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Inhaled Nitric Oxide Kills SARS-COV-2 virus, finds joint study by Amrita Hospital and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

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Using Nitric Oxide as a therapeutic measure can be a successful, rapid, and affordable gamechanger in the fight against the pandemic

KOCHI / January 04, 2022:  In a study involving doctors from the Amrita Hospital, Kochi, and scientists from the School of Biotechnology at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, a novel intervention for Covid-19 has been explored with the well-known gas Nitric Oxide (NO). This gas has for many years been used worldwide for the treatment of medical conditions like the Blue Baby Syndrome and for treatment of heart or lung transplant patients. The study conducted by the Amrita scientists has found that inhaled Nitric Oxide (iNO) is virucidal and kills SARS-COV-2 virus, apart from preventing its effective attachment to human host cells.
In the feasibility trial conducted at Amrita Hospital, Covid-19 patients who received the iNO therapy recovered faster with lesser complications and zero mortality rates compared to patients who received the standard Covid-19 treatment without iNO.

Speaking on the idea behind conducting trials with this novel treatment, Prof. Bipin Nair, Dean, Life Sciences at Amrita School of Biotechnology, said: “our interest in looking at Nitric Oxide as a treatment option for Covid-19 stemmed from an early study conducted by a Swedish group which had suggested that the gas can prove effective in curbing the SARS-COV-2 virus, as it induces biochemical changes which directly affect the spike protein of the virus. This protein is the main culprit in interacting with our body’s receptors and immune system and creating havoc.”

The team of experts at Amrita Hospital headed by Dr. Aveek Jayant, Dr. Dipu T.S and Dr. Merlin Moni, decided to conduct this trial on a small group of Covid patients admitted at Amrita Hospital. Out of the 25 patients selected for the study, 14 were given iNO along with standard treatment for Covid-19, while 11 patients were in the Control standard treatment group. The patients treated with iNO showed a significant drop in their viral load. According to these doctors at the Amrita Hospital.

This approach to repurpose Nitric Oxide has the potential to be an effective preventative, especially in light of the highly infectious nature of the Omicron variant prevalent today.

Said Dr. Geetha Kumar of the Amrita School of Biotechnology, “as the global search for an effective remedy against Covid continues, this strategy to use Nitric Oxide as a therapeutic measure has the scope to be a successful, rapid and affordable gamechanger in the fight against the pandemic. It is conceivable that healthcare workers, who are constantly exposed to the coronavirus, could also use this as a prophylactic while treating infected patients.”

The study by Amrita Hospital successfully demonstrates the putative role of repurposed inhaled Nitric Oxide in hypoxemic Covid-19 patients. The expert panel associated with the study now calls for an extended validation to take this treatment process to the next level.

The study conducted by Amrita scientists has now been published at https://journals.lww.com/imd/Abstract/9000/Clinical_Efficacy_of_Inhaled_Nitric_Oxide_in.99925.aspx
The expert panel of doctors from Amrita Hospital and scientists from the Amrita School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, associated with the study included Dr. Aveek Jayant, Head, Dept. of Cardiac Anaesthesiology; Dr. Merlin Mony, and Dr. Dipu TS, Dept. of Infectious Diseases; Dr. Veena Menon, Dept. of Virology, Dr. Geetha Kumar and Dr. Indulekha Pillai and Dr. Bipin Nair, from the Amrita School of Biotechnology; and Dr. Georg Gutjahr, from the varsity’s Centre for Research in Analytics & Technologies for Education. Dr. Victor Nizet, Professor & Vice Chair for Basic Research at The University of California, San Diego, USA was also closely associated with the study.

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Pristyn Care doubles the number of surgical centres it operates and surpasses the million-patient mark. It rises to the top of the secondary-care surgery rankings.

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● Patient interactions have crossed the one Million mark, making Pristyn Care a leader in Secondary-care surgeries.
● In line with its commitment of enhancing access and ensuring high quality secondary-care surgeries through an innovative care delivery model, Pristyn Care doubled its surgery care centres to 800 in 2021

Gurugram, 03 February 2022: Pristyn Care, a health technology start-up specialising in secondary-care surgeries, has doubled its surgical centres to 800 in 2021. Pristyn Care surgical centres are now functional across the 7 metro cities – Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata – and 35 tier 2 & 3 cities across the country. Operating in over 12 surgical categories such as General Surgery, Ophthalmology, ENT, Urology, Gynaecology, – Pristyn Care has successfully treated over 60k patients and completed 1Mn+ patient interactions.

Pristyn Care operates on an innovative full- stack Care Delivery model to ensure that high quality surgical care is offered to patients at an affordable cost. It achieves this through its policy of using the under-utilised OT and bed capacity available at its partner hospitals. The company invests in high end medical technology like diode lasers, Microdebriders, phaco-lasers, 3D meshes, coblators and mini-port laparoscopy kits and many more such advanced equipment.

The company has ~ 400 full time expert doctors who have a wealth of experience of performing surgeries for 50+ diseases using the most advanced surgical technology and equipment. The highly trained surgeons and dedicated nursing and paramedical staff follow standardised care modules and undergo regular specialized training led by the quality & medical directorate team at Pristyn Care. Till date, the company has trained over 10,000 such nursing and paramedical staff with the aim of improving surgical outcome and patient experience.

Pristyn Care co-founder Dr. Vaibhav Kapoor, said, “We would continue to expand our services, invest in high end medical equipment, train our surgeons and nursing and paramedical staff and maintain a strict adherence to protocols set by the Govt. of India. Our surgeons conduct surgeries using high end miniport laparoscopy kits, advanced lasers, 3D meshes etc. Such superior quality surgeries to patients in Tier 2 & 3 cities would be a great service to our nation. Our model of free post-op consultation and 24×7 Personal Care Buddy are path-breaking initiatives and highly patient centric.”

A rock-solid technology backbone and a dedicated Personal Care Buddy assigned to each patient at Pristyn Care strengthens its’ patient-first initiatives including billing transparency, maintaining medical records through EMR and hassle-free admission-discharge at hospitals. Pristyn Care has set up a 24/7 in-hospital patient helpline to address patient queries any hour of the day during their hospital stay.

The company has partnerships with health insurance companies and financing providers. These partnerships help in easy and faster cashless claim approvals and EMIs facilities at 0% interest.

Pristyn Care co-founder Harsimarbir (Harsh) Singh, said , “The Government of India through Union Health Ministry’s National Telemedicine Service – eSanjeevani, and many international medical federations are encouraging digital modality of seeking health services. We are a tech-enabled surgery provider and work with an aim to offer the highest quality surgery that is easy on the pocket too. Through our partnerships with the insurance companies and health-financing providers and our strong technology driven ecosystem, we want to ensure that the costs of surgery do not become a burden. Through these options, our patients and caregivers would not have to dig deep into their household savings. ”

Indian healthcare delivery infrastructure is highly skewed and is centred in metros and larger urban centres. This leads to large scale migration from Tier 2/3 cities and towns to larger urban centres and metros for seeking quality healthcare.

Dr Garima Sawhney, Co-founder, reiterates Pristyn Care’s commitment to expanding the surgical services and following standard treatment guidelines, “Accessing quality healthcare is a challenge for most of our population and at Pristyn Care we are working to bridge this gap. We offer high quality surgery, at an affordable cost while adhering to standard practices set by NABH, MCI and Govt. of India.”

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Cancer-screening data at NURA reveals a high rate of cervical and breast cancer abnormalities in healthy women.

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Preventive health screening among healthy and asymptomatic individuals is important, as survival rate of cancer patients detected in stage 1 is as high as 93% whereas it is only 24% if detected in stage 4
Anomalies for cervical cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer are most commonly detected during preventive health screening

BENGALURU / February 3, 2022: One in every four healthy women in India carry anomalies that may develop into cervical cancer, and one in every five women for breast cancer. These findings are based on data of 2,400 healthy individuals who underwent cancer screening in the last 10 months at NURA, a collaboration between Fujifilm Healthcare and Dr Kutty’s Healthcare offering AI-enabled imaging and expert healthcare at Bengaluru. Analysing the screening tests, the NURA doctors found that 1 in 20 healthy people show anomalies in lungs that may go on to develop into lung cancer, while 1 in 50 show anomalies for colon and prostate cancer. These anomalies must be investigated further through a biopsy to take precautionary measures against cancer.

Said Dr. Tausif Ahmed Thangalvadi, Medical Director, NURA: “After screening 2,400 healthy individuals for cancer over the last 10 months at at NURA, we found an anomaly rate ranging from 24% for cervical cancer to 20% for breast cancer, 5-6% for lung cancer and 2-3% for colon and prostate cancer. Indians suffer from cancer-phobia. Despite huge advancements in healthcare, a misconception persists that cancer cannot be treated. The reality is that cancer is easily treatable if detected early. Survival rate of cancer patients detected in stage 1 is 93% whereas it is only 24% if detected in stage 4. This shows why healthy and asymptomatic individuals must undergo preventive cancer screening every year and not wait for symptoms to appear. However, in India, cancer tends to be detected in more advanced stages. Cancer found in early-stage accounts for only a small percentage of patients, so the death rate remains high.”

He added: “The best time to screen for cancer is when you’re healthy. Periodic screening is recommended for those who have a stressful and busy lifestyle, go on frequent business trips, and suffer from lack of sleep and exercise. People with a family history of cancer and lifestyle factors like obesity, smoking or excessive drinking can benefit greatly from early and periodic health screening. At NURA, the most common anomalies we find among healthy people related to breast cancer, cervical cancer and lung cancer.”

A screening test is meant for healthy, asymptomatic people and can be done voluntarily. It is used to identify a health problem at an early stage, making treatment easier. Said Dr. Tausif Ahmed Thangalvadi said: “Screening helps you identify previously unrecognised health risks. Finding them at an early stage allows you to modify your lifestyle and prevent lifestyle diseases. In the case of cancers, finding them early gives you the best chance of receiving effective treatment. Japan is a great example of why early detection works. Life expectancy in Japan is the longest in the world, thanks in part to their tradition of periodic screening. Cancers in Japan are usually detected at an early stage, giving those diagnosed with it the best chance at receiving effective treatment.”

The mortality rate for the top 10 cancers in India is approximately 70%. In fact, cancer is the second most common cause of death in India after cardiovascular disease. One in nine Indians will go on to develop cancer during their lifetime.

At NURA, cancer screening is done through radiology or image-based technology, along with support of artificial intelligence (Ai) software for higher efficiency and lowest possible radiation. The equipment used for cancer screening includes ultra-low dose CT scan for lung cancer detection instead of X-ray, which makes our screening quite sensitive and accurate, colposcope for cervical cancer; optical instrument called Oralook for oral cancer; nasal endoscopy for stomach cancer; fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for colorectal cancer; and 3D – Digital Tomosynthesis Mammography for breast cancer. All the images taken through the equipment are processed through Ai software and any abnormalities get highlighted in the image.

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The Multi-Organ Transplant Centre at SPARSH Hospital has opened its doors.

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The new Multi-Organ Transplant Centre will comprise a team of 50 highly experienced specialists with expertise in Heart & Lung, Liver, Kidney, and Bone Marrow Transplant

Bengaluru, 28th January 2022: SPARSH Group of Hospitals has launched a new Multi-Organ Transplant Centre at Sparsh RR Nagar Unit, Mysore Road, Bengaluru to offer comprehensive and multidisciplinary care to patients. Led by Dr. Kumud Dhital, a globally renowned Heart & Lung Transplant Surgeon, SPARSH Multi-Organ Transplant Centre brings together a team of 50 highly experienced transplant specialists who will provide integrated care during every step of the transplant process.

An estimated 5,00,00 lakh Indians die each year waiting for organ transplants. A report by NOTTO (National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization) suggests that only 1500 of the 30,000 patients requiring liver transplants annually benefit from this life saving procedure. Similarly, the discrepancy is considerably worse for heart and lung transplants. The deceased organ donation rate in India at less than 1 percent per million population, is a major handicap, and translates to less than one person per million opting to donate their organs. Superstitions and stigma, lack of transplant coordinators, and lack of required infrastructure for certifying and maintaining brain-dead patients are the reasons behind the low donation numbers in India. While lack of organ donation is one side of the story, the other is the lack of required processes, skilled experts, hospital infrastructure, and the lack of sufficient examples of long-term organ transplant survivors in the community that become the role models for organ transplantation.

SPARSH Multi-Organ Transplant Centre has been designed to address the gaps that exist in organ transplant and the management of organ failure. The 50 member multidisciplinary team at SPARSH encompasses a group of highly skilled and experienced doctors. Over the last several years, Sparsh has been undertaking pioneering work in the areas of Liver, Kidney, and Bone Marrow transplantation. With Dr Dhital joining the team, SPARSH will now offer a comprehensive transplant program covering Heart & Lung, Liver, Pancreas, Kidney, and Bone Marrow transplant. From the time of evaluation to post-transplant care and long-term survivorship, the team at SPARSH led by Dr. Kumud Dhital, has the skills, infrastructure, and experience to handhold patients at every step.

Dr Kumud Dhital has been associated with top hospitals across the UK, Europe, and Australia before joining SPARSH. Known for his expertise in complex heart and lung surgeries, Dr. Dhital specialises in the management of end-stage heart and lung failure including heart and lung transplantation as well as in the implantation of mechanical circulatory support devices. He is globally renowned for being the surgical pioneer of DCD (donation after circulatory death) Heart Transplantation, the first series of which he performed in 20o14 at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, Australia.

Dr. K Sudhakar, Minister of Medical Education and Health, Government of Karnataka, said, “There is an urgent need to encourage more people to come forward for organ donation and emphasise the positive impact that organ transplant can have on the lives of patients and their families. Dr. Sharan Patil along with Dr. Kumud and his team are addressing a large unmet need by catering to the increasing number of patients in Karnataka who need an organ transplant. We need more initiatives like this that will help in making Bengaluru the most sought-after city for advanced medical care.”

Dr. Kumud Dhital, Program and Surgical Director, Heart & Lung Transplant, SPARSH Hospital, said, “I am thrilled to be leading a team of highly qualified and experienced doctors who have the complementary expertise to bring out the best possible outcomes for our patients. Organ transplantation requires integrated multidisciplinary delivery of care and complex logistics, where each member of the team functions at the highest level. At SPARSH, we have a deep rooted understanding of the intricacies involved in an organ transplant and why it requires such an integrated teamwork and collaborative mindset. Our team is focused on creating the best possible outcomes for our patients by providing comprehensive care at every step of a patient’s transplant journey”

Dr. Sharan Shivaraj Patil, Chairman, SPARSH Hospital, said, “Building awareness about organ donation and transplant in India requires a grassroots approach. From addressing the stigma around organ donation to sensitizing the medical fraternity about the benefits of transplant, we have to first address the information gap that currently exists. Furthermore, there is a need to create the right infrastructure in hospitals and build experienced multidisciplinary teams that can help improve the status quo. At SPARSH, we aim to be a leader in multi-organ transplantation where we not only offer transplants but also provide the required training and share our best practices with other institutions to improve the overall organ transplant numbers in Karnataka and across the country. Our goal is to further add value to Bengaluru’s reputation as the hub for advanced healthcare”

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ಏಟ್ರಿಯಾ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯ ಹಾಗೂ ಏಟ್ರಿಯಾ ತಾಂತ್ರಿಕ ಕಾಲೇಜು ವತಿಯಿಂದ ಅರ್ಥಗರ್ಬಿತ 73ನೆ ಗಣರಾಜೋತ್ಸವ

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ಏಟ್ರಿಯಾ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯ ಹಾಗೂ ಏಟ್ರಿಯಾ ತಾಂತ್ರಿಕ ಕಾಲೇಜು ವತಿಯಿಂದ 73ನೆ ಗಣರಾಜೋತ್ಸವ ಧ್ವಜಾರೋಹಣವನ್ನು ಹಿರಿಯ ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತ ಮೋಹನ ಕುಲಕರ್ಣಿ, ಪರಿವರ್ತನೆ ಸಮೂಹ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಅತಿಥಿಗಳಾಗಿ ಆಗಮಿಸಿ ನಡೆಸಿಕೊಟ್ಟರು.

ಈ ದಿನವನ್ನು ‘ ಸಮರ್ಪಣೆ ದಿನವಾಗಿ ‘ ಆಚರಿಸಿ ಪ್ರತಿ ನಾಗರಿಕರು ತಮ್ಮ ಇತಿ ಮಿತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಕಲ್ಪ ಮಾಡಿ ದೇಶದ ಶ್ರೇಯಸಿಗಾಗಿ ತಮ್ಮಂನ್ನು ತಾವು ಮನಸಾಕ್ಷಯಿಂದ ಸಮರ್ಪಿಸಿ ಬರುವ ಗಣತಂತ್ರ ದಿವಸ ನಿಮಗೆ ನೀವೇ ವರದಿ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿ ಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಕರೆ ನೀಡಿದ್ರು.ಮೆಕ್ಯಾನಿಕಲ್ ವಿಭಾಗದ ಮುಖ್ಯಸ್ಥ ಎಂ. ಸ್. ರಾಜೇಂದ್ರ ಕುಮಾರ್, ಸಂವಿಧಾನದ ಇಣುಕ ನೋಟ ನೀಡ ಸಭೆಗೆ ಉಪಯುಕ್ತ ಮಾಹಿತಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟರು.

ಏಟ್ರಿಯಾ ವಿಶ್ವ ವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯದ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕರು ಕೆ. ವಿ. ನಾರಾಯಣ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ಸಂವಿಧಾನದ ನಾಗರಿಕರಿಗೆ ನೀಡಿದ ಸವಲತ್ತು ಹಾಗು ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿಯ ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮ ತೆಯನ್ನು ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ನಾಗರೀಕರಿಗೆ ಅರ್ಥವಾಗುವಂತೆ ತಿಳಿಸಿಕೊಟ್ಟರು. ಡಾ. ಐಶ್ವರ್ಯ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಅತಿಥಿಗಳ ಪರಿಚಯಿಸುತ್ತ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದ ಉಸ್ತುವಾರಿ ನೋಡಿಕೊಂಡರು.

ವಂದನಾರ್ಪಣೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಾಂಶುಪಾಲರು ಡಾ. ಟಿ. ನ. ಶ್ರೀನಿವಾಸ್ ಗಣರಾಜೋತ್ಸವ ಹಾಗೂ ಜನೆವರಿ 26 ರ ಮಹತ್ವ ತಿಳಿಸುತ್ತ, ಮುಖ್ಯ ಅತಿಥಿಗಳೂ ನೀಡಿದ ಸಲಹೆಗೆ ಮನ್ನಣೆ ನೀಡಿ ದೇಶ ಮತ್ತು ಏಟ್ರಿಯಾ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆ ಹಿತದ್ರಷ್ಠಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಏರಡು ಬಹಿರಂಗ ಸಂಕಲ್ಪ ಎಲ್ಲರ ಪರವಾಗಿ ಕೈಗೊಂಡರು. ಸುಭದ್ರ ಹಾಗು ಸುಶೀಕ್ಷತ ದೇಶ ಕಟ್ಟುವದರಲ್ಲಿ ಶಿಕ್ಷಕ ರ ಪಾತ್ರದ ಮಹತ್ವದ ಮನವರಿಕೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಟ್ಟರು. ಒಟ್ಟಾರೆ ಗಣರಾಜ್ಯೋಸ್ತವ ಅರ್ಥಗರ್ಬಿತವಾಗಿ ಮೂಡಿ ಬಂತು.

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