Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Industry
#AHA20 – Randomized trial: In patients with systolic heart failure, Cardiac Myosin activation with Omecamtiv Mecarbil led to modest reduction in heart failure events
16 Nov, 2020 | 02:00h | UTCCardiac Myosin Activation with Omecamtiv Mecarbil in Systolic Heart Failure – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Modest Gains With Omecamtiv Mecarbil in Chronic HFrEF: GALACTIC-HF – TCTMD AND Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac Outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure – GALACTIC-HF – American College of Cardiology
Commentary on Twitter
Among patients with heart failure & a reduced ejection fraction, those who received the cardiac myosin activator omecamtiv mecarbil had a lower incidences of heart-failure events or cardiovascular death at a median of 22 months than those who received placebo. #AHA20
— NEJM (@NEJM) November 13, 2020
#AHA20 – Randomized trial: In elective percutaneous coronary intervention Clopidogrel led to similar outcomes compared with Ticagrelor with less minor bleeding
16 Nov, 2020 | 01:55h | UTCNews release: Ticagrelor was not superior to clopidogrel to reduce heart attack risk during angioplasty – American Heart Association
Commentaries: Clopidogrel Should Remain Antiplatelet of Choice in Elective PCI: ALPHEUS – TCTMD AND Ticagrelor Not Superior to Clopidogrel for Elective PCI – NEJM Journal Watch
Commentary on Twitter
NEW Research—Clopidogrel vs ticagrelor or prasugrel in patients aged 70 years or older with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (POPular AGE): the randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial https://t.co/joepKHbgtu pic.twitter.com/gEyPl2HE80
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) April 30, 2020
#AHA20 – In patients who had discontinued statins because of side effects, a N-of-1 trial of a statin, placebo, or no treatment found that side effects often attributed to statins were the same for those taking a placebo
16 Nov, 2020 | 01:57h | UTCCommentary: ‘Nocebo effect’ cause of most statin side-effects, study suggests – The Guardian
Original study: N-of-1 Trial of a Statin, Placebo, or No Treatment to Assess Side Effects – New England Journal of Medicine ($ – no abstract available)
Commentary on Twitter
Patients who had discontinued statins because of side effects received four bottles of a statin, four bottles of placebo, and four empty bottles. Each used for 1 month, in random sequence. The symptom burden with placebo was 90% of the symptom burden with the statin. #AHA20
— NEJM (@NEJM) November 15, 2020
#AHA20 – Randomized trial: High-dose Omega-3 fatty acids did not reduce the risk of cardiac events in patients at high cardiovascular risk
16 Nov, 2020 | 01:51h | UTCEditorial 2: Do Omega-3 Fatty Acids Benefit Health?
Commentary on Twitter
In this RCT, omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) did not reduce major adverse CV events vs corn oil in statin-treated patients at high CV risk
(Compare w Vascepa in REDUCE-IT) https://t.co/7BIs1Rr8YZ#STRENGTHTrial #AHA20 #SteveNissen@ProfSNicholls @Dmozaffarian @ClevelandClinic— JAMA (@JAMA_current) November 15, 2020
[Not Published Yet] #AHA20 – Randomized trial: Fish oil and vitamin D supplements not effective for preventing atrial fibrillation
16 Nov, 2020 | 01:49h | UTCCommentary: Fish Oil, Vitamin D Don’t Prevent A-fib: VITAL Rhythm – TCTMD
#AHA20 – In patients hospitalized for heart failure with iron deficiency, intravenous Ferric carboxymaltose at discharge reduced the risk of heart failure rehospitalizations
16 Nov, 2020 | 01:53h | UTCCommentaries: Intravenous iron reduced rehospitalization risk in people with heart failure – American Heart Association AND AFFIRM-AHF: IV Iron Supplementation Linked to Fewer Repeat Hospitalizations for HF – TCTMD
Commentary on Twitter
Latebreaker at #AHA20 @AHAMeetings—Ferric carboxymaltose for iron deficiency at discharge after acute #heartfailure: AFFIRM-AHF, a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial https://t.co/gRKtbsxfba pic.twitter.com/k67HDJMW2b
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) November 14, 2020
Practice Pointer: Using antibiotics wisely for respiratory tract infection in the era of covid-19
16 Nov, 2020 | 01:48h | UTCUsing antibiotics wisely for respiratory tract infection in the era of covid-19 – The BMJ
Commentary on Twitter
When should patients with respiratory tract infections be assessed in person and when should you prescribe antibiotics based on best available evidence? This Practice Pointer offers guidance in the era of covid-19https://t.co/k6LoYPWmsv pic.twitter.com/rtIrjplyv0
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) November 15, 2020
Covid-19: Inhaled Nebulized Interferon Beta-1a shows potential for hospitalized patients in preliminary trial
13 Nov, 2020 | 09:33h | UTC
Preliminary study shows fluvoxamine may reduce clinical deterioration in outpatients with symptomatic COVID-19
13 Nov, 2020 | 09:35h | UTCEditorial: COVID-19 Infection—Preventing Clinical Deterioration
Tranexamic acid after traumatic brain injury: Exploratory analysis combining data from CRASH-2 and CRASH-3 trials suggests reduced mortality
13 Nov, 2020 | 09:21h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
📊🔍 IPD meta-analysis of #CRASH2 and #CRASH3 trials show rapid #TXA (<3 hrs) reduces early deaths by >20% in both studies
Highly consistent results that #TXA reduces trauma deaths regardless of the location of the #bleeding 🩸
READ @Crit_Care 👉https://t.co/s3vkm6c6Tf pic.twitter.com/og9jYi5tqo
— Clinical Trials Unit – Global Health Trials Group (@CTU_LSHTM) November 11, 2020
Opinion: “Why the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is a cause for optimism — and skepticism. Vaccine science by press release has to stop”
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:25h | UTCWhy the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is a cause for optimism — and skepticism – Vox
Related commentaries: Champagne and questions greet first data showing that a COVID-19 vaccine works – Science AND 90% efficacy for Pfizer’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccine is striking. But we need to wait for the full data – The Conversation
See also: Science by press release: When the story gets ahead of the science – CNN
Pfizer vaccine: What an ‘efficacy rate above 90%’ really means
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:23h | UTCPfizer vaccine: what an ‘efficacy rate above 90%’ really means – The Conversation
Pfizer’s ultra-cold vaccine could be difficult to distribute
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:22h | UTCPfizer’s ultra-cold vaccine could be difficult to distribute – The Conversation
Randomized trial: vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, or a strength-training exercise program do not improve clinical outcomes in older adults
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:11h | UTCEffect of Vitamin D Supplementation, Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation, or a Strength-Training Exercise Program on Clinical Outcomes in Older Adults: The DO-HEALTH Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA (free for a limited period)
[Not Published Yet] Randomized trial: Long-acting injectable drug every 8 weeks is highly effective in preventing HIV acquisition in women
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:17h | UTCCommentary: NIH study finds long-acting injectable drug prevents HIV acquisition in cisgender women – NIH News Releases
[Abstract Only] Randomized trial: Intravenous haloperidol more effective than ondansetron for cannabis hyperemesis syndrome
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:08h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
Excited to have been involved in this practice-changing RCT comparing Haloperidol (superior) to Ondansetron for Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome from @Qemerg @therealdraa_ron @savforrester Marco Sivilotti and others! Check it out!https://t.co/ylms5JIO9v
— Andrew K Hall (@AKHallMD) November 5, 2020
KDIGO Guideline Synopsis: Diabetes management in chronic kidney disease. Use of ACE inhibitors or ARBs, glycemic monitoring and targets, and choice of antihyperglycemic drugs are covered
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:09h | UTCOriginal guideline: Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2020 Clinical Practice Guideline for Diabetes Management in Chronic Kidney Disease
News Release [Not Published Yet]: Vaccine candidate 90% effective against Covid-19 according to manufacturer
10 Nov, 2020 | 09:41h | UTCNews Release: Pfizer and Biontech announce vaccine candidate against Covid-19 achieved success in first interim analysis from phase 3 study
Commentaries: What Pfizer’s landmark COVID vaccine results mean for the pandemic – Nature AND Covid-19: Vaccine candidate may be more than 90% effective, interim results indicate – The BMJ AND Covid vaccine: First ‘milestone’ vaccine offers 90% protection – BBC AND Hopes rise for end of pandemic as Pfizer says vaccine is 90% effective – The Guardian AND Four reasons for encouragement based on Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine results – STAT AND Expert reaction to Pfizer and BioNTech reporting interim results from phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial – Science Media Centre
Meta-analysis: Intravenous alteplase for stroke with unknown time of onset guided by advanced imaging can reduce cases of severe disability but increases symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and deaths
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:06h | UTCIntravenous alteplase for stroke with unknown time of onset guided by advanced imaging: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data – The Lancet (free registration required)
Commentary on Twitter
Latebreaking at #ESOWSO2020—Intravenous alteplase for #stroke with unknown time of onset guided by advanced imaging: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data https://t.co/KDX2lHisbj pic.twitter.com/cnoiRhIReF
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) November 8, 2020
Another study shows hydroxychloroquine does not benefit adults hospitalized with COVID-19
10 Nov, 2020 | 09:39h | UTCEditorial: Misguided Use of Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19: The Infusion of Politics Into Science
Commentary: Hydroxychloroquine does not benefit adults hospitalized with COVID-19 – NIH News Releases
Aspirin to be investigated as a possible treatment for COVID-19 in the RECOVERY trial
10 Nov, 2020 | 09:35h | UTCCommentary: Aspirin to be tested as potential COVID-19 drug in UK study – Reuters
Systematic review: Inotropic agents and vasodilator strategies for the treatment of cardiogenic shock or low cardiac output syndrome. “At present, there are no convincing data supporting any specific inotropic or vasodilating therapy to reduce mortality in hemodynamically unstable patients with CS or LCOS.”
10 Nov, 2020 | 09:30h | UTC
[Not published yet – presented at #ACR20] Randomized trial: Methotrexate improves function in people with knee osteoarthritis after 3 months
9 Nov, 2020 | 01:19h | UTC
Another study shows improved outcomes with dual antiplatelet therapy in the first weeks after an acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack
9 Nov, 2020 | 01:16h | UTCRelated Guideline: Dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel for acute high risk transient ischaemic attack and minor ischaemic stroke – The BMJ
Perspective: Rich countries reserve billions of Covid-19 vaccine doses even before there is one
6 Nov, 2020 | 09:52h | UTCRich Countries Reserve Billions Of Covid-19 Vaccine Doses Even Before There Is One – Forbes