Focused Ultrasound Matches Prostatectomy for Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer
LAS VEGAS — Focused ultrasound ablation for prostate cancer proved at least equivalent to radical prostatectomy for failure-free survival, according to a randomized trial reported here. After 3 years of follow-up, treatment failure had occurred in 5.6% of patients treated with focused ablation and 7.9% of the prostatectomy groups. The difference did not achieve statistical […]
Clinical trial demonstrates that the ketogenic diet is effective at controlling polycystic kidney disease
It’s official: The ketogenic diet proved to be effective at controlling polycystic kidney disease (PKD) in the first randomized controlled clinical trial of ketogenic metabolic therapy for PKD. “I’m really happy about these clinical trial results,” said UC Santa Barbara biologist Thomas Weimbs, whose lab was part of an international collaboration to investigate the effect […]
Pharmacists Can Spur Switch to Recommended Drugs for Diabetes Patients With CVD
ANAHEIM, Calif. — A pharmacist-led intervention using notes in the electronic health record (EHR) proved effective for convincing primary care providers to switch veterans with diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) to guideline-recommended care, a single-center VA-study showed. A total of 180 recommendations were made by pharmacists in the EHRs of 102 patients. Of those, 23 […]
Shorter TB Regimen Misses the Mark
Shorter high-dose rifampicin regimens proved safe for treating pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), but failed to demonstrate noninferiority compared with the standard 6-month regimen, a phase III trial found. For the primary efficacy outcome, an absolute 6.3% more adults receiving a 4-month regimen that included the highest dose of rifampicin had an unfavorable outcome at 12 to […]
New Antiviral Option for CMV Prophylaxis After Kidney Transplant
Letermovir (Prevymis) proved noninferior to valganciclovir (Valcyte), the standard of care, in a clinical trial of cytomegalovirus (CMV) prophylaxis in high-risk kidney transplant patients, researchers reported. In a phase III trial of 589 patients randomized 1:1 to receive either drug for up to 200 days post-transplant, the prevalence of CMV disease at 1 year was […]
Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Proves Mettle in Minor Stroke
DALLAS — Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) proved non-inferior to IV alteplase in Chinese patients with minor non-disabling stroke, a researcher reported. In the ARAMIS trial of patients with acute minor stroke who presented within 4.5 hours of onset, and had no “clearly disabling deficit,” functional outcome was similar between the two methods, according to Thanh […]
Experts Say Tracking Pathogens in Sewage Works, but Needs Sustained Investment
Surveillance of wastewater systems proved useful during the COVID-19 pandemic and merits further investment to respond to future threats, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). But there’s room for improvement. The report highlights five core pillars for developing a stronger National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS), calling […]
One Dose of Acoziborole Led to Cure of ‘Sleeping Sickness’ Across Disease Stages
A single dose of oral acoziborole proved to be efficacious and safe for adults and adolescents with gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as “sleeping sickness,” suggesting its promise in interrupting transmission, a single-arm phase II/III trial showed. Over 18 months of follow-up, the treatment success rate was 95.2% in those with late-stage disease […]
Promising Results in First Test of In Utero Enzyme-Replacement Therapy
The first test of in utero enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) proved safe and effective for a baby with infantile-onset Pompe disease, according to a case report. An infant with cross-reactive immunologic material (CRIM)-negative infantile-onset Pompe disease — the most severe end of the disease spectrum — had no cardiac manifestations following treatment, compared to her […]
Vaccine Candidates for RSV Ward Off Severe Illness in Older Adults
WASHINGTON — Prefusion F protein vaccine candidates for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) proved safe in adults 60 and up while demonstrating an ability to thwart lower respiratory tract illness, including severe cases, a pair of large phase III trials showed. A single dose of an RSV prefusion F protein vaccine (RSVPreF3 OA) yielded a vaccine […]