Study Reinforces BRAF-MEK Inhibition Over Anti-BRAF Only in Advanced Melanoma
Combined BRAF-MEK inhibition for advanced BRAF-mutant melanoma led to significantly better progression-free survival (PFS) as compared with single-agent BRAF inhibition, according to a randomized trial. Patients who received encorafenib (Braftovi) plus binimetinib (Mektovi) had a median PFS of 12.9 months as compared with 9.2 and 7.4 months for two cohorts treated with encorafenib alone. The […]
CDC Issues Sepsis Care Guidance for Hospitals
The CDC issued new guidance to hospitals Thursday for managing sepsis and called on hospitals to do better at treating it. “Every hospital, regardless of size, location, and resources can strengthen the quality of care delivered to these patients and ensure their survival,” CDC Director Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, said at a press conference. “That’s […]
Can Aromatherapy Relax Post-Op Patients?
Open heart surgery patients reported better sleep and less severe pain after their operation when they inhaled peppermint essence, a small clinical trial suggested. Among 64 patients who underwent cardiac surgery, mean self-reported sleep quality scores on the first day after surgery were 20.10 in the group receiving peppermint aromatherapy and 25.76 in the placebo […]
Sleep Quality Linked With Cognition Across Five Cohorts
AMSTERDAM — Better sleep consolidation and the absence of sleep apnea were associated with better global cognition over 5 years, a pooled analysis of sleep studies in nearly 6,000 adults showed. Across five cohorts, higher sleep maintenance efficiency (pooled β per 1% increase 0.08, P<0.01) and lower wake after sleep onset (pooled β per 1-min […]
Protocol Optimizing Meds for T2D and CVD Pushed Beyond Cardiology Alone
SAN DIEGO — Cardiovascular medications were better optimized for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) following a multifaceted intervention involving clinician and patient education, the cluster-randomized COORDINATE-Diabetes trial found. At cardiology clinics following the intervention protocol, prescriptions increased several-fold compared with usual care (37.9% vs 14.5%; adjusted OR 4.28, 95% […]
If You Sleep On Your Right Side, We Have News For You
Aja Koska via Getty Images Sleeping on one side may have better benefits than the other. Most of us have a side we prefer to sleep on. Yes, we move around in our sleep but there’s usually that one side that we continuously fall back on. And if lying on your right side is your […]
Video Laryngoscopy Wins for Tracheal Intubation on the First Try
Use of video rather than direct laryngoscope led to better rates of successful tracheal intubation on the first attempt for critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) or emergency department, the randomized DEVICE trial found. In the unblinded multicenter study, which was stopped early for efficacy at an interim analysis, the rate of […]
Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections Flop for Erectile Dysfunction in U.S. Study
CHICAGO — Intracavernosal platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections were no better than placebo for treating mild-to-moderate erectile dysfunction, a randomized, single-center trial found. At 1 month after the second round of injections, no significant difference was seen between the PRP and placebo groups for the study’s primary endpoint, the percentage of men attaining a minimum clinically […]
Nonimmunosuppressive Therapy Bests ARB for Cutting Proteinuira in IgA Nephropathy
AUSTIN, Texas — Once-daily sparsentan (Filspari) was better at reducing proteinuria than standard treatment in IgA nephropathy, according to a prespecified interim analysis of the PROTECT trial. By week 36 of treatment in the phase III study, patients on sparsentan saw a 49.8% reduction from baseline in urine protein-creatinine (UP/C) ratio compared with only a […]
A good night’s sleep may make it easier to stick to exercise and diet goals
People who reported getting regular, uninterrupted sleep did a better job sticking to their exercise and diet plans while trying to lose weight, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2023. The meeting will be held in Boston, February 28-March 3, 2023, and offers […]