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According to a recent study, the untreatable autoimmune illness lupus, commonly known as systemic lupus erythematosus, may benefit by reestablishing the equilibrium of a blood protein. The immune system is regulated by the protein CXCL5 through neutrophils, a kind of white blood cell. The immune system that typically guards against infections paradoxically assaults healthy tissues and organs in lupus patients, causing inflammation. CXCL5 levels in the blood of lupus patients were found to be much lower than those of healthy people, according to research from Singapore General Hospital (SGH), indicating that the protein may be the cause of lupus activity. Similar outcomes in lupus mouse models were discovered.

The scientists also discovered that weekly CXCL5 injections into animals with severe lupus corrected the CXCL5 balance and increased survival from 25% to over 70% at 10 weeks. Compared to mice treated with saline, there was better renal function and decreased lupus activity. CXCL5 appeared to mitigate the harmful effects of cyclophosphamide, allowing the mice to survive for up to two years when combined with cyclophosphamide, an established powerful immunosuppressive therapy for lupus.

The research’s results were released last month in Arthritis & Rheumatology, one of the best peer-reviewed rheumatology publications, and Nature Reviews Rheumatology will feature it as a significant study in November 2022. SingHealth, a public healthcare cluster of which SGH is a member, submitted a patent for these findings, and it has now been approved in the USA and Singapore.

“We are excited about the possibility of a new treatment option for lupus as 30 to 60 per cent of patients do not respond to conventional medications despite aggressive regimens. In the past 65 years, only three drugs for lupus have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration but these drugs have modest efficacy. There is therefore a real and urgent need for better therapies, particularly for the more severe spectrum of lupus that we see in Asia,” said senior author Associate Professor Andrea Low, Head and Senior Consultant, Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, SGH.

“Our study has shown CXCL5 to be safe. There was no liver or kidney toxicity or cancer inducing effects. Major components of the immune system were also not compromised. We hope to take our findings further to improve the care of patients with lupus,” said principal investigator Dr Fan Xiubo, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Clinical Translational Research, SGH.

SingHealth, a public healthcare cluster of which SGH is a member, submitted a patent for these findings, and it has now been approved in the USA and Singapore.

As it affects vital organs including the kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain, lupus has the potential to be fatal. According to reports, there are 100 cases of lupus for every 100,000 persons globally. Asians are more likely to have a severe case of the illness, which generally affects more women than males between the ages of 15 and 45.

“It is gratifying to see that this research that started over 8 years ago, has led to a discovery that has the potential to offer patients with lupus new treatment options in future,” said Professor William Hwang, Senior Consultant, Department of Haematology, SGH, who co-led the early phases of the study. Prof Hwang is also CEO of the National Cancer Centre Singapore.

“To be in the forefront of medicine means we have to constantly further our understanding of diseases and offer patients better treatment options through rigorous scientific research. I’m heartened that the team has shed new light on lupus and the possibility of a more efficacious therapy for patients some years down the road,” said Professor Fong Kok Yong, Deputy Group CEO (Medical and Clinical Services), SingHealth, and Senior Consultant, Department Rheumatology & Immunology, SGH.

By Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asi

On International Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day, WHO and its Member States in the South-East Asia Region are highlighting the urgent need for whole-of-government, whole-of-society action to reorient health systems towards quality, accessible, affordable and comprehensive primary health care (PHC), which provides the strongest, most efficient foundation to achieve UHC and health security.

Globally , at least half of all people do not receive health services they need. Over 996 million people spend at least 10% of their household income on health care. In 2017, around 299 million people in the Region faced catastrophic health spending, and an estimated 117 million people in the Region were pushed or further pushed below the purchasing power parity poverty line of US$ 1.90 a day.

Since 2014, the South-East Asia Region has sought to achieve UHC as a Flagship Priority, recognizing that UHC is central to improve population health and well-being and enhance human capital for sustainable social and economic growth. Between 2010 and 2019, the Region increased its UHC service coverage index from 47 to 61. Between 2000 and 2018, the Region reduced out-of-pocket (OOP) spending on health from 50% to 40%, and between 2000 and 2017, reduced the number of households impoverished or further impoverished from OOP spending from 30% to 6%. Since 2014, the density of doctors, nurses and midwives in the Region has improved by over 30%, with nine countries now above the first WHO threshold of 22.8 health workers per 10 000 population, compared with six in 2014.

Five countries of the Region have already achieved the Sustainable Development Goal targets for under-five and neonatal mortality. Between 2000 and 2020, the Region achieved a 34% decline in TB incidence rates, and by the end of 2020, had met each of the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria milestones for mortality and morbidity. Since 2016, six countries of the Region have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease, and all countries continue to strengthen PHC services to prevent, detect, control and treat noncommunicable diseases. This is in accordance with Region-wide efforts to reorient health systems towards quality, accessible, affordable and comprehensive PHC, as per the Region’s Strategy for PHC, launched on 12 December 2021, as well as its newly adopted Roadmap on Health Security and Health System Resilience for Emergencies 2023–2027.

Gaps and challenges nevertheless persist and have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis and other global events. Today, tens of millions more people in the Region have been pushed into extreme poverty, aggravating the social and economic determinants of health, and increasing the risk of catastrophic health spending and foregone care. In some programme areas, health service disruptions have halted and even reversed progress.

Intense macro-fiscal pressures mean that in the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, there is no guarantee that health will be prioritized. Now more than ever, whole-of-government, whole-of-society action is needed to protect, promote and support health and well-being, recognizing that Health for All will only be achieved if together we are All for Health.

For that, WHO is calling for action in several key areas.
First, multisectoral action to protect, promote and support health and well-being must be strengthened, and WHO’s health-in-all-policies approach adopted. Across all sectors, and in all settings, decision-makers must be sensitized and empowered to promote health and well-being and help mitigate its social and economic determinants.

Second, social participation must be mainstreamed within health system governance and decision-making. It is imperative that policy makers and health service providers directly engage with the people they serve, including through spaces and mechanisms that are participatory and inclusive, that minimize power asymmetries, and are oriented towards those who are at-risk of or already being left behind.

Third, legal frameworks must be developed and implemented to assist populations to enjoy the Right to Health through UHC. Evidence shows that well-designed legislation that protects and promotes population health increases social participation, and with it, accountability. It can also help ensure that whatever the fiscal outlook, health and well-being is allocated adequate, sustained and reliable public funds.

Fourth, amid the COVID-19 response and recovery, financing for health and well-being generally, and PHC specifically, must be maintained and increased. For this, among other evidence-based strategies, WHO is calling for increased taxation of unhealthy products such as tobacco, alcohol, highly processed food and sugar-sweetened beverages.

We have a once-in-a-century opportunity to build the Region and world we want – a Region and world that is healthier, more equitable, resilient, sustainable and health-secure. Towards that goal, WHO will continue to provide Member States its ongoing and unmitigated support, for a South-East Asia Region in which all people can access quality health services, when and where they need them, without financial hardship.

International Tea Day is observed on December 15 in the majority of nations that produce tea. Since 2005, various countries have observed this particular day, including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Uganda, and Tanzania.

The UN has designated May 21 as International Tea Day since the tea harvesting season often begins in May in nations that produce tea. We now have two International Days to celebrate as a result of this.

No matter what kind of headache you have, drinking a warm cup of tea may assist you to relieve the distracting, throbbing pain in your head. In the same vein, have a look at these calming herbal tea alternatives.

1. Ginger tea

Ginger is one of the most well-liked culinary spices with a number of health benefits. It has strong antioxidants that help reduce inflammation.

2. Chamomile tea

Two ailments that are typically addressed with chamomile tea are insomnia and anxiety. The calming effects of chamomile tea may be useful for tension headaches, though there isn’t enough evidence to link it to the treatment of headaches.

3. Feverfew tea

Feverfew has been used as medication for a very long time. Numerous research have looked at the efficacy of feverfew in treating migraines. An plant called feverfew can be used to treat both migraines and other types of headaches.

4. Clove tea

Clove is a precious spice that is native to Indonesia and grows all over the world. It has been used for millennia to treat a number of symptoms, including headaches. This is likely due to its antinociceptive properties. Antinociceptives aid in the prevention or reduction of pain.

5. Peppermint tea

The peppermint plant is extensively grown all over the world and comes originally from the Middle East and Europe. Peppermint is a plant that is occasionally used in Indian herbal remedies for dyspepsia, colds, coughs, and other illnesses. Peppermint leaves are steeped in hot water to make tea with a peppermint flavour. It is ingested because to the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants it contains, which have a number of positive health effects.

Chinese hackers were responsible for the attack on the AIIMS computer system in Delhi, a top government source claimed on Wednesday, adding that the data on the five servers has now been completely recovered.

“AIIMS Delhi server attack was by the Chinese, FIR details that the attack had originated from China. Of 100 servers (40 physical and 60 virtual), five physical servers were successfully infiltrated by the hackers. The damage would have been far worse but is now contained. Data in the five servers have been successfully retrieved now,” said the source from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

On November 23, AIIMS Delhi announced a server failure for the first time. Due to the suspected cyber security breach, two of the analysts assigned to monitor the servers’ security have also been suspended.
The e-Hospital data has been restored, according to a statement released by AIIMS administrators. “The servers have been updated with the eHospital data. Before the services may be restarted, the network is being cleaned.

The process is taking some time due to the volume of data and the large number of servers/computers for the hospital services. Measures are being taken for cyber security,” they had said.
“All hospital services, including outpatient, in-patient, laboratories, etc continue to run on manual mode,” the statement had said.

A separate division of the Delhi Police began looking into the attack on the AIIMS Delhi computer system earlier this month.
Official sources claim that a team from the Central Forensic Lab (CFSL) has been sent in to examine the AIIMS Delhi server that has been attacked in order to determine where the malware assault originated.

Up to 15% of American women of reproductive age have endometriosis, which can cause infertility, menstrual cramps, and pelvic discomfort. Endometriosis is when tissue that resembles the lining of the womb develops outside of the uterus. This growth might cause pain and other symptoms if it expands and bleeds.

“Endometriosis depends on estrogen, a hormone well known for regulating a woman’s reproductive functions. Estrogen also affects other organs such as the heart and blood vessels, bones, breasts, skin, hair, mucous membranes, pelvic muscles and the brain,” said corresponding author Dr. Sang Jun Han, associate professor of molecular and cellular biology and in the Center for Reproductive Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Endometriosis’ dependence on estrogen and inflammation has guided treatments that are based on systematically removing estrogen and using anti-inflammatory drugs.

“However, current endometriosis treatments have low efficacy, high recurrence rate and cause adverse effects in other tissues affected by estrogen,” said Han, who also is a member of Baylor’s Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Our goal in this study published in the Journal of Biomedical Science was to look for a better treatment for this condition.”

Estrogen receptors (ERs) ER-alpha and ER-beta, which mediate the actions of the hormones on cells, play crucial roles in the development and progression of endometriosis since it is an estrogen-dependent illness. The Han lab and other researchers’ earlier work has demonstrated that ER-beta plays a crucial role in the development of endometriosis. ” These findings suggest that selectively suppressing the activity of ER-beta could help treat the condition without side effects of current hormonal therapies targeting ER-alpha,” said first author Dr. Yuri Park, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor.

Han and his coworkers screened a library of natural products using cells in the lab in search of substances that may be utilised to treat endometriosis as non-hormonal therapy. The researchers discovered that oleuropein, a naturally occurring substance present in olive leaves, selectively inhibits ER-beta activity while not ER-alpha activity. Additionally, they discovered that oleuropein effectively inhibits the development of mouse and human endometriosis lesions in mouse models.

“In addition, oleuropein treatment was neither toxic to the liver nor did it affect the ability of female mice to have offspring,” Han said. “In mice with endometriosis, oleuropein improved the pregnancy rate. We are excited by these promising findings as they support further exploration of the value of oleuropein as naturopathy for human endometriosis treatment. Oleuropein is less expensive than hormonal therapy, and our current findings suggest that it is safer than current treatments.”

In a worldwide investigation, researchers found that the majority of rodent-borne disease reservoirs prefer to reside solely or sporadically in or close to human houses and exhibit significant population swings. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the necessity for more research into the methods through which illnesses propagate among animals. The study shows how the interaction of naturally occurring and human-caused variables influences the likelihood of virus transfer from animals to people. The “fast life” of rodents, which includes sexual maturity at a young age, several litters per year, and many young per litter, is a key factor in why they are significant disease reservoirs. But why can humans get infections carried by rodents?

“Most rodents that spread zoonotic pathogens, meaning pathogens spreading between animals and humans, show large population fluctuations, move at least occasionally indoors, or are hunted for meat or fur. Our results were consistent among pathogen types i.e., virus, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. And with transmission modes, i.e., intermediate, involvement of vectors or non-close and close contact, with close contact including inhalation of contaminated aerosols,” says Frauke Ecke, project leader and Professor at University of Helsinki, Finland and senior lecturer at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).

Survey of 436 rodent species worldwide
Researchers from SLU, the University of Helsinki, and the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in the United States conducted a global quantitative investigation based on information gathered from databases and academic publications for the study that was published in Nature Communications. There are 436 species of rodents included in the study, of which 282 are recognised as reservoirs for zoonotic diseases. The relationship between the rodents’ preferred environments, population fluctuations, human hunting of rodents, and their role as reservoirs was investigated by the researchers.

“It is remarkable how consistent the results are among continents, disease systems and rodent species,” says Rick Ostfeld, co-leader of the study. It’s riskier in some parts of the world to contract zoonoses from rodents. The researchers have also pinpointed areas where there is a significant danger of human-to-rodent illness transfer.

The risk extends throughout a large portion of Europe, particularly central and northern Europe, as well as eastern Asia, eastern China, sections of South America, south-east Australia, and eastern areas of North America.

“If people encounter a rodent in these regions, there is a high risk that this rodent carries zoonotic pathogens,” says Ecke. The bank vole in Europe, the deer mouse in North America, and the Azara’s Grass Mouse in South America are a few examples of these pathogen-carrying rodents. These animals may go inside and have significant population changes.

“It is especially the large population fluctuations together with the disturbance of the rodents’ natural habitat that can explain why rodents move nearby and into human dwellings. This movement behaviour is typical for so-called generalists, which are species that can cope with many different environments. These generalists are the most important reservoirs of pathogens,” explains Ecke.

The fluid that surrounds and flows throughout your brain and spinal cord, called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), is what gives your three-pound brain the sensation of weightlessness. This liquid barrier that separates your brain from your skull and moisturises it protects it from head injuries.

The CSF also protects the brain’s immunological system, which is a crucial but lesser-known role. But little research has been done on this function. CSF’s function in conditions like Alzheimer’s disease that cause cognitive impairment has been uncovered by a Northwestern Medicine research. According to research main author David Gate, an associate professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, this finding offers a fresh insight into the process of neurodegeneration.

The research will appear in Cell. According to the study, as people age, their CSF immune system degenerates. The study also found that the CSF immune system is significantly different in patients with cognitive impairment, such as those with Alzheimer’s disease.

“We now have a glimpse into the brain’s immune system with healthy aging and neurodegeneration,” Gate said. “This immune reservoir could potentially be used to treat inflammation of the brain or be used as a diagnostic to determine the level of brain inflammation in individuals with dementia.” “We provide a thorough analysis of this important immunologic reservoir of the healthy and diseased brain,” Gate said. His team is sharing the data publicly, and its results can be searched online.

Gate’s team at Northwestern employed a cutting-edge method called single-cell RNA sequencing to examine the CSF. They extracted CSF from participants’ spines, isolated the immune cells within it, and then analysed 59 CSF immune systems across a range of ages. The CSF of 45 healthy people between the ages of 54 and 83 was examined in the study’s first section.

The CSF of 14 persons with cognitive impairment, as established by their low scores on memory tests, was compared to those results in the healthy group in the study’s second component. In older healthy individuals, the CSF immune cells were shown to have genetic alterations that caused the cells to seem more active and inflamed with advancing age.

“The immune cells appear to be a little angry in older individuals,” Gate said. “We think this anger might make these cells less functional, resulting in dysregulation of the brain’s immune system.”

In the group with cognitive impairment, inflammatory T-cells replicated and moved into the CSF and brain as though they were responding to a radio signal, according to Gate. The cells were revealed to have an excess of CXCR6, a cell receptor that serves as an antenna. The microglia cells in the ageing brain send a signal called CXCL16 to this receptor, allowing it to enter the brain.

“It could be the degenerating brain activates these cells and causes them to clone themselves and flow to the brain,” Gate said. “They do not belong there, and we are trying to understand whether they contribute to damage in the brain.”
Gate said his “future goal is to block that radio signal, or to inhibit the antenna from receiving that signal from the brain. We want to know what happens when these immune cells are blocked from entering brains with neurodegeneration.”

What variables influence “successful” or “ideal” aging? A recent study followed over 7,000 Canadians in their middle and older years for three years to uncover the factors related with well-being as we age.

People who were female, married, physically active, and not obese, as well as those who never smoked, had higher incomes, and were free of insomnia, heart disease, or arthritis, were found to be more likely to maintain excellent health throughout the study and were less likely to experience incapacitating cognitive, physical, or emotional issues.

At the beginning of the roughly three-year study period, the researchers chose volunteers who were in outstanding health as a baseline.

This included the absence of memory problems or chronic disabling pain, freedom from any serious mental illness and absence of physical disabilities that limit daily activities — as well as the presence of adequate social support and high levels of happiness and life satisfaction.

“We were surprised and delighted to learn that more than 70 per cent of our sample maintained their excellent state of health across the study period,” says the first author, Mabel Ho, a doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FSW) and the Institute of Life Course and Aging. “Our findings underline the importance of a strength-based rather than a deficit-based focus on ageing and older adults. The media and research tend to ignore the positive and just focus on the problems.”

There was considerable variation in the prevalence of successful ageing based on the respondent’s age at the beginning of the study. Three-quarters of the respondents who were aged 55 to 64 at the start of the study period maintained excellent health throughout the study. Among those aged 80 and older, approximately half remained in excellent health.

“It is remarkable that half of those aged 80 and older maintained this extremely high bar of cognitive, physical, and emotional well-being across the three years of the study. This is wonderful news for older adults and their families who may anticipate that precipitous decline is inevitable for those aged 80 and older,” says Mabel Ho.

“By understanding factors associated with successful ageing, we can work with older adults, families, practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to create an environment that supports a vibrant and healthy later life.”

Older adults who were obese were less likely to maintain good health in later life. Compared to older adults who were obese, those who had a normal weight were 24 per cent more likely to age optimally.

“Our findings are in keeping with other studies which have found that obesity was related to a range of physical symptoms and cognitive problems and that physical activity also plays a key role in optimal ageing,” says co-author David Burnes, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto’s FIFSW and a Canada Research Chair in Older Adult Mistreatment Prevention. “These findings highlight the importance of maintaining an appropriate weight and engaging in an active lifestyle throughout the life course”.

Income was also an important factor. Only about half of those below the poverty line aged optimally compared to three-quarters of those living above the poverty line.

“Although our study does not provide information on why low income is important, it is possible that inadequate income causes stress and also restricts healthy choices such as optimal nutrition. Future research is needed to further explore this relationship,” says senior author Esme Fuller-Thomson, Director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging and Professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work.

Lifestyle factors are associated with optimal health in later life. Older adults who never smoked were 46 per cent more likely to maintain an excellent state of health compared to current smokers.

Previous research has shown that stopping smoking later in life can enhance survival statistics, pulmonary function, and quality of life, as well as reduced incidence of coronary events and respiratory symptoms. The study discovered that former smokers performed just as well as individuals who had never smoked, demonstrating that it is never too late to quit.

The study also discovered that physical activity is vital for sustaining good health in later life. Physical activity levels ranging from moderate to intense made older persons 35% to 45% more likely to age successfully.

According to the data, individuals who never or seldom had sleep problems at the start of the trial were 29% more likely to maintain great health throughout the study.

“Clearly, good sleep is an important factor as we age. Sleep problems undermine cognitive, mental, and physical health. There is strong evidence that an intervention called cognitive-behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is very helpful for people living with insomnia,” says Esme Fuller-Thomson.

According to new research published in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal, high levels of lipoprotein(a), a kind of “bad” cholesterol, may be associated to an 18-20% greater risk of cardiovascular disease in hypertensive people. However, the risk of CVD was not increased in individuals who did not have hypertension.

“High blood pressure is a known cardiovascular disease risk factor, and lipoprotein(a) is a type of inherited ‘bad’ cholesterol that may also lead to cardiovascular disease,” said lead study author Rishi Rikhi, M.D., M.S., a cardiovascular medicine fellow at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “We found that among people with hypertension who have never experienced a stroke or heart attack before, lipoprotein(a) seems to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and risk of a major cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke.”

Hypertension is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In this study, hypertension was defined as a top number of 140 mmHg or higher, a bottom number of 90 mmHg or the use of blood pressure medication. In 2017, the Association updated its definition of hypertension to be a top number of 130 mmHg or higher or a bottom number of 80 mmHg or higher.

Previous studies have indicated that when a person has hypertension and lipid imbalance, or dyslipidemia, their cardiovascular disease risk substantially increases. According to the study’s authors, there is less information on how much of an effect lipoprotein(a) may have on cardiovascular disease risk among people with hypertension.

Lipoproteins, which are made up of protein and fat, carry cholesterol through the blood. The subtypes of lipoproteins include low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). Much like LDL cholesterol, lipoprotein(a) cholesterol may deposit and build up in the walls of blood vessels, thus increasing a person’s risk of a heart attack or stroke.

The research used health data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) study, an ongoing community-based study in the U.S. of subclinical cardiovascular disease–meaning the disease is discovered before there are clinical signs and symptoms.

MESA is a research study including nearly 7,000 adults that began in 2000 and is still following participants in six locations across the U.S.: Baltimore; Chicago; New York; Los Angeles County, California; Forsyth County, North Carolina; and St. Paul, Minnesota. At the time of enrollment in the study, all participants were free from cardiovascular disease.

The current study included 6,674 MESA participants who had lipoprotein(a) levels and blood pressure assessed and for whom there was documented cardiovascular disease event data throughout MESA’s follow-up exams in approximately 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2017 and in telephone interviews every 9 to 12 months to gather interim data on new diagnoses, procedures, hospitalization and deaths.

The study’s participants were from diverse racial and ethnic groups: 38.6 per cent self-identified as white adults; 27.5 per cent self-identified as African American adults; 22.1 per cent self-identified as Hispanic adults, and 11.9 per cent self-identified as Chinese American (n=791) adults. Additionally, more than half of the group was female (52.8 per cent).

To evaluate the potential correlation between hypertension and lipoprotein(a) on the development of cardiovascular disease, the researchers first categorized the participants into groups based on their lipoprotein(a) levels and blood pressure measures obtained once at baseline:

1. Group 1 (2,837 people): lipoprotein(a) levels less than 50 mg/dL and no hypertension.

2. Group 2 (615 people): lipoprotein(a) levels greater than or equal to 50mg/dL and no hypertension

3. Group 3 (2,502 people): lipoprotein(a) levels less than 50mg/dL and hypertension

4. Group 4 (720 people): lipoprotein(a) levels >= 50mg/dL and hypertension

Participants were followed for an average of approximately 14 years and cardiovascular events, including heart attack, cardiac arrest, stroke or death from coronary artery disease, were tracked.

The study’s results include:

1. A total of 809 of the participants experienced a cardiovascular disease event.

2. Lipoprotein(a) levels had an effect on hypertension status that was statistically significant (meaning it was not due to chance).

3. When compared to Group 1 (low lipoprotein(a) levels and no hypertension), Group 2 (higher lipoprotein(a) levels and no hypertension) did not have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease events.

4. Less than 10 per cent of Group 1 (7.7 per cent) and Group 2 (participants 8 per cent) had cardiovascular disease events.

5. Participants in Groups 3 and 4, all of whom had hypertension, demonstrated a statistically significant increase in risk for cardiovascular disease events when compared to those in Group 1.

6. Approximately 16.2 per cent of the people in Group 3 (lower lipoprotein(a) levels and hypertension) had cardiovascular disease events, and 18.8 per cent of the participants in Group 4 (higher lipoprotein(a) levels and hypertension) experienced cardiovascular disease events.

“We found that the overwhelming amount of cardiovascular risk in this diverse population appears to be due to hypertension,” Rikhi said. “Additionally, individuals with hypertension had even higher cardiovascular risk when lipoprotein(a) was elevated. The fact that lipoprotein(a) appears to modify the relationship between hypertension and cardiovascular disease is interesting, and suggests important interactions or relationships for hypertension, lipoprotein(a) and cardiovascular disease, and more research is needed.”

Everyone can improve their cardiovascular health by following the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 guidelines, which include eating healthy foods, being physically active, not smoking, getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy weight, and controlling cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure levels. According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease claims more lives in the United States each year than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined.

According to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism that used data from the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program, wearable fitness devices provide new insights into the link between physical activity and type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease, affecting 90% to 95% of people with diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, the body is resistant to the action of insulin, meaning it cannot use insulin properly, so it cannot carry sugar into the cells. Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people over age 45, but more and more children, teens and young adults are being diagnosed. “We investigated the relationship between physical activity and type 2 diabetes with an innovative approach using data from wearable devices linked to electronic health records in a real-world population,” said Andrew S. Perry, M.D., of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. “We found that people who spent more time in any type of physical activity had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Our data shows the importance of moving your body every day to lower your risk of diabetes.”

The researchers analyzed Fitbit data and type 2 diabetes rates from 5,677 participants included in the NIH’s All of Us Research Program between 2010-2021. All of Us is part of an effort to advance individualized health care by enrolling one million or more participants to contribute their health data over many years. About 75% of the participants that the researchers studied were female.

They found 97 new cases of diabetes over a follow-up of 4 years in the data set. People with an average daily step count of 10,700 were 44% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with 6,000 steps.

“We hope to study more diverse populations in future studies to confirm the generalizability of these findings,” Perry said.