The Prevalence of Coprescribing an Opioid With Serotonergic Antidepressant to Treat Migraine
July 19th 2018Recent data shows how common combination coprescribing of opioids with a triptan or a serotonergic antidepressant was just 2 years prior to an FDA warning about the risk of serotonin syndrome from such coprescribing.
Researchers Find Astrocytes to Be Central Driver Behind Huntington Disease Pathology
July 18th 2018Recent study results reveal the importance of the role of astrocytes in the brain due to the exchange between astrocytes and neurons that is disturbed during Huntington disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of voluntary motor control, psychiatric disturbances, and cognitive decline.
Study Finds Panel of Circulating Protein Biomarkers Improve Lung Cancer Risk Assessment
July 17th 2018Current screening criteria for lung cancer risk assessments often miss a large proportion of cases. Research suggests that a panel of circulating protein biomarkers may improve lung cancer risk assessment and may be used to define eligibility for computed tomography screening.
Comparing Characteristics of Hospitals Participating in Medicare's BPCI With Nonparticipants
July 15th 2018A study found that hospitals participating in Medicare’s Bundled Payments for Care Improvement and hospitals not participating are dissimilar in meaningful ways that limit the generalizability of the program's results.
Lomitapide Significantly Lowers LDL-C in Patients With HoFH, Study Finds
July 15th 2018Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia is a rare genetic condition that is often characterized by an increased risk of premature cardiovascular (CV) events and cardiac death. Lomitapide decreases low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, but there is little research of the effects on LDL-C goals and CV events.
ICER Releases Final Evidence Report on Efficacy, Cost Effectiveness of CGRP Inhibitors for Migraine
July 14th 2018The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) has released their final evidence report evaluating the effectiveness and value of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors as preventive treatments for patients who suffer from episodic or chronic migraine.
What Are the Factors That Motivate Patients With COPD to Be Physically Active?
July 13th 2018A recent study found that patients with chronic lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are more likely to be physically active when they have regular contact with healthcare professionals, support from peers, and access to organized exercise sessions.
Study Evaluates Bone Health in Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
July 10th 2018Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common type of childhood cancer, and fractures from osteoporosis are an important cause of morbidity in patients with ALL. A recent study aimed to document the annual incidence and predictors of fractures in order to determine whether they occur years after chemotherapy.
DMD Trial Results Demonstrate Decrease in Creatine Kinase Levels
July 10th 2018Results of a Phase 1/2a gene therapy clinical trial in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) revealed a significant decrease in levels of serum creatine kinase, an enzyme biomarker associated with muscle damage caused by DMD.
Recent Studies Use Annualized Relapse Rate to Assess Treatments for MS
July 6th 2018A recent study evaluated the annualized relapse rate of patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) who were treated with ozanimod—an oral once-daily immunomodulator that selectively targets sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors 1 and 5—in the RADIANCE Part B study.
Study Finds Metabolic Syndrome Higher in Men With COPD, Airway Obstruction
July 5th 2018There is limited existing research on the incidence of metabolic syndrome in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, a recent study aimed to determine the incidence of metabolic syndrome in men with COPD who experience airway obstruction.
Comparing Cognitive Profiles of Niemann-Pick Disease Type C and Primary Dementia
June 27th 2018A comparison of neurocognitive profiles of patients with confirmed Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) and early Alzheimer disease found that general dementia screening assessments should not be used alone to evaluate cognitive performance in patients with suspected NP-C since these patients may demonstrate milder cognitive deficits than patients with early Alzheimer disease.
Study Uses Nasal Brush Test to Identify Biomarker of Asthma
June 27th 2018Asthma is a common disease that affects people of all ages; however, it is underdiagnosed. Researchers have recently identified a genetic biomarker of asthma that can be tested for using a nasal brush and basic follow-up data analysis.
CDC Report Emphasizes Importance of Smoke-Free Policies on College Campuses
June 27th 2018Smoke-free policies not only protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke exposure, but they also reduce the social acceptability of smoking, help prevent youth and young adult smoking initiation, and increase smokers’ efforts to quit smoking. A recent report from the CDC assessed the importance and efficacy of smoke-free and tobacco-free policies among colleges and universities.