It has been quite well known for some time that individuals over 40 are at a higher risk of getting STIs than they may feel. Most experts have attributed the increase of STIs in this group to the way the consequences of intercourse are perceived and how much they should be discussed.

Whilst most 20 year olds would not find it odd to discuss their sexual relationships, many individuals over 40 tend to feel less comfortable discussing these issues. This becomes further complex when we realise that this effect also used to extend to GPs, that is, some studies in the past have demonstrated that GPs report feeling more comfortable discussing sexual health with 20 year olds than with 50 year olds.

Although it would hardly be surprising that individuals from younger generations worry about STIs and pregnancies, it appears that individuals older generations tend to believe that because pregnancy is not a concern, protection is needless.

This wilful blindness can be particularly damaging when we consider that the increase of divorces and internet dating has spiked in the over 40s. It seems to echo findings from The Royal Pharmaceutical Society who reported that 20 percent of people between the ages of 45 to 54 had unprotected sex last year. When comparing this to recent data from the Health Protection Agency, which shows that HIV diagnoses alone have doubled in the over-50s for the past ten years it is clear to see where the drive is coming from.

All of this information points to the need to consider this area holistically. Naturally it is helpful to urge individuals over 40 to get tested and to inform them about the risks they are facing. But if they are finding it challenging to discuss these issues in a face-to-face consultation, then it may be worth asking if there are other ways to get around the embarrassment they may feel.

Nevertheless, it is astonishing to see that sexual health is given due attention in the UK. Comparing today’s access to sexual health services, GUM clinics and birth control to what it was 20 years ago shows how far the UK has come. The complexity of needs is constantly addressed and re-evaluated.

One of those illnesses is Alopecia areata. Here we explain the diversity of symptoms, and follow the research history of a team whose efforts are said to be at the forefront in investigating the causes and treatments of alopecia areata.

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that affects individuals at different stage of their lives. It manifests itself in the form of hair loss. Some individuals only have one occurrence with small round patches on their head or chin. Other individuals have recurring episodes of patches or complete hair loss on the head and body.

The length of time that a person has a bald patch varies greatly, and whilst some individuals can have it for a few months with full re-growth, other individuals have a complete lack of re-growth after a year.

The treatments to date are considered to have a fairly low success rate, as many patients tend to have their hair re-grow naturally after a few months. In addition to that, it has been noted that treatments on the market may not be a long-term solution, as it is not established that hair growth will remain after a patient stops to use the treatment.

In 2008 a team of scientists published a landmark study within this field of research. The study suggested a feasible process in the development of alopecia areata. Essentially it was argued that immune cells were attacking hair follicles as a result of hair follicles emitting danger signals to immune cells. They followed this finding up with animal studies and were able to establish which set of T cells played a key part in attacking the follicles.

Whilst that alone was striking, it was quickly out of the spotlight when the researchers demonstrated that all of their findings pointed to specific immune pathways that would be responsible in enabling the T cells to attack the hair follicles. In addition to that, they argued that currently regulated treatments for bone marrow disease were likely to be efficacious in the treatment of alopecia areata.

The most recent study that has been published in Nature Medicine was the first study from that team where they tested the so-called JAK inhibitor treatment on mice and humans with alopecia. The researchers administered the treatment to three patients who had more than 30 percent hair loss, and were considered to have moderate to severe alopecia areata. The key findings were promising as all of the human patients had fully restored hair growth at five month follow up. In addition to that, it was also reported that the T cells believed to be responsible for the attacks on the follicles were absent in the participants’ scalps. Based on this, the researchers concluded that the results are promising but that more large-scale studies would be needed to confirm the findings.

Given that we know that most patients have a complete re-growth after a year without substantial assistance from mediations we are inclined to think that these reports may not be the success story they have been hailed to be. Ironically, time will tell if the findings are substantial enough to illuminate the prognoses given today.

You can read more about Alopecia Areata here.

Dupilumab is a treatment that contains monoclonal antibodies and is meant to be injected on a weekly basis. Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-engineered proteins that have been created to interfere with components of the immune response. Given its broad spectrum potential, the treatment is considered for a range of conditions including; eczema, asthma and rheumatoid cancer.

To date, the treatment has only been tested in asthma sufferers that have high levels of eosinophils. This is a sub-group of asthma sufferers that is particularly known for being unable to respond well to traditional treatments.  In the largest study of Dupilumab to date, the results suggested that 87% of asthma attacks were reduced. It appears that 104 participants that presented with moderate-to-severe esophilic asthma took part, and the study is yet to be published.

Given the limited sample of a broad level of severity, we would be keen to see the full publication before making any conclusions. Yet, in the context of other reports in mainstream media, it is difficult not to sprout a bit of cautious optimism. Specifically, there have been reports to suggest that Dupilumab is likely to be approved in the UK by 2018.

We will keep an eye on this development, the publications, trials and controversies that always crop up with any new treatment before it is marketed.  For the time being, you can read more information here.