Latest / Morning Medical with Dr. Chow / Ig Nobel Highlights, Hepatitis B Guide, Cannabis in Pregnancy, and Aspirin Cancer Study

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Ig Nobel Highlights, Hepatitis B Guide, Cannabis in Pregnancy, and Aspirin Cancer Study · Morning Medical with Dr. Chow

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  Welcome, listeners, to another episode of Morning Medical with Dr.
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  Chow.
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  I'm your host, Dr.
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  Chi-Ming Chow, coming to you with the latest updates from the world of medical and health
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  news.
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  Today, we're diving into some fascinating research that might just make you chuckle, but
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  also think a little deeper.
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  We're talking about the Ig Nobel Prizes, which are back with their unique blend of humor and
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  thought-provoking science.
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  The Ig Nobel Prizes, awarded by the Annals of Improbable Research, celebrate the quirky side
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  of scientific inquiry.
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  This year's ceremony, the thirty-fifth annual event, took place at Boston University and was
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  webcast for audiences around the world.
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  The aim of these awards is to honor achievements that first make people laugh, and
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  then make them think—a perfect reminder of the joy and curiosity that science can inspire.
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  One of the standout winners this year was a study that explored whether painting cows with
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  zebra-like stripes could reduce fly bites.
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  And guess what?
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  It worked!
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  Cows with zebra stripes were nearly fifty percent less likely to endure those pesky
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  horsefly bites.
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  It's a creative approach to an age-old problem in farming, showing how unconventional ideas
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  can lead to practical solutions.
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  Another intriguing study involved pizza-eating lizards.
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  Scientists discovered that rainbow lizards at a holiday resort in Togo had a preference for
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  four-cheese pizza.
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  It's a delightful example of how even the most seemingly trivial research can uncover
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  interesting behavioral insights in wildlife.
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  The ceremony's theme this year was "digestion," and it featured guest speakers like Dr.
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  Trisha Pasricha, who discussed the curious link between using smartphones on the toilet and
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  developing hemorrhoids.
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  There was also a performance of a mini-opera titled "The Plight of the Gastroenterologist,"
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  adding a theatrical flair to the event.
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  In addition to the cow painters and lizard feeders, other winners included William B.
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  Bean, who was posthumously awarded the literature prize for documenting the growth of
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  one of his fingernails over thirty-five years.
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  Julie Mennella and Gary Beauchamp took home the pediatrics prize for their work on the
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  experience of nursing babies whose mothers consume garlic.
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  It's important to remember, as Carly York, an associate professor of biology, points out,
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  that beneath every seemingly absurd experiment lies the potential for genuine insight.
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  Basic, curiosity-driven research has often paved the way for transformative breakthroughs
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  in medicine and technology.
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  So, while these studies might sound humorous, they contribute to a deeper understanding of
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  the world around us.
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  Hepatitis B is a serious viral infection that primarily affects the liver, causing
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  inflammation.
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  It's known as the most common liver infection globally, with an estimated 254 million people
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  living with the infection worldwide.
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  This viral infection can manifest as either an acute or chronic condition.
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  Acute hepatitis B is a short-term illness, while chronic hepatitis B can persist
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  long-term, potentially leading to severe complications like liver cirrhosis, liver
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  failure, or even liver cancer.
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  The infection is caused by exposure to bodily fluids that are infected with the hepatitis B
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  virus.
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  These fluids can include blood, saliva, menstrual fluid, and other secretions.
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  Common modes of transmission include unprotected sexual contact, sharing needles or
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  syringes, and using contaminated medical instruments.
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  Additionally, a pregnant woman can pass the virus to her newborn during childbirth.
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  Anyone can contract hepatitis B, but certain groups are at higher risk.
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  These include individuals with sexually transmitted infections, those undergoing
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  immunosuppressive treatments like chemotherapy, people receiving dialysis, and those with other
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  types of liver disease.
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  Symptoms of hepatitis B, when they do occur, may include abdominal pain, fatigue, fever,
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  joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and weakness.
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  More severe symptoms indicative of liver disease include dark urine, light or
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  clay-colored stools, jaundice, and swelling in the abdomen, arms, or legs.
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  It's important to note that a person is contagious for as long as the virus is active
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  in their system.
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  Acute hepatitis B can last up to six months, while chronic hepatitis B can remain contagious
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  indefinitely if active.
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  Diagnosis of hepatitis B typically involves blood tests, which can determine whether the
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  virus is active or inactive.
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  Imaging tests like liver elastography or a liver biopsy may also be used to assess liver
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  damage.
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  Although there is currently no cure for hepatitis B, antiviral medications can help
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  manage the virus by making it inactive.
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  In chronic cases, these medications might need to be taken indefinitely.
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  If the infection progresses to liver cancer, surgical intervention or even a liver
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  transplant may be necessary.
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  The most effective way to prevent hepatitis B is through vaccination.
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  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all infants, children under 19
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  years of age, adults aged 19 to 59, and older adults who have risk factors receive the
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  hepatitis B vaccine.
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  Various vaccines are available, each requiring a different dosage regimen.
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  For those living with hepatitis B, it's advised to avoid alcohol, maintain a healthy diet, and
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  take precautions to prevent other liver infections.
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  Support and education are crucial in managing the condition.
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  While living with hepatitis B can seem daunting, with the right medical care and
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  lifestyle adjustments, individuals can lead healthy lives while minimizing the risk of
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  transmission to others.
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  New guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises against
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  cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation.
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  The organization also recommends that healthcare providers ask all of their patients
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  about cannabis use before, during, and after pregnancy.
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  This move aims to help avoid potential risks associated with cannabis consumption during
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  these critical periods.
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  The use of cannabis has been on the rise among pregnant individuals in the United States,
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  largely due to the broadening legalization and growing social acceptance of the substance.
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  The nation’s leading group of obstetricians and gynecologists felt it necessary to issue new
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  recommendations to offer providers evidence-based guidelines for counseling,
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  screening, and strategies to reduce cannabis use.
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  A 2019 analysis by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found a significant increase in
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  cannabis use among pregnant women, more than doubling between 2002 and 2017.
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  Dr.
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  Amy Valent, an obstetrician and gynecologist with the Oregon Health & Science University,
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  who helped develop the new guidance, points out that societal normalization of cannabis might
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  lead us to overlook potential risks.
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  While cannabis isn't linked to birth defects, the question remains whether that should be the
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  sole measure of pregnancy safety.
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  The guidance notes a lack of comprehensive data on the safety or efficacy of cannabis use in
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  pregnant or lactating individuals.
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  However, recent research indicates that cannabinoid receptors are present in the fetus
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  as early as five weeks, and the psychoactive component of cannabis, THC, can cross the
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  placenta and enter breast milk.
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  This exposure is associated with risks of adverse outcomes.
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  Cannabis exposure during pregnancy has been linked to low birth weight, admission to the
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  neonatal intensive care unit, and perinatal mortality.
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  There are also potential neurodevelopmental consequences, including attention deficit
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  disorders, memory challenges, and intellectual disabilities.
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  Quantifying the amount of cannabis use and the degree of adverse outcomes is challenging, but
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  the goal is to reduce risks and support healthier pregnancies.
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  The new guidance discourages drug tests using biological materials like hair or urine due to
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  potential biases, especially against racial and ethnic minority groups.
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  Instead, it endorses universal screening through interviews or self-reporting, which can
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  help intervene before delivery and support equitable health practices.
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  The conversation should remain nonjudgmental and supportive to raise awareness of potential
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  risks and influence behavior positively during pregnancy.
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  Dr.
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  Cara Poland, an addiction medicine physician not involved in the guidance creation,
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  emphasizes the importance of asking permission to discuss cannabis use.
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  This approach can open up a supportive dialogue about cannabis and other drug use.
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  It's crucial that the screening avoids the risk of punishment, as state laws on drug testing
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  during pregnancy can be inconsistent and lack clarity.
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  Simply discussing cannabis use can increase awareness and influence patient behavior.
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  Many might use cannabis to self-manage pregnancy-related nausea or alleviate anxiety
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  and stress.
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  Improved communication between patients and their providers about these symptoms can help
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  curb cannabis use.
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  By personalizing care and exploring other symptom management strategies, healthcare
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  providers can better support their patients.
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  Dr.
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  Valent notes that sometimes cannabis may actually cause nausea, which could be managed
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  through other means like exercise, more frequent meals, or certain medications.
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  The benefit of screening is that it starts conversations and allows for individualized
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  patient care.
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  By broadening discussions about symptoms and support, this guidance aims to foster a
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  comprehensive, supportive conversation between providers and patients.
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  A recent report from the Montreal Economic Institute has highlighted a concerning trend in
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  Nova Scotia's healthcare system.
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  Almost 10 percent of patients who visited emergency rooms in the province last year ended
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  up leaving without receiving treatment due to long wait times.
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  This figure is notably higher than the national average of 7.8 percent, raising alarms about
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  the state of emergency care in Nova Scotia.
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  What's particularly troubling is that nearly half of the patients who left had a triage
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  score of three.
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  In medical terms, this score indicates an urgent condition that, if left unattended,
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  could deteriorate to the point of needing emergency intervention.
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  As Renaud Brossard, vice-president of communications for the Montreal Economic
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  Institute, points out, this situation not only exacerbates the patients' health issues but
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  also adds further strain on the healthcare system when these patients eventually return
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  with more severe complications.
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  The report suggests three key recommendations to address this issue: increasing the use of
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  specialized nurse practitioner clinics, expanding the scope of practice for
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  pharmacists, and introducing non-governmental immediate care centers.
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  While Nova Scotia has made strides in integrating nurse practitioners into
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  collaborative care clinics and emergency departments, and has established primary care
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  pharmacy clinics, the concept of immediate care centers is still new.
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  These immediate care centers, modeled after a system in France, would be owned and managed by
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  doctors.
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  They would focus on treating cases with triage scores of three, four, or five, which are less
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  urgent but still require medical attention, such as broken bones or the need for sutures.
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  This model would allow emergency rooms to concentrate their resources on the most
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  critical and complex cases, potentially improving overall efficiency.
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  Nova Scotia's Health Minister, Michelle Thompson, acknowledges the frustration patients
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  feel due to long wait times but believes the measures the government is implementing will
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  help.
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  The province is working on expanding primary care options and enhancing services in
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  emergency departments to ensure patients have access to initial tests or assessments while
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  they wait to see a doctor.
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  Additionally, virtual care options have been introduced in some emergency departments as
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  part of these efforts.
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  "We've invested a significant amount of money, time, and effort to try and improve the
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  situation," Thompson stated in a recent press conference.
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  "We continue to explore ways to better support our patients." While these initiatives are
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  promising, the challenge remains substantial as the province works to reduce wait times and
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  improve patient care in its emergency rooms.
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  In an intriguing development from the world of cancer research, a common over-the-counter
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  medication has been shown to significantly reduce the recurrence of colorectal cancer.
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  This comes from a study conducted in Sweden, where researchers found that a low dose of
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  aspirin could slash the risk of cancer coming back by half in patients with specific genetic
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  mutations in their tumors.
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  This study, led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital,
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  followed over 3,500 patients from 33 hospitals across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland.
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  All participants had undergone surgery to remove their tumors.
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  The key focus was on a genetic mutation in the PIK3 signaling pathway, which is present in a
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  significant proportion of colorectal cancers.
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  Participants in the study were divided into two groups.
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  One group received 160 milligrams of aspirin daily, while the other was given a placebo.
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  After three years, the results were quite promising.
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  Those who took aspirin had a 55 percent lower risk of their cancer returning compared to
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  those who took the placebo.
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  The study, known as the ALASCCA trial, is the first to demonstrate in a randomized setting
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  that low-dose aspirin can significantly reduce recurrence in colorectal cancer patients with
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  somatic PI3K pathway alterations.
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  Dr.
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  Anna Martling, the study's author, emphasized the importance of testing for these mutations
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  after surgery, as this could guide treatment strategies.
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  It's worth noting that aspirin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is widely available and
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  inexpensive, making it an attractive option compared to many modern cancer treatments.
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  While aspirin is commonly used to relieve pain, inflammation, and prevent blood clots, this
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  study highlights its potential role in cancer management.
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  Dr.
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  Marc Siegel, a senior medical analyst, noted that aspirin's anti-inflammatory properties and
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  its ability to mitigate growth factors could be key reasons behind the observed benefits.
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  He pointed out that previous observational studies have suggested similar outcomes, but
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  this large, randomized study provides robust evidence.
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  However, the study does have limitations.
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  Patients over the age of 80 were not included, and longer follow-up is needed to confirm
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  effects on overall survival.
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  Additionally, aspirin is not without side effects, such as stomach issues and increased
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  bleeding risk, so it should be used cautiously, especially by those with certain medical
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  conditions.
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  Despite these limitations, the researchers believe the findings are immediately relevant
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  for clinicians and guideline committees.
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  Testing for PI3K pathway alterations could become a standard part of post-surgery care for
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  colorectal cancer patients.
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  This approach represents a step forward in precision medicine, combining a well-known,
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  low-cost drug with high-tech genetic testing.
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  As we wrap up today's episode, it's exciting to see how ongoing research continues to uncover
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  new ways to tackle complex health challenges.
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  From the quirky yet insightful Ig Nobel Prizes to groundbreaking studies like this one,
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  science keeps pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
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  Thank you for tuning in to Morning Medical with Dr.
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  Chow.
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  Stay healthy and curious, and join us again for more updates on the latest in medical and
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  health news.