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News Inhibitor of Activated Factor XII Garadacimab in Prophylaxis of HAE Attacks
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is an autosomal dominant inherited disease characterized by a deficiency of C1 inhibitor. This condition leads to excessive production of bradykinin, which is responsible for the development of soft tissue edema. Garadacimab represents a human antibody, the first of its class, aimed at inhibiting activated factor XII, a key initiator of bradykinin formation. The phase II study presented below, whose results were recently published, evaluated the efficacy and safety of this innovative HAE therapy.
News Long-term survival of a 50-year-old man with metastatic pancreatic cancer on a combination of nal-IRI + 5-FU/LV in 2nd line treatment − case study
A recently published case study from the Czech Republic describes a patient with progression of pancreatic cancer following surgical treatment and adjuvant chemotherapy, who achieved a one-year survival with good quality of life on a combination of nal-IRI + 5-FU/LV after the failure of gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel in the 1st line of palliative treatment.
News Newer Beta Blockers Offered for Use in Atherosclerosis Prevention
An article highlighting recent scientific findings on the beneficial effects of beta-blockers (BB) directly on the arterial wall and the potential benefit for the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) by adding BB to already established strategies for treating dyslipidemia and diabetes was published this year in the journal Current Atherosclerosis Reports.
News Bacterial Biofilm as a Complication of Respiratory Disease Treatment
One of the unique characteristics of certain microorganisms is their ability to form organized communities enveloped in extracellular polymeric matrix and firmly attached to a solid surface or interphase or forming aggregates, collectively referred to as biofilm. Clinically, the major issue is the formation of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic organisms' biofilm on tissues (such as respiratory tracts) or the surfaces of various medical devices (including catheters and implants), as it represents a dangerous complication leading to the development of chronic, recurrent, and scarcely treatable conditions.
News Safety and Efficacy of Negative Pressure Therapy in Acute Infected Wounds
Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) is a globally widespread wound care method. It involves creating a local negative pressure in the wound, with key benefits including moist wound healing in a closed environment, gradual reduction of wound volume by drawing in the edges, continuous drainage of exudate and tissue fluid, and promotion of granulation.
News Pharmacological Profile of Mavacamten and Key Studies of Its Use in HCM Treatment
A new addition to the treatment options for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, approved for use in European Union countries in June 2023, is the selective reversible cardiac myosin inhibitor mavacamten. The following review summarizes its fundamental pharmacological characteristics along with the results of several crucial clinical studies and highlights the potential integration of mavacamten into clinical practice.
News Vaccination and ALEmtuzumab: ALE when?
When, why and against what should patients with multiple sclerosis treated with alemtuzumab be vaccinated? And is vaccination effective in this population?
News Pharmacokinetics and Safety Profile of Bilastine in Patients Aged 6–11 Years – Findings from Post-hoc Analysis of Studies
The second-generation antihistamine bilastine is approved in Europe for the treatment of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and urticaria in children over 6 years old. Post-hoc analyses of two clinical studies focused on its safety profile and pharmacokinetics in the pediatric population.
News How did alemtuzumab fare in real clinical practice?
A study published by authors from the University of Massachusetts in January this year in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders focused on the effectiveness and safety of alemtuzumab. How did it fare in real clinical practice?
News Viral or Bacterial Etiology? Old Question, New Methods...
The gold standard in the differential diagnosis of viral and bacterial respiratory infections is primarily C-reactive protein (CRP), followed by procalcitonin and interleukins. What are the pitfalls of their use, and what new methods of distinguishing the etiology of infectious diseases are currently being developed?
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 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 COPD is Treated Differently Across Europe – What Could Be the Reasons for This Variability?
As part of this year's Hradec Pneumological Days (HPD 2022), the head of the Pulmonary Clinic at Charles University Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Hradec Králové, Assoc. Prof. Vladimír Koblížek, M.D., Ph.D., reflected on the different rates of prescription of mucoactive drugs to COPD patients in various European countries. According to him, it is clear that in real practice, this treatment works. So what is the reason for its varying prescription across the old continent?
News Why can probiotics and vitamin D significantly affect human health?
Vitamin D deficiency is the most common hypovitaminosis in developed countries. It is largely related to a lack of outdoor activity. Additionally, the typical Western diet does not support a healthy composition of the gut microbiome. Gut dysbiosis, in turn, is associated with both intestinal and systemic diseases. Alongside a healthy lifestyle, probiotics and oral vitamin D supplementation offer solutions.
News Long-term Benefit of Luspatercept Therapy – Fresh Data from the MEDALIST Study
The goal of therapy for low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is to compensate for anemia, improve or maintain quality of life, and prolong the time to progression to higher-risk MDS (HR-MDS) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML). To manage anemia, we can resort to transfusion therapy or administer epoetins, lenalidomide, or luspatercept, the first representative of a class of drugs that support erythrocyte maturation. Last year's data from the follow-up of patients enrolled in the MEDALIST study pertain specifically to the latter.
News Trifluridine/tipiracil in Real Clinical Practice – Current Data from Spain
Trifluridine/tipiracil is indicated for the treatment of patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), where clinical studies have shown it extends overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). At this year's virtual World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer of the European Society for Clinical Oncology (ESMO), held from June 30, a Spanish study on the efficacy of trifluridine/tipiracil in real-world clinical practice was presented.
News Current View on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Theory and Practice
We dedicated one of the episodes of our podcast meditalks+ to the issue of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), focusing on aspects of care related to general practitioners. In a conversation with Associate Professor MUDr. Ludmila Brunerová, Ph.D., from the Diabetology Center at the Faculty Hospital Královské Vinohrady in Prague, we now continue with a more detailed look at selected questions that will also interest specialists.
News Dupilumab Improves Skin and Systemic Symptoms of Atopic Dermatitis
A clinical study conducted in the USA and Canada demonstrated the efficacy of dupilumab in treating moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, improving both skin symptoms and suppressing systemic inflammatory markers.
News Specific treatment of pulmonary involvement in patients with AAT deficiency − why, how, and for whom?
For patients with emphysema and decreased lung function due to alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), there is an approved specific treatment which involves the i.v. administration of alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) derived from human plasma. This augmentation therapy slows the loss of lung tissue density. Its effects and impact on the frequency and duration of exacerbations, quality of life, lung functions, and patient mortality are less clear.
News H₂FPEF Score for Estimating the Probability of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction in Persons with Unexplained Dyspnea
The simple, validated H₂FPEF scoring system based on clinical and echocardiographic parameters, developed by experts from the Mayo Clinic, allows the differentiation of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) from dyspnea of other etiologies and helps decide whether further examinations are necessary. The score can be calculated online and in the Czech language.
News Economic Costs and Concomitant FVIII Consumption in Hemophilia Patients Treated with Emicizumab in the 1st Year − A US Experience
The authors of a recent study, summarizing real-world experience from the US, focused on the concomitant consumption of FVIII (Factor VIII) concentrates during emicizumab prophylaxis and the financial costs in the first year after starting emicizumab treatment.
News End of Unnecessary Biopsies? Prostate Health Index (PHI) in Detecting Aggressive Carcinoma
The Prostate Health Index (PHI) combines the results of three blood-derived parameters: total PSA (tPSA), free PSA (fPSA), and [-2]proPSA (p2PSA) into a single numerical score: PHI = (p2PSA / fPSA × √tPSA). It is a marker used to differentiate patients indicated for prostate biopsy, enabling prediction of cancer aggressiveness and helping to choose the optimal course of action for a particular patient. Its benefit in distinguishing aggressive prostate cancer from indolent tumors or benign lesions was already proven in 2015.
News Fibrinogen and Management of Peripartum Life-Threatening Hemorrhage
The most common cause of maternal death in the developed world continues to be peripartum life-threatening hemorrhage. It can result as a consequence of the consumption of coagulation factors, primarily fibrinogen. The analysis presented below summarizes information on the prevention of this complication and the use of fibrinogen concentrate therapy.