Current medical research and opinion
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Although dyslipidemia increases the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and its adverse prognosis, the association between the ratio of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with CHD has not been adequately demonstrated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the role of LDL-C/HDL-C in the risk of MACCE after PCI in patients with CHD. ⋯ Higher LDL-C/HDL-C was closely associated with a higher risk of MACCE after PCI in patients with CHD.
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Real-world data evaluating weight changes in people living with HIV (PLWH) following switch to integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), specifically bictegravir (BIC), are limited. This retrospective cohort study analyzed weight changes upon switching to INSTI from non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) or protease inhibitor (PI) in treatment-experienced PLWH. ⋯ Weight gain and related metabolic health of PLWH switching from NNRTI to DTG or BIC should be closely monitored by clinicians. Further research is needed to assess other metabolic outcomes in PLWH remaining on PI and those who switch from PI to INSTI.
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To compare the risk of stroke and systemic embolism (SE) among patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) who abandoned their first direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) fill ("abandoners") relative to patients who continued DOACs beyond the first fill ("continuers"). ⋯ Patients with NVAF who abandoned the first DOAC fill had significantly higher risk of ischemic stroke/SE compared to patients who continued therapy beyond the first fill. There is an unmet need for better access to DOACs so that the long-term risk of poor outcomes may be minimized.
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To evaluate the time to discontinuation (TTD) and baseline characteristics among patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) treated with first-line (1L) venetoclax + obinutuzumab (VO) in the United States. ⋯ A small proportion of CLL/SLL patients who were older and had poorer baseline renal function discontinued 1L VO prior to completing 12 treatment cycles. Additionally, treatment utilization, including medications related to TLS mitigation and management, was more intense during the initiation phase of VO. Further research with longer follow-up to assess long-term outcomes of VO treatment after early discontinuation is warranted.
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Vedolizumab is an antibody targeting α4β7 integrin used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). Patients are commonly prescribed higher-than-standard doses if treatment response is inadequate, but little is known about the drivers and impact of increased dosing. Our objective was to use real-world data to describe vedolizumab dosages in current clinical practice, patient characteristics, physicians' reasons for prescribing vedolizumab, and physician treatment satisfaction. ⋯ Over 10% of patients were receiving a higher-than-standard dose of vedolizumab, but despite this were found to have suboptimal clinical outcomes and low physician satisfaction.