Gianna is an associate editor of The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®). She has been working on AJMC® since 2019 and has a BA in philosophy and journalism & professional writing from The College of New Jersey.
Pregnancy Loss Is Strongly Associated With Development of Type 2 Diabetes, Study Finds
May 21st 2020Research shows a strong and consistent association between pregnancy loss and type 2 diabetes (T2D), and the risk of developing T2D increases with a higher number of pregnancy losses, according to a study published in Diabetologia.
Data Highlight How Depression, Migraine Lead to Lost Military Productivity
May 20th 2020A practice gap exists for treatment of comorbid depression in military personnel presenting with headache and migraine, while depression strongly correlates with productivity loss in the armed forces, according to a study published in the Journal of Headache and Pain.
HHS Contracts With Pharma Companies, Further Insulating US From Global COVID-19 Response
May 19th 2020HHS signed a $354-million contract with a team of private industries to ramp up US pharmaceutical manufacturing and production in wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Historically, active pharmaceutical ingredients and chemical compounds have been produced abroad, largely in China, and imported by the United States. The move comes after President Donald Trump publically criticized the World Health Organization's response to the pandemic and accused China of witholding critical information regarding coronavirus.
Study Details Antibiotic Resistance Among Ocular Microorganisms
May 19th 2020Between 2009 and 2018, trends in antibiotic resistance among ocular microorganisms remained mostly unchanged in the United States, according to a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology. However, multidrug resistance, especially among methicillin-resistant staphylococci, remained high throughout the study period.
How Do Sleep Quality, Physical Activity Impact Teens' Metabolic Health?
May 18th 2020Reduced physical activity and greater nightly variation in sleep duration are associated with less favorable metabolic profiles in adolescents, including higher fat accumulation and higher insulin levels, according to a study published in PLoS One.
FDA Approves Qinlock (Ripretinib) For Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
May 18th 2020The FDA approved Deciphera Pharmaceuticals’ ripretinib (Qinlock), the first drug for fourth-line treatment of advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). The medication is only indicated for adults who have previously received treatment with 3 or more kinase inhibitor therapies, including imatinib.
How Much Does It Cost to Give Birth in the United States? It Depends on the State
May 15th 2020The cost of giving birth in the United States can vary by thousands of dollars depending on where the birth takes place. In Arkansas, inpatient birth charges come out to roughly $8300, but that total rises to nearly $20,000 in New York.
T2D, Obesity May Accelerate Vascular Aging in Teens
May 14th 2020Teenagers with obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), or high blood pressure may have a higher risk of experiencing premature vascular aging compared with teens without the conditions, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
How Does the Co-Occurrence of Visual Impairment, Dementia Affect Disability Risk?
May 14th 2020Visual impairment (VI) is estimated to affect around 1 in 11 US adults aged 65 and older and is associated with an increased risk of falls, social isolation, loss of independence, disability, and dementia. Older adults with dementia and self-reported VI may be at high risk for disability, while the co-occurrence of the 2 conditions may potentiate this risk, according to a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Study Details Severity of Rare Inflammatory Disease Afflicting Children in COVID-19 Pandemic
May 14th 2020Reports of children contracting—and occasionally dying—from a rare inflammatory disorder associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have prompted concern, as the disease has so far largely spared pediatric populations. But a new study from Italy indicates that the disorder associated with COVID-19 is more severe than the type known before the pandemic.
How Is Triptan Response Related to Quality of Life Among Migraineurs?
May 14th 2020Insufficient response to triptans is associated with poor health-related quality of life and lower work productivity in migraineurs compared with those who respond well to the medications, according to a study published in The Journal of Headache and Pain.
Fauci Warns of Outbreaks, Unnecessary Deaths If COVID-19 Restrictions Aren't Gradually Lifted
May 13th 2020More than 80,000 Americans have died of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, that number is likely an underestimate, said Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, in a hearing before the US Senate today.
How Does Episodic Migraine Impact Sensory Processing in Teens?
May 12th 2020Challenges in sensory processing are common among adolescents with episodic migraine, while sensory avoidance may be related to individual pain experience, pain catastrophizing, and disability level, according to a study published in The Journal of Headache and Pain.
FDA Approves Selpercatinib for Certain Non–Small Cell Lung, Thyroid Cancers
May 11th 2020The FDA approved Eli Lilly’s selpercatinib (Retevmo) capsules to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and other thyroid cancer tumors. The treatment is indicated for patients whose tumors have an alternation, such as a mutation or fusion, in a specific gene (RET or 'rearranged during transfection'), marking the first approval of a therapy for cancer patients with the RET gene alterations.
Novo Nordisk's Semaglutide Shows Promise in Treating NASH
May 11th 2020In a first-quarter earnings report, Novo Nordisk announced promising initial data from a phase 2 trial testing the efficacy of glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist semaglutide (Ozempic) in individuals with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Nivolumab-Based First-Line Treatment Is Effective in Treating Hodgkin Lymphoma, Study Finds
May 9th 2020Nivolumab-based first-line treatment is highly effective in patients with early-stage unfavorable classic Hodgkin lymphoma, according to results from the Nivolumab and AVD in Early-Stage Unfavorable Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma trial published in JAMA Oncology.
Proposed Bevacizumab Biosimilar for mCRC Found Noninferior to Reference Drug
May 8th 2020A proposed bevacizumab biosimilar, BE1040V, was found to be noninferior to its reference product (Avastin) in terms of efficacy for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), according to a study published in Clinical Therapeutics.
Review Finds Lotemax SM Safe to Use After Ocular Surgery
May 8th 2020Loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic gel 0.38% (Lotemax SM) from Bausch & Lomb was found to have no meaningful impact on intraocular pressure or visual acuity when administered to patients post surgery, according to a review published in Clinical Drug Investigation.
Researchers Investigate Relationship Between Sleep Disorders, Migraine in Children
May 8th 2020The use of polysomnography (PSG) can aid researchers in further understanding the association between sleep disorders and migraine in children, according to a study published in the Journal of Medicine and Life.
Secnidazole May Successfully Treat STI Disproportionately Affecting Black Women
May 6th 2020Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Lupin) announced positive results from its phase 3 trial assessing the efficacy and safety of secnidazole (Solosec) in female patients with trichomoniasis. Although trichomoniasis is common in the United States, the risk of being infected with the infection is nearly 10 times higher for African American women compared with non-Hispanic white women.
FDA Approves Dapagliflozin to Treat Heart Failure, Breaking New Ground in SGLT2 Competition
May 6th 2020The FDA approved AstraZeneca’s Farxiga (dapagliflozin) for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in adults with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D). It's the first SGLT2 inhibitor to gain this approval in what is expected to be the next front of competition in this game-changing drug class.
Can Artificial Intelligence Predict Glaucoma Progression?
May 6th 2020A new test, supported by an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm, can detect glaucoma progression a year and a half earlier than widely used optical coherence tomography retinal imaging technology, according to a study published in Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics.
Sleep Apnea Could Compound Diabetes Risk in African Americans
May 4th 2020African Americans with severe sleep apnea are more likely to have higher blood glucose levels, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. High blood glucose levels increase the risk of developing diabetes, a disease already more prevalent in African Americans.
Review Outlines Successes, Limitations of Personalized Medicine in Oncology
May 2nd 2020The evolution of cancer treatment towards a precision-based approach has led to significant progress in cancer therapy. However, some challenges do arise when shifting from an organ-centric concept, guiding treatment choices to a more personalized approach, according to a review published in Cancers.
Patients With MS Should Not Stop DMT Because of Pandemic, Experts Say
May 1st 2020In a commentary published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, experts addressed common concerns individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) might have when it comes to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs).