Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Industry
Cohort Study: The risk of overdose with concomitant use of Z-Drugs (zolpidem, zopiclone, zaleplon) and prescription opioids is significantly increased
30 Apr, 2021 | 08:32h | UTCThe Risk of Overdose With Concomitant Use of Z-Drugs and Prescription Opioids: A Population-Based Cohort Study – American Journal of Psychiatry (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Co-prescribing Opioids, Z-Drugs May Increase Risk of Overdose – Psychiatric News Alert
AHA Statement: Prevention of Viridans Group Streptococcal Infective Endocarditis – Antibiotic prophylaxis for invasive dental procedures is suggested only for high-risk patients with the following conditions: 1) cardiac prosthetic valve; 2) previous infective endocarditis; 3) congenital heart disease; or 4) previous heart transplant
30 Apr, 2021 | 08:35h | UTCNews release: Good dental health may help prevent heart infection from mouth bacteria – American Heart Association
Top Things to Know: Prevention of Viridans Group Streptococcal Infective Endocarditis – American Heart Association
Slide set: Prevention of Viridans Group Streptococcal Infective Endocarditis
Commentaries: Commentary for Prevention of Viridans Group Streptococcal Infective Endocarditis – American Heart Association
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
In 2007, antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent VGS IE was scaled back.
“There was no convincing evidence that VGS IE frequency, morbidity, or mortality has increased since 2007.”
Thanks Drs. @LBaddour1, Daniel DeSimone and Walter Wilsonhttps://t.co/r9It8c3IwA pic.twitter.com/EO3gcKZAzG
— Mayo Clinic Infectious Diseases (@MayoClinicINFD) April 18, 2021
AHA/ASA Guidance: Diagnosis and Management of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis with Vaccine-Induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia – “No heparin products in any dose should be given.”
30 Apr, 2021 | 08:25h | UTCNews release: Guidance on treatment for rare blood clots and low platelets related to COVID-19 vaccine – American Heart Association
‘Unprecedented achievement’: who received the first billion COVID vaccinations?
30 Apr, 2021 | 08:14h | UTC‘Unprecedented achievement’: who received the first billion COVID vaccinations? – Nature
Study in England showed one dose of COVID-19 vaccine can cut household transmission by up to half – This protection is on top of the reduced risk of a vaccinated person developing symptomatic infection, which is around 60 to 65% after the first dose
29 Apr, 2021 | 08:44h | UTCNews release: One dose of COVID-19 vaccine can cut household transmission by up to half – Public Health England
Original study (preprint): Impact of vaccination on household transmission of SARS-COV-2 in England – Public Health England
Commentaries: Covid-19: One dose of vaccine cuts risk of passing on infection by as much as 50%, research shows – The BMJ AND Covid: One dose of vaccine halves transmission – study – BBC
Review: COVID-19-associated coagulopathy and antithrombotic agents – In non-critically ill hospitalized patients, therapeutic dose anticoagulation may improve clinical outcomes. In critically ill patients, this same treatment does not improve outcomes, and prophylactic dose anticoagulation is recommended
29 Apr, 2021 | 08:46h | UTCRelated: Full-dose Heparin best for moderate COVID-19 regardless of D-dimer — Data released from ACTIV-4a, ATTACC, and REMAP-CAP trials AND RCT: Intermediate-dose enoxaparin (1 mg/kg/d) not better than standard-dose prophylactic anticoagulation in patients with Covid-19 admitted to the intensive care unit
Commentary on Twitter
???State of the Art Review Article @TheLancetHaem by @MiddeldorpS
COVID-19-associated coagulopathy
Excellent explanation for the pathophysiology and great summary for the major RCTs and clinical guidelines https://t.co/NxP06KP2Hm pic.twitter.com/qHzyDsUZpt— Antibiotic Steward??Bassam Ghanem (@ABsteward) April 28, 2021
Brazilian regulatory authorities decide not to approve the Gamaleya vaccine
29 Apr, 2021 | 08:38h | UTCBrazil Rejects the Gamaleya Vaccine – Science Translational Medicine
See also: Russia’s Sputnik V developers reject Brazil’s criticisms – Reuters
CDC Study: Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines reduce Covid-19 hospitalization risk by 64% after the first dose and 94% after the second dose among adults aged ≥65 years
29 Apr, 2021 | 08:42h | UTCCommentaries: Pfizer/Moderna Vaccine Protection: 64% at First Dose, 94% at Second – HealthDay AND Pfizer and Moderna vaccines reduce Covid-19 hospitalization risk by 94% among older adults, CDC study says – CNN
Commentary on Twitter
New @CDCMMWR has good news: mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna) reduced the risk of #COVID19-related hospitalization by 94% among fully vaccinated people 65+. CDC recommends getting a COVID-19 vaccine to prevent severe COVID-19 illness: https://t.co/W4SFuV6wQp. pic.twitter.com/Jf4ph2rl4s
— CDC (@CDCgov) April 28, 2021
China May Become World’s Biggest Vaccine Supplier As India Defaults On Global Deliveries
29 Apr, 2021 | 08:39h | UTC
AHA Scientific Statement: Close monitoring for heart risk needed if breast, prostate cancer treatment includes hormonal therapies
29 Apr, 2021 | 08:33h | UTCNews release: Close monitoring for heart risk needed if breast, prostate cancer treatment includes hormones – American Heart Association
Top Things to Know: Impact of Hormonal Therapies for Treatment of Hormone-Dependent Cancers (Breast and Prostate) on the Cardiovascular System – American Heart Association
Commentaries: Hormonal Therapy for Breast and Prostate Cancer: Lessons and Opportunities – American Heart Association AND Hormonal Based Therapies in the Treatment of Breast and Prostate Cancer – balancing the risks! – American Heart Association AND Hormone Cancer Therapies Increase CV Risk: AHA Scientific Statement – TCTMD AND Closely Monitor Heart Health in Cancer Patients Who Get Hormonal Therapies: AHA – HealthDay
M-A: Extended thromboprophylaxis after hospital discharge for medically ill patients with cancer – Extended thromboprophylaxis is not associated with a reduced rate of venous thromboembolic events and is associated with increased risk of hemorrhage
29 Apr, 2021 | 08:28h | UTC
M-A: Administration of vasopressor medications through a peripheral intravenous catheter is associated with low risk of adverse events
29 Apr, 2021 | 08:19h | UTCRelated Meta-Analysis: Complication of vasopressor infusion through peripheral venous catheter (study and commentary on Twitter)
How the UK found the first effective Covid-19 treatment — and saved a million lives (about the RECOVERY trial and the effects of Dexamethasone)
28 Apr, 2021 | 08:36h | UTCHow the UK found the first effective Covid-19 treatment — and saved a million lives – Vox
Related: Covid-19: The Inside Story of the RECOVERY Trial AND Covid: The London bus trip that saved maybe a million lives – BBC
Safety of tranexamic acid in hip and knee arthroplasty in high-risk patients – this large observational study did not show an increased risk for venous thromboembolism, myocardial infarction, seizures, ischemic strokes, or transient ischemic attacks, irrespective of patient high-risk status at baseline
28 Apr, 2021 | 07:59h | UTCSafety of Tranexamic Acid in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in High-risk Patients – Anesthesiology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries on Twitter
Our study online @_Anesthesiology today: safety of TXA in high-risk pts ➡️data from 500 hospitals shows no increased risks of VTE, MI, seizures, ischemic stroke or TIA. @HipKneeDoc @MountSinaiOrtho ? https://t.co/za7SH8C7rj pic.twitter.com/J8hoW6stNm
— Jashvant Poeran (@jashvant_p) April 16, 2021
Safety of Tranexamic Acid in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in High-risk Patients @_Anesthesiology
?TXA in high risk pts is not associated w/ venous thromboembolism, myocardial infarction, seizures, ischemic strokes, or TIAshttps://t.co/DwZe0brJ9L pic.twitter.com/KGcRCftcOl
— Emily Sharpe, MD (@emilysharpe) April 22, 2021
RCT: Reduced dose direct oral anticoagulants may be a safer option to vitamin K antagonists in hemodialysis patients with atrial fibrillation
27 Apr, 2021 | 09:27h | UTCSafety and Efficacy of Vitamin K Antagonists versus Rivaroxaban in Hemodialysis Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial – Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary on Twitter
This study finds that patients on hemodialysis with atrial fibrillation experienced decreased cardiovascular events and major bleeding complications with direct oral anticoagulants compared with vitamin K antagonists https://t.co/6FOKkEXtfN pic.twitter.com/PD6qHaeZjT
— JASN_News (@JASN_News) March 22, 2021
Systematic Review: Dopamine agonists for preventing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
27 Apr, 2021 | 09:08h | UTCDopamine agonists for preventing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome – Cochrane Library
Immunization services begin slow recovery from COVID-19 disruptions, though millions of children remain at risk from deadly diseases – WHO, UNICEF, Gavi
27 Apr, 2021 | 08:41h | UTCRelated report: Disability considerations for COVID-19 vaccination: WHO and UNICEF policy brief, 19 April 2021 – World Health Organization
Commentary on Twitter
While immunization services begin slow recovery from #COVID19, millions of children around the ??? remain vulnerable to deadly diseases.
More info ?https://t.co/YjskC8z6nc pic.twitter.com/SEv8d2VSAB
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) April 26, 2021
Why the World Should Worry About India – “The world’s largest vaccine producer is struggling to overcome its latest COVID-19 surge—and that’s everyone’s problem.”
27 Apr, 2021 | 08:33h | UTCWhy the World Should Worry About India – The Atlantic
See also: Covid-19: Countries rally to support India through “storm that has shaken the nation” – The BMJ AND As India breaks another global Covid-19 record and hospitals run out of oxygen, countries pledge assistance and aid – CNN AND India’s COVID-19 crisis prompts global response – CIDRAP
M-A: Prophylaxis against Covid-19: 1 – no benefit from Hydroxychloroquine; 2 – as studies on ivermectin so far have been small, it remains very uncertain whether ivermectin reduces SARS-CoV-2 infection
27 Apr, 2021 | 08:44h | UTCProphylaxis against covid-19: living systematic review and network meta-analysis – The BMJ
Clinical review of 43 patients with COVID-19-associated Acute Transverse Myelitis and 3 patients with Acute Transverse Myelitis reported post-vaccination
27 Apr, 2021 | 08:32h | UTCCommentary: Rare neurological condition linked to COVID-19 cases in 21 countries – Houston Methodist
Recommendations to address patients fear of adverse effects and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy
25 Apr, 2021 | 21:58h | UTC
U.S. lifts pause on use of J&J’s Covid-19 vaccine
25 Apr, 2021 | 21:57h | UTCU.S. lifts pause on use of J&J’s Covid-19 vaccine – STAT
See also: CDC, FDA lift pause on using J&J’s coronavirus vaccine, add safety warning – CNN AND ACIP opts to lift pause on Johnson & Johnson vaccine – CIDRAP
Malaria vaccine becomes first to achieve WHO-specified 75% efficacy goal
25 Apr, 2021 | 21:17h | UTCNews release: Malaria vaccine becomes first to achieve WHO-specified 75% efficacy goal – University of Oxford
Original study (preprint): High Efficacy of a Low Dose Candidate Malaria Vaccine, R21 in 1 Adjuvant Matrix-M™, with Seasonal Administration to Children in Burkina Faso – The Lancet
Commentaries: Malaria vaccine hailed as potential breakthrough – BBC AND Oxford Malaria vaccine proves highly effective in Burkina Faso trial – The Guardian
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
?AMAZING—First high >75% efficacy vaccine for a disease with 229 million cases & 409,000 deaths worldwide in 2019 —#Malaria!
Created by Oxford, produced by Serum Institute of India, & supporting adjuvant by Novavax, SII expects to make 200 mil doses a year!
Science! #vaccine pic.twitter.com/gnPMvXxww6
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) April 23, 2021
New studies in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis show greater skin clearance with Bimekizumab, a monoclonal IgG1 antibody that selectively inhibits both interleukin-17A and interleukin-17F
25 Apr, 2021 | 21:08h | UTCStudy 1: Bimekizumab versus Secukinumab in Plaque Psoriasis – New England Journal of Medicine
Study 2: Bimekizumab versus Adalimumab in Plaque Psoriasis – New England Journal of Medicine
Related studies: Bimekizumab efficacy and safety in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (BE READY): a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised withdrawal phase trial – The Lancet AND Bimekizumab versus ustekinumab for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (BE VIVID): efficacy and safety from a 52-week, multicentre, double-blind, active comparator and placebo controlled phase 3 trial – The Lancet
Analysis of 1060 Cases of Drug-Induced Acute Pancreatitis – a large proportion of cases were caused by antineoplastic (16.89%), antibiotic (12.08%), and anticonvulsant (9.72%) drugs
25 Apr, 2021 | 20:55h | UTCAnalysis of 1060 Cases of Drug-Induced Acute Pancreatitis – Gastroenterology