Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Industry
Organ transplant recipients remain vulnerable to Covid-19 even after second vaccine dose.
6 May, 2021 | 09:03h | UTCOriginal Study: Antibody Response to 2-Dose SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine Series in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients – JAMA
[Press release – not published yet] Moderna announces positive initial booster data against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.
6 May, 2021 | 08:57h | UTCModerna Announces Positive Initial Booster Data Against SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern – Moderna
Commentary: We just got our first evidence that Moderna’s coronavirus booster shot works to fight variants – Insider
Commentaries on Twitter
Moderna announces that a single dose of their #COVID19 booster shot provides a strong immunologic response to the variant first identified in South Africa (B.1.351) & Brazil (P.1).
This was also well tolerated.
Press release: https://t.co/q46Wx27BzI pic.twitter.com/16JpxrM4Vq
— Isaac Bogoch (@BogochIsaac) May 5, 2021
Great news
💥Single booster dose of 50 µg of mRNA-1273 or mRNA-1273.351 increased neutralizing titers against SARS-CoV-2 and two variants of concern (B.1.351, P.1)in previously vaccinated clinical trial participants💥 https://t.co/rzhDsgxEDh— Antibiotic Steward Bassam Ghanem 🅱️C🆔🅿️🌟 (@ABsteward) May 6, 2021
RCT: Perioperative dexamethasone reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting and is not associated with increased risk of surgical-site infections, even among diabetic patients.
6 May, 2021 | 08:54h | UTCDexamethasone and Surgical-Site Infection – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Dexamethasone treatment safe in surgery – Monash University
Practice changing | A four-month rifapentine regiment with moxifloxacin is noninferior to the standard 6-month regimen in the treatment of tuberculosis.
6 May, 2021 | 08:56h | UTCCommentary: Four-month TB treatment matches six-month standard of care – Aidsmap
RCT: The combination of liraglutide + exercise improves weight loss maintenance more than either treatment alone.
6 May, 2021 | 08:52h | UTCCommentary: Liraglutide beneficial for post-diet weight loss maintenance – Medwire News
COVID has pushed medical research into remote trials, benefiting patients and scientists
5 May, 2021 | 08:38h | UTC
Covax: How will Covid vaccines be shared around the world?
5 May, 2021 | 08:35h | UTCCovax: How will Covid vaccines be shared around the world? – BBC
Related: WHO chief – The world can bring the global COVID-19 pandemic under control in the coming months provided it distributes the necessary resources fairly AND A year in the COVID-19 vaccine scheme COVAX
China’s COVID vaccines are going global — but questions remain
5 May, 2021 | 08:32h | UTCChina’s COVID vaccines are going global — but questions remain – Nature
What’s the future of vaccines linked to rare clotting disorders? Science breaks down the latest
5 May, 2021 | 08:37h | UTC
USPSTF Draft Statement: Insufficient evidence to recommend multivitamin supplements for the prevention of CVD or cancer. The statement also recommends against the use of beta-carotene (increases risk of CVD mortality and lung cancer) or vitamin E (clear evidence of no benefit)
5 May, 2021 | 08:30h | UTCDraft Evidence Review: Vitamin, Mineral, and Multivitamin Supplementation to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer
ASCO Guideline Update: Appropriate systemic therapy dosing for obese adult patients with cancer
5 May, 2021 | 08:27h | UTC
Prior SARS-CoV-2 infection boosts response to variants after first vaccine dose
4 May, 2021 | 08:51h | UTCOriginal study: Prior SARS-CoV-2 infection rescues B and T cell responses to variants after first vaccine dose – Science
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Just published @ScienceMagazine
"After one dose, individuals with *prior infection* showed enhanced T cell immunity, antibody secreting memory B cell response to spike and neutralizing antibodies effective against B.1.1.7 and B.1.351." 👍https://t.co/7cCVM6iqdP pic.twitter.com/GiC43bjwZZ— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) April 30, 2021
WHO lists Moderna vaccine for emergency use
4 May, 2021 | 08:49h | UTCWHO lists Moderna vaccine for emergency use – World Health Organization
WHO Inches Closer to Approval of Chinese Sinopharm and Sinovac Vaccines
4 May, 2021 | 08:49h | UTCWHO Inches Closer to Approval of Chinese Sinopharm and Sinovac Vaccines – Health Policy Watch
Practical Guide on the Use of Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
4 May, 2021 | 08:38h | UTCCommentary: EHRA Updates Its Popular ‘Practical’ NOAC Guide – TCTMD
Study: Most patients who develop a non-IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reaction to nafcillin can be safely treated with cefazolin
4 May, 2021 | 08:36h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
New case series found 90% tolerated switching to cefazolin out of 80 patients who experienced non-IgE hypersensitivity reactions to nafcillin.https://t.co/YbFeWS4n4k
Our previous metas-analysis https://t.co/sJBjrx4a3r found higher odds of these reactions with nafcillin. pic.twitter.com/SIWcSuPcct— Antibiotic Tweets (@khalideljaaly) April 28, 2021
Final Survival Analysis: Apalutamide in Patients With Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer
4 May, 2021 | 08:26h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
Just in JCO @ASCO 👉Glad to share final OS data from TITAN trial after ~4 yrs of follow up: unprecedented OS benefit with APALUTAMIDE/ APA after adjusting for crossover from placebo👉48% reduction in risk of death with APA, HR=0.52 👇https://t.co/9ZCoXsTE6x @oncoalert @urotoday pic.twitter.com/FNBFA84DxY
— Neeraj Agarwal, MD, FASCO (@neerajaiims) April 29, 2021
M-A: Tocilizumab reduces the need for mechanical ventilation in COVID-19 patients, but the randomized trials included in the analysis showed it has no significant effect on the risk of mortality or adverse events
3 May, 2021 | 05:44h | UTC
RECOVERY trial: In hospitalized COVID-19 patients with hypoxia and systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein ≥75 mg/L), tocilizumab improved survival and other clinical outcomes
3 May, 2021 | 05:47h | UTCInvited commentary: Tocilizumab in COVID-19: some clarity amid controversy – The Lancet
Case series of 12 patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis with thrombocytopenia after Ad26.COV2.S vaccination – all women younger than 60 years, with symptoms from 6 to 15 days after vaccination
3 May, 2021 | 05:43h | UTCSee also: Safety Monitoring of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine — United States, March–April 2021 – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention AND Updated Recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Use of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine After Reports of Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Among Vaccine Recipients — United States, April 2021 – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
M-A: Pharmacological blood pressure lowering for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease – “a 5 mm Hg reduction of systolic BP reduced the risk of major CV events by about 10%, irrespective of previous diagnoses of CV disease, and even at normal or high–normal BP values”
3 May, 2021 | 05:29h | UTCCommentaries: Many more people could benefit from blood pressure-lowering medication – The Lancet AND Decisions about antihypertensive treatment should focus on reducing cardiovascular risk – The Lancet
ACG Clinical Guideline: Diagnosis and Management of Idiosyncratic Drug-Induced Liver Injury – antimicrobials, herbal and dietary supplements, and anticancer therapeutics are the most common classes of agents
3 May, 2021 | 05:22h | UTC
M-A: Delayed antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections is a safe and effective strategy for most patients
30 Apr, 2021 | 08:33h | UTCCommentaries: Delayed Antibiotic Prescribing Safe for Respiratory Tract Infection – HealthDay
RCT: Tranexamic acid for the prevention of blood loss after cesarean delivery – even though TA resulted in a significantly lower incidence of estimated blood loss, the clinical relevance of the findings was small
30 Apr, 2021 | 08:38h | UTC
Commentaries on Twitter
Another typically "positive" trial for TXA.
"the mean between-group difference was approximately 100 ml …. the clinical relevance of this narrow difference is questionable"
– No difference in RBC transfusions.
– 0.4% vs 0.1% VTE at 3 mos.— Ryan Radecki, MD MS (@emlitofnote) April 28, 2021
NEJM-Prevention of Blood Loss after Cesarean Delivery | tranexamic acid ➡️ significantly lower incidence of EBL greater than 1000 ml or RBC transfusion by day 2 than placebo, but did not result in a ⬇️ incidence of hemorrhage-related secondary outcomes https://t.co/ydF5HgHM0N
— Skeptical Scalpel (@Skepticscalpel) April 28, 2021
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