News &amp; Updates

For patients who have undergone continuous‐flow left ventricular assist device (CF‐LVAD) implantation, treatment with amiodarone may do more harm than good, with a recent study showing that it contributes to increased risk of mortality.

Playing a musical instrument boosts brain blood flow

For musicians, playing a musical instrument appears to increase blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (MCAv), a recent study has found.

Prophylactic 5-FU plus heparin not effective against proliferative vitreoretinopathy in RRD

Adjuvant therapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and low molecular weight heparin in high-risk patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) does not help prevent the development of proliferative vitreoretinopathy, as shown in a study.

Treatment outcomes for nAMD, DMO, RVO poorer in clinical practice than in trials

In clinical practice, patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), diabetic macular oedema (DMO), and retinal vein occlusion (RVO) see treatment outcomes that are inferior to those reported in pivotal phase 3 studies, according to a recent study.

13 Jun 2022

Infection + vaccination = The best protection against COVID-19?

Individuals with a prior COVID-19 infection and who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 appear to have the greatest immunity to the virus, according to the SIREN* study.

13 Jun 2022

CREATE: ‘Open-source’ automated insulin delivery gets good results in T1D

Automating insulin delivery with an open-source algorithm that is run on a smartphone proves safe and effective in the management of type 1 diabetes (T1D), as shown in the results of Community Derived Automated Insulin Delivery (CREATE) trial.

13 Jun 2022

Impaired fibrinolysis linked to new digital ulcers in SSc

Impaired fibrinolysis appears to play a role in underlying digital vasculopathy and its progression in systemic sclerosis (SSc), suggests a study.

Clear guidelines needed for closed-system transfer device use with cancer drugs

A survey of Canadian healthcare practitioners reveals a lack of clarity on closed-system transfer device (CSTD) compatibility with oncology biologics, as well as the lack of control drug manufacturers have as a single stakeholder to protect the quality of their products and the safety of patients who use them.

Limited health literacy tied to low knowledge on SLE

Limited health literacy among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) contributes to lower knowledge about the disease, a study has shown. The Lupus Knowledge Assessment Test (LKAT) may be improved and used as a screening tool to identify those with knowledge gaps.

13 Jun 2022

Vitamin D, fish oil: protective against autoimmune diseases?

In the postintervention results of the VITAL* trial, vitamin D and marine omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs) continued to demonstrate a protective effect against autoimmune diseases in older adults.