Leaded Gas Exposure Tied to Millions of Mental Illness Cases
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/leaded-gas-exposure-tied-to-millions-of-mental-illness-cases/ Childhood exposure to leaded gasoline via car exhaust over the past 75 years is linked to 151 million excess cases of psychiatric disorders in the United States, new research suggested. The data revealed that the group most heavily exposed to lead — individuals born between 1966 and 1986, commonly known as […]
Extended Results Confirm Standard of Care for DLBCL
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/extended-results-confirm-standard-of-care-for-dlbcl/ SAN DIEGO — Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) continue to show superior progression-free survival at 5 years with first-line pola-R-CHP compared with the R-CHOP regimen, according to updated results of the phase 3 POLARIX study. These findings “confirm pola-R-CHP as the standard of care for patients with previously untreated […]
How Are Patients Managing Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-are-patients-managing-intermediate-risk-prostate-cancer/ TOPLINE: The use of active surveillance or watchful waiting increased by more than twofold overall between 2010 and 2020 among patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer. METHODOLOGY: Current guidelines support active surveillance or watchful waiting for select patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer. These observation strategies may help reduce the adverse effects associated […]
Smart Mattress to Reduce SUDEP?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/smart-mattress-to-reduce-sudep/ LOS ANGELES — A mattress designed to detect seizures in individuals with epilepsy who are lying face down and quickly reposition them onto their side could significantly reduce the risk for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), says one of the experts involved in its development. When used along with a […]
TIVA Enables Earlier Facial Nerve Monitoring in Ear Surgery
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/tiva-enables-earlier-facial-nerve-monitoring-in-ear-surgery/ TOPLINE: Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) enables earlier intraoperative monitoring of facial nerve activity than sevoflurane anesthesia during ear surgery, with reduced patient-ventilator dyssynchrony and fewer requirements for postoperative antiemetics. METHODOLOGY: Researchers evaluated the difference in the timeliness of intraoperative monitoring of facial nerve activity during ear surgery with TIVA vs sevoflurane […]
Smoking Linked to More Genetic Havoc in MDS
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/smoking-linked-to-more-genetic-havoc-in-mds/ SAN DIEGO — A new study linked longer duration and deeper intensity of tobacco smoking to more genetic mutations in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs), a group of bone marrow cancers that are similar to acute myeloid leukemia. The prospective National MDS Natural History Study evaluated 1898 patients with recently diagnosed or suspected […]
More Biologics Breaking Through for COPD
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/more-biologics-breaking-through-for-copd/ New biologic drugs for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are finally here, said Stephen Rennard, MD, in a presentation in a session on new drugs at the 2024 GOLD International COPD Conference. The inflammatory pathways associated with COPD are diverse and offer a range of potential targets for biologics, said Rennard, […]
Malpractice in the Age of AI
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/malpractice-in-the-age-of-ai/ Instead of sitting behind a laptop during patient visits, the pediatrician directly faces the patient and parent, relying on an ambient artificial intelligence (AI) scribe to capture the conversation for the electronic health record (EHR). A geriatrician doing rounds at the senior living facility plugs each patient’s medications into an AI […]
Self-Care Can Elevate Quality of Life in Chronic Diseases
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/self-care-can-elevate-quality-of-life-in-chronic-diseases/ TOPLINE: Self-care preparedness is positively associated with improved health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with chronic conditions over 36 months, and patients who enhance their self-care preparedness experience better QOL outcomes. METHODOLOGY: A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial conducted in Finland from 2017 to 2021 aimed to analyze […]
Does Acalabrutinib Fit Into Frontline MCL Therapy?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/does-acalabrutinib-fit-into-frontline-mcl-therapy/ For younger, fit patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), adding the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor acalabrutinib to standard induction therapy with bendamustine/rituximab followed by cytarabine/rituximab adds toxicity without improving efficacy, results of the phase 2 ECOG-ACRIN EA4181 trial indicate. However, treating patients with bendamustine/rituximab plus acalabrutinib might be preferred to […]
Canadian Bill Would Require Interoperable Health IT
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/canadian-bill-would-require-interoperable-health-it/ New legislation would require health information technology (IT) to be interoperable across the country, thus allowing patients and healthcare providers to access health data from different electronic medical records. The Connected Care for Canadians Act, also known as Bill C-72, says, “data blocking by a health information technology vendor is prohibited.” […]
Which States Have the Most Outstanding Hospitals for Maternity Care?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/which-states-have-the-most-outstanding-hospitals-for-maternity-care/ Among the 414 facilities that earned top marks on the 2024 “Best Hospitals for Maternity Care” list from U.S. News & World Report, 17 states had 10 or more high-performing hospitals. California had the most, followed by New Jersey, and Texas. Rhode Island and South Dakota did not have any facilities […]
APA Updates Guidance on Borderline Personality Disorder
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/apa-updates-guidance-on-borderline-personality-disorder/ For the first time since 2001, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has updated its clinical practice guideline on borderline personality disorder (BPD). The new guideline is “quite substantial and really serves as a rich textbook of the literature, about borderline personality disorder that any clinician would find very valuable,” John Oldham, […]
One in Six Adults With Asthma Didn’t Adhere to Meds Due to Cost
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/one-in-six-adults-with-asthma-didnt-adhere-to-meds-due-to-cost/ Despite a declining trend, the number of adults in the U.S. who say they did not adhere to their asthma treatment because of costs remains high, according to an observational study. From 2011-2022, the prevalence of cost-related non-adherence decreased from 23.2% to 13.1%. However, about one in six adults with asthma […]
‘My autistic son had no safety net when in crisis’
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/my-autistic-son-had-no-safety-net-when-in-crisis/ Family handout Declan Morrison’s father said the 26-year-old had enjoyed listening to birdsong at twilight The family of a man who died after he repeatedly banged his head against a wall in a mental health suite said there was no “safety net” for people with their son’s needs. Declan Morrison, 26, […]
Procalcitonin Confirmed as Good Gauge for Window of Sepsis Antibiotics
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/procalcitonin-confirmed-as-good-gauge-for-window-of-sepsis-antibiotics/ For critically ill patients on antibiotics for suspected sepsis, monitoring one biomarker safely shortened the course of these medications in the ADAPT-Sepsis randomized trial. Daily assessment of procalcitonin (PCT), rather than standard care alone, led to patients spending significantly less time on antibiotics cumulatively in the first 28 days (9.8 days […]
Who Is Luigi Mangione, the ‘Person of Interest’ in the UnitedHealthcare Murder?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/who-is-luigi-mangione-the-person-of-interest-in-the-unitedhealthcare-murder/ Police arrested a 26-year-old man on Monday in the Manhattan killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO after they say a Pennsylvania McDonald’s worker alerted authorities to a customer who resembled the suspected gunman. The suspect, identified by police as Luigi Nicholas Mangione, had a gun believed to be the one used in Wednesday’s […]
How Measles, Whooping Cough, and Worse Could Roar Back on RFK Jr.’s Watch
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-measles-whooping-cough-and-worse-could-roar-back-on-rfk-jr-s-watch/ The availability of safe, effective COVID vaccines less than a year into the pandemic marked a high point in the 300-year history of vaccination, seemingly heralding an age of protection against infectious diseases. Now, after backlash against public health interventions culminated in President-elect Donald Trump’s nominating Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the […]
Modernizing the Electronic Health Record
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/modernizing-the-electronic-health-record/ 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. In the evolving world of healthcare, what should the medical record — and in particular, the 21st century progress note […]
Hydroxyurea Shows Some Benefits in Milder Sickle Cell Disease
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/hydroxyurea-shows-some-benefits-in-milder-sickle-cell-disease/ SAN DIEGO — Treatment with hydroxyurea led to more hematologic dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) compared with placebo in patients with hemoglobin SC, a milder form of sickle cell disease (SCD), a Ghanaian randomized phase II trial showed. Hematologic DLTs — mostly mild and transient — occurred in 33% of patients taking hydroxyurea […]
Rheumatoid Arthritis Boosts Risk for Heart Failure, but Not Every Kind
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/rheumatoid-arthritis-boosts-risk-for-heart-failure-but-not-every-kind/ Rates of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) were doubled in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) relative to other people of the same age and sex, researchers found. On the other hand, risk for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) wasn’t significantly higher in the RA patients, according to […]
Use of Depression Treatments Lower for Teens in States With Parental Consent Laws
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/use-of-depression-treatments-lower-for-teens-in-states-with-parental-consent-laws/ Use of treatment for depression among adolescents was significantly lower in states that mandate caregiver consent for such treatment, according to a cross-sectional study. After adjusting for state-level prevalence estimates of adolescent major depressive episodes, those who experienced an episode in the past year in states with laws prohibiting independent adolescent […]
Racial Diversity Lacking in Epilepsy Genetics Studies
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/racial-diversity-lacking-in-epilepsy-genetics-studies/ LOS ANGELES — Low racial diversity has limited genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in epilepsy, researchers found, with implications for prognostication and management decisions. Across all published GWAS on epilepsy, 71.5% of tested individuals were of European ancestry, 14.3% East Asian, 0.5% African, and 13.7% without reported ancestry. None of the participants […]
Disability Redefines ‘Ability’ in the Medical Profession
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/disability-redefines-ability-in-the-medical-profession/ Lazarus is an adjunct professor of psychiatry. Last month, Elton John told Good Morning America‘s Robin Roberts that he has lost significant vision in his right eye due to an infection and is unsure whether he can record an album again. Paul Simon recently revealed that hearing loss has caused him […]
Stopping MS Drugs Leads to Inflammatory Activity in Some Stable Patients
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/stopping-ms-drugs-leads-to-inflammatory-activity-in-some-stable-patients/ Nearly one in five stable MS patients developed significant radiological inflammation after stopping first-line treatment. The median time to disease activity after discontinuing treatment was 12 months. The trial was terminated early because recurrent disease activity exceeded predefined limits. Significant radiological inflammation emerged in nearly one in five stable multiple sclerosis […]
Fixed-Duration Oral Doublet for Fit CLL Wins in Frontline Setting
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/fixed-duration-oral-doublet-for-fit-cll-wins-in-frontline-setting/ SAN DIEGO — A fixed-duration oral combination significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death compared with chemoimmunotherapy in fit patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the phase III AMPLIFY trial showed. The progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 3 years reached 76.5% with acalabrutinib (Calquence) plus venetoclax (Venclexta), […]
Person of Interest in CEO’s Killing in Police Custody
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/person-of-interest-in-ceos-killing-in-police-custody/ A man with a gun thought to be similar to the one used in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was taken into police custody Monday for questioning in Pennsylvania, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press. The man is being held near Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 233 miles (375 […]
Women With Epilepsy Often Remain Unaware of Medication’s Pregnancy Risks
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/women-with-epilepsy-often-remain-unaware-of-medications-pregnancy-risks/ LOS ANGELES — Many women of reproductive age who were taking antiseizure medication didn’t fully understand its implications for pregnancy or have care that aligned with their reproductive goals, researchers found. Of 107 women ages 18-49, 67.3% answered at least one question incorrectly about the teratogenicity of their antiseizure medication or […]
Could a Hypertension Drug Protect Against Post-Stroke Epilepsy?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/could-a-hypertension-drug-protect-against-post-stroke-epilepsy/ LOS ANGELES — Use of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) was linked to a lower risk of epilepsy after an acute ischemic stroke, according to an observational study. Among hypertensive patients, ARB use was the only factor significantly associated with onset of post-stroke epilepsy after multivariate adjustment, reported Giacomo Evangelista, MD, of […]
Treatment of Smoldering Myeloma Cuts Progression Rate in Half
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/treatment-of-smoldering-myeloma-cuts-progression-rate-in-half/ SAN DIEGO — The risk of progression from smoldering multiple myeloma to symptomatic disease decreased by 50% in patients treated with the anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody daratumumab (Darzalex), according to a study reported here. The progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 5 years improved from 40.8% with active monitoring and no disease-specific treatment […]
Thirteen proteins in your blood could reveal the age of your brain
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/thirteen-proteins-in-your-blood-could-reveal-the-age-of-your-brain/ Researchers trained an artificial intelligence model to gauge people’s ages from their brain scans laboratory/Alamy The abundance of 13 proteins in your blood seems to be a strong indicator of how rapidly your brain is ageing. This suggests that blood tests could one day help people track and even boost their […]
RFK Jr. to Investigate Vaccines; Microdosing Semaglutide; Methadone Clinic Fraud?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/rfk-jr-to-investigate-vaccines-microdosing-semaglutide-methadone-clinic-fraud/ Note that some links may require registration or subscription. President-elect Donald Trump suggested that HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. will investigate the alleged connection between autism and childhood vaccines, despite many studies deeming them safe. (NBC News) A federal judge ruled that the FDA must publicly disclose additional records related […]
Prioritise safety not A&E target, NHS leaders told
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/prioritise-safety-not-ae-target-nhs-leaders-told/ Health Secretary Wes Streeting has told health chiefs in England to prioritise safety even if it means performance against the four-hour A&E target slips this winter. The message was delivered at a meeting with hospital bosses and other NHS leaders in London on Monday amid mounting concern about the winter pressures […]
Why Do People Struggle to Prioritize Their Long-Term Health?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/why-do-people-struggle-to-prioritize-their-long-term-health/ Understanding how people make health-related decisions requires a deeper exploration of their motivations, beliefs, and circumstances, Christopher Dye, DPhil, professor of epidemiology at the University of Oxford, Oxford, England, and former director of strategy at the World Health Organization, told Medscape Medical News. “In public health, we tend to prescribe solutions,” […]
Rise in Psychotherapy Use Exposes Access Inequities
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/rise-in-psychotherapy-use-exposes-access-inequities/ Outpatient psychotherapy use in the United States rose sharply between 2018 and 2021, an increase that was driven primarily by young, urban professionals with higher family incomes, new data exposed significant disparities in access to this treatment type. Results of a large population-based repeated cross-sectional study revealed that psychotherapy use increased […]
Do Patients Prefer Access or Benefit?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/do-patients-prefer-access-or-benefit/ When the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) grants cancer drugs accelerated approval, a key aim is to provide patients faster access to therapies that can benefit them. The downside of a speedier approval timeline, however, is that it’s often not yet clear whether the new drugs will actually allow a […]
Untreated Female Infertility Raises Autoimmune Disease Risk
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/untreated-female-infertility-raises-autoimmune-disease-risk/ TOPLINE: Women who have experienced infertility without fertility treatment show a 25% higher risk for systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD) up to 9 years after delivery compared with those without infertility. The association persists even after accounting for adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHODOLOGY: Population-based cohort study analyzed 568,053 singleton births among 465,078 […]
Lupus Nephritis Biomarkers ‘Robustly’ Predict Organ Damage
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/lupus-nephritis-biomarkers-robustly-predict-organ-damage/ WASHINGTON — An investigational 12-protein panel of urinary biomarkers predicted histologically active lupus nephritis (LN) with 86% accuracy, according to research presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2024 Annual Meeting. The noninvasive biomarker panel “robustly predicts meaningful and actionable histological findings” in patients with active proliferative LN, Andrea Fava, […]
Low Bone Strength Even After Remission in Cushing Syndrome
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/low-bone-strength-even-after-remission-in-cushing-syndrome/ TOPLINE: Bone material strength index (BMSi) values remain low in patients with Cushing syndrome even after 6 years in remission, despite having comparable bone mineral density (BMD) values to matched control, suggesting that altered bone quality may contribute to ongoing bone fragility. METHODOLOGY: Although BMD improves after remission of hypercortisolism in […]
Pediatric Programs Continue to Struggle
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/pediatric-programs-continue-to-struggle/ Over half of pediatric rheumatology fellowship positions went unfilled in 2024, according to the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Comparatively, nearly all adult rheumatology positions were filled. Across all 39 subspecialities in internal medicine and pediatrics, there was an 86% fill rate. In pediatric subspecialties, the fill rate was 78%. There […]
Experts Warn of Epidemic Risks Under RFK Jr.’s Leadership
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/experts-warn-of-epidemic-risks-under-rfk-jr-s-leadership/ The availability of safe, effective Covid vaccines less than a year into the pandemic marked a high point in the 300-year history of vaccination, seemingly heralding an age of protection against infectious diseases. Now, after backlash against public health interventions culminated in President-elect Donald Trump’s nominating Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the […]
Whooping Cough and Newborns: How to Set Boundaries
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/whooping-cough-and-newborns-how-to-set-boundaries/ Dec. 6, 2024 — Whooping cough is making a dangerous comeback across the US, with cases soaring to 4.5 times more this year than last, according to the CDC. For parents of newborns, this highly contagious respiratory illness poses a serious threat — and protecting your baby starts with setting clear […]
Treatment Effective Before CAR T
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/treatment-effective-before-car-t/ SAN DIEGO — Single-agent epcoritamab demonstrated deep and durable responses in CAR T–naïve patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (R/R LBCL) in a subgroup analysis of the pivotal phase 2 Epcore NHL-1 trial. These findings show that epcoritamab — a bispecific antibody therapy available off the shelf and shown […]
Skin Stress Biomarker May Predict Nerve Damage in Early T2D
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/skin-stress-biomarker-may-predict-nerve-damage-in-early-t2d/ TOPLINE: Increased cutaneous carbonyl stress is linked to slower nerve conduction in patients with metabolically well-controlled, recent-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) and can predict the development of neuropathic deficits over 5 years. METHODOLOGY: Accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which results from endogenous carbonyl stress, may be a potential target […]
Promising Results With Epcoritamab Monotherapy in Relapsed/Refractory CLL
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/promising-results-with-epcoritamab-monotherapy-in-relapsed-refractory-cll/ SAN DIEGO — Single-agent epcoritamab (Epkinly) achieved encouraging response rates in patients with heavily-pretreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to early results from a phase I trial. The overall response rate (ORR) was 67% among 21 of 23 evaluable patients treated with the CD3 x CD20 bispecific antibody in an expansion […]
Real-World Data Question Low-Dose Steroid Use in Vasculitis
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/real-world-data-question-low-dose-steroid-use-in-vasculitis/ TOPLINE: Compared with a standard dosing regimen, a reduced-dose glucocorticoid regimen is associated with an increased risk for disease progression, relapse, death, or kidney failure in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)–associated vasculitis, particularly affecting patients receiving rituximab or those with elevated creatinine levels. METHODOLOGY: The PEXIVAS trial demonstrated that a reduced-dose glucocorticoid […]
Delivery at 39 Weeks Optimal for Hypertensive Pregnancies
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/delivery-at-39-weeks-optimal-for-hypertensive-pregnancies/ TOPLINE: Among pregnant patients with chronic hypertension, delivery at 39 weeks of gestation provides an optimal balance between stillbirth risk and neonatal outcomes. Analysis of 227,977 term singleton deliveries shows consistent findings across different patient subgroups. METHODOLOGY: A population-based retrospective cohort study analyzed 227,977 nonanomalous singleton term births in the United […]
With Chemo, Blinatumomab Boosts DFS in Pediatric B-ALL
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/with-chemo-blinatumomab-boosts-dfs-in-pediatric-b-all/ SAN DIEGO — The addition of the bispecific T-cell engager blinatumomab (Blincyto) to chemotherapy greatly boosted 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) in younger pediatric patients with newly diagnosed, standard-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), in a phase 3 randomized trial. Among pediatric patients with B-ALL followed for a mean of 2.5 years […]
Novel PTSD Treatment Improved Symptom Severity in Phase IIb Trial
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/novel-ptsd-treatment-improved-symptom-severity-in-phase-iib-trial/ An investigational therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) improved symptom severity as soon as one month into a 12-week, phase IIb study. In a modified intent-to-treat analysis of 182 patients, treatment effects with BNC210 — a novel α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-negative allosteric modulator — were seen as early as week 4 […]
High-Fiber Diet Linked to Improved Stem Cell Transplant, GvHD Outcomes
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/high-fiber-diet-linked-to-improved-stem-cell-transplant-gvhd-outcomes/ SAN DIEGO — Recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) for blood disorders who maintain diets high in fiber show significant improvements in overall survival and a reduced risk of developing the potentially life-threatening complication of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), new research shows. Importantly, the findings suggest standard recommendations for patients […]
‘You Don’t Just Shoot an Arrow at It’: What We Heard This Week
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/you-dont-just-shoot-an-arrow-at-it-what-we-heard-this-week/ “You don’t just shoot an arrow at it … you throw a grenade, fire a torpedo, and drown it all at once.” — Natalie Callander, MD, of the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center in Madison, discussing quadruplet therapy for multiple myeloma. “There is a misconception that fractures are ‘normal’ in […]
Loncastuximab-Rituximab Boosts Response Rates in R/R Follicular Lymphoma
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/loncastuximab-rituximab-boosts-response-rates-in-r-r-follicular-lymphoma/ SAN DIEGO — The combination of loncastuximab tesirine (Zynlonta) and rituximab achieved promising response rates in patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (R/R FL), according to a phase II trial. The single-arm study showed that 38 of 39 patients (97%) achieved a response at 12 weeks after treatment, with 26 […]
Novel BTK Inhibitor Succeeds in Heavily Pretreated Immune Thrombocytopenia
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/novel-btk-inhibitor-succeeds-in-heavily-pretreated-immune-thrombocytopenia/ SAN DIEGO — Treatment with an investigational oral inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) was safe and boosted platelet counts in heavily pretreated patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), a phase III trial showed. In the so-called LUNA 3 study, 23% of patients assigned to rilzabrutinib achieved a durable platelet response at […]
IVIG Prophylaxis in Myeloma Cuts Infections, Ups Survival
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ivig-prophylaxis-in-myeloma-cuts-infections-ups-survival/ Patients with multiple myeloma who receive intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) prophylaxis during treatment with teclistamab have fewer infections and better overall survival compared with those who do not receive IVIG prophylaxis, according to new findings presented here at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2024 Annual Meeting. Among 225 consecutive patients who […]
Dietary Intervention Shows Promise in Blood Cancers
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/dietary-intervention-shows-promise-in-blood-cancers/ SAN DIEGO — Increased dietary fiber had a significant association with improved outcomes in blood cancers, according to studies reported here. Patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) had significantly better survival and a lower rate of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) with higher levels of fiber intake. The outcomes were associated with […]
Hospitalization Should Not Mean Financial Ruin for Medicare Beneficiaries
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/hospitalization-should-not-mean-financial-ruin-for-medicare-beneficiaries/ Chatterjee is a physician, health policy researcher, and an assistant professor of medicine. Macneal is a statistical analyst. Patel is a senior research coordinator. Medicare was created to ensure older adults in the U.S. have healthcare coverage while protecting them from financial ruin. But for at least 10 million older adults […]
GLP-1 Drugs Tied to Reduced Risk of Dangerous Blood Clots
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/glp-1-drugs-tied-to-reduced-risk-of-dangerous-blood-clots/ SAN DIEGO — Type 2 diabetes patients may have a lower risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) when treated with a GLP-1 receptor agonist, regardless of their obesity status, a database study involving more than half a million patients found. Propensity-score matched analysis showed that VTE rates at 1 year were 20% […]
Rilzabrutinib Shines in Phase 3 Trial of Tough-to-Treat ITP
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/rilzabrutinib-shines-in-phase-3-trial-of-tough-to-treat-itp/ Phase 3 data support rilzabrutinib as a potential first-in-class oral Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor for patients with previously treated immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). In the LUNA 3 trial, treatment with rilzabrutinib (Sanofi) led to rapid and durable platelet responses, reduced bleeding and need for rescue therapy, and improved health-related quality of […]
Are GLP-1 Drug Holidays a Risk Worth Taking?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/are-glp-1-drug-holidays-a-risk-worth-taking/ In part three of this three-part Instagram Live discussion, MedPage Today editor-in-chief Jeremy Faust, MD, Karl Nadolsky, DO, and Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, MBA, explore the concept of GLP-1 drug holidays, the challenges of maintaining cardiometabolic benefits, and the evolving landscape of obesity care. Nadolsky is a clinical endocrinologist […]
24-Hour Urine Testing in Multiple Myeloma: Time to Stop?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/24-hour-urine-testing-in-multiple-myeloma-time-to-stop/ Omitting 24-hour urine testing from multiple myeloma response assessments does not compromise accurate tracking of patients’ responses to treatment, a new analysis indicates. Overall, evaluating patients’ responses using urine-free and traditional criteria led to nearly identical assessments. When comparing the two criteria, only seven of 645 patients evaluated had discordant results. […]
Do Men or Women Benefit More From Short Bursts of Daily Activity?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/do-men-or-women-benefit-more-from-short-bursts-of-daily-activity/ 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 […]
Bispecific Antibodies Fare Less Well in Real-World Analysis
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/bispecific-antibodies-fare-less-well-in-real-world-analysis/ SAN DIEGO — Compared with clinical trials, a real-world retrospective analysis has linked the bispecific antibodies epcoritamab (Epkinly) and glofitamab (Columvi) to somewhat poorer outcomes in relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). In a presentation here at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2024 Annual Meeting, researchers reported that of […]
Texting to Improve Adherence to CVD Medications; Detecting Maternal Cancers
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/texting-to-improve-adherence-to-cvd-medications-detecting-maternal-cancers/ 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 […]
Dual Targeted CAR-T Yields 99% Response Rate in Pediatric ALL
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/dual-targeted-car-t-yields-99-response-rate-in-pediatric-all/ SAN DIEGO — An investigational CAR T-cell therapy induced responses in nearly every single patient with childhood B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), a researcher reported here. In a cohort of more than 300 patients with relapsed or refractory disease, 99.1% treated with the CD19/CD22-directed product bicistronic achieved a complete remission or […]
New Standard for Newly Diagnosed Pediatric B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-standard-for-newly-diagnosed-pediatric-b-cell-acute-lymphoblastic-leukemia/ SAN DIEGO — Children with newly diagnosed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) lived significantly longer without disease recurrence when they received the bispecific T-cell engager blinatumomab (Blincyto) in addition to chemotherapy, according to a randomized trial reported here. Median disease-free survival (DFS) at 3 years improved from 87.9% with chemotherapy alone […]
Eltrombopag Improves Outcomes in Kids With Newly Diagnosed ITP
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/eltrombopag-improves-outcomes-in-kids-with-newly-diagnosed-itp/ SAN DIEGO — Treatment with eltrombopag (Promacta) for pediatric patients with newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) led to a significantly higher rate of durable platelet response compared with standard first-line therapies, an interim analysis of a phase III trial showed. Of the initial 108 treated children, a significantly higher proportion of […]
Weight Loss Drug Contrave Helped This Nurse Practitioner Lose 100 lbs
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/weight-loss-drug-contrave-helped-this-nurse-practitioner-lose-100-lbs/ Share on PinterestNurse practitioner Tim Nicaise tried everything to lose weight without success. Then his doctor prescribed the drug Contrave and his life changed. Image Provided by Tim Nicaise Nurse practitioner Tim Nicaise reached 300 pounds before turning to anti-obesity medication. After years of trying to lose weight and improve his […]
Maternal Mortality Review Panels Are in the Spotlight: Here’s What They Do
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/maternal-mortality-review-panels-are-in-the-spotlight-heres-what-they-do/ Efforts to reduce the nation’s persistently high maternal mortality rates involve state panels of experts that investigate and learn from each mother’s death. The panels — called maternal mortality review committees — usually do their work quietly and out of the public eye. But that’s not been the case recently in […]
Mum given 65 blood bags to save her life
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/mum-given-65-blood-bags-to-save-her-life/ Adele Darlington A year on, Adele and her daughter Jasmine are looking forward to spending the Christmas holidays at home It was almost a year ago that Adele Darlington, who is 41 and from Warrington, was in a critical condition in hospital following massive bleeding while giving birth to her baby […]
USDA Orders Nationwide Testing of Milk for Bird Flu
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/usda-orders-nationwide-testing-of-milk-for-bird-flu/ The U.S. government on Friday ordered testing of the nation’s milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows. Raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting December 16, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said. […]
Women’s CVD Risk Calculations Barely Budge When Sex-Specific Variables Are Included
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/womens-cvd-risk-calculations-barely-budge-when-sex-specific-variables-are-included/ Female reproductive factors minimally impacted cardiovascular disease risk prediction models. Only female-specific factors as a group, not individually, were linked with marginal improvements in risk assessment. These factors may nevertheless help identify candidates for early and more frequent screening. For cardiovascular disease (CVD) prediction in women, female-specific factors hardly improved risk […]
UnitedHealthcare CEO Shooting Exposes Dark Reality for Industry Leadership
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-exposes-dark-reality-for-industry-leadership/ The shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson exposed a dark reality that many leaders in the healthcare industry have grown accustomed to — one that involves being the target of threats, mental health issues, and even physical violence. Chris Van Gorder, the president and CEO of Scripps Health in San Diego, […]
‘Brain Rot’ Becomes Word of the Year
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/brain-rot-becomes-word-of-the-year/ By many accounts, 2024 was a year of brain health, with researchers reporting ways to improve infant neurodevelopment and identifying new factors to protect the brain as it ages. For the publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary, however, 2024 was the year of brain rot. “Brain rot” is a term that […]
A Mystery Illness Has Killed Dozens in Congo. WHO Experts Are Now Investigating.
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/a-mystery-illness-has-killed-dozens-in-congo-who-experts-are-now-investigating/ KINSHASA, Congo — The World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday it was deploying experts to investigate a mystery flu-like illness that has killed dozens of people in southwest Congo in recent weeks. “All efforts are underway to identify the cause of the illness, understand its modes of transmission, and ensure an […]
Transgender Women More Likely to Suffer Injuries Than Cisgender Women
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/transgender-women-more-likely-to-suffer-injuries-than-cisgender-women/ Transgender women are more likely to experience injuries — often to the head, face, and chest — compared with cisgender women, according to a case-control study. Among the 263 included transgender women, 67 sustained 141 injuries compared with 77 of 525 cisgender women who sustained 98 injuries, reported Rohan Chopra, an […]
JAK Inhibitor Comes Up Short in Phase III Crohn’s Disease Trial
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/jak-inhibitor-comes-up-short-in-phase-iii-crohns-disease-trial/ An investigational oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor failed to meet most primary endpoints in a phase III trial of patients with moderate to severe Crohn’s disease, but the failures might have been due to problems with study design, an expert suggested. Across two induction studies in the DIVERSITY trial, a 200-mg […]
Should Pharmaceutical Companies Sell Weight-Loss Drugs Directly to Consumers?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/should-pharmaceutical-companies-sell-weight-loss-drugs-directly-to-consumers/ 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. Just a few months after Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide (Zepbound) was approved to treat obesity, the pharmaceutical company in January 2024 launched LillyDirect, a digital health […]
Experts Wrestle Over Uses of PFAS During Senate Hearing
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/experts-wrestle-over-uses-of-pfas-during-senate-hearing/ Experts tussled over the need for stronger regulation of so-called “forever chemicals,” with some Republicans and one industry-backed witness raising concerns about unintended consequences of a blanket ban, during a subcommittee hearing on Thursday. There are reportedly over 14,000 kinds of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the chemicals found in everything […]
Kids With T1D Doing Better, But Still not Meeting Targets
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/kids-with-t1d-doing-better-but-still-not-meeting-targets/ TOPLINE: International paediatric type 1 diabetes (T1D) registry data show improvement from 2013 to 2022 in average A1c and the proportion of children with T1D meeting A1c targets, with lower rates of diabetic ketoacidosis and severe hypoglycaemia. However, even for those with access to specialised diabetes care and technology, many are […]
Self-Pay, AI-Enhanced Breast Cancer Screening Detected More Cancers
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/self-pay-ai-enhanced-breast-cancer-screening-detected-more-cancers/ Women who chose to enroll in a self-pay, artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced breast cancer screening program were more likely to have cancer detected, researchers reported. Across 10 clinical practices, the overall cancer detection rate was on average 43% higher for those who enrolled in the AI program versus unenrolled women, and further […]
Infection Is the Third-Leading Cause of Death in T2D
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/infection-is-the-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-t2d/ TOPLINE: People with type 2 diabetes (T2D) die from infections at a higher rate than similar people without diabetes, and the overall burden appears greater than previously reported. Deaths from infections as an underlying cause recorded on death certificates represent the third-largest group after cardiovascular disease and cancer, respectively, accounting for […]
Fostamatinib Fails to Improve Outcomes in Hypoxemic COVID Patients
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/fostamatinib-fails-to-improve-outcomes-in-hypoxemic-covid-patients/ The spleen tyrosine kinase inhibitor fostamatinib (Tavalisse) did not improve outcomes in adults hospitalized with COVID-19 and hypoxemia, according to a phase III trial published in JAMA Network Open. In this exclusive MedPage Today video, Sean P. Collins, MD, MSc, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, discusses the implications […]
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Reverses Decision to Put a Time Limit on Anesthesia
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/anthem-blue-cross-blue-shield-reverses-decision-to-put-a-time-limit-on-anesthesia/ One of the country’s largest health insurers reversed a change in policy Thursday after widespread outcry, saying it would not tie payments in some states to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield said in a statement that its decision to backpedal resulted from […]
Common Herbicide a Player in Neurodegeneration?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/common-herbicide-a-player-in-neurodegeneration/ Chronic exposure to glyphosate — the most widely used herbicide globally — may be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), new research showed. Researchers found that glyphosate exposure even at regulated levels was associated with increased neuroinflammation and accelerated AD-like pathology in mice — an effect that persisted 6 months […]
New Clues in CEO’s Killing; Time to Worry About Disease X? Ketamine Diversions Grow
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-clues-in-ceos-killing-time-to-worry-about-disease-x-ketamine-diversions-grow/ Note that some links may require registration or subscription. New clues are emerging in the hunt for the killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson; investigators now believe the suspect may have traveled to New York on a bus that originated in Atlanta. (AP) Fake bomb threats targeted two homes belonging to […]
Addicted to Productivity, Doc? The Holidays Are a Time to Reflect
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/addicted-to-productivity-doc-the-holidays-are-a-time-to-reflect/ Landry and Lewiss are emergency medicine physicians. As physicians, we are too familiar with the toll work and productivity take on our health. In our relentless pursuit of professional success, we find ourselves equating long hours, promotions, and accolades with personal fulfillment. However, it is crucial to acknowledge this addiction to […]
Advancing Treatment Outcomes in Multiple Myeloma
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/advancing-treatment-outcomes-in-multiple-myeloma/ Treatment for multiple myeloma has evolved significantly, with long-term survival increasingly within reach for many patients. Achieving optimal outcomes requires not only addressing symptoms but also tailoring therapies to match the heterogeneity of this complex disease. Defining Optimal Outcomes in Myeloma For patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma, optimal outcomes start […]
Physicians Offer Little Sympathy for Slain Insurance CEO
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/physicians-offer-little-sympathy-for-slain-insurance-ceo/ Many physicians reacted with the opposite of sympathy to the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson this week, reflecting pent-up frustration and anger over they described as the health insurer’s routine denials of care for sick or dying patients. The shocking killing in New York City sparked a wave of […]
New Cancer Vaccines on the Horizon: Renewed Hope or Hype?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-cancer-vaccines-on-the-horizon-renewed-hope-or-hype/ Vaccines for treating and preventing cancer have long been considered a holy grail in oncology. But aside from a few notable exceptions — including the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which has dramatically reduced the incidence of HPV-related cancers, and a Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine, which helps prevent early-stage bladder cancer recurrence — […]
CV Risk Linked to Earlier Gray Matter Volume Loss in Men
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/cv-risk-linked-to-earlier-gray-matter-volume-loss-in-men/ TOPLINE: Cardiovascular (CV) risk and obesity are strongly associated with loss of gray matter volume in men aged 55-74 years, whereas women show the greatest effects between the ages of 65 and 74 years, new research shows. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed more than 34,000 participants between the ages of 45 and 82 […]
Meta-analysis Probes Rare Potential Vision Risk From GLP-1s
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/meta-analysis-probes-rare-potential-vision-risk-from-glp-1s/ TOPLINE: Patients treated with glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) appear to have a very low incidence of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) when appropriately prescribed for obesity or diabetes. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective observational study recently suggested that semaglutide treatment may be associated with more than a fourfold increase […]
Empagliflozin May Slow Diabetic Retinopathy
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/empagliflozin-may-slow-diabetic-retinopathy/ TOPLINE: Empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, did not reduce the risk for incident nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy compared with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes, but the drug did reduce the risk for its progression by 22% in patients with existing retinopathy. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted […]
Higher Risk for Herpes Zoster Complications With IBD
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/higher-risk-for-herpes-zoster-complications-with-ibd/ TOPLINE: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) face a higher risk for complications of herpes zoster than those without IBD, with older age, higher comorbidity scores, and management with anti–tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy or prednisone being significant risk factors for complications. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study using the […]
LGBTQ+-Inclusive Language Missing in Acne Assessment
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/lgbtq-inclusive-language-missing-in-acne-assessment/ TOPLINE: An analysis of acne-specific patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) identified LGBTQ+-noninclusive language in four of nine measures, with heteronormative terms used in three of six measures addressing intimate relationships. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted an inductive thematic analysis of 22 PROMs for acne, identified through a PubMed search. LGBTQ+-inclusive language was defined per […]
PCSK9 Inhibitors Linked to Lower Skin Cancer Risk in Study
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/pcsk9-inhibitors-linked-to-lower-skin-cancer-risk-in-study/ TOPLINE: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, lipid-lowering drugs, were associated with a 22% lower risk for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), an effect that was particularly significant among men, those older than 65 years, and those with immunosuppression. METHODOLOGY: To evaluate the risk […]
Can Dendritic Cells Improve ERBB2 Breast Cancer Outcomes?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/can-dendritic-cells-improve-erbb2-breast-cancer-outcomes/ TOPLINE: For patients with early-stage ERBB2 (formerly HER2)–positive breast cancer, injections of increasing doses of autologous conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1) combined with ERBB2-targeted antibodies demonstrate safety and effectiveness in enhancing immune response. The higher dose (100 million cells) shows enhanced immune effector recruitment and significant tumor regression before chemotherapy […]
WHO Prioritizes Endemic Pathogens for Vaccine Development
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/who-prioritizes-endemic-pathogens-for-vaccine-development/ Vaccine development is traditionally driven by financial return opportunities for investors, disease outbreaks, and a specific focus on emerging diseases. However, a new systematic, transparent, and inclusive approach aims to prioritize pathogens based on socioeconomic and public health criteria. A team led by the World Health Organization (WHO), with funding from the […]
DOACs Not Linked to Increased Intracranial Hemorrhage Risk
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/doacs-not-linked-to-increased-intracranial-hemorrhage-risk/ TOPLINE: Direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) therapy is not associated with a significantly higher risk for intracranial hemorrhage than single-agent antiplatelet therapy. However, DOACs are linked to an increased risk for major hemorrhage. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of nine randomized clinical trials involving 45,494 participants (mean age, 67.5 […]
How PAs Are Meeting Mental Health Care Needs
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-pas-are-meeting-mental-health-care-needs/ The United States is in the midst of a mental health provider crisis. According to the US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the country faces substantial shortages of psychologists, licensed social workers, and psychiatrists — and more than half the population lives in a part of the country designated by […]
Does AI Hold the Key to Better Gout Management?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/does-ai-hold-the-key-to-better-gout-management/ TOPLINE: The application of an artificial intelligence (AI)–based gout management system in patients with gout and normal or near-normal kidney function is associated with a lower risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage ≥ 3 and a greater likelihood of reaching target serum urate levels than that of a traditional […]