Bharat biotech's COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin gets DCGI nod for phase 3 clinical trial
Key details about broadly neutralizing antibodies provide insights for universal flu vaccine: The research is inspired by the limited efficacy of the annual flu vaccine, which must be adjusted each year to provide the best protection against commonly circulating strains of the virus
[link] [comments] https://ift.tt/eA8V8J October 23, 2020 at 11:43PM https://ift.tt/1R552o9
A New, Large Study Finds Plasma Does Not Lower Risk of Dying from COVID-19
Researchers in India report that COVID-10 patients who received convalescent plasma from recovered patients did not see a lower risk of dying from the disease.
The study, published in BMJ, included 464 people with moderate COVID-19 disease, meaning they had oxygen saturation levels of 93% or less when breathing room air, the criterion that most doctors use to determine if they should hospitalize people who are infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the illness. Study co-author Aparna Mukherjee, a scientist in epidemiology and communicable diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research, notes that patients in her study would likely be considered severely ill in other countries, since definitions of illness vary considerably around the world. Once in the hospital, some patients in the study received two doses of convalescent plasma from those who had recovered from the disease and donated their immune cell-rich blood. These patients were compared to those treated with standard of care, who acted as a control group (but did not receive a placebo infusion). Both groups had similar mortality rates after 28 days.
“This study had a large sample size and it showed that when plasma is infused in patients who have moderate COVID-19 (similar to severe in other countries), it did not reduce mortality or progression to more critical COVID-19,” Aparna Mukherjee, a scientist in epidemiology and communicable diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research and one of the co-authors of the study, said in an email response to questions.
The results add to the continued debate over how useful convalescent plasma might be as a treatment for COVID-19. Convalescent plasma is one of the oldest therapies that doctors have used in treating infectious diseases, based on the idea that people who are naturally infected and recover will have a ready supply of the proper immune cells needed to fight off the virus or bacteria in question. But because people’s immune systems vary widely, their volume of disease-fighting cells is also unpredictable, and may range from barely adequate levels to extremely rich sources of immune cells. That variability has led to conflicting results on the effectiveness of the therapy, including in this study, which used donated plasma from people who were sick for an average of six days with what the authors describe as mild disease.
Two other international studies also failed to find a benefit of convalescent plasma, but those were stopped early because too few eligible patients were enrolled. Other, smaller studies were more encouraging, so in the U.S. the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the therapy in August that allows doctors to treat patients with plasma. Key public health leaders including Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, however, have noted that researchers are still studying convalescent plasma’s role in COVID-19. Those ongoing studies are comparing people who receive the plasma to those receiving a placebo, and may provide more convincing data on whether plasma can help COVID-19 patients or not.
It’s also possible that because convalescent plasma serves as a stand-in for immune cells that an infected person might not have generated yet (or won’t generate at robust levels), it’s best used not in hospitalized patients who are already sick but in those who are more recently infected. The ongoing studies are looking at this possibility as well, and Mukherjee agrees that it’s worth investigating. Her study’s findings might even suggest that the plasma was used in patients who were too sick to benefit. “The main cause of mortality in COVID-19 is inflammation in the body that causes pneumonia and other organ failures,” she says. “While the body’s response to virus infection initiates the inflammation, it is not regulated by the virus. So even when the virus is neutralized, the inflammation continues. That is why it is being hypothesized in the upcoming studies on convalescent plasma that it may work in the very early phases of the disease … and may prevent the initiation of the inflammation cascade.”
16 Health Coach Blogs to Follow
In this article, we’ve collected 16 of the best health coach blogs out there, all from ADAPT-Certified Functional Health Coaches. Read on for the latest in health coaching and wellness.
The post 16 Health Coach Blogs to Follow appeared first on Chris Kresser.
Receive a free COVID-19 antibody test by donating blood at any Red Cross
[link] [comments] https://ift.tt/eA8V8J October 23, 2020 at 10:13PM https://ift.tt/1R552o9
Weekly Link Love — Edition 104
Research of the Week
How did the lockdowns work?
Scientists discover a new gland.
Hominids in a region of Kenya used the same basic stone-age axes and other tools without changing them for around 700,000 years.
Beet juice improves exercise tolerance.
Beet juice improves hemoglobin concentration.
New Primal Blueprint Podcasts
Episode 452: Eric Perner: Host Elle Russ welcomes sustainable rancher Eric Perner.
Episode 453: Dr. Phil Maffetone and Dr. Ron Sinha: Host Brad Kearns welcomes a true power duo onto the podcast to talk burning fat.
Primal Health Coach Radio Episode 81: Laura and Erin chat with Amanda Goldman-Petri about chasing best practices, not trends.
Media, Schmedia
Newer homes and furniture are more flammable.
Interesting Blog Posts
Our parents often sacrifice themselves for us. What are you going to do with the gift?
Could cold water trigger shrinkages in dementia rates?
Social Notes
Everything Else
The man with amnesia who filled in his memory gaps with outside sources.
Training like an animal works.
Things I’m Up to and Interested In
Of course it is: UVB appears protective against COVID-19.
Proven once again: There’s no free lunch.
News I’m happy to see: Hospitalized COVID-19 patients have much better survival rates now.
Funny how that works: In animals, a drug that slows glucose absorption and lowers insulin slows down cancer progression.
Question I’m Asking
What are memories?
Recipe Corner
- As long as you swap out the vegetable oil for avocado or olive oil and maybe reduce the honey (if you’re worried about carbs), this charred Brussels sprout and leek Korean-style salad looks quite good.
- Carnivore keto breakfast casserole.
Time Capsule
One year ago (Oct 16 – Oct 22)
- 5 Biggest Longevity Myths – What do people get wrong about longevity?
- Campfire Cooking: A Primal Guide – What works over fire.
Comment of the Week
“Mark, you always offer a balanced and thoughtful opinion and I appreciated your summation here today. It’s why I’ll continue to follow you! I’ve been eating a carnivore diet for 8 months now and have CURED Type 2 diabetes, arthritis, IBS, and depression. My cholesterol is through the roof, but I’m not alarmed. At 65, I’m experiencing the kind of optimal health I dreamed of in my 20s and 30s.”
-Great to hear it, Vicki!
The post Weekly Link Love — Edition 104 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.
Popular Posts
|
