Experts discuss the impact of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) implementation on emergency department utilization, hospitalizations, and quality measures including Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS)/Medicare Star ratings, and how CGM adoption has influenced patient encounter patterns, care coordination efficiency, and achievement of quality benchmarks.
Challenges in Timely Identification of IgA Nephropathy
April 14th 2025Panelists discuss how diagnostic challenges in immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy lead to delayed identification, missed treatment windows, and increased risk of irreversible kidney damage due to the requirement for invasive biopsy, nonspecific symptoms, and variable disease presentation.
Evidence Supporting 2024 Guidance for Lp(a) Testing
Experts discuss the evidence supporting the National Lipid Association’s (NLA) recommendation for universal lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) measurement and evaluate how compelling this evidence is from a clinical perspective.
Adherence in Psoriasis Care: Barriers, Solutions, and the Road Ahead
April 14th 2025A panelist discusses how real-world evidence from a large cohort study (n = 31521) presented at AAD 2025 reveals notable differences in treatment patterns, discontinuation rates, persistence, and adherence among psoriasis patients treated with different biologics including tildrakizumab, risankizumab, guselkumab, and ustekinumab, with implications for clinical decision-making based on early versus late disease onset and prior biologic exposure.
Signs and Symptoms of IgA Nephropathy
April 14th 2025Panelists discuss how patients with immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy typically present with microscopic or gross hematuria, often during upper respiratory infections, along with variable proteinuria and sometimes hypertension or decreased kidney function.
The Role of Management Guidelines in Formulary Decision-Making and Recent Lp(a) Recommendations
Experts discuss how guideline recommendations influence formulary decisions regarding preventive measures like lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) testing, exploring the varying recommendations from organizations such as the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American Heart Association, and the National Lipid Association (NLA), and how these align with recent guidance from Europe and Canada.
The Metro Nashville Public Schools Initiative
Experts discuss how to evaluate and communicate the return on investment for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) coverage to overcome cost-related barriers, explore strategies other payers could adopt based on the success of Metro Nashville Public Schools' initiative to provide CGM devices without prior authorization, and examine the impact of removing prior authorization requirements on appropriate patient selection and utilization, along with which aspects of this model could be adopted by other employers and the resources needed to implement similar programs.
Recurrence Rates in Uncomplicated UTIs
Panelists discuss how significant gaps in current uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) therapies include insufficient nonantibiotic preventive strategies, limited options for multidrug-resistant pathogens, inadequate personalized treatment approaches, minimal focus on biofilm disruption, lack of rapid point-of-care diagnostics to guide targeted therapy, poor understanding of the urinary microbiome’s role in infection susceptibility, and insufficient research into immunomodulatory interventions that could address the underlying mechanisms of recurrence and resistance development.
Patient Selection for Amyloid-Targeting Therapies: Key Characteristics and Considerations
April 11th 2025Panelists discuss how ideal candidates for amyloid-targeting therapy typically present with biomarker-confirmed early-stage Alzheimer disease, demonstrate positive amyloid PET scans or CSF biomarkers, exhibit mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia, lack contraindications such as significant cerebrovascular disease or anticoagulant use, have adequate support systems for monitoring and managing potential adverse effects, and would benefit from comprehensive pretreatment evaluations including brain MRI and APOE genotyping.
Experts discuss the disparities observed in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) access and utilization with Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) now stratifying 22 measures by race and ethnicity, and how these insights can inform strategies to improve health equity, along with successful strategies implemented to improve CGM access and technology literacy in underserved communities.
Patient Factors Influencing Antibiotic Selection in Uncomplicated UTIs
Panelists discuss how fluoroquinolones are generally reserved for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) only when first-line options are contraindicated or pathogen resistance is confirmed, with treatment duration ranging from single-dose fosfomycin to 3 to 5 days for most antibiotics and 7 to 10 days for nitrofurantoin, noting shorter regimens typically achieve 85% to 95% adherence rates compared with 60% to 75% for longer courses, significantly affecting treatment success, particularly when patient factors such as adverse effects, dosing complexity, and lifestyle disruptions are considered.
A Case Study of Elevated Lp(a) Levels and Increased ASCVD Risk
Experts discuss an example illustrating the association between lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) levels and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk and explore how this example can inform our understanding of Lp(a) and ASCVD risk on a population level.
AAD 2025 Insights: Treatment Patterns in Moderate to Severe Psoriasis Patients on Biologics
April 7th 2025A panelist discusses how real-world evidence from a large cohort study (n = 31521) presented at AAD 2025 reveals notable differences in treatment patterns, discontinuation rates, persistence, and adherence among psoriasis patients treated with different biologics including tildrakizumab, risankizumab, guselkumab, and ustekinumab, with implications for clinical decision-making based on early versus late disease onset and prior biologic exposure.
How the Genetic Nature of Lp(a) Levels Influences Screening
Experts discuss the genetic determinants of lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) levels, providing evidence supporting this conclusion. They also explore how the hereditary nature of Lp(a) can drive awareness of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and aortic stenosis risk, potentially influencing screening protocols.
Comparing Standard-of-Care Antibiotics for Uncomplicated UTIs
Panelists discuss how standard-of-care antibiotics for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) show varying efficacy, with nitrofurantoin and fosfomycin demonstrating superior response rates (85%-95%) compared with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (70%-80% due to increasing resistance) and first-generation cephalosporins (80%-90%), and how cost-effectiveness depends on local resistance patterns, patient adherence to dosing schedules, medication costs and insurance coverage, treatment duration, recurrence rates, comorbidities, and potential adverse effects requiring additional interventions.
Real-World Implications of Changes in CDR-SB Score in Patients Receiving Amyloid-Targeting Therapy
April 4th 2025Panelists discuss how clinicians should interpret Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) score changes by correlating numerical shifts with meaningful real-world outcomes, considering both the statistical significance and clinical meaningfulness of changes, recognizing that even modest improvements may represent significant functional preservation for patients, and contextualizing these changes within individual patient circumstances, disease trajectory, and impact on quality of life.
Experts discuss how current coverage policies and prior authorization requirements affect continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) access and adoption rates, and how coverage barriers impact the ability to provide timely CGM access, particularly for patients who could benefit most.
Standardizing CRS Management and Ensuring Smooth Transitions of Care in Bispecific Therapy
April 4th 2025Experts discuss why it is critical to have standardized protocols in place for managing cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in patients receiving bispecific antibodies, outlining the key components of an effective CRS management protocol as well as best practices for transitions of care between settings when administering and managing bispecifics.
Examining the Need for Updated Guidelines for Uncomplicated UTIs
Panelists discuss how uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) are typically managed with empiric short-course antibiotics based on local resistance patterns while identifying significant gaps in the outdated 2010 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines, including insufficient guidance on emerging resistance trends, limited recommendations for alternative therapies, inadequate consideration of patient-specific factors, absence of antimicrobial stewardship protocols, and minimal direction on prevention strategies for recurrent infections.