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News Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests in the Diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Based on 81 scientific papers published between 2010 and 2021, experts from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore have prepared an overview of the current epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STD). We summarize information on the diagnosis of gonorrhea, chlamydial infections, M. genitalium, trichomoniasis, genital infections by HSV-1/2, and HPV using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), the most well-known method being PCR. NAAT shows high sensitivity and specificity in testing for these diseases.
News LDL cholesterol: a new risk factor for the onset of venous thromboembolic disease?
Not only do atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries and the risk of heart attack decrease along with LDL cholesterol levels. Results from a large molecular genetic study suggest that lowering its levels might also reduce the risk of venous thromboembolic disease.
News News in Laboratory Diagnostics of Early Sepsis − First Czech Experiences
Sepsis represents one of the most frequent causes of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Laboratory markers play an important role in the diagnosis and prognosis of septic states. The aim of the study by the Czech authors was to evaluate the diagnostic yield of new laboratory markers in the form of monocyte distribution width and specific markers on the surface of neutrophil granulocytes.
News To what extent can the actual level of ALP, ALT, or bilirubin differ from the measured value?
A physician who bases clinical decisions on laboratory-determined values of biological parameters or their changes should always consider the possible measurement deviation, which for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), or bilirubin can reach several percent in both positive and negative directions.
News Tapentadol Hydrochloride in Clinical Practice – To Whom, When, How, and Why?
Thanks to its specific properties, tapentadol hydrochloride ranks among the most effective opioids for managing chronic non-cancer pain. Unlike most opioids, it also exhibits an analgesic effect in neuropathic pain. The following brief overview summarizes its mechanism of action and resulting benefits, reimbursement and prescription conditions, its place in the pain management algorithm, and examples of its application in clinical practice.
News Gliflozins in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes According to Current Recommendations SVL
Gliflozins are a relatively new group of antidiabetics with a specific mechanism of action. In addition to glycemic control, they have shown favorable effects on body weight and blood pressure, minimal risk of hypoglycemia, reduced risk of heart failure, and also renal protection and cardiovascular safety. Their position in the therapeutic algorithm for type 2 diabetes is clearly defined in the 2020 recommendations of the Society of General Medicine ČLS JEP.
News Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis – A Common Accompanying Infection in Patients with Severe or Critical Course of COVID-19
Findings based on a literature review conducted and published in September 2020 show the occurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in 19.6–33.3% of patients with a severe or critical course of COVID-19. The authors provide several important insights for clinical practice, including recommended management of therapy for these patients.
News How Does Memantine Currently Stand in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias
A comprehensive meta-analysis from 2019 examined the effect and safety of administering memantine, particularly in patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. How did memantine fare?
News Deficit Alpha-1-Antitrypsin as an Underestimated Problem? What a Survey Among European Experts Revealed
Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a congenital disorder caused by mutations in the SERPINA1 gene. Although it is very well described, it is considered underdiagnosed and undertreated. A recent international survey conducted among specialists on this issue aimed to determine the current situation in Europe.
News Simple antiemetic prophylaxis for breast cancer patients treated with AC chemotherapy
The combination of an anthracycline cytostatic agent with cyclophosphamide (AC) is among the highly effective chemotherapy regimens for breast cancer. Individually, these cytostatic agents carry a moderate risk of emetogenicity; however, when combined, they are considered to be at high risk of emesis. The recommended prophylaxis involves administering a 5-HT3 serotonin receptor antagonist in combination with an NK1 neurokinin receptor antagonist and the corticosteroid dexamethasone.
News Deficit dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase and its association with 5-fluorouracil toxicity
Deficit dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is a risk factor for severe toxicity of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Below, we summarize current knowledge regarding the identification of patients with pathogenic variants of the DPYD gene and study results concerning the safety of therapy with respect to dose individualization based on genotyping.
News What a General Practitioner Needs to Know About Gliflozins
The revolutionary benefits of gliflozins have completely changed the perspective on the choice of pharmacotherapy for diabetes. They have attracted not only diabetologists but also cardiologists and nephrologists after the favorable effects of this group of drugs on heart failure and renal functions were demonstrated even in patients without diabetes. Dapagliflozin and empagliflozin were subsequently included in recommendations for the treatment of heart failure regardless of the presence of diabetes. Dapagliflozin has also been approved for the treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease.
News Why Do Women in the USA Receive Indicated Statin Therapy Less and in Lower Doses Than Men?
Statin use has been proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in both men and women. However, women in the USA who are indicated for this treatment have historically taken it less frequently and in lower doses than men. The current status and possible causes were investigated by the study presented below.
News Long-term Safety of Dupilumab in Adult Patients with Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis
Moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) often requires systemic therapy. The long-term safety of dupilumab in patients with this condition was evaluated in an open-label extension (OLE) of the LIBERTY AD study, the results of which were recently published.
News Diosmin and Hesperidin: What Does Pharmacokinetics Show?
Flavonoids are plant-derived compounds that have a number of beneficial pharmacological effects. Among the most well-known flavonoids, alongside rutin, are diosmin and hesperidin, which are used as venotonics and vasoprotectives in chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).
News Current Recommendations by the ELN Expert Panel on AML Diagnosis Management
The 2022 recommendations from European LeukemiaNet (ELN) add new information to the previous recommendations from 2010 and 2017. They concern the diagnosis and treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults from the perspective of pathogenesis, disease classification adjustment, possibilities of genomic diagnosis, and the inclusion of minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment.
News COVID-19 in Patients with Acquired Hemophilia A − Case Reports
At the XXVIII. Pařízek Days held in Ostrava, on the afternoon of March 17, 2022, Dr. Anna Maria Pejková from the 4th Internal Clinic of the University Hospital Hradec Králové presented 3 case reports of acquired hemophilia A.
News Protection of Ovarian Function During Breast Cancer Treatment
Women diagnosed with breast cancer of childbearing age are concerned about how to maintain ovarian function even after undergoing chemotherapy. Therefore, a team of doctors from the United Kingdom focused on the gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist and its ability to protect women from premature menopause after chemotherapy.
News Telmisartan – antihypertensive with cardioprotective effects
Sartans are potent inhibitors of the AT1 receptor for angiotensin II widely used in the therapy of arterial hypertension. Given that chronic activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays an important role not only in the pathogenesis of arterial hypertension but also in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and the development of other cardiovascular diseases, the question arises whether the administration of sartans is associated with a broader cardioprotective effect. Telmisartan is the first representative of this group of antihypertensives for which a positive cardioprotective effect has been demonstrated.
News Expression of PD-L1 as a Predictive Biomarker for Therapy Selection in mRCC
A newly published systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) evaluates the predictive significance of PD-L1 expression in the treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
News IEC 2023: Key Challenges for Epilepsy Patients Include Status Epilepticus and Anxiety Management
Why is anxiety a significant issue for epilepsy patients? What do current insights say about the connection between epilepsy and anxiety? Can artificial intelligence be used to predict status epilepticus (SE)? And what is known about the development of late epilepsy following new SE? These and other topics were discussed in September 2023 in Dublin during the 35th International Epilepsy Congress (IEC 2023).