Current medical research and opinion
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Presence of chronic non-cancer pain conditions (CNPC) among adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) may reduce benefits of antidepressant therapy, thereby increasing the possibility of treatment resistance. This study sought to investigate factors associated with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) among adults with MDD and CNPC using machine learning approaches. ⋯ Machine learning identified several factors that warrant further investigation and may serve as potential targets for clinical intervention to improve treatment outcomes in patients with TRD and CNPC.
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This post-authorization safety study (EU PAS Register Number: EUPAS16088) was designed to compare the incidence of cancer outcomes in patients treated with mirabegron versus antimuscarinic medications. ⋯ The results suggest no association between mirabegron use and risk of cancer, compared with antimuscarinic medications, in either men or women. Registration: EU PAS Register Number: EUPAS16088.
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Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a lifelong blood disorder affecting approximately 100,000 individuals in the United States (US). A number of new treatments have recently become available to improve SCD clinical outcomes, but it is unclear how treatment innovations that reduce disease severity could affect patients' humanistic and economic outcomes. ⋯ In conclusion, disease severity, strongly predicted worse self-reported HRQoL, moderately predicted increased likelihood of collecting disability insurance, and weakly predicted lower household income levels.
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Plexiform neurofibroma (PN) is one of the most striking clinical features of neurofibromatosis 1. Growth of PN can occur at any stage of life but mostly in childhood and during hormonal changes. They arise from multiple nerve fascicles and may transform into malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. ⋯ Approval was based on one pivotal, single-arm, phase II trial. 70% of participants experienced confirmed partial response of tumor shrinkage, and 68% also had improvement of related complications, and other studies have also shown beneficial responses. The major limitation of this molecule regarding its mechanism of action is the dose-dependent effect of MEK inhibition in growth of neurofibroma. Long-term safety and efficacy studies are to be done in the future to establish selumetininb as a useful medicine.
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Lung cancer accounts for 28% of all cancer deaths, more deaths than any other cancer in the United States. The influence of body composition has been evaluated in several studies, specifically, the influence of obesity on lung cancer survival. Outcomes have been mixed, with some studies demonstrating a paradoxical beneficial effect in early lung cancer where survival is improved in obese patients. The study aim was to evaluate the impact of obesity on overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), and occurrence of serious adverse events (SAE) in clinical trials evaluating bevacizumab for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ⋯ In this analysis of clinical trial data, obesity was not associated with worse survival versus non-obese individuals in advanced NSCLC. In addition, serious adverse events were similar between patients with and without obesity.