Current medical research and opinion
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COVID-19 has a wide range of symptoms reported, which may vary from very mild cases (even asymptomatic) to deadly infections. Identifying high mortality risk individuals infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus through a prediction instrument that uses simple clinical and analytical parameters at admission can help clinicians to focus on treatment efforts in this group of patients. ⋯ Data analysis found a correlation between clinical admission parameters and in-hospital mortality for COVID-19 patients. This correlation is used to develop a model to assist physicians in the emergency department in the COVID-19 treatment decision-making process.
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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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To translate the English version of general medication adherence scale (GMAS) into a Chinese version and test its reliability and validity in Chinese patients with chronic diseases. ⋯ The GMAS-C demonstrates satisfactory reliability and validity. This scale can be a clinically useful tool to identify the levels of medication adherence and possible barriers for adherence of the medication regime in patients with chronic diseases.
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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.