Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pharmacy for February 2019. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
FDA: Pulmonary Embolism Risk Up With Tofacitinib 10 mg for RA
THURSDAY, Feb. 28, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A safety clinical trial has revealed that tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR) 10 mg twice daily is associated with an increased risk for pulmonary embolism (PE) and death among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned in a safety alert this week.
Flu Vaccination During Pregnancy Does Not Cause Miscarriage
THURSDAY, Feb. 28, 2019 (HealthDay News) — An influenza vaccine cannot cause a pregnant woman to miscarry, researchers say.
CDC: Progress in HIV Prevention Has Stalled in the United States
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The battle against new HIV infections has lost some steam in recent years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Lowering BP, Lipids in Healthy Elderly Has No Cognitive Effect
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Candesartan plus hydrochlorothiazide, rosuvastatin, or their combination do not impact cognitive decline among older people, according to a study published online Feb. 27 in Neurology.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Prenatal Vitamin Intake in Early Pregnancy May Cut Autism Risk
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Maternal prenatal vitamin intake during the first month of pregnancy is associated with a reduced risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in siblings of children with ASD, according to a study published online Feb. 27 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Antenatal Corticosteroid Tx Tied to Reduction in Birth Size
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Antenatal corticosteroid therapy (ACT) is associated with reductions in birth size for infants, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in PLOS Medicine.
Tumor Control Durable With Pembrolizumab in Merkel Cell Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For patients with advanced Merkel cell carcinoma (aMCC), pembrolizumab is associated with durable tumor control and favorable overall survival, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Stewardship Programs Decrease Inpatient Fluoroquinolone Rx
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Fluoroquinolone stewardship interventions at hospitals are associated with less fluoroquinolone prescribing during hospitalization but not at discharge, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Rate of Opioid Rx Stable After Pediatric Outpatient Surgery
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — From 2013 to 2017, the rate of receiving a take-home opioid prescription remained stable after pediatric outpatient surgery as did the dose prescribed, but the maximum take-home dose declined, according to a study recently published in Pain Medicine.
Converting Naloxone to OTC Expected to Increase Sales
TUESDAY, Feb. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The demand for naloxone is relatively inelastic with respect to changes in its out-of-pocket price, and conversion to an over-the-counter medication is expected to increase naloxone pharmacy sales, according to a study published online Feb. 20 in Health Services Research.
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Sufficient Investment Could Reduce HIV Epidemic by 2030
TUESDAY, Feb. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — New HIV infections could be reduced and prevalence could begin to decline by 2030 with sufficient investment, including meeting 95 percent targets for diagnosis, care retention, and viral suppression by 2025, according to a study published online Feb. 22 in AIDS and Behavior.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Sertraline Tops CBT for Reducing Depression in Dialysis Patients
TUESDAY, Feb. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis, an engagement interview on treatment acceptance has no effect on acceptance of depression treatment, and depression scores are modestly better with sertraline treatment versus cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) after 12 weeks of treatment, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Prognostic Bleeding Risk Models Developed for Aspirin Use
MONDAY, Feb. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Prognostic bleeding risk models that can estimate the absolute bleeding harms of aspirin have been developed for individuals in whom aspirin is being considered for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study published online Feb. 26 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Serious Medical Outcomes Reported With Kratom Exposure
MONDAY, Feb. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Kratom, or Mitragyna speciosa, exposure is associated with serious medical outcomes, especially as part of multiple-substance exposure, according to a study published online Feb. 20 in Clinical Toxicology.
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Nonmedical Rx Opioid Use in Teens Linked to Parental Use
MONDAY, Feb. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Nonmedical prescription opioid (NMPO) use in adolescents is associated with parental NMPO use and with smoking and parent-adolescent conflict, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in Pediatrics.
Opioid-Related Mortality Up From 1999 to 2016 in Eastern U.S.
MONDAY, Feb. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In the eastern United States, opioid-related mortality, particularly mortality associated with synthetic opioids, has increased, according to a study published online Feb. 22 in JAMA Network Open.
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Incidence of Acute Myocardial Infarctions Up Among Young Women
MONDAY, Feb. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) has increased among younger women, and sedentary time is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among women, according to two studies published in the Feb. 19 issue of Circulation, a “Go Red for Women” theme issue on cardiovascular disease in women.
Abstract/Full Text – Arora
Editorial
Abstract/Full Text – Bellettiere
National Health Spending Set to Increase 5.5 Percent Annually
FRIDAY, Feb. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — National health spending is projected to increase at an annual rate of 5.5. percent from 2018 to 2027, with fundamental economic and demographic factors the main drivers, according to a report published online Feb. 20 in Health Affairs.
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Since Early 2000s, Overdose Death Rates Are Highest in U.S.
FRIDAY, Feb. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Since the early 2000s, the United States has had the highest drug overdose death rates among its peer countries, according to a study published online Feb. 21 in the Population and Development Review.
FDA: Gout Drug Uloric Increases Risk of Death
FRIDAY, Feb. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The gout medicine Uloric (febuxostat) carries a higher risk of death than allopurinol, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Most Patients Do Not Disclose Complementary Medicine Use
FRIDAY, Feb. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Just one-third of users of biologically based complementary medicine (CM) disclose their use to traditional health care providers, according to a review published online Feb. 7 in Scientific Reports.
Guideline Covers Extracutaneous Manifestations of Psoriasis
FRIDAY, Feb. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The extracutaneous manifestations of psoriasis and guidance on use of biologic treatment for management of psoriasis are discussed in two new guidelines published online Feb. 13 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Abstract/Full Text – Elmets
Abstract/Full Text – Menter
Odds of Receiving Tx for CAD Up With Medicare Advantage
FRIDAY, Feb. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), those enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) are more likely to receive secondary prevention treatments than those enrolled in traditional fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare, according to a study published online Feb. 20 in JAMA Cardiology.
Abstract/Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
44.4 Million Estimated to Be Diagnosed With Cervical Cancer by 2069
FRIDAY, Feb. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In the absence of further intervention, in the next 50 years, an estimated 44.4 million women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer globally, according to a study published online Feb. 19 in The Lancet Oncology.
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Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
U.S. Agencies Probing Johnson & Johnson Over Asbestos in Talc
THURSDAY, Feb. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Johnson & Johnson is being investigated by the U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over possible asbestos contamination of the company’s baby powder and other talc-based products.
The New York Times Article
More Information – American Cancer Society
Sacituzumab Govitecan Promising in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
THURSDAY, Feb. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) — An antibody-drug conjugate, sacituzumab govitecan-hziy, shows promise in refractory metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, according to a study published in the Feb. 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Rivaroxaban Does Not Reduce VTE Incidence in High-Risk Cancer Patients
THURSDAY, Feb. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In high-risk ambulatory patients with cancer, the incidence of venous thromboembolism or death due to venous thromboembolism during 180 days is not significantly reduced for rivaroxaban compared with placebo, according to a study published in the Feb. 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Vertical Integration Has Little Impact on Quality Measures
THURSDAY, Feb. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Vertical integration between hospitals and physicians has little impact on quality measures, while increased hospital market concentration is strongly associated with reduced quality in measures of patient satisfaction, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in Medical Care Research and Review.
Plazomicin Noninferior to Meropenem for Complicated UTI
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Plazomicin is noninferior to meropenem for patients with complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs), according to a study and a research letter published in the Feb. 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text – Wagenlehner (subscription or payment may be required)
Abstract/Full Text – McKinnell (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
FDA Head Says Feds May Intervene to Cut Vaccine Exemptions
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. government may have to take steps to reduce vaccine exemptions for children if states do not do it, the head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggested. His comments come as measles outbreaks rage in a number of states. Those outbreaks could have been prevented if children had all been vaccinated. But nearly all states allow children to attend school even if their parents opt out of inoculation programs, CNN reported.
Experimental Test May Quickly Diagnose Sepsis
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A blood test that can quickly diagnose dangerous sepsis infections has been developed, according to research published in the Feb. 1 issue of Biosensors and Bioelectronics.
CNN Article
Abstract/Full Text
Early Intensive Treatment May Improve Long-Term MS Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Long-term outcomes are more favorable for early intensive treatment (EIT) versus first-line moderate-efficacy disease-modifying therapy (DMT) in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published online Feb. 18 in JAMA Neurology.
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Prenatal Fluconazole Exposure Increases Neonatal Risks
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Maternal exposure to fluconazole during pregnancy may increase the risk for spontaneous abortion, according to a study published online Feb. 19 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
Abstract/Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Combo Regimens Effective for Tx of Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For first-line therapy of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, pembrolizumab plus axitinib and avelumab plus axitinib both show improved survival versus sunitinib, according to two studies published online Feb. 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, held from Feb. 14 to 16 in San Francisco.
Abstract/Full Text – Rini
Abstract/Full Text – Motzer
Editorial
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Inappropriate Use of Fentanyl Preps Seen Despite Awareness
TUESDAY, Feb. 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Despite adequate levels of prescriber, pharmacist, and patient knowledge regarding transmucosal immediate-release fentanyls (TIRFs), the rates of inappropriate use are high, according to a study published in the Feb. 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
HealthDay Article
FDA Approves First Customizable Insulin Pump
FRIDAY, Feb. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The Tandem Diabetes Care t:Slim X2 insulin pump, which allows a patient to customize treatment, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Hospital Prices Growing Faster Than Physician Prices
FRIDAY, Feb. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Growth in hospital prices and payments outpaced growth in physician prices and payments from 2007 through 2014, according to a report published in the February issue of Health Affairs.
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Risk Factors ID’d for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Mortality
FRIDAY, Feb. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Age, stage, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) are risk factors for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)-specific death in older patients, according to a study published online Feb. 1 in Cancer.
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Discharge Opioid Rx for Heart Dz Patients May Impact Follow-Up
FRIDAY, Feb. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For patients with an admitting diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome and/or acute decompensated heart failure, opioid prescription at discharge is not significantly associated with unplanned health care utilization or mortality but is associated with reduced odds of completed planned health care utilization, according to a study published in the Feb. 5 issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association.
CDC: Severity of Influenza Season Low Through Feb. 2, 2019
THURSDAY, Feb. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The 2018 to 2019 influenza season has been low in severity so far, and overall vaccine effectiveness is about 47 percent, according to two reports published in the Feb. 15 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Abstract/Full Text – Blanton
Abstract/Full Text – Doyle
High Rates of MenB Vaccination Advised in University Outbreaks
THURSDAY, Feb. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Achieving high serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccination coverage is recommended following university-based outbreaks of meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Rates of Osteonecrosis of the Jaw Low for Denosumab-Treated Women
THURSDAY, Feb. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For denosumab-treated women with postmenopausal osteoporosis, invasive oral procedures and events (OPEs), including dental implants, tooth extraction, natural tooth loss, scaling/root planning, and jaw surgery, are common and associated with osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), although the overall rate of ONJ is low, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
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Medicare Patients With MS Face Higher Out-of-Pocket Rx Costs
THURSDAY, Feb. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Medicare patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) face increasing out-of-pocket costs for disease-modifying therapies, according to a study published in the February issue of Health Affairs.
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FDA Panel Backs Ketamine-Like Drug for Depression
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — An expert panel for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has endorsed a drug for major depressive disorder that is a close relative to ketamine.
Drug Company Payments Over Time May Influence Rx Practices
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Physicians treating certain cancers who consistently receive payments from a cancer drug’s manufacturer are more likely to prescribe that drug instead of other treatments, according to a study published online Feb. 6 in The Oncologist.
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Obesity Linked to Adverse Events in Children With Leukemia
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), obesity is associated with an increased risk for adverse events during premaintenance chemotherapy, according to a study published in the February issue of Pediatric Blood & Cancer.
Neoadjuvant PD-1 Blockade Seems Effective in Glioblastoma
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Neoadjuvant administration of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade seems to enhance local and systemic antitumor immune response in glioblastoma, according to a study published online Feb. 11 in Nature Medicine.
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Progress Made in Developing New Antibacterial Agents
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Although there has been progress in the development of new antibacterial drugs, most of the recently approved agents have been modifications of existing chemical classes of antibiotics, according to research published online Feb. 1 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
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Guidelines Updated for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Adults
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In the latest evidence-based guideline from the American College of Chest Physicians, published online Jan. 17 in CHEST, updated recommendations are provided for the management of adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
Health Care Spending Per Person Increased to $5,641 in 2017
TUESDAY, Feb. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In 2017, health care spending per person reached $5,641, according to the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) annual Health Care Cost and Utilization Report.
Health Care Cost and Utilization Report
Many Systematic Reviews Do Not Fully Report Adverse Events
TUESDAY, Feb. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Many systematic review protocols in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) do not include adverse event reporting, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.
Direct-Acting Antivirals Cut Mortality in Chronic Hepatitis C
TUESDAY, Feb. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For adults with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, direct-acting antivirals are associated with a reduced risk for mortality and hepatocellular carcinoma, according to a study published online Feb. 11 in The Lancet.
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Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Aspirin Underused for Advanced Colorectal Polyps
TUESDAY, Feb. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Aspirin is underused to reduce the risk for colorectal cancer among patients with advanced colorectal polyps, according to a study recently published in The American Journal of Medicine.
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Racial/Ethnic, Income Variation ID’d in the Opioid Epidemic
MONDAY, Feb. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — There is considerable race/ethnicity and income-level variation in the opioid epidemic, according to research published online Feb. 11 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text – Friedman Study
Abstract/Full Text – Research Letter 1 (subscription or payment may be required)
Abstract/Full Text – Research Letter 2 (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Congo Ebola Outbreak Claims Nearly 100 Children’s Lives
MONDAY, Feb. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed the lives of nearly 100 children, and the number of cases are on the rise, according to the charity Save the Children.
CNN Article
More Information: CDC
FDA Warns 17 Companies About Illegal Alzheimer Disease Products
MONDAY, Feb. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A number of warning/advisory letters have been issued to 17 companies for selling illegal products that claim to prevent, treat, or cure Alzheimer disease and other serious conditions, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
Many Children Not Receiving Needed Mental Health Treatment
MONDAY, Feb. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — About half of the estimated 16.5 percent of U.S. children with a treatable mental health disorder do not receive needed treatment from a mental health professional, according to a research letter published online Feb. 11 in JAMA Pediatrics.
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Rates of Diabetes Screening High Among Adults Age ≥45
MONDAY, Feb. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Rates of diabetes screening are high, with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) used less but more likely to result in clinical diagnosis, according to a study published online Feb. 6 in Diabetes Care.
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More Than a Half Million Deaths From Breast Cancer Averted
MONDAY, Feb. 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — From 1989 to 2018, between 384,046 and 614,484 cumulative breast cancer deaths are estimated to have been averted, according to a study published online Feb. 11 in Cancer.
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Walgreens Worst Violator in Tobacco Sales to Minors, FDA Says
FRIDAY, Feb. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Walgreens’ high rate of violations for selling tobacco products to minors has led U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., to ask for a meeting with the company to discuss the issue.
CNN Article
More Information: FDA
Johnson & Johnson to Provide Drug Prices in TV Ads
FRIDAY, Feb. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In a drug industry first, Johnson & Johnson will start giving the list prices of its prescription drugs in television ads.
Measles Outbreak Triggers Sharp Rise in Demand for Vaccine
FRIDAY, Feb. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Health clinics in Clark County, Washington, are scrambling to meet the sharply increased demand for measles vaccination as people seek protection during an outbreak of the highly contagious virus.
Misuse of Rx Opioids Linked to Other High-Risk Behaviors
FRIDAY, Feb. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Misuse of prescribed opioids is associated with other high-risk drug behaviors, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety.
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Certain Opioids Less Effective With SSRI Antidepressants
FRIDAY, Feb. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Certain opioids are less effective for postoperative pain in patients taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, according to a study published online Feb. 6 in PLOS ONE.
Parents Conflicted About Opioid Use in Children
THURSDAY, Feb. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Parents are conflicted about the use of prescribed opioids in children, with most concerned about side effects and risks but believing opioids are the most effective option for managing pain, according to a survey commissioned by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and released to coincide with Physician Anesthesiologists Week, held from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2.
Trazodone Not Associated With Reduced Risk for Dementia
THURSDAY, Feb. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Trazodone is not associated with a reduced risk for dementia compared with other antidepressants at the prodromal stage of disease, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in PLOS Medicine.
Drug Combo Tolerated in Younger Children With Cystic Fibrosis
THURSDAY, Feb. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Lumacaftor/ivacaftor treatment is generally safe and well tolerated for children aged 2 to 5 years with cystic fibrosis (CF) homozygous for the F508del-CFTR mutation, according to a study published online Jan. 24 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
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Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Omadacycline Noninferior to Moxifloxacin for Pneumonia
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Omadacycline is noninferior to moxifloxacin for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia and noninferior to linezolid for acute bacterial skin infections, according to two studies published in the Feb. 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text – Stets (subscription or payment may be required)
Abstract/Full Text – O’Riordan (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
FDA Approves Cablivi for Rare Blood-Clotting Disorder
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Cablivi (caplacizumab-yhdp) injection has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adults with acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP).
Recommendations Updated for Tonsillectomy in Children
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Recommendations have been updated for tonsillectomy in children; the revised clinical practice guideline was published in a supplement to the February issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
ERAS Protocol Can Cut Opioid Use After Spine Surgery
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of a novel enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol can reduce patients’ postoperative opioid requirements after elective spinal or peripheral nerve surgery, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Neurosurgery.
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Antidepressant Overprescribing Appears Common in Elderly
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Potential antidepressant overprescribing appears to be common among elderly patients and involves mostly newer antidepressants used for nonspecific psychiatric symptoms and subthreshold diagnoses, according to a study published online Jan. 23 in Pharmacology Research & Perspectives.
Hepatitis C Infection Rates Up After OxyContin Reformulation
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — States with above-median OxyContin misuse before reformulation of the drug experienced a 222 percent increase in hepatitis C infection rates after reformulation, according to a report published in the February issue of Health Affairs.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Psoriasis Tx Linked to Drop in Noncalcified Coronary Plaque
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Treatment of psoriasis with biologic therapy is associated with a reduction in noncalcified coronary plaque and improved plaque morphology, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in Cardiovascular Research.
Evidence of Therapeutic Efficacy Substantial for Cannabis Use
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Most qualifying conditions for which patients are licensed to use cannabis medically have substantial or conclusive evidence of therapeutic efficacy, according to a report published in the February issue of Health Affairs.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Compounded Topical Pain Creams No Better Than Placebo
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Compounded topical pain creams are no better than placebo creams for neuropathic pain, nociceptive pain, or mixed pain, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
AAP Releases 2019 Childhood Immunization Schedules
TUESDAY, Feb. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The 2019 recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedules have been issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics and published online Feb. 5 in Pediatrics.
Expanded Recall of Warfarin Level Monitoring Test Strips
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Certain lots of Roche Diagnostics test strips should not be used with CoaguChek test meter devices to check levels of the blood thinner warfarin because patients may get inaccurate results and be at risk for serious injury or death, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says in an updated recall notice.
CDC Examines Safety of Recombinant Zoster Vaccine
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — During the first eight months of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) use, there were reports of 4,381 adverse events, 3 percent of which were serious, according to research published in the Feb. 1 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
After Elbow Surgery, Children May Be Overprescribed Opioids
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Opioids may be overprescribed to children after orthopedic surgery for supracondylar humerus fractures, according to a study published in the Jan. 16 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Tofacitinib Benefits Sustained for Two Years in Patients With RA
MONDAY, Feb. 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The clinical benefits of tofacitinib in combination with methotrexate are sustained over two years among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published online Jan. 22 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
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Discontinuing TNFi Before Gestational Week 20 Is Feasible
FRIDAY, Feb. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Discontinuing tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) before gestational week 20 in women with well-controlled rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is not associated with disease worsening in late pregnancy, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Direct-to-Doctor Payments May Increase Opioid Prescribing
FRIDAY, Feb. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Physicians who receive direct pharmaceutical payments for opioid prescribing prescribe more opioids, especially hydrocodone and oxycodone, according to a study published online Jan. 22 in Addiction.
Physician Burnout Tied to Ability to Address Social Needs
FRIDAY, Feb. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Improving clinic capacity to respond to patients’ social needs may reduce primary care physician burnout, according to a study published in the January-February issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.
Shortage of Anxiety Drug Creates Alarm Among Patients, Doctors
FRIDAY, Feb. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A shortage of the anti-anxiety drug buspirone in the United States has patients and doctors concerned.
Pharmacist-Led Phone Follow-Up May Cut Readmission Rates
FRIDAY, Feb. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A pharmacist-led, postdischarge structured telephone follow-up (TFU) intervention can reduce 30-day and 90-day readmission rates for polypharmacy patients, according to a study published online Jan. 23 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Longitudinal TNF Levels Mainly Stable With Adalimumab in RA
FRIDAY, Feb. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), longitudinal tumor necrosis factor (TNF) concentrations are mainly stable during adalimumab treatment, although early low TNF is strongly linked to nonresponse to treatment, according to a study published in the Jan. 30 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
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