News & Updates

Abatacept shows promise in refractory juvenile dermatomyositis

Some patients with treatment-refractory juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) appear to respond to abatacept, as shown in a small study.

Aspirin, warfarin, NOACs prevent thromboembolic events in patients with Fontan circulation

Treatment with aspirin, warfarin, and nonvitamin K oral anticoagulant (NOAC) results in a reduced risk of thromboembolic events, suggests a recent study.

Starting dose of CDK4/6 inhibitors linked to survival in metastatic breast cancer

Progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) are similar between age groups (≥70 and <70 years) among  patients treated with cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors from 2015 to 2019, with no significant differences in neutropaenia or thrombocytopaenia toxicity, reports a study.

Torsemide, furosemide yield similar survival outcomes in heart failure

Treatment with torsemide in survivors of heart failure hospitalization appears to have a similar effect on all-cause mortality over 12 months as furosemide, according to data from the open-label TRANSFORM-HF study.

The role of oral antivirals in COVID-19 treatment: Who, when, and how?

Though most countries have eased pandemic restrictions, there is no room for complacency in managing COVID-19, which continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality.

At a recent symposium, esteemed experts Dr Roger Paredes, Head of Department of Infectious Diseases at the Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain, and Dr Nicola Petrosillo, Head of the Infection Prevention and Control and Infectious Disease Service at University Hospital Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy, gave global perspectives on the continuing unmet needs in the COVID-19 outpatient landscape and discussed the role of antiviral treatment options in patients at risk of progressing to severe COVID-19. Dr Petrick Periyasamy, Head of Infectious Diseases Unit, Medical Department, UKM Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, chaired the session.

Switching from ARB, ACEI to sacubitril/valsartan ups angioedema risk

New users of sacubitril-valsartan (SV) show no increased risk of angioedema when compared to users of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), reports a study.

Early-onset fever tied to severe cytokine release syndrome, multiple tocilizumab doses

An earlier onset of fever appears to predict a more severe and progressive cytokine release syndrome, a life-threatening hyper-inflammatory state caused by immune effector cell therapy, suggests a study. Such condition also warrants several doses of anti-interleukin (IL)-6 therapy, such as tocilizumab.

Ospemifene improves vaginal microbiome of women with vulvovaginal atrophy

Women with vulvovaginal atrophy exhibit a less favourable vaginal microbiome than healthy postmenopausal women, but ospemifene may restore vaginal health by reducing potentially harmful bacteria, as shown in a study.