Articles tagged with Drug Therapy
A new study suggests a personalized approach to treating mild persistent asthma, where patients take inhaled corticosteroids only when needed. This approach, called 'temporal personalization,' has been shown to reduce medication usage and severity of symptoms without impacting quality of life.
Scientists at NIEHS discover a way to turn off P-glycoprotein, a major gatekeeper preventing medicinal drugs from reaching the brain, allowing small therapeutic agents to cross the blood-brain barrier. This breakthrough could lead to new treatments for central nervous system diseases such as brain and spinal cord injury, brain cancer, ...
A new study found that patients with common kidney disease IgA nephropathy who have normal kidney function and only minor urinary abnormalities at diagnosis experience remission without special treatments. No patients developed kidney failure over a 20-year follow-up, indicating an excellent prognosis.
A new study found that brain scans can predict patients' responses to cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder. The researchers measured brain activity while patients looked at faces before treatment and found those with greater activity in high-level visual processing areas showed the most improvement after therapy.
The International Osteoporosis Foundation has published new guidelines to help doctors assess treatment efficacy in patients who experience a fracture while on medication for osteoporosis. The guidelines outline a checklist of pragmatic criteria that can be used to define treatment failure and take appropriate action.
A study at ESC Congress 2012 found that renal denervation improved contractile function of the left side of the heart by more than 10% in patients with advanced heart failure. In contrast, standard drug treatment showed no change in contractile function.
New devices, such as Solitaire and Trevo, show significant improvements in restoring blood flow and patient outcomes after stroke. These advancements could lead to better treatment options for patients whose traditional drug treatment has failed.
A new study found that LCZ696 significantly reduces NT-proBNP levels and left atrium volume in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction. The results suggest potential benefits of LCZ696 in treating this type of heart failure.
A new channel-forming protein, Panx1, has been identified as a potential target for the treatment of melanoma skin cancer. Over-expression of Panx1 in melanoma cells enables aggressive tumor behavior and metastasis. Researchers suggest targeting this protein with a topical medication to treat melanoma lesions.
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine discovered that an enzyme called HDAC2 is involved in reducing the efficacy of antipsychotic drugs in schizophrenic patients. The team found that inhibiting HDAC2 can improve therapeutic effects of antipsychotics and prevent drug resistance.
Researchers have identified sphingosine kinase as a key player in promoting resistance to breast cancer therapies, such as tamoxifen. Targeted inhibition of SK has shown potential in inducing cell death and blocking tumor growth in drug-resistant models.
A new study suggests that hormone acting drugs combined with uterine artery embolization can effectively treat large uterine fibroids without the need for surgery. The treatment has been shown to reduce complications and shrink fibroids by an average of 36%.
A study published in Hepatology reports a promising new therapy for liver fibrosis, a scarring process associated with chronic liver disease that can lead to organ failure. The NADPH oxidase inhibitor GKT137831 was found to suppress fibrotic gene expression and prevent further fibrosis in mouse models.
A team of researchers used computational analysis to identify a new therapeutic strategy for treating drug-resistant breast cancer. The study found that disrupting glucose metabolism is an effective approach, targeting existing drugs like Lapatinib. This discovery may offer improved treatments for breast cancer patients.
A study found that interferon beta treatment did not slow disease progression in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. The researchers compared patients treated with interferon beta to those without treatment, but did not find a significant difference in disability progression.
Researchers discovered an uncommon mutation of the BRAF gene in melanoma patients that responds to MEK inhibitor drugs. The BRAF L597 mutation is adjacent to the V600 mutation and was found in 4% of tumor samples, suggesting potential benefits from MEK inhibitors.
A weekly stress management program for patients with multiple sclerosis prevented the development of new brain lesions, a marker of the disease's activity in the brain. The study showed that stress management therapy reduced two types of new brain lesions common in multiple sclerosis.
A Harvard researcher predicts that a multi-drug approach could make many cancers 'manageable' by targeting the KRAS gene. This strategy involves using at least two drugs to combat drug resistance, which currently limits targeted therapy's effectiveness.
Pre-notification by EMS significantly improved treatment times for stroke patients, including arrival-to-imaging and tPA treatment within 60 minutes. However, rates varied widely among hospitals and states, highlighting the need for improved stroke care systems.
A new second-line treatment for Type 2 diabetes, linagliptin, has shown less hypoglycemia and weight gain compared to sulphonylureas. Patients treated with linagliptin experienced lower rates of cardiovascular events, but further studies are needed to confirm this finding.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has released comprehensive reviews of the most effective treatments for alcohol dependence, emphasizing medication and psychosocial therapies. These interventions have been shown to be effective in treating problem alcohol use and concurrent disorders.
A landmark randomized clinical trial is testing whether earlier treatment can prevent or delay heart damage in people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The study uses enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to detect early changes in heart function and evaluate the effectiveness of an anti-fibrosis drug regimen.
The Feinstein Institute has received a $9.3 million federal grant to train clinicians on better care for patients with schizophrenia. The three-year grant will educate providers on new mental health protocols and technology resources to deliver more-effective treatments.
The new drug dabrafenib has shown significant improvements in progression-free survival for patients with BRAF mutation-positive melanoma, with an average of 5.1 months compared to 2.7 months with existing treatment dacarbazine. The results also suggest that dabrafenib may have fewer severe side effects than other BRAF inhibitors.
A proposed drug treatment has shown promise in reversing Huntington's disease symptoms in animal models, with sustained motor and neurological benefits reported. The therapy silences the mutated gene responsible for the disease by using antisense oligonucleotides to destroy toxic proteins.
A novel chemotherapeutic agent, BAY 86-9766, has shown dramatic tumor shrinkage and prolonged survival in a genetically engineered mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The treatment was effective even in animals with advanced tumors and ascites, a common presentation in humans.
A new trial shows that a short-term antiarrhythmic drug treatment can prevent recurrences of atrial fibrillation as effectively as long-term treatment. The Flec-SL trial found that patients treated with flecainide for four weeks had fewer AF relapses than those receiving long-term treatment.
A telephone intervention trial found that patients with glaucoma showed improved medication adherence when receiving automated calls and printed materials. However, interactive voice recognition devices may play a supportive role in improving adherence, while further study is needed.
A new treatment method using computers to address childhood anxiety disorders has shown promising results. The Attention Bias Modification (ABM) program, which uses a technique to reduce anxiety by changing thought patterns, was found to be as effective as medication and cognitive therapy for children.
A new study identifies a unique alliance of proteins that plays a major role in the development of heart failure. Chronic high levels of adrenaline spur activation of PAR1, which causes cardiac dysfunction. Targeting either protein in the pathway may hold promise for treatment.
A study at EULAR 2012 found that tailoring biologic treatment to individual patients with rheumatoid arthritis can save €2,595,557 in costs over three years while increasing effectiveness by an average of 3.67 quality-adjusted life years
A new frontline treatment regimen combining carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and low-dose dexamethasone resulted in complete or near complete remission in a majority of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The study found that the regimen was well-tolerated, with improved responses as treatment continued.
Researchers discovered that GPR21 inhibition improves insulin sensitivity and energy expenditure in mice with obesity. The absence of GPR21 also reduces inflammation and decreases body weight under normal diet conditions. Additionally, another study found that FOXO1 plays a critical role in regulating energy balance and glucose metabol...
Scientists have identified a highly conserved 'switch' in the Hepatitis C virus that can be targeted by custom-designed drugs to lock it into an inactive state. This discovery offers a promising approach to treating the virus, which affects over 170 million people worldwide.
A study found that doctors who rarely meet with pharmaceutical sales representatives are slower to change prescriptions based on new information, taking up to four times longer than their peers. The study suggests that limiting access to reps can result in serious information gaps and affect prescription behavior.
Researchers have identified a biomarker that can predict which patients will benefit from bevacizumab treatment. The variant in DNA found in blood samples of cancer patients showed predictive value for treatment with bevacizumab, potentially allowing for patient-tailored use of the drug and increasing the chances of survival.
Researchers found an association between bisphosphonate use and atypical femur fractures in patients age 50 years and older. The study suggests that the risk is significantly higher for patients treated with bisphosphonates for longer periods, supporting the notion of a causal link.
Researchers have discovered biomarkers that predict response to treatment and proposed therapeutic solutions for patients who do not respond well. The study identifies the molecular mechanisms determining patients' response to certain drugs used in clinical trials.
A phase I/II clinical trial indicates that older patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia respond well to the experimental drug ibrutinib, which has few side effects and a high one-year survival rate. The study suggests that ibrutinib deserves further testing as a first-line therapy for elderly CLL patients.
A new maintenance therapy, lenalidomide, has been shown to improve outcomes for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who have undergone a stem cell transplant. The study found that patients treated with lenalidomide had a 59% chance of surviving free of disease progression after three years.
Children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) who do not respond to standard treatments may not benefit from rituximab, according to a recent study. The drug, which targets the immune system, was found to be ineffective in reducing protein excretion in urine after three months of treatment.
A new study found that how well people respond to their first drug treatment for newly diagnosed epilepsy can predict their likelihood of having more seizures. The study showed that 50% of participants were seizure-free after the first drug, while only 4% remained seizure-free after the third drug regimen.
A study published in Neurology found that the response to initial treatment can predict future seizure risk. The research followed 1,098 people with newly diagnosed epilepsy for up to 26 years and found that 50% were seizure-free after the first drug tried, while 4% became seizure-free after the third.
Research published in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery found that high volume endovascular stroke centers have faster times to treatment, higher reperfusion rates, and improved clinical outcomes. Patients treated at these centers are more likely to have blood flow restored and survive
In a new analysis, rituximab shows promising results in treating chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a bleeding disorder that destroys blood cells. The treatment promotes long-term response in approximately one quarter of patients, with normalized platelet counts lasting at least five years.
A one-year study has found that Avastin and Lucentis have similar effectiveness in treating the most common cause of blindness in developed countries. The treatment approach, where drugs are administered as needed rather than monthly, resulted in almost identical levels of vision improvement.
A new analysis by French researchers identified patients with low phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3K) levels and low expression of the protein LKB1 as likely to benefit from everolimus treatment in breast cancer, contradicting initial hypotheses.
A systematic review of 50 years of data found antipsychotic drugs significantly reduce relapse rates and hospitalizations in patients with schizophrenia. However, they also experience more adverse side effects, including movement disorders and weight gain.
Researchers found that ALS patients who receive feeding tubes before emergency situations fare better, with longer median survival and lower mortality rates. Patients also have polarized preferences for expensive treatments like Riluzole, which modestly prolongs length of life.
Researchers analyzed data from 4,168 Medicare beneficiaries with advanced non-small cell lung cancer aged 65 or older. They found no significant difference in overall survival between those treated with bevacizumab and those receiving standard chemotherapy alone. The study's findings suggest that bevacizumab should not be considered th...
A large-scale study shows that introducing sophisticated biologic therapies early in treatment improves response to medication and reduces the need for surgery. Patients treated with biologic therapies earlier were significantly less likely to need steroids and required fewer surgeries related to their Crohn's disease.
A recent study published in the European Heart Journal found that RAAS inhibitors significantly reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with high blood pressure. The treatment was shown to have a beneficial effect on mortality, particularly for ACE inhibitor users.
A Canadian study found that off-label prescribing is common in primary care, with 11% of medications prescribed for indications not approved by regulators. The study also identified medications with multiple approved indications as having lower rates of off-label use.
A mobile stroke unit (MSU) strategy roughly halves the time from initial call to treatment decision and can increase the number of eligible patients receiving life-saving treatment. The MSU approach breaks reported times for stroke management and substantially reduces delays in diagnosis and therapy.
John A. Kaufman, a professor and Frederick S. Keller Chair of Interventional Radiology, was awarded the 2012 Dr. Charles T. Dotter Lecture for his extraordinary contributions to the field. The award also recognizes his dedication to interventional radiology training and education.
A clinical trial involving 14 TNBC tumors explores the use of whole-genome sequencing to identify potential treatment options. The study aims to advance personalized medicine and guide treatment for individual patients.
Researchers found that over 68% of participants failed to take medication daily, with young men who smoke and drink alcohol being the least likely to follow treatment. High rates of hypertension remain steady in the region, contrary to Western Europe's decline.
Researchers from BUSM and BUSPH have developed a modified version of the Short Inventory of Problems (SIP) to help identify patients with drug use consequences. The new tool, SIP-Drug Use, is valid and brief, making it suitable for primary care physicians.
A new study by the University of Leicester has demonstrated that botulinum toxin is an effective treatment for overactive bladder, providing relief from symptoms such as urinary incontinence and urgency. The study found that 4 in 10 women became completely continent again after six weeks and a third remained continent after six months.
A team of researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has developed a new theranostic agent for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The agent combines a diagnostic test with targeted therapy to provide personalized treatments for pediatric leukemia.