Medical Bulletin 8/January/2024

Here are the top medical news of the day:

Most babies with sickle cell disease face double disadvantage

As if starting life with a potentially disabling genetic blood disease wasn’t enough, a study shows that almost two-thirds of babies born with sickle cell disease are born to mothers who live in disadvantaged areas.

But the study shows wide variation between states in the rate of births of babies with sickle cell to residents of areas with crowded housing, limited transportation options and other characteristics.

The researchers say their data could help public health authorities focus efforts to support the complex needs of children with sickle cell disease and their families.

Reference: Most babies with sickle cell disease face double disadvantage; Blood, DOI:10.1182/blood-2023-190363

An electrophysiological breakthrough for diabetic brain studies

A research team from the Institute for Research on Next-generation Semiconductor and Sensing Science (IRES²) at the Toyohashi University of Technology, National Institute of Technology, Ibaraki College, and TechnoPro R&D Company has successfully demonstrated low-invasive neural recording technology for the brain tissue of diabetic mice.

This was achieved using a small needle-electrode with a diameter of 4 µm. Recording neuronal activity within the diabetic brain tissue is particularly challenging due to various complications, including the development of cerebrovascular disease. Because of the significant advantage of the miniaturized needle-electrode compared to conventional technologies, the needle electrode minimized tissue injury and enabled stable recording for an entire month.

Reference: An electrophysiological breakthrough for diabetic brain studies; Biosensors and Bioelectronics; DOI:10.1016/j.bios.2023.115605

Hearing aids may help people live longer

Hearing loss affects approximately 40 million American adults, yet only one in 10 people who need hearing aids use them, research shows.

Those who don’t use hearing aids but should may want to make wearing them one of their New Year’s resolutions, according to a new study from Keck Medicine of USC published today in The Lancet Healthy Longevity. 

“We found that adults with hearing loss who regularly used hearing aids had a 24% lower risk of mortality than those who never wore them,” said Janet Choi, MD, MPH, an otolaryngologist with Keck Medicine and lead researcher of the study. “These results are exciting because they suggest that hearing aids may play a protective role in people’s health and prevent early death.”  

Reference: Hearing aids may help people live longer; The Lancet Healthy Longevity