, higher risk of preterm deliveries, acute respiratory distress and hyaline membrane disease, heart disease, complicated labour due to the large size of the foetus leading to a higher incidence of shoulder dystocia and a higher risk of caesarean sections, hypoglycaemia in the newborn, obesity and a higher incidence of diabetes in the newborn, prevention and active management of altered blood sugars imperative.

How COVID-19 pandemic has changed consultation, diagnosis of gestational diabetes

New concerns in the management of the disease with the COVID-19 pandemic have created a state of anxiety amongst expectant mothers.

The standard glucose tolerance test which was previously held as the gold standard for monitoring women with altered blood sugars has now taken the backseat. Prioritising on social distancing, reducing frequent visits to labs, now monitoring expectant mothers with fasting blood glucose and HbA1c (of 5.7) are now accepted contrary to the glucose tolerance test. Altered routine prenatal visits, lack of personal consultation with the obstetrician and a phobia to visit labs has modified the management criteria. Lifestyle management comprising healthy dietary habits and increased physical activity, regular home monitoring (self) of blood sugars and fortnightly video consultation, routine antenatal tests for maternal well-being with a proper genetic history of any congenital defects or history of consanguinity, an early ultrasound helps rule out the possibility of an extrauterine pregnancy (ectopic) and confirms a healthy heart activity by 5.5 weeks thus ruling out chances of a missed aborption. All expectant mothers are offered the option of prenatal screening for Down’s syndrome (blood tests like the NIPT and dual markers) at 12 weeks, quadruple markers at 14 to 16 weeks, an anomaly scan at 19 weeks and most importantly a fetal cardiac anomaly scan at 23 weeks. Patients prefer to visit stand-alone ultrasound clinics with prior appointments following all the Covid-19 precautions. A repeat ultrasound Doppler at 28 to 30 weeks to check for the interim growth possibility of fetal macrosomia is advisable. At 32 weeks again an HbA1c to monitor blood sugars is advisable with home charting. Known diabetics in pregnancy have to follow up closely with the diabetologist to adjust the dose of insulin. In case of preterm labour, a hospitalization with tocolytics and antenatal betamethasone injection to promote lung maturity is advisable, and should such patients progress to irreversible preterm labour then drugs such as magnesium sulphate are offered as an option after counselling the expectant mother for neuroprotection for the foetus. Delivering such patients is preferred in tertiary care centres where all facilities for neonatal care are available owing to the high incidence of hyaline membrane disease and acute respiratory distress syndrome. COVID-19 evaluation is mandatory for patients prior to admission. Each index case if affected with COVID-19 behaves differently and needs individually tailored treatment for her symptoms. Vertical transmission is not a reason to fear as it is seldom encountered. Commonly encountered heart defects are usually diagnosed early in pregnancy during the anomaly scans. Late-onset issues in infants of diabetic mothers could be macrosomia, fetal cardiomyopathy, cardiomegaly, acute respiratory distress with fetal hypoglycaemia which warrant intensive care.

Maternal issues such as a higher incidence of prolonged labour, obstructed labour, higher incidence of caesarean sections, the associated risk of hypertension, are observed. To avoid these, prevention is better than cure, and hence expectant mothers with a high risk of gestational diabetes with obesity or PCOD are advised monitored weight gain of not more than 7-8 kg. Close monitoring of blood sugars from the first trimester helps reduce the chances of fetal and maternal complications. The TDAP vaccine is offered to all mothers at 32 weeks.

In conclusion, we as physicians have to constantly tailor monitoring techniques, counsel expectant couples with close follow-ups to monitor fetal and maternal well-being. The COVID-19 precautions are here to stay till we see the end of the tunnel in this global pandemic.

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TUESDAY, Nov. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — People struggling with obesity fared poorly during the COVID-19 lockdowns earlier this year, with their weight-control plans flying off the rails as they coped with the stress of the global pandemic, two new studies report.

The post Lockdowns Made Taming Obesity Even Tougher, Research Shows appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Obesity and race are additive, multiplicative mediators or confounders influencing COVID-19 outcomes among American adults, and the disparities have substantial implications for medical and public health responses, according to a speaker.

“Due to the complexity of the relationship between COVID-19, obesity and race/ethnicity, studies show conflicting results with regard to the reasons behind the greater morbidity and mortality noted in communities of color in the U.S.,” Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, FAAP, FACP, FAHA, FTOS, an obesity medicine physician scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, told Healio. “Almost 8 months into this pandemic, we have learned that there is no clear answer as to why these disparities exist. However, it does appear that better health at baseline lends itself to the best outcomes with COVID-19. We need more studies to ascertain this relationship.”

Disproportionate outcomes

There is still much to be learned about the pathophysiology of COVID-19, but it has become clear that Black Americans are disproportionately affected by the novel coronavirus and are far more likely to experience its more severe outcomes, including ICU admission, mechanical ventilation and death, Stanford said during an online presentation at ObesityWeek Interactive.

“When we look at the pandemic’s racial disparity … COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people, we can see that Black Americans share a large burden,” Stanford said during the presentation. “I can tell you, talking to my parents who lost ten of their friends to this pandemic, my best friend who lost her father, and my mentee who is an internal medicine physician and has lost both parents, that this is indeed real.”

In a study published in June in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers showed that among 3,481 patients with COVID-19, Black adults were nearly twice as likely to be hospitalized as their white counterparts, with an OR of 1.96 after adjustments for multiple variables (95% CI, 1.62-2.37). Obesity, as well as residence in a low-income area, were also associated with increased odds for hospital admission in the study, Stanford said.

In another analysis published in Clinical Infectious Diseases in August, researchers demonstrated that Hispanic men and women with COVID-19 were significantly more likely to be admitted to the ICU and require mechanical ventilation compared with Black and white adults, Stanford said.

A ‘complex relationship’

The inflammatory state that typically accompanies obesity is associated with several disease processes, including impaired adipogenesis, oxidative stress and insulin resistance, Stanford said. Those processes can lead to metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Stress — including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression — acts through the brain to further affect eating and exercise behaviors, Stanford said.

“It is important for us to recognize that these are intertwined,” Stanford said.

Adding to the burden, a person’s economic status, underlying health conditions and actual pathophysiological differences in inflammation may lead to the health disparities observed among underrepresented adults, Stanford said.

The additive effects create perfect storm for worse COVID-19 outcomes, she said.

“We need to be cognizant of the fact the people who are disproportionately impacted are those that have less power to deal with these issues,” Stanford said. “Better chronic disease management, particularly surrounding obesity, which has borne itself out to be one of the major risk factors for COVID-19, is necessary for the treatment of obesity across the age spectrum, particularly in those communities that look like mine.”

Stanford said the COVID-19 story “has not yet been completely written.”

“There is still a lot for us to learn as we conduct research that will hopefully go beyond this jump to publish,” Stanford said. “We can make an impact. We know that issues related to structural racism and related to the history of this country have made it that certain groups are disproportionately impacted by chronic and acute diseases like COVID-19.”

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It has been over seven months since the United States began locking down because of the new coronavirus, which causes COVID-19. The disease has killed nearly 230,000 Americans, a number that’s expected to grow much higher during the approaching winter. And yet the country does not have a unified national strategy.

An editorial published September 21 in AIDS and Behavior makes the case that a National COVID-19 Strategy is urgently needed—and that guidance for such a plan may be found in the existing National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS).

Launched in 2010, under President Obama’s administration and nearly three decades after AIDS first struck the United States, the NHAS marked the first time the federal government offered a comprehensive battle plan against the HIV epidemic. Numerous stakeholders worked together to create the evidence-based strategy, which was updated in 2015. The NHAS’s vision statement reads: “The United States will become a place where new HIV infections are rare, and when they do occur, every person, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socioeconomic circumstance, will have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and discrimination.”

The authors of the AIDS and Behavior editorial view this as a “well-crafted vision statement [that provides] a North Star by which to guide all strategy elements.” Why not have the same type of North Star direct our fight against COVID-19? The vision statement is one of six ways the NHAS offers relevant guidance for a COVID-19 plan. The five others are:

• Major goals [of the NHAS] were defined so as to address disease prevention, treatment and disparities.

• Specific strategies were outlined for each major goal so that program and policy emphases could be identified, and, where possible, the scale of the needed intervention was identified.

• A set of measurable indicators was developed, and an assertive goal established for each (namely in five-year terms but measurable annually).

• These goals were measured and reported upon annually (at least for some time) so as to inform midcourse corrections.

• All aspects of plan development, implementation and measurement were done in as transparent, inclusive and participatory way as possible.

Titled “Core Elements of the National COVID-19 Strategy: Lessons Learned From the US National HIV/AIDS Strategy,” the editorial was authored by David R. Holtgrave, PhD, of the University of Albany School of Public Health; Rondal O. Valdiserri, MD, MPH, from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University; Seth C. Kalichman, PhD, of the University of Connecticut, Mansfield; Carlos del Rio, MD, of Emory University School of Medicine and Rollins School of Public Health; and Melanie Thompson, MD, from the AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta.

“Given the severity of the epidemic, we thought there’s a real need for a truly comprehensive plan as urgently as possible,” Holtgrave told Wired magazine in an article on the proposed COVID-19 strategy. “We felt that where we are now is similar in circumstance to HIV: Before the national strategy was written, different federal agencies had handled elements of a plan, but nothing had pulled them together. It’s bringing it all together in one comprehensive place that we’re calling for.”

Since President Trump has decided not to create a national strategy, the authors write, a broad coalition of leaders from the public and private sector must take charge and devise a plan. The authors urge the drafting of a national strategy to be commented upon by the public and edited before being made available to the public by mid-November.

The Wired article notes that some health experts believe that HIV is not the proper model upon which to build a COVID-19 strategy. For example, it may be better to look to our national strategies for battling pandemic influenza or antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which were also developed during Obama’s presidency and may be applicable to the new coronavirus. Regardless, experts agree that a national strategy is in order.

“The fact that we haven’t had a national strategy is a major reason why we’ve been the epicenter of the pandemic for most of 2020,” Peter Hotez, founding dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, told Wired. “And there’s no end in sight.… We’ll be at 300,000 deaths by the end of the year. We could be at 400,000 deaths by the time of the inauguration.”

The post Our National HIV/AIDS Strategy May Offer a Blueprint for Fighting COVID-19 appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Source – https://www.eurekalert.org/

Silver Spring, Md.– Innovative scientific research results on Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its impact on obesity will be presented through oral and poster abstracts at the 38th Annual Meeting of The Obesity Society (TOS) at ObesityWeek® Interactive. This online event will take place Nov. 2-6, 2020 at http://www.obesityweek.org. On-Demand materials and other elements of the interactive conference will remain available online through Dec. 31, 2020.

“COVID-19 disproportionately affects people with obesity, who are at greater risk for complications and death,” said Jaime Almandoz, MD, co-chair of the TOS Program Planning Committee. “This year’s program highlights the latest research on the impact of COVID-19 for people with obesity. This includes presentations covering the effects of COVID-19 on the immune system and outcomes in critically ill patients with obesity, in addition to the influence that the pandemic is having on eating, health behaviors, television watching and telemedicine.”

TOS’s program chairs haves selected a sampling of top abstracts from the nearly 40 abstracts focused on COVID-19 and obesity that will be presented at the meeting.

Samples of the science that will be presented include:

• “Binge Watching During COVID: Associations With Stress and Body Weight” – Aghababian et al.
• “Effects of COVID-19 Lockdown on Lifestyle Behaviors in Children With Obesity: A Longitudinal Study” – Heymsfield et al.
• “Obesity Management in Times of COVID-19 Restrictions: Patient Survey in Center Offering Telemedicine” – Pachter et al.
• “Impact of COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Orders on Weight-Related Behaviors Among Patients With Obesity” – Almandoz et al.
• “Effect of Obesity and Metabolic Disease on Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Infection” – Jirapinyo et al.
• “Association of BMI with Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19: Multicenter Cohort Study” – Pattou et al.
• “Inflammatory Markers and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Obesity Admitted With COVID-19” – Mostaghim et al.

###

To view these abstracts or to read others, media representatives can log on to http://www.obesityweek.org and research the Read 2020 Abstracts section under the Abstracts tab.

Media representatives interested in covering abstract presentations on COVID-19 and obesity or other obesity-related topics need to register for ObesityWeek® Interactive. Registration is free but a media code is needed. To obtain a media registration code, email TOS Director of Communications Kristin Collins at kcollins@obesity.org.

All abstracts are embargoed from media coverage until 12:00 p.m. (EST) Nov. 3, 2020, the first day of ObesityWeek® Scientific Sessions. Learn more about the Society’s Embargo Policy.

For more information, visit http://www.obesityweek.org.

The Obesity Society (TOS) is the leading organization of scientists and health professionals devoted to understanding and reversing the epidemic of obesity and its adverse health, economic and societal effects. Combining the perspective of researchers, clinicians, policymakers and patients, TOS promotes innovative research, education, and evidence-based clinical care to improve the health and well-being of all people with obesity. For more information, visit http://www.obesityweek.org.

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The prevalence of HIV among patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) appears to be higher compared with the general population, suggesting an increased susceptibility to COVID-19 among people with HIV, according to research presented at IDWeek, held virtually from October 21 to 25, 2020.

To determine the prevalence of HIV in patients with COVID-19 and the relationship between people with HIV and higher COVID-19 mortality rates, researchers conducted a meta-analysis using PubMed, Scopus, OVID, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases, including grey literature from January 1 to June 15.

Of the 14 studies analyzed, 8 were in the United States, 3 in Spain, 1 in China, 1 in Italy, and 1 in Germany. Of the 144,795 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, 592 included people with HIV.

The pooled prevalence of HIV in patients with COVID-19 was 1.22% (95% CI, 0.61-2.43%), double the prevalence of 0.65% (95% CI, 0.48-0.89%) in the general population. The pooled HIV prevalence among patients with COVID-19 in the United States was 1.43% (95% CI, 0.98-2.07%), which was significantly higher than Spain’s prevalence of 0.26% (95% CI, 0.23-0.29%), but not significantly higher than China’s prevalence of 0.99% (95% CI, 0.25-3.85%).

The pooled mortality rate among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and HIV was 14.09% (95% CI, 5.78-30.50%), and the rate was highest in the Unites States compared with the other countries.

Findings suggest that people with HIV may have a higher susceptibility to COVID-19. While mortality rates are high, they “vary significantly across countries,” investigators concluded.

Reference

Ssentongo P, Heilbrunn ES, Ssentongo AE, et al. Prevalence of HIV in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and associated mortality outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Presented at: IDWeek 2020; October 21-25, 2020. Poster 393.

The post People With HIV May Have a Higher Susceptibility to COVID-19 appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had ripple effects on industries throughout the world. While it’s been an incredibly difficult year, the pandemic has proved that life still goes on in the face of adversity, and specific industries can weather the storm better than others. Though it is not an easy time to be in business or seek various services, the medical aesthetics and anti-aging market have experienced a high level of resilience during this tumultuous year.

According to a market research report by Technavio, “the medical aesthetics market is poised to grow by USD 7.64 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of 7 percent during the forecast period.”

Although I don’t endorse medical cosmetic procedures, as a fashion and beauty influencer, I’m always curious to know the latest trends that impact the fashion industry in one way or the other. I recently connected with Anush Movsesian, a top nurse practitioner in aesthetics and cosmetic medicine. She shares her thoughts on what has helped keep cosmetic medicine unaffected by the global pandemic. 

Related: Yes, Your Self-Care Matters

1​. Aging is a universal issue, no matter what is going on.

Pandemic or not, aging is something we continue to face, and it’s something we shouldn’t ignore. Movsesian explains, “Anti-aging is all about consistent care, and we have to make sure we stick with our appointments and our routines.” Movsesian understands that results are achieved through consistency, and when we let it go, we often have to go back to where we started. People aren’t giving up on their routines, and they are keeping up with their appointments. However, she also states that beauty enthusiasts must not vie for unrealistic results that can do more harm than good to their facial aesthetics. It’s always good to consult a medical professional and get realistic and achievable beauty advice. I’m a firm believer that even though everyone wants to enhance their own beauty, people must draw a line and control obsessions to look like an Instagram filter. 

2​. Self-care has become an even bigger priority.

I​n the face of the pandemic, we’ve seen self-care skyrocket in terms of prioritization, and rightfully so. Society has realized just how important self-care is, and aesthetics are a big part of that. Something I am thrilled to see come out of this pandemic is a renewed commitment to taking better care of ourselves. This includes everything from eating better to exercising to cosmetic procedures. I learned in my conversation with Movsesian that self-care is best when individuals take a well-rounded approach. With advancements in technology, more people today, regardless of gender, are including aesthetics in their general self-care practices to achieve better looks and gratification.

Related: 11 Tips to Build Emotional Resilience

3. Cosmetic practices always have been and still are incredibly safe.

If anything, the pandemic has brought about an increased interest in anti-aging and aesthetics as people realize how essential self-care is to our vitality and how inherently safe these procedures are. Talking to Movsesian clarifies how important a role the industry plays in our overall health and wellness while proving its tenacity. The future for aesthetics looks bright as we put our best foot forward.

The post 3 Reasons Why the Aesthetics and Anti-Aging Market is Unaffected by the Pandemic appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

14 out of 630 patents, with no history of diabetes during COVID-19 treatment, were diagnosed with diabetes at follow up clinics.

CHENNAI: Newly found diabetes among COVID-19 recovered patients is becoming a serious health condition, observed doctors in Chennai. Out of the 630 people who visited the post-COVID follow up clinic at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, doctors said 14 people were diagnosed with diabetes.

This phenomenon has been observed worldwide lately by experts, who are trying to understand whether and how COVID-19 might be triggering diabetes among those who didn’t have the disease before. A senior doctor in-charge of the follow-up clinic said that none of the patients had diabetes during their stay at the hospital and it is only found weeks or even a month after their recovery.

“While most people who returned to the hospital with poor health conditions were aged above 45, the people with newly found diabetes post-recovery were just aged between 40-45,” the doctor said.

The doctor said that while breathing issues and myalgia (muscle pain) have been the common health condition that majority of people have come up with, the diabetes is something new. “Sugar checks are mandatory as part of COVID checks. Even for diabetes patients, insulin shots are given to keep sugar in check during treatment,” said that doctor, adding that the reason for people developing diabetes post-COVID recovery is not known.

The medico added that the patients are given insulin shots and are directed to undergo routine treatment for diabetes. Doctors said that the hospital keeps check of the patients’ health condition daily for 14 days after discharge and most patients returned back with health conditions after two weeks.

Steroids a possible reason?

Dr V Mohan, chairman, Dr Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre, said high doses of steroids during the COVID-19 treatment could be a reason for sugar levels going up post-discharge. “Initially, patients are given intravenous steroids and subsequently, it is reduced to oral doses before the doses are stopped. Sugar levels too are supposed to reduce after this but some people without any diabetes too show high sugar levels post discharge,” Dr Mohan said.

He said that it is unknown whether COVID -19is directly involved in the increase in sugar levels but steroids could possibly have an impact. Various studies globally have highlighted that the immunosuppressive tendencies of steroids facilities in sugar levels are going uncontrolled among patients.

Dr Subramanian Swaminathan, Infectious Diseases Specialist at Gleneagles Global Health City said this trend of patients developing diabetes is seen worldwide. “Whether COVID-19 has caused diabetes or unmasked diabetes, we don’t know yet,” he said.

Dr Swaminathan said that even patients with mild COVID are developing diabetes later on. “In such a scenario, we can’t say the medicine is solely responsible for causing diabetes. Maybe it just has some part to do with this,” he said. Dr Swaminathan added that chronic fatigue syndrome, intermittent fever and inflammatory syndrome are widely observed among patients post-recovery.

“Unless we follow up on more patients, we won’t know the exact reasons for health complications. It is a good initiative to have follow up clinics and we need to expand it,” he said.

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