News &amp; Updates

In patients with psoriasis, treatment with biologics helps cut the risk of developing psoriatic arthritis (PsA), as reported in a study.

Biologics may stop psoriatic arthritis in its tracks

Electronic waterpipe vaping harmful to health

Vaping an electronic waterpipe, which is also known as e-hookah, adversely affects the vasculature—an effect that is partly mediated by inflammation—a study has found.

Electronic waterpipe vaping harmful to health

Combined Ag/Ab rapid testing boosts case-finding in COVID-19

A rapid and affordable test for diagnosing COVID-19 outside the walls of the healthcare units could improve case-finding, contact tracing, and infection control, says an expert during a pre-ECCMID 2021 session.

Combined Ag/Ab rapid testing boosts case-finding in COVID-19

Muscle fat content linked to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Muscle fat content shares a strong correlation with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in patients with obesity, a recent study has found. Muscle mass, on the other hand, has no such effect.

Muscle fat content linked to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Antigen rapid test vs RT-PCR for COVID-19: What you need to know

While RT-PCR is the current gold standard to confirm a SARS-CoV-2 infection, antigen rapid test (ART) for COVID-19 allows for quick detection of SARS-CoV-2 and thus fast triaging of infected patients requiring isolation at the population level, according to studies presented at ECCMID 2021.

Antigen rapid test vs RT-PCR for COVID-19: What you need to know

ABC2-SPH score offers simple, objective assessment of in-hospital mortality in COVID-19

An easy-to-use rapid scoring system—named ABC2-SPH—that combines seven characteristics of COVID-19 patients commonly available at hospital presentation helps estimate in-hospital mortality and performs better than other existing tools, as reported in a recent study.

ABC2-SPH score offers simple, objective assessment of in-hospital mortality in COVID-19

Sprifermin provides long-term benefits for knee OA

The structural and symptomatic benefits observed with intra-articular sprifermin at 2 and 3 years were sustained by year 5 in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA), updates from the FORWARD* study have shown.

Sprifermin provides long-term benefits for knee OA

Cardiac mechanics predicts exercise capacity in individuals without heart failure

Worse left ventricular (LV) diastolic function, worse biatrial function, and lack of left atrial (LA) functional reserve appear to reduce submaximal exercise capacity among individuals without heart failure (HF), according to a study. Therapies targeted at improving these functional domains may improve exercise capacity and prevent HF.

Cardiac mechanics predicts exercise capacity in individuals without heart failure

Are muscle relaxants effective against low back pain?

The clinical efficacy and safety of muscle relaxants remain indefinite, with very low certainty evidence showing that nonbenzodiazepine antispasmodic agents for the treatment of acute low back pain may provide small but clinically nonsignificant improvement in pain intensity at 2 weeks or less, according to a recent study.

Are muscle relaxants effective against low back pain?

Abatacept exposure does not increase infection risk in pJIA patients

Higher exposure levels to intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (SC) abatacept (ABA) among patients with polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) aged 2–17 years is not associated with incidence of infection, a study has shown.

Abatacept exposure does not increase infection risk in pJIA patients