News &amp; Updates

Short-term treatment with zolpidem or zopiclone in older patients with Alzheimer’s disease and insomnia appears beneficial, even though safety and tolerance issues have yet to be personalized in healthcare settings and further investigated in subsequent trials, according to a study.

Zolpidem, zopiclone help insomniac seniors with Alzheimer’s disease sleep

22 Dec 2021

Short-course vancomycin plus piperacillin-tazobactam tied to fewer AKI incidence

Noncritically ill patients treated with a short course of vancomycin plus piperacillin-tazobactam (VPT) are less likely to experience acute kidney injury (AKI) than those who received an extended course, reports a study.

Short-course vancomycin plus piperacillin-tazobactam tied to fewer AKI incidence

Mitapivat inches its way towards becoming first approved therapy for PK deficiency

22 Dec 2021 by

The investigational pyruvate kinase R (PKR) activator mitapivat continued to show benefit for individuals with PK deficiency (PKD) regardless of transfusion status, according to updated findings from the phase III ACTIVATE trials and the long-term extension (LTE) study.

Mitapivat inches its way towards becoming first approved therapy for PK deficiency

True North: Ozanimod benefits in ulcerative colitis evident in various populations

21 Dec 2021 by

A post hoc analysis of the phase III True North study showed that the benefits of ozanimod on clinical remission and response in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC) as seen in the global analysis were consistent in the analysis of the North American cohort.

True North: Ozanimod benefits in ulcerative colitis evident in various populations

Sleeve gastrectomy vs gastric bypass for weight loss: Which is safer?

21 Dec 2021 by

Sleeve gastrectomy was associated with a lower risk of mortality and complications over 5 years compared with gastric bypass, although the former intervention comes with an increased risk of surgical revision, reveals a recent study on patients undergoing bariatric surgery for weight loss.

Sleeve gastrectomy vs gastric bypass for weight loss: Which is safer?

Hypotension prevents boosting of sacubitril/valsartan doses for Asians with ACHD-related HF

21 Dec 2021 by

The angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI) sacubitril/valsartan does not appear to help manage heart failure (HF) in Asian patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), with a small study from Singapore showing that the drug can only be tolerated at suboptimal doses and that hypotension prevents uptitration.

Hypotension prevents boosting of sacubitril/valsartan doses for Asians with ACHD-related HF

Is continuous infusion labetalol haemodynamically safe for type B aortic dissections?

Treatment with high-dose continuous intravenous labetalol (HD-CIVL) results in a nonstatistically significant higher incidence of haemodynamic instability compared to an esmolol combination (EC) regimen in patients with type B aortic dissections (TBADs), results of a study have shown.

Is continuous infusion labetalol haemodynamically safe for type B aortic dissections?

TAF useful in pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B infection

Treatment with tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) for pregnant women with active chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, when administered throughout or initiated early in pregnancy, is effective and safe in both mothers and infants, according to a study.

TAF useful in pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B infection

20 Dec 2021

Antithyroid drug therapy in pregnant women poses modest risk of congenital anomalies

Exposure to thionamide antithyroid drugs (ATDs) during pregnancy contributes to a small increase in the risk of congenital anomalies, according to the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Antithyroid drug therapy in pregnant women poses modest risk of congenital anomalies

Challenges and strategies in the management of MDRO infections in Asia

20 Dec 2021 by

Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are associated with a longer hospital stay, increased exposure to antimicrobial agents, and excess healthcare costs. Improved treatment and management strategies are urgently needed to curb the rising burden of MDROs in Asia. At a symposium organized by Pfizer in conjunction with the 18th Asia Pacific Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infection (APCCMI 2021), experts discussed the role of rapid diagnostic testing and novel antibiotics in addressing MDRO infections, including practical solutions to maximize patient outcomes while minimizing the risk of antimicrobial resistance. The esteemed speakers were Professor Tobias Welte, Head, Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Hannover Medical School, Germany, and Dr Asok Kurup, Infectious Diseases Consultant at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, Singapore. Professor Balaji Veeraraghavan, Head of the Department of Clinical Microbiology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, India, chaired the session.

Challenges and strategies in the management of MDRO infections in Asia