University Of California San Francisco
20% of older patients prescribed gabapentin after surgery use it long term
One-fifth of older patients discharged with gabapentin following a surgical procedure had the prescription refilled for more than 90 days, suggesting long-term use is common, according to an analysis of Medicare data.
Opioid users exhibit worse baseline knee osteoarthritis, faster degenerative progression
Patients with knee osteoarthritis who use opioids showed worse baseline structural degeneration and faster progression and had greater quality of life loss compared with controls, according to data published in Arthritis Research & Therapy.
AHA: Obstructive sleep apnea common in CVD, more awareness needed
Obstructive sleep apnea is common in individuals with CVD and risk factors including high BP, and screening for it in that population is warranted, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association.
Preoperative pembrolizumab may enhance major pathologic response in esophageal cancer
Adding pembrolizumab to preoperative chemoradiotherapy increased major pathologic response rate compared with historical data among patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma, according to a study presented at the virtual ASCO Annual Meeting.
Lisinopril may prevent cardiotoxicity of anthracycline, trastuzumab use in breast cancer
A decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction to below normal levels occurred more frequently among women with HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer who received anthracyclines prior to trastuzumab, according to study results.
Q&A: 40 years with the ‘amazing evil’ of HIV/AIDS
June 5 marks 40 years since MMWR published a report of five cases of Pneumocystis pneumonia among young men in Los Angeles — the first report of what would come to be called AIDS.
Age at Alzheimer’s disease onset may depend on history of psychiatric conditions
Psychiatric conditions were associated with a younger age at onset of Alzheimer’s disease, and age differences only grew with each additional psychiatric diagnosis, researchers reported.
GALACTIC-HF: Benefit of omecamtiv mecarbil strongest at lowest EF
The treatment effect of omecamtiv mecarbil in patients with HF rose as left ventricular ejection fraction declined, according to new data from the GALACTIC-HF trial presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session.
People who use drugs have double the rate of readmission for S. aureus
People who use drugs experienced double the rate of hospital readmission and lower rates of antibiotic completion for invasive Staphylococcus aureus infections than their non-drug-using peers, according to a study.
Q&A: ‘Structural changes’ to health care systems needed to support COVID-19 ‘long-haulers’
Emerging research has shown that COVID-19 “long-haulers” can face a substantial burden of health loss.