CDC: Flu Shots Working Moderately Well This Season
Early estimates suggest flu shots are performing OK in the current U.S. winter flu season. The vaccines were around 40% effective in preventing adults from getting sick enough from the flu that they had to go to a doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital, health officials said during a CDC vaccines meeting Wednesday. Children who were […]
Drug Candidate for Chronic Cough Rejected by FDA Panel
FDA advisors told the agency that the current evidence does not support approval of gefapixant for chronic cough, a condition where no approved therapy exists. On Friday, members of the Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee voted 12-1 that the small reductions in cough frequency demonstrated in phase III trials of the P2X3 receptor antagonist do not […]
ACS: Millions More Should Get Lung Cancer Screening
The American Cancer Society (ACS) widened the pool of past and current smokers eligible for lung cancer screening in its new guideline recommendations, potentially opening the door to 5 million more U.S. adults. Annual lung cancer screening with low‐dose CT is strongly recommended for asymptomatic patients ages 50 to 80 years who either currently smoke, […]
Mortality Risk From Damaged Bronchi Extends to People Without COPD
Bronchiectasis was associated with an increased mortality risk in current and former smokers even if they did not meet the spirometric criteria for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an observational study found. Compared with patients without suspected bronchiectasis, the 10-year mortality risk was greater among patients who had suspected bronchiectasis — evidenced by CT and […]
Pre-COPD Current and Former Smokers Not in the Clear for Airway Disease
Whether they had respiratory symptoms or not, former and current smokers who didn’t meet criteria for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) had similar declines in lung function and progression to COPD in subsequent years, the SPIROMICS II study found. Participants with symptomatic tobacco exposure and preserved spirometry (TEPS) experienced no significant difference in annual declines […]
Progestin-Only Birth Control Linked to Small Increase in Breast Cancer Risk
Current or recent use of progestin-only contraceptives was associated with a small increase in risk of breast cancer, similar to the risk associated with combined hormonal contraceptives, according to a nested case-control study and meta-analysis from the U.K. In the nested case-control study of data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, women had a comparable […]
Opinion | Should Future COVID Boosters Include the Ancestral Strain?
The current COVID-19 mRNA vaccine boosters are bivalent, meaning they contain equal amounts of spike protein mRNA for the original Wuhan virus sequence and for the BA.4/5 Omicron variants that emerged in mid-2022. How well does this type of bivalent booster perform? The question is relevant because FDA’s recent Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory […]
Hispanic Physicians You Should Follow on Social Media
From creating patient-centered blogs to researching some of the most current pressing medical issues, these Hispanic leaders in medicine champion their roots by advocating for social justice and equity in healthcare. These are just a few of the diverse voices out there, so let us know who you’re following in the comments. Please note some […]
Dual Bronchodilators No Help for Symptomatic Smokers With Preserved Lung Function
Inhaled dual bronchodilator therapy did not decrease respiratory symptoms in former or current smokers with preserved lung function, the RETHINC trial showed. Among 535 symptomatic smokers with a 10 pack-year history and preserved lung function assessed by spirometry, 56.4% in the treatment group and 59.0% in the placebo group had a least a 4-point decrease […]
Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Becomes a Disorder (8 Warning Signs)
Orthorexia nervosa or orthorexia is an obsessive fixation with consuming good food. The current health food trends and diets, from plant-based eating to paleo, are hot topics in current media. Because of this, there has been increased mindful attention to food. However, in certain situations, this focus can become an obsession in the form of […]