Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Industry
Perspective | Coronavirus: so many variants, but vaccines are still effective.
25 May, 2021 | 08:46h | UTCCoronavirus: so many variants, but vaccines are still effective – The Conversation
Secondary analysis of RCT finds Tocilizumab was beneficial to patients hospitalized with Covid-19 if CRP levels were greater than 15.0 mg/dL, but not if CRP levels were 15.0 mg/dL or less.
25 May, 2021 | 08:52h | UTC
Meta-analysis: New generation antidepressants for depression in children and adolescents – “most newer antidepressants may reduce depression symptoms in a small and unimportant way compared with placebo”.
25 May, 2021 | 08:40h | UTC
CDC is investigating several reports that teenagers and young adults may have developed myocarditis after receiving mRNA vaccines. Most cases were mild, more often in males than females, more often following dose 2 than dose 1, and typically, within 4 days after vaccination.
24 May, 2021 | 08:41h | UTCCommentaries: C.D.C. Is Investigating a Heart Problem in a Few Young Vaccine Recipients – The New York Times AND U.S. CDC looking into heart inflammation in some young vaccine recipients – Reuters
Related: Israel said probing link between Pfizer shot and heart problem in men under 30 – The Times of Israel
[Preprint] RCT: Both REGEN-COV 2400mg and 1200mg antibody cocktails significantly reduced Covid-19-related hospitalization or all-cause death compared to placebo (71.3% reduction and 70.4% reduction, respectively).
24 May, 2021 | 08:46h | UTCREGEN-COV Antibody Cocktail Clinical Outcomes Study in Covid-19 Outpatients – medRxiv
Commentary on Twitter
REGEN-COV Antibody Cocktail(casirivimab with imdevimab) Clinical Outcomes Study in Covid-19 Outpatients: N:>4000 pts
Both 1200mg IV&2400mg REGEN-COV led to a ≥70% ⬇️ (vs placebo) in Covid-19 hospitalization or all-cause death over 28 days after treatmenthttps://t.co/NJxF4BjZRs pic.twitter.com/CFdvEEIWEL— Antibiotic Steward Bassam Ghanem 🅱️C🆔🅿️🌟 (@ABsteward) May 21, 2021
[Preprint] Pfizer and AstraZeneca Vaccines effective against B.1.617.2 variant after 2 doses.
24 May, 2021 | 08:42h | UTCNews release: Vaccines highly effective against B.1.617.2 variant after 2 doses – Public Health England
Original study: Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against the B.1.617.2 variant – Public Health England
Commentary: Covid: Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs effective against Indian variant – study – BBC
[Preprint] Effectiveness of the CoronaVac vaccine in the elderly population during a P.1 variant-associated epidemic of COVID-19 in Brazil – “CoronaVac was 42% effective in the real-world setting of extensive P.1 transmission, but significant protection was not observed until completion of the two-dose regimen”.
24 May, 2021 | 08:43h | UTC
M-A: Tocilizumab in COVID-19 – “For hospitalized COVID-19 patients, there is some evidence that tocilizumab use may be associated with a short-term mortality benefit, but further high-quality data are required”.
24 May, 2021 | 08:39h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
Tocilizumab as IL-6 antagonist in hospitalized #COVID19 pts, SR/MA/TSA:
➡️10 RCTs/6493 pts (52.2% ➡️ tocilizumab)
➡️some evidence suggests tocilizumab may be associated with short-term mortality benefit
➡️tocilizumab may prevent disease progression to MVhttps://t.co/sWR4Y351sl pic.twitter.com/JPD31Nb5rn— Intensive Care Medicine (@yourICM) May 22, 2021
Indirect Protection by Reducing Transmission: Ending the Pandemic with SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination – “Tell the hesitant: the vaccines protect both you and protect others — a lot!”
24 May, 2021 | 08:31h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
*Strongly* recommend this comprehensive review of just how much COVID19 vaccines reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to others. Tell the hesitant: the vaccines protect both you and protect others — a lot! @mugecevik @AaronRichterman @EricMeyerowitz https://t.co/Cv3t3zNMRL pic.twitter.com/sOLAKKIJnQ
— Paul Sax (@PaulSaxMD) May 21, 2021
RCT: Among patients with pemphigus vulgaris, rituximab was superior to mycophenolate mofetil in producing sustained complete remission at 52 weeks (40% vs 10%) but was associated with increased risk of serious adverse events (22% vs. 15%).
24 May, 2021 | 08:24h | UTC
Observational study finds a single dose of either Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines in older adults is about 80% effective at preventing admission to hospital with covid-19.
21 May, 2021 | 08:54h | UTCEditorial: Effectiveness of England’s initial vaccine roll out – The BMJ
Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies suggest low-dose aspirin may be of benefit for patients with Covid-19 – the finds require further investigation in randomized studies.
20 May, 2021 | 08:54h | UTC
COVID vaccines: the danger of journals being seen as substitute regulators – “the peer-review process is not adequate to evaluate a new vaccine in the way that a regulator can”.
20 May, 2021 | 08:51h | UTCCOVID vaccines: the danger of journals being seen as substitute regulators – The Conversation
Related: Covid-19: Sputnik vaccine rockets, thanks to Lancet boost
SPRINT Trial final report: targeting a systolic BP of less than 120 mm Hg in patients at increased CV risk is associated with improved CV and mortality outcomes but increases the risk of serious adverse events.
20 May, 2021 | 08:36h | UTC
A pharmacist-led penicillin allergy assessment program can delabel many “penicillin allergic” patients through allergy histories and penicillin skin testing. The program was associated with reduced use of high Clostridioides difficile infection–risk antibiotics.
20 May, 2021 | 08:30h | UTC
Commentaries on Twitter
🆕💥💥 @jamanetworkopen
Evaluation of a Pharmacist-Led Penicillin Allergy Assessment Program and Allergy Delabeling in a 3ry Care Hospital
Phase 1 : Allergy histories
Phase 2 :Allergy histories +Penicillin Skin Testing #IDTwitter https://t.co/pZfVf8TJIn pic.twitter.com/2VvnaCayqj— Antibiotic Steward Bassam Ghanem 🅱️C🆔🅿️🌟 (@ABsteward) May 13, 2021
This cross-sectional study found pharmacist-driven allergy assessments may help improve antibiotic selection and clinical outcomes for patients and hospitals https://t.co/io5LcU9U9U
— JAMA Network Open (@JAMANetworkOpen) May 13, 2021
M-A: Compared to cefazolin alone, pre-incision cefazolin + adjunctive prophylaxis with macrolides or metronidazole significantly reduces the incidence of post-cesarean surgical site infection and hospital stay.
20 May, 2021 | 08:19h | UTCPre-incision Adjunctive Prophylaxis for Cesarean Sections: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
[Preprint] RECOVERY Trial: Colchicine does not improve outcomes in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.
19 May, 2021 | 08:51h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
RECOVERY pre-print: Colchicine
11340 patients hospitalised with COVID-19
Randomised to colchicine vs usual care
No significant improvement in:
– 28-day mortality
– discharge alive at 28 days
– progression to invasive mechanical ventilation or deathhttps://t.co/mEtYq2qwkL pic.twitter.com/B0MNJWDi6e— Martin Landray (@MartinLandray) May 18, 2021
Systematic review: Autoimmune encephalitis related to cancer treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors – nivolumab was responsible for 61% of cases; onset occurred after a median of 3.5 treatment cycles, but very early and late presentations were common
20 May, 2021 | 08:13h | UTCAutoimmune Encephalitis Related to Cancer Treatment With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Systematic Review – Neurology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
WHO Solidarity trial to restart with focus on drugs that act on immune responses caused by Covid-19.
19 May, 2021 | 08:47h | UTCInternational COVID-19 trial to restart with focus on immune responses – Nature
Former CDC director: Direct Covid-19 vaccines to where they’re needed most.
19 May, 2021 | 08:42h | UTCFormer CDC director: Direct Covid-19 vaccines to where they’re needed most – CNN
Commentary on Twitter
Vaccine inequity is a serious problem ethically and epidemiologically. Read my latest at @CNN on why we must direct Covid vaccines to where they’re needed the most. https://t.co/2CD5xzI00h
— Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) May 17, 2021
Fluid-induced harm in the hospital: look beyond volume and start considering sodium. From physiology towards recommendations for daily practice in hospitalized adults.
19 May, 2021 | 08:32h | UTC
Large cohort study confirms the renal toxicities of anti-inflammatories, suggesting Ibuprofen may be the safest option among them.
19 May, 2021 | 08:28h | UTCComparative Risks of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs on CKD – Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Study: Ibuprofen Found Safest NSAID for the Kidney – MPR
Commentary on Twitter
Comparative Risks of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs on CKD
Read this new @CJASN study and listen to the accompanying podcast:https://t.co/GL1ITzh4O4 pic.twitter.com/lZGeFqfrDZ
— American Society of Nephrology (@ASNKidney) April 29, 2021
Systematic Review: Surfactant therapy via thin catheter in preterm infants with or at risk of respiratory distress syndrome is associated with reduced risk of death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia, less intubation in the first 72 hours, and reduced incidence of major complications and in‐hospital mortality.
19 May, 2021 | 08:20h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
https://twitter.com/CochraneUK/status/1393463418913443843
[Preprint] Practice Changing RCT: Therapeutic-dose anticoagulation with heparin (LMWH or unfractionated heparin) improves outcomes in non-critically ill patients with Covid-19 – the superiority of therapeutic-dose anticoagulation was seen in both high and low D-dimer groups.
18 May, 2021 | 08:04h | UTCTherapeutic Anticoagulation in Non-Critically Ill Patients with Covid-19 – medRxiv
Commentary on Twitter
Final results of the mpRCT now on preprint server. In non-critically ill patients with COVID-19 (n=2219), therapeutic-dose anticoagulation with heparins increases survival to hospital discharge with reduced use of organ support. https://t.co/TkhGs5qow5
— Ryan Zarychanski (@RZarychanski) May 17, 2021
#ACC21 – [Not published yet] RCT: Among hospitalized patients with Covid-19 and elevated D-Dimer, therapeutic anticoagulation with Rivaroxaban 20 mg was not associated with improved outcomes and resulted in increased major bleeding.
18 May, 2021 | 08:01h | UTCAntiCoagulaTIon cOroNavirus – ACTION – American College of Cardiology
Commentary: ACTION: Full-Dose Rivaroxaban Doesn’t Help in Hospitalized COVID-19 – TCTMD