Embargoed for release until 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday 23 March 2026
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Below please find summaries of new articles that will be published in the next issue of Annals of Internal Medicine . The summaries are not intended to substitute for the full articles as a source of information. This information is under strict embargo and by taking it into possession, media representatives are committing to the terms of the embargo not only on their own behalf, but also on behalf of the organization they represent.
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1. Dietary changes and medications could help prevent recurrent kidney stones
Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-04452
Summary for Patients: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-04452-PS
URL goes live when the embargo lifts
A systematic review of 31 studies found that diet changes like increasing fluid intake and following a diet low in salt and protein may help prevent recurrent nephrolithiasis, or kidney stones. In addition, several medications, including thiazide diuretics, alkali therapy, and allopurinol, may also be helpful. Evidence was unavailable regarding the usefulness of surveillance imaging. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine .
Researchers from RTI-University of North Carolina Evidence-Based Practice Center aimed to evaluate the available evidence about the benefits and harms of diet, pharmacologic therapy, and surveillance imaging to prevent recurrent kidney stones. They identified and reviewed 31 clinical studies involving nonpregnant adults and a small number of children. They found that increased water intake; diets with normal to high calcium but low sodium and animal protein; and certain medications like thiazides, alkali therapy, and allopurinol may reduce stone recurrence in adults with calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate stones, although evidence was generally limited. No studies evaluated imaging as a prevention tool, and data on children were scarce. Overall, the review concludes that while several approaches may provide at least a small benefit, more research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of some interventions and clarify potential harms.
Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Gabby Macrina at gmacrina@acponline.org. To contact corresponding author Gary N. Asher, MD, MPH please email Reid Johnson at reid_johnson@med.unc.edu.
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2. Delaying pegfilgrastim administration reduces bone pain in patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy
Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-02600
Summary for Patients: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-02600-PS
A randomized clinical trial found that administering pegfilgrastim, a drug that treats neutropenia caused by cancer medicines, 72 hours after chemotherapy sharply reduces pegfilgrastim-induced bone pain (PIBP) in breast cancer patients without increasing the risk of dangerous infections. The delayed dosing cut both overall pain levels and the likelihood of severe pain by more than half compared with giving the drug at 24 or 48 hours. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine .
Researchers from Southern Medical University and Guangdong Medical University aimed to determine whether there was an association between the timing of pegfilgrastim administration and PIBP, one of the most common adverse effects of pegfilgrastim that lacks effective treatment. In this three‑arm randomized trial, 159 patients with stage I to III breast cancer receiving their first chemotherapy cycle were assigned to receive the drug at 24, 48, or 72 hours post‑treatment. Researchers measured patients’ worst daily bone pain over five days and tracked severe pain and infection-related complications. Patients who received pegfilgrastim at 72 hours reported significantly less overall pain and far fewer cases of severe pain, while rates of neutropenia and fever‑related complications were similar across groups. The findings suggest that administering pegfilgrastim at 72 hours may meaningfully improve the overall treatment experience for patients without added risk.
Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Gabby Macrina at gmacrina@acponline.org. To contact corresponding authors Ciqiu Yang, MD and Kun Wang, MD, please email yangciqiu@gdph.org.cn and wangkun@gdph.org.cn.
Annals of Internal Medicine
News article
People
Prevention of Recurrent Nephrolithiasis in Adults and Children: A Systematic Review
24-Mar-2026