Tag:Health

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/common-heart-failure-drugs-ease-heart-damage-during-chemo/ Sacubitril-valsartan, a common drug combination for heart failure, cuts the risk for cardiomyopathy after chemotherapy in patients who received anthracycline drugs by 77% in the first randomized controlled study of this approach. The small, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, called SARAH, involved 114 patients in Brazil and was conducted over 6 months. It […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-pill-successfully-lowers-lpa-levels/ Muvalaplin, a novel oral medication, safely and effectively lowers high levels of lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), results from the phase 2 KRAKEN trial show. Concentrations of Lp(a) cholesterol are genetically determined and remain steady throughout life. Levels of 125 nmol/L or higher promote clotting and inflammation, significantly increasing the risk for heart […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/reused-pacemakers-good-as-new-in-early-safety-data/ CHICAGO — Secondhand permanent pacemaker use in poorer countries, following thorough cleaning and repackaging, has not resulted in patient harm so far, according to the My Heart Your Heart trialists. In patients who could not afford new devices on their own, use of so-called “reconditioned” pacemakers met criteria for non-inferiority on […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/cdc-advisors-defend-infection-control-draft-guidance/ Members of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) voted Friday to defend what some have called weak standards of infection control for healthcare settings, agreeing nearly unanimously that surgical masks provide adequate protection against airborne pathogens, and that sick healthcare workers may return to work after 3 days of […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/america-deserves-better-major-public-health-group-slams-rfk-jr-nomination/ One of the leading public health associations came out Monday against President-elect Trump’s nomination of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for HHS secretary. Kennedy’s selection, which would have to be either confirmed by the Senate or finalized temporarily in a recess appointment, “raises serious concerns for the health of the […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/primary-care-doctors-at-mass-general-brigham-want-to-unionize/ Several hundred primary care physicians at Mass General Brigham (MGB) notified the National Labor Relations Board on Friday that they support unionization, a move they called historic and increasingly common throughout the country. The petition to link up with the Doctors Council, a labor union for physicians, was prompted by a […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/novel-anti-inflammatory-flops-for-hfpef-hfmref/ CHICAGO — The novel myeloperoxidase (MPO) inhibitor mitiperstat failed to improve quality of life or functional capacity in heart failure with mid-range to preserved ejection fraction (HFmrEF, HFpEF), the phase II ENDEAVOR trial showed. For the primary endpoint of Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ-TSS) quality of life scores, the drug had […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/extended-dosing-intervals-possible-with-aflibercept-in-diabetic-macular-edema/ Positive 3-year results from the phase III PHOTON study were presented at the recent American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) meeting, demonstrating that patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) achieved sustained vision improvements with extended dosing intervals and no new safety signals with aflibercept 8 mg (Eylea HD). MedPage Today brought together […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/over-50-of-u-s-adults-qualify-for-ozempic-wegovy/ More than half of all adults in the U.S. are eligible for semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus), researchers estimated. Among 25,531 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2015 to 2020, 8,504 were eligible for semaglutide, representing an estimated 136.8 million adults across the country. All met the […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/the-dual-role-of-illusion-in-patient-care/ Lazarus is an adjunct professor of psychiatry. “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry, published in 1907 in his collection The Trimmed Lamp and Other Stories of the Four Million, follows the story of “Johnsy” (Joanna), a young, impoverished artist who is seriously ill with pneumonia. Feeling hopeless, she believes she will […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/gene-editing-therapy-shows-promise-in-hereditary-angioedema/ A single dose of the CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy NTLA-2002 significantly reduced angioedema attacks compared with placebo in patients with hereditary angioedema, according to results from a phase II randomized study presented at the recent American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) annual meeting. In this exclusive MedPage Today video, study […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/is-low-disease-activity-good-enough-in-ra/ WASHINGTON — Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who achieved sustained remission had better long-term outcomes than those with lingering low-level symptoms, a single-center study found — casting doubt on current guidelines that say low disease activity (LDA) is an acceptable target for management. Patient-reported outcomes tracked for 2 years all pointed to […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/study-statins-mitigate-heart-risks-from-jak-inhibitors/ WASHINGTON — Patients taking Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may not have to worry so much about increased cardiovascular risk — if they’re taking statins, research presented here suggested. Among participants in the landmark ORAL Surveillance study assigned to the JAK inhibitor tofacitinib (Xeljanz) and also using statins, […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/topical-ivermectin-among-rx-options-for-ocular-rosacea/ LAS VEGAS — In the clinical experience of Julie C. Harper, MD, patients with ocular rosacea don’t always present with telltale signs like red or bloodshot eyes. “Sometimes they just have a dry, gritty feel to their eye and only the lid margin is red,” Harper, who practices dermatology in Birmingham, […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/gene-therapy-promising-for-rare-genetic-cardiomyopathy/ CHICAGO — Gene therapy for Danon disease, a rare inherited cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, appeared to improve or stabilize the structure and function of the heart over a period of 24 to 54 months without major safety concerns in the first seven patients treated. Phase I and interim long-term follow-up study […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/fecal-therapy-shows-survival-benefit-in-severe-alcoholic-hepatitis/ Adding fecal microbiota therapy to standard care for steroid-ineligible severe alcoholic-associated hepatitis appeared safe and effective in a small randomized trial from India. Survival at 90 days reached 73% with fecal transplant delivered via a nasoduodenal tube compared with 40% with standard care alone (P=0.02), with more than twice as many […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ald-and-aud-on-the-rise-in-older-adults/ SAN DIEGO — The prevalence of and number of deaths from alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are growing among people age 70 and older in the United States, according to the results of a new study. Even as mortality rates decline globally, AUD deaths rose in the […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/were-starting-to-understand-why-some-people-regain-weight-they-lost/ It can be hard to keep weight off Tero Vesalainen/Getty Images People with obesity who lose weight often put it back on, which may partly be driven by lasting changes to the DNA within their fat cells, a discovery that could one day lead to new treatments. Around 85 per cent […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/electronic-nudges-improved-flu-shot-uptake-in-patients-with-acute-mi-history/ CHICAGO — Electronic nudges increased uptake of flu vaccines among patients with a history of acute myocardial infarction (MI), results from three Danish randomized trials showed. Among over 2 million patients, a letter explaining the cardiovascular benefits of influenza vaccination led to larger improvements in vaccine uptake among patients with a […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-trial-result-pushes-past-antiarrhythmic-therapy-after-mi/ Upfront catheter ablation is a better first-line strategy for patients who develop ventricular tachycardia (VT) after a myocardial infarction (MI) than waiting until antiarrhythmic drugs fail, a multicenter randomized trial shows. At the end of follow up in the VANISH2 trial, upfront catheter ablation reduced the hazard ratio for a primary […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/left-atrial-appendage-closure-reduced-bleeding-after-afib-ablation/ CHICAGO — For patients at high risk of stroke who underwent catheter-based atrial fibrillation ablation, left atrial appendage closure led to less bleeding compared with oral anticoagulation, the randomized OPTION trial showed. Non-procedure-related major bleeding or clinically relevant non-major bleeding at 36 months occurred in 8.5% of patients who had left […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/is-it-the-therapy-or-the-therapist-who-helps-with-knee-pain/ WASHINGTON — Patients with meniscal tears undergoing physical therapy (PT) had no more improvement in a randomized trial than those receiving sham PT, raising — and perhaps answering — the question of how real-world patients actually derive benefit from PT. In the study, called TeMPO, which also tested home-based exercise with […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/davina-mccall-makes-enormous-leap-forward-as-she-leaves-icu-after-surgery/ TV presenter Davina McCall is out of intensive care and has made an “enormous leap forward” in the last 24 hours, following her surgery to remove a rare brain tumour. In an update on her Instagram account her partner Michael Douglas said: “Thanks so much to all the well wishers. She […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/cdcs-carrot-warning-new-mpox-strain-in-the-u-s-dea-extends-telehealth-rules/ Note that some links may require registration or subscription. Organic carrots sold at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and other stores have been linked to 39 cases of E. coli across 18 states, according to the CDC; 15 people have been hospitalized and one person is dead. California health officials announced the […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/making-life-better-at-the-bottom-of-the-healthcare-pyramid/ Fred Pelzman is an associate professor of medicine at Weill Cornell, and has been a practicing internist for nearly 30 years. He is medical director of Weill Cornell Internal Medicine Associates. Every day, we all get calls, emails, texts, and chats, from patients, friends, and colleagues. It seems like everyone is […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/vulvar-dermatoses-ob-gyn-collaboration-with-dermatologists/ Sarah Cigna, MD, sees patients every week with vulvovaginal pain and vulvar dermatoses. She’s an ob.gyn. with a focus on sexual health — often the first physician seen by patients with vulvar pain or itch — and she believes collaboration with dermatologists is essential, especially for complex cases in what she […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/test-gives-mixed-results-for-preeclampsia-risk-in-sle/ WASHINGTON — A diagnostic test to predict preeclampsia does not effectively rule in or out this pregnancy complication in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and proteinuria, according to new research presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2024 Annual Meeting. “If you have a patient who has proteinuria during […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/which-therapies-improve-survival-most-in-esophageal-cancer/ TOPLINE: Perioperative chemotherapy as well as neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy followed by surgery (trimodality therapy) are associated with improved overall survival in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer compared with chemoradiation and radiotherapy alone, according to a retrospective study. Despite the benefits, perioperative chemotherapy is the least used approach. METHODOLOGY: Studies have […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-will-trumps-govt-impact-health-policy-abroad/ It’s been 2 weeks since election day, and US President-Elect Donald Trump’s transition team is nominating candidates for crucial cabinet and White House positions, including the role of secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.  Health policy experts in Europe told Medscape Medical News that the Trump administration’s healthcare […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/group-interventions-ease-loneliness-in-older-adults-with-hiv/ Tailoring existing evidence-based loneliness intervention according to urban or rural settings may more effectively reduce loneliness in adults living with HIV, based on a comparison of programs in urban and rural settings. The comparison was presented in a poster at the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care 2024 Annual Meeting. “Loneliness […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/any-hypertension-drug-combo-can-work-in-underserved-groups/ Three combination therapies for hypertension are equally effective in reducing blood pressure, according to a new global study conducted in India, where this significant health burden affects nearly 300 million people. Control rates in the country are “abysmal”; just 10%-20% of people with hypertension have their condition under control, Dorairaj Prabhakaran, […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/revumenib-approved-for-kmt2a-translocation-leukemia/ The US Food and Drug Administration has approved revumenib (Revuforj — Syndax Pharmaceuticals) for relapsed or refractory acute leukemia with a KMT2A gene translocation in adult and pediatric patients 1 year or older. The approval makes the oral small-molecule menin inhibitor the first pharmaceutical to carry the indication. It blocks the […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/adjusting-thyroid-ranges-for-age-cuts-hypothyroidism-rates/ The reference ranges of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4), known to vary in children compared with adults, also shift considerably in older age, to the degree that the use of standard ranges in older patients without age adjustment results in significant overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment for subclinical or overt […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/key-updates-in-resuscitation-procedure-after-drowning/ New recommendations on rescuing adults and children who have drowned include an important update for healthcare professionals, trained rescuers, and untrained lay rescuers. The American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have issued recommendations that highlight delivering rescue breaths as well as calling 911 and performing chest […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/telehealth-promotes-sti-pep-in-cisgender-african-american-men/ African American cisgender men who had sex with men (MSM) were significantly more likely to continue HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) care after a telehealth initiation of prophylactic doxycycline than those who did not receive this intervention, based on data from a new study of 712 individuals.  African American cisgender MSM are […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/exercise-linked-to-lower-mortality-risk-in-dementia-patients/ TOPLINE: Physical activity of any intensity after a diagnosis of dementia is associated with a significantly lower risk for all-cause mortality, a new study showed. Researchers noted that the findings suggest encouraging regular exercise may significantly improve survival rates in people with dementia. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed data of 60,252 individuals (mean […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/vitamin-d-may-lower-blood-pressure-in-overweight-seniors/ TOPLINE: Supplementation with vitamin D and calcium can reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure in older individuals with overweight, particularly in those with a body mass index (BMI) > 30 and those diagnosed with hypertension. METHODOLOGY: Large cohort data have provided epidemiologic evidence linking vitamin D deficiency to a higher risk […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/gut-microbiome-has-potential-to-counter-gout/ Efforts to combat hyperuricemia may find help from gut microbes, according to Dylan Dodd, MD, PhD, who spoke at the annual research symposium of the Gout, Hyperuricemia, and Crystal-Associated Disease Network. Dodd is an assistant professor of pathology and microbiology and immunology at Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, where he studies […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/do-statins-improve-nasopharyngeal-cancer-outcomes/ TOPLINE: Statin use during concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for advanced nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is associated with a 52% reduction in all-cause mortality. Higher cumulative defined daily doses of statins correlate with improved survival outcomes, particularly with rosuvastatin and atorvastatin. METHODOLOGY: Statins have demonstrated potential anticancer effects in various malignancies, including the ability […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/water-fluoridation-where-does-canada-stand/ Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, who has been nominated to head the US Department of Health and Human Services, has called for the removal of fluoride from public water. Canada, meanwhile, appears to be on the fence. In Alberta, Calgary’s plans to reintroduce fluoride into the water have been delayed for 3 years […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/oral-drug-safe-effective-in-kids-with-achondroplasia/ The oral FGFR1-3 selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor infigratinib was found to be safe and effective at the highest studied dose among children with achondroplasia in a phase II dose-finding study. During treatment, all 72 participants had at least one adverse event, though most were mild (54%) or moderate (39%) in severity, […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/does-repeated-anesthesia-affect-iq-in-children/ TOPLINE: Multiple exposures to general anesthesia before age 5 years are linked to lower IQ, decreased verbal and perceptual skills, and increased behavioral issues in children. METHODOLOGY: An international group of researchers conducted an observational study using data from the GAS trial carried out across seven countries, which compared infants who […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/health-security-scores-low-on-europeans-health-agendas/ LISBON, Portugal — Aging populations, climate change, and addressing the determinants of health through health for all and health in all policies are of the highest priority for future health in Europe, according to results of a public debate. Results showed support for stronger cross-sectoral action. Also, digital solutions and artificial […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/prostate-cancer-overtreatment-persists/ Overtreatment of men with prostate cancer and limited life expectancy (LE) has persisted in the era of active surveillance and worsened in some instances, according to a new study. “Overtreatment of men with limited longevity for intermediate- and high-risk tumors has not only failed to improve but has actually worsened over […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/providers-exploitative-profits-to-be-curbed/ Getty Images Plans aimed at preventing companies that run children’s homes in England from making excessive profits will be set out by the government on Monday. It says it will bring forward new measures that will require large providers to disclose their finances. If they do not limit their profits voluntarily, […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/blood-pressure-variability-linked-to-glaucoma-progression/ TOPLINE: Fluctuations in blood pressure over an extended period, along with their interaction with mean blood pressure or intraocular pressure, are associated with a more rapid visual field progression in patients with suspected or confirmed glaucoma. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study to investigate the association between blood pressure parameters […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/evidence-is-growing-that-microbes-in-your-mouth-contribute-to-cancer/ Scientists may have found another reason to prioritise dental hygiene skynesher/Getty Images Mounting evidence suggests that the microbes in our mouths could be putting us at risk of certain cancers, as well as affecting our prognosis if we do develop them, but the relationship isn’t straightforward. Second only to the gut, […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/whats-exposome-data-and-can-it-lead-to-healthier-kids/ LISBON, Portugal — Europe needs a Child Health Exposome Mission to better understand how to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases over the life course, protecting the health and well-being of future generations, said Peter van den Hazel, MD, PhD, vice president of the European Public Health Association’s environment and health section. […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/novel-crispr-cas9-based-promising-in-attr-cardiomyopathy/ CHICAGO – A CRISPR-Cas9-based investigational therapy was linked with a drop in serum transthyretin (TTR) levels in patients with transthyretin amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), according to phase I data. A single IV infusion of nexiguran ziclumeran (nex-z), a therapy that targets production of TTR in the liver, was delivered to patients […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/big-blow-to-anticoagulation-strategy-against-afib-related-cognition-problems/ CHICAGO — Researchers failed to prevent cognitive impairment in people with existing atrial fibrillation (Afib) by going the route of anticoagulation to mitigate subclinical brain infarcts, according to the BRAIN-AF trial. Stopped early for futility, BRAIN-AF suggested a similar risk of cognitive decline, stroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA) whether Afib […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/two-treatments-that-dont-work-for-osteoarthritis/ WASHINGTON — If you’re looking for nonsurgical osteoarthritis (OA) treatments with fewer side effects than ordinary pain relievers, two randomized trials presented here with negative results should at least narrow your search. In one, colchicine proved to be no better than placebo for pain relief or patient-reported functional improvement in OA […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/gynaecology-waiting-lists-in-uk-double-leaving-women-in-pain/ BBC Anna Cooper has had 17 operations and is in constant pain Waiting lists for gynaecology appointments across the UK have more than doubled since February 2020, BBC research reveals. Records show around three-quarters of a million (755,046) women’s health appointments are waiting to happen – up from 360,400 just before […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/is-doac-a-viable-option-after-bioprosthetic-valve-surgery-even-in-sinus-rhythm/ CHICAGO — Edoxaban (Savaysa) appeared at least on par with warfarin for 12-week thromboembolic prophylaxis after bioprosthetic valve surgical implant in a Japanese trial with a population largely in sinus rhythm, but small numbers made the results inconclusive. Edoxaban had a numerically lower rate of the primary outcome of stroke or […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/spironolactone-misses-the-mark-in-acute-mi-without-hf/ CHICAGO — A mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) was unable to further improve 3-year outcomes of acute myocardial infarction (MI) in the modern era, based on the CLEAR OASIS 9 trial. Among heart attack survivors without heart failure who were on “very good” background medical therapy, routine spironolactone was no better than […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ai-can-do-whole-echo-reports-improve-efficiency/ CHICAGO — Artificial intelligence (AI) assistance for echocardiography is becoming better validated and proving mettle for clinical use. AI-fed echocardiography videos were able to complete 18 tasks at once, classifying patients on measures ranging from severe aortic valve stenosis to left ventricular systolic dysfunction and valvular regurgitation with high accuracy with […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-guidance-updates-ultrasound-use-for-psoriatic-arthritis/ WASHINGTON — New draft guidance on the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) for diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis of psoriatic arthritis was presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2024 Annual Meeting. The new recommendations, intended to update 2012 guidance on rheumatologic use of MSUS, will go through another round of […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/reconditioned-pacemakers-expand-access/ Reconditioned pacemakers are as safe as new ones, and work just as well, preliminary results from the My Heart Your Heart trial show, which could help more people receive lifesaving devices. More than three quarters of the 20 million deaths caused by cardiovascular disease annually around the world occur in low- […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/low-dose-steroids-prevent-gpa-relapse-with-caveats/ WASHINGTON — Patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) completely tapered off prednisone have a more than fourfold risk of relapse by 6 months compared with those tapered to 5 mg/day of prednisone; however, this benefit was only seen in patients not on rituximab, according to new research presented at the American […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/not-a-good-choice-what-we-heard-this-week/ “Not a good choice.” — Wendell Primus, PhD, visiting fellow at the Brookings Schaeffer Initiative on Health Policy in Washington, D.C., on president-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. “This is absurd, a real misuse of numbers and safety data.” […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ai-makes-echocardiography-faster-more-accessible/ Artificial intelligence (AI) helps produce echocardiograms more quickly and efficiently, with better-quality images and less fatigue for operators, shows the first prospective randomized controlled trial of AI-assisted echocardiography. The Japanese study used Us2.ai software, developed from an 11-country research platform and supported by the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research. […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-guidance-for-musculoskeletal-ultrasound-with-ra/ WASHINGTON — After more than a decade, the American College of Rheumatology has developed new draft guidance for the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) to help with diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Though not yet finalized, the statements that came out of a first round of committee voting […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/where-theres-wildfire-smoke-theres-respiratory-infection/ Meyer is an emergency physician and former director of disaster preparedness for a large healthcare system. Myers is a practicing pulmonologist and intensivist. In summer 2017, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) was notified of a mysterious illness that had afflicted 10 inmate wildland firefighters. After several days at the […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/expert-backed-tips-for-revitalizing-dystrophic-nails/ LAS VEGAS — After antifungal therapy for fungal nail disease, some dystrophy may persist, which can be addressed by several available treatments.  Tracey C. Vlahovic, DPM “With the fingernails, we don’t often see onychomycosis, but with toenails, we certainly do,” Tracey C. Vlahovic, DPM, a professor at the Samuel Merritt University […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/zoster-vaccine-found-effective-safe-in-autoimmune-patients/ WASHINGTON — Individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and multiple sclerosis (MS) had fewer herpes zoster (shingles) attacks if they had received the recombinant vaccine against the virus, compared with otherwise similar unvaccinated patients, a researcher reported. When data from two data sources were analyzed — one of commercial health insurance […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/b-cell-depleting-drug-shows-benefit-in-igg-related-disease/ WASHINGTON — The B-cell depleting agent inebilizumab (Uplizna) dramatically reduced the risk of flares and increased year-long remission of IgG4-related disease (RD), new research has found. In a phase 3, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 135 adults with active IgG4-RD, treatment with inebilizumab resulted in a significant 87% reduction in […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/intense-blood-pressure-lowering-benefit-confirmed-in-diabetes/ CHICAGO — An intensive treatment approach to lower systolic blood pressure to a target of 120 mm Hg in patients with type 2 diabetes led to a lower risk of cardiovascular events than a standard treatment approach in the BPROAD trial. In the new Chinese clinical trial, the relative risk of […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/jak-inhibitor-succeeds-in-giant-cell-arteritis-trial/ WASHINGTON — Giant cell arteritis (GCA) can be successfully treated with the oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor upadacitinib (Rinvoq), allowing corticosteroids to be withdrawn, results of a phase III trial indicated. Among 209 GCA patients receiving the drug at 15 mg/day, 46.4% achieved clinical remission without needing rescue steroids during weeks […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ablation-bests-drugs-for-ventricular-tachycardia-after-heart-attack/ CHICAGO — For patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ischemic cardiomyopathy, going right to catheter ablation improved outcomes compared with trying antiarrhythmic drugs first, the VANISH2 trial showed. Death or serious arrhythmic events occurred 25% less often over a median 4.3 years after catheter ablation compared with an initial strategy of […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/intensive-blood-pressure-control-benefits-people-with-type-2-diabetes-too/ CHICAGO — The cardiovascular outcome benefit of a tighter systolic blood pressure target was affirmed in patients with type 2 diabetes in the randomized BPROAD trial from China. A target of less than 120 mm Hg reduced a composite of stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure treatment or hospitalization, and cardiovascular death […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/tirzepatide-officially-puts-glp-1-meds-on-the-map-for-obesity-related-heart-failure/ CHICAGO — A long-acting GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist conferred significant clinical benefit for people with obesity and accompanying heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), according to the SUMMIT trial. Incident cardiovascular death or worsening heart failure (HF) events were down over a median 104 weeks of follow-up in people who had […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/what-new-warning-is-on-glp-1-drug-labels/ The 24-hour news cycle is just as important to medicine as it is to politics, finance, or sports. At MedPage Today, new information is posted daily, but keeping up can be a challenge. As an aid for our readers, and for a little amusement, here is a 10-question quiz based on […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/us-reports-first-case-of-clade-i-mpox-in-california/ California has reported the first US case of mpox – formerly known as monkeypox – that is part of a new outbreak. The state’s department of health, the CDPH, said the new case was from the Clade I strain – different from the Clade II strain that has been in circulation […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/multiple-chronic-conditions-and-death-diabetes-treatment-for-gout/ TTHealthWatch is a weekly podcast from Texas Tech. In it, Elizabeth Tracey, director of electronic media for Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, and Rick Lange, MD, president of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, look at the top medical stories of the week. This week’s topics include […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/tirzepatide-reduces-heart-failure-events-in-hfpef-with-obesity/ CHICAGO — A new study has shown for the first time that a drug therapy can reduce major heart failure clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure and a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and obesity. The SUMMIT trial found that tirzepatide, a long-acting agonist of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/could-avian-flu-cause-our-next-pandemic/ Claire Panosian Dunavan is a professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a past-president of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Colleagues, it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee. Or, for a true reality check, just scan the […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-to-handle-a-negative-patient-review/ LAS VEGAS — Early in his career as a physician associate in dermatology, Joe Cari, MPAS, PA-C, received a negative online review from a patient that really got under his skin. “It said something like, ‘Do not see Joe the fake doctor. Joe should have his medical license pulled. He didn’t […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/fda-approves-first-menin-inhibitor-for-acute-leukemia/ The FDA granted full approval to the menin inhibitor revumenib (Revuforj) for adults and children 1 year and older with relapsed/refractory acute leukemia and a lysine methyltransferase 2A gene (KMT2A) translocation. Support for the approval came from the phase I/II AUGMENT-101 trial, which evaluated single-agent revumenib in 104 children and adults […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/physician-groups-quiet-on-rfk-jr-nomination-for-hhs-secretary/ The response from physician groups to President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for HHS secretary has been rather measured so far. Take for example the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “[This] nomination … offers an important opportunity to share the settled science on vaccines with government leaders, policymakers, […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/clozapines-rems-program-on-the-chopping-block-at-upcoming-fda-meeting/ Is a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) still needed for clozapine? That’s what a joint meeting of two FDA advisory committees will discuss on Tuesday. Risk management requirements for the atypical antipsychotic have evolved in the past 35 years to a REMS that manages the risk of severe neutropenia, which […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/medical-groups-wary-of-rfk-jr-nom-to-lead-hhs/ Some public health and medical organizations are expressing concern over President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to be secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), citing his vaccine skepticism and fringe medical views. Kennedy has falsely linked vaccines to autism and opposes community water […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/higher-bp-linked-to-faster-visual-field-progression-in-glaucoma/ Higher mean blood pressure (BP) levels were associated with faster rates of visual field progression in patients with glaucoma, according to a retrospective cohort study. Among 985 patients, the interaction terms of higher mean BP and higher standard deviation of BP were associated with faster annual mean deviation changes for both […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/a-potential-reason-behind-covid-vaccines-waning-benefit/ The inability of COVID vaccines to reach the long-lived plasma cell compartment in the bone marrow may explain their waning protection compared with vaccines for influenza or tetanus, according to a recent study published in Nature Medicine. In this exclusive MedPage Today video, study author Frances Eun-Hyung Lee, MD, of Emory […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/mek-inhibitor-scores-big-win-in-adults-children-with-neurofibromatosis-type-1/ Almost half of adults and children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) responded to the investigational MEK inhibitor mirdametinib, a large multicenter study of the rare condition showed. Overall, 53 of 114 patients met response criteria, defined as ≥20% reduction in target plexiform neurofibroma (PN) volume on consecutive MRI scans. Responses occurred […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/response-duration-after-stopping-enfortumab-vedotin-in-bladder-cancer/ Patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma who achieved a complete response after more than 8.5 months of single-agent enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) were able to be off treatment for over 2 years before needing to restart therapy, according to retrospective data presented at the recent European Society for Medical Oncology annual congress in […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-often-do-doctors-use-new-weight-loss-drugs-in-kids/ This story is part of a series called “Ozempic: Weighing the Risks and Benefits.” It was produced in part through a grant from the NIHCM Foundation. When Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, attended a holiday party thrown by two patients she was treating for obesity, she noticed something unusual about […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/big-comeback-for-myeloma-drug-diy-cancer-therapy-gut-clues-to-bladder-cancer/ GSK announced that belantamab mafodotin (Blenrep) plus bortezomib (Velcade) and dexamethasone improved overall survival in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma as compared with daratumumab (Darzalex) plus bortezomib and dexamethasone, coming full circle in a bid to return to the U.S. market after withdrawal in 2022. China-based BeiGene announced a rebranding as BeOne Medicines. […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/nmo-drug-looks-good-for-igg4-related-disease/ WASHINGTON — Patients with IgG4-related disease appeared to benefit from inebilizumab (Uplizna), currently approved for neuromyelitis optica (NMO), in a pivotal clinical trial. Just 10% of patients treated with the drug in the 135-person phase III study developed disease flares during 1 year of follow-up, compared with 60% of a placebo […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/nurse-suicides-high-during-the-pandemic-but-feared-surge-never-materialized/ Female nurses’ suicide risk remained higher but didn’t worsen through the COVID-19 pandemic compared with other women, according to a large retrospective cohort study. Female nurses had 21% and 41% higher suicide rates than their general population counterparts in the pre-pandemic years of 2018 and 2019, respectively, found researchers led by […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/group-sues-tennessee-over-racial-requirements-for-medical-boards/ A nonprofit dedicated to opposing diversity initiatives in medicine has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the requirements surrounding the racial makeup of key medical boards in Tennessee. The Virginia-based Do No Harm filed the lawsuit earlier this month, marking the second legal battle the group has launched in the Volunteer State […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/an-update-on-therapeutics-for-covid-19/ Although the general population now has at least some immunity against COVID-19, the consequences of severe disease are frequently overlooked for certain patient populations, such as those with comorbidities or immune compromise. However, new research into COVID prophylaxis and therapeutics offers some hope that novel treatments may be on the horizon. […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/betsi-move-some-vascular-surgeries-to-england-after-incident/ Getty Images A major surgery which between 10 and 15 patients have each year at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd will no longer take place at the hospital Some major operations will no longer be going ahead in north Wales, a health board has announced. Betsi Cadwaladr health board said it was pausing […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/europe-rejects-cinainu-alopecia-kizfizo-neuroblastoma/ Europe’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended refusal of marketing authorizations for: Cinainu (allium/citrus/Paullinia/cacao), an herbal medicine intended to treat moderate to severe alopecia areata in children and adolescents Kizfizo (temozolomide) for the treatment of neuroblastoma in children older than 1 year Herbal Extracts Cinainu contains herbal […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ema-recommends-vilobelimabfor-ards-induced-by-sars-cov-2/ Following a consultation with its emergency task force, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has backed a drug for adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) induced by the SARS‑CoV-2 virus. As a result, the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommended granting a marketing authorization “under exceptional circumstances” […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/two-lung-cancer-drugs-recommended-by-ema/ The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended eight medicines for approval this month, including two cancer drugs for treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).  Repotrectinib for Advanced Cancers The regulatory body’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) supported granting a conditional marketing authorization for repotrectinib (Augtyro). The drug is intended […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/leqembi-okayed-for-subset-of-early-alzheimers-patients/ The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA’s) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended granting marketing authorization for Leqembi (lecanemab) to treat mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer’s disease, following a re-examination of the clinical data. The recommendation is only for patients who have one or no copies of the […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/managing-primary-biliary-cholangitis-progression-and-symptoms/ Once clinical suspicion has been established for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), the “serologic hallmark” of the autoimmune disease are anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA), present in approximately 90% to 95% of all patients. In fact, positive results for AMA in a patient with cholestasis is enough for diagnosis of PBC without a liver […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/primary-biliary-cholangitis-incidence-and-prevalence-growing/ Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) has typically been considered a rare condition, with a pooled global estimated incidence of two per 100,000 people per year and an estimated prevalence of 15 per 100,000 people per year. But both its incidence and prevalence have been increasing, and it’s the most common cholestatic disease […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/eyenovia-to-discontinue-late-stage-study-for-eye-drug/ (Reuters) -Eyenovia said on Friday it would terminate a late-stage study for its experimental drug-device combination to treat an eye disease after failing the main goal of slowing the progression of the condition. The disease, called pediatric progressive myopia, causes near-sightedness in early childhood, which worsens as the person grows. An […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/from-mexico-city-to-the-heights-of-leukemia-medicine/ If the name of leukemia specialist Jorge Cortes, MD, appears any more often in PubMed, they’ll need to name a wing after him.  Jorge Cortes, MD Over 30 years, Cortes has led or co-authored hundreds of studies, including many trials of landmark drugs to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). His work […]

Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ct-scan-and-antibiotic-usage-trends-for-diverticulitis/ TOPLINE: Despite lower admission rates, the incidence of diverticulitis has increased over 8 years in the United States, along with an increased use of CT scans and a shift to penicillin-based antibiotics, a study found. METHODOLOGY: The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Epic Cosmos database of 186,138,130 […]