News &amp; Updates

In the treatment of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), the muscarinic acetylcholine M1 positive allosteric modulator TAK-071 falls short of improving gait, according to the results of a phase II study. However, the drug appears to be well-tolerated and have positive effect on cognition.

Experimental drug for PD well-tolerated, offers cognitive benefits

Dietary fibre, probiotics: Allies in the fight against eczema and allergies

A diet rich in fibre appears to offer some protection against atopic dermatitis and a common allergy triggered by house dust mites in Asians, with the risks further mitigated by combining dietary fibre with probiotics, as reported in a study.

Dietary fibre, probiotics: Allies in the fight against eczema and allergies

EVT-IVT combo better than EVT alone in patients with large core infarct

The addition of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) to endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) provides significant clinical benefits to patients who experienced acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) caused by large vessel occlusion (LVO) with large ischaemic infarcts (LII), as shown by the findings of a meta-analysis presented at the recent ISC 2025.

EVT-IVT combo better than EVT alone in patients with large core infarct

22 Feb 2025

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy linked to subsequent atrial fibrillation

Women who had hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) during their first delivery face an increased risk of incident atrial fibrillation (AF), particularly those who had more severe de novo HDP diagnoses as well as chronic hypertension in pregnancy, according to a retrospective study.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy linked to subsequent atrial fibrillation

High UPF intake linked to childhood obesity

Consuming high amounts of ultraprocessed food (UPF) during early childhood is associated with obesity development, particularly in males, according to a Canadian study.

High UPF intake linked to childhood obesity

Greater weight loss at 5 years following ring-augmented RYGB

Among patients who undergo primary RYGB to treat obesity, those whose surgery is augmented with a prefabricated gastric ring lose significantly more of their initial weight at 5 years, a matched cohort study has found

Greater weight loss at 5 years following ring-augmented RYGB

22 Feb 2025

Children with Crohn’s disease get relief with exclusion diet

21 Feb 2025 by

Exclusion diet appears to be safe and effective for inducing and maintaining remission in children with mild-to-moderate Crohn’s disease (CD), as shown in a small, single-centre study.

Children with Crohn’s disease get relief with exclusion diet

Beta-blockers as first antihypertensives tied to more cardiac events

Initiating antihypertensive treatment with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), or a calcium channel blocker (CCB) results in a comparable risk for myocardial infarction (MI), acute coronary syndrome (ACS), heart failure (HF), or stroke when compared with thiazides, reports a study. On the other hand, use of beta-blockers (BBs) tends to increase such risk.

Beta-blockers as first antihypertensives tied to more cardiac events

Oncology-related concerns may be managed in outpatient setting

21 Feb 2025 by

Some cancer patients with acute oncology-related presentations at the emergency department (ED) can be managed at ambulatory clinics, suggests a Singapore study.

Oncology-related concerns may be managed in outpatient setting

OPERA: CXB boost improves organ preservation in early rectal adenocarcinoma

A contact X-ray brachytherapy (CXB) dose escalation enhances the organ preservation (OP) rate of patients with early rectal adenocarcinoma, with good bowel function at 3 years, results of the OPERA trial have shown. This benefit persists at year 5, particularly in those with small early-stage tumours.

OPERA: CXB boost improves organ preservation in early rectal adenocarcinoma