Top 10 International Medical Science news stories for 2021

Further analysis found that for patients under 5 years of age, the COVID-19 group required a higher proportion of intensive care support than the influenza group. In the adolescent group (ages 11 to 17), in-hospital mortality rates for COVID-19 patients were 10 times higher than for influenza.

It is worth noting that while the hospitalization rate of children with COVID-19 is lower than that of influenza, the in-hospital mortality rate is higher. In addition, researchers stress the importance of appropriate preventive measures for COVID-19 and the need to develop specific vaccines and treatments.

The Novel Coronavirus is a coronavirus that has the characteristics of an influenza virus. Whether COVID-19 is contagious is an important scientific issue that must be accurately grasped and understood in the prevention and control of COVID-19. This study provides evidence for this question.

2. Two novel Coronavirus potent drugs are authorized for use

With the emergence of novel Coronavirus variants, a potent anti-Novel Coronavirus drug is a new tool in the fight against COVID-19 at this critical juncture of the pandemic and is expected to make antiviral treatment more accessible to patients at high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19.

Among them, Merck's Molnupiravir reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by 30% in high-risk unvaccinated individuals; Pfizer's Paxlovid reduces hospitalizations for COVID-19 patients by 89%.

Molnupiravir was authorized in the UK in November 2021, making it the world's first oral antiviral for the treatment of COVID-19. Paxlovid also received emergency authorization for use in the United States in late December 2021 for the treatment of adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 and children 12 years and older, as well as those at higher risk of severe COVID-19.

Why we're on the list: Antiviral treatment for COVID-19 has been a blank field. The successful development of the oral anti-novel Coronavirus drug provides a new "sharp weapon" for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, and also provides experience for the development of other new drugs in related fields.

3. Portable brain magnetic resonance imaging scanners were invented

A team of Massachusetts General Hospital researchers reported the design and testing results of a prototype portable brain magnetic resonance (MRI) scanner in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering. The scanner uses small, lightweight permanent rare-earth magnets and a built-in readout of magnetic gradients.

The new scanner generates minimal stray magnetic fields and does not require cryogenic cooling or external power supply. The built-in magnetic gradient not only reduces the dependence on high-power gradient drivers, but also reduces the overall requirements and noise impact in terms of power and cooling. In healthy adult volunteers, the scanner produces T1-weighted, T2-weighted and proton density-weighted images of the brain. The researchers say that as the technology is further developed, it could in the future provide true instant care and bedside brain imaging for patients. The new device could also be used in remote areas where MRI is not available.

Why it's on the list: New scanners could significantly improve bedside brain MRI access.