Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Mar 2024
[Current therapeutic standards in advanced soft tissue sarcomas].
Soft tissue sarcomas account for less than 1% of tumors in adults. With more than 80 different subtypes and often dismal prognosis, treatment of patients with soft tissue sarcomas is diagnostically and therapeutically complex. In patients with localized disease, surgery remains the mainstay of therapy. ⋯ In patients with disseminated metastatic disease, chemotherapy with anthracyclines remains the backbone of therapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have proven to be effective for patients with alveolar soft part sarcoma and targeted therapies with NTRK-inhibitors should be evaluated in patients with NTRK-fusions. This article focuses on current standards and developments in the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas.
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Mar 2024
[The German Guideline on Liver Transplantation by DGVS and DGAV].
The S2k guideline "Liver Transplantation", jointly developed by the German Society of Gastroenterology, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS) and the German Society of General and Visceral Surgery (DGAV), represents the first German-language guideline for the care of adult patients before and after liver transplantation. This guideline has been crafted through a collaborative, consensus-based approach, involving experts from various disciplines. It integrates current scientific insights and clinical experience to ensure optimal care for patients undergoing liver transplantation. Targeting health care professionals in diagnostics and therapy, patient advocates, affected individuals, and their families, the guideline aims to establish a framework for common decisions in clinical practice.
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Mar 2024
[Venous thromboembolism - was is new in the revised AWMF guideline?].
For the diagnosis of a lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis (LEDVT), venous duplex ultrasound is the method of first choice. If a qualified ultrasonography is not timely available, D-dimer testing, and limited ultrasound protocols (point-of-care ultrasound, POCUS) can contribute to therapeutic decision-making when clinical probability is low. A DOAC-based treatment regimen is preferable to a vitamin K antagonist for both acute therapy and secondary prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism (VTE). ⋯ Weight restrictions are no longer recommended for apixaban and rivaroxaban, but determination of DOAC trough and peak levels is recommended in the extremely obese and patients after bariatric surgery. In cancer-associated VTE, the direct factor Xa inhibitors are a good and safe alternative to low-molecular weight heparins (LMWH) for many patients; the adherence to oral therapy is also higher. Meaningful initial documentation and structured follow-up after LEDVT and pulmonary embolism (PE) are important in order to make an individualized risk-benefit assessment at the end of the therapy phase with regard to continued pharmacological secondary prophylaxis and to reassess patients' symptoms indicating post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Mar 2024
[Atrial fibrillation in the elderly - the geriatric perspective].
Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in older adults. As a result of the positive data on ablation, the focus has shifted to rhythm control. The method of choice is pulmonary vein isolation. ⋯ Oral anticoagulation remains an essential component of pharmacological therapy for atrial fibrillation. Older adults require an individualised treatment approach, which should be based on current guidelines and complementary tools. The assessment of functionality should be taken into account in therapy and goal planning.
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Heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a multifaceted disease entity. Confirming the diagnosis as well as tailoring the most appropriate therapy remains an ongoing challenge. The 2021 heart failure guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) suggested a simplified diagnostic approach, and the guideline update provided in 2023 gave recommendations regarding pharmacotherapy based on recent evidence. ⋯ M. Fabry, amyloidosis or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, there are emerging therapeutic options with the potential to substantially improve the physical capacity, quality of life and prognosis in these patients. The here presented update gives an overview on the recent advances in the area of HFpEF.