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COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy

COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy was found to lower the risk of severe outcomes including preterm birth and postpartum hemorrhage. Vaccination during pregnancy is now recommended to protect against COVID-19 infection.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Pediatrics·DateOct 3, 2022

Full-dose anticoagulation treatment prevented blood clots in COVID-19 patients

A clinical trial has shown that full-dose anticoagulation therapy is more effective than standard-dose prophylactic anticoagulation in preventing blood clotting complications in COVID-19 patients. The study found a significant reduction in venous or arterial clotting complications among patients who received full-dose treatment.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalCirculation·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateAug 29, 2022

New risk score predicts mortality for atrial fibrillation patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement

A new risk score can help predict mortality for patients with atrial fibrillation who have undergone successful TAVR and been discharged home. The risk score was developed using data from the ENVISAGE-TAVI AF trial, which found that patients with certain clinical risks were more likely to die within a year of discharge.

Injured women half as likely as men to receive life-saving drug

A new study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine found that injured women are half as likely as men to receive the life-saving drug TXA, despite the treatment being equally effective regardless of sex. The study highlights a significant disparity in trauma care, with clinicians needing clearer guidance to reduce bias.

SourceLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine·JournalBritish Journal of Anaesthesia·DateMay 18, 2022

Recognizing an impending stroke

Researchers have identified a biomarker that indicates high risk of impending stroke post-subarachnoid hemorrhage, enabling early treatment initiation in comatose patients. Electrodiagnostic monitoring detects 'spreading depolarizations' caused by toxic by-products of blood breakdown, allowing clinicians to intervene before it's too late.

Identifying risk factors following ICH strokes

A new study by University of Cincinnati researchers analyzed outcome data from a large cohort of patients and found correlations between different risk factors, including age, hemorrhage size, location, and cognitive impairment, which were associated with poor outcomes. The results also showed that Black and Hispanic populations were m...

SourceUniversity of Cincinnati·JournalJAMA·TypeObservational study·DateMar 28, 2022

Insurance data suggests state laws have little impact on opioid prescribing practices

A study of insurance claims data found that state laws governing opioid prescribing had a negligible effect on opioid prescribing trends. The authors suggest that shifting clinical guidelines, professional norms, or other factors may be driving the decline in opioid prescribing. In contrast, a post-hoc analysis of an ASPREE trial found...

SourceAmerican College of Physicians·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMar 14, 2022

Use of epidural in childbirth is linked to decreased severe maternal morbidity

A study of vaginal births in New York State hospitals found that labor neuraxial analgesia – having an epidural or combined spinal and epidural – was associated with a decreased risk of severe maternal morbidity. The use of epidural anesthesia was linked to a 14% reduction in the risk of severe maternal morbidity, with racial and ethni...

An NICU quality-improvement program reduced death or severe brain bleeding in extremely premature infants

A comprehensive quality-improvement initiative in a NICU reduced death and severe brain bleeding in extremely preterm infants from 27.4% to 15%. The program introduced evidence-based practices, including electronic order sets, improved monitoring of blood carbon dioxide and pH levels, and standardized delivery room practices.

SourceUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham·JournalPEDIATRICS·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 3, 2022

Obesity may increase risk of some female reproductive disorders

A study published in PLOS Medicine found associations between obesity and various female reproductive conditions. Researchers used Mendelian randomization to investigate causal links between body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and risk of conditions like uterine fibroids and pre-eclampsia.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 1, 2022

Study: Nearly 1 in 7 COVID patients in ICU experienced severe bleeding when given full-dose blood thinners

A recent University at Buffalo-led study found that nearly 1 in 7 COVID patients in ICU experienced severe bleeding when given full-dose blood thinners. The research compared the safety and effectiveness of two blood clot treatment strategies, finding that a smaller dose was equally effective but carried less bleeding risk.

SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalHospital Pharmacy·DateJan 28, 2022

ACP releases two new clinical guidelines on the diagnosis and management of diverticulitis

The American College of Physicians (ACP) has released two new clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of diverticulitis. The guidelines recommend that clinicians manage most patients with uncomplicated disease in outpatient settings without antibiotics, while patients with complicated disease should be referred for colonos...

SourceAmerican College of Physicians·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·DateJan 17, 2022

Bioengineered nanoparticles show promise for fibrinogen manufacture, says Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis study

Researchers developed a novel polymeric nanoparticle that selectively binds to fibrinogen in human plasma, offering a simpler and less expensive way to manufacture fibrinogen concentrate. This breakthrough could lead to the creation of more efficient fibrinogen-specific affinity reagents for drug development.

SourceCactus Communications·JournalJournal of Pharmaceutical Analysis·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 13, 2022

Safer, newer blood thinners are under-prescribed for elderly and at-risk patients

A new study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology found that frail patients with atrial fibrillation are under-prescribed for direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), a safer alternative to traditional warfarin treatment. Despite needing DOACs most, these patients are less likely to receive them than non-frail patients.

SourceElsevier·JournalCanadian Journal of Cardiology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 20, 2021

Cost, bleeding cited as major reasons for not taking newer anti-coagulant as prescribed

A recent study found that 26-45% of people with atrial fibrillation fail to adhere to their prescribed direct-acting oral anticoagulants due to cost and bleeding concerns. Researchers interviewed 42 adults who had stopped or reduced dosing, citing these reasons as major barriers to adherence.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·TypeSurvey·DateSep 2, 2021

Edoxaban may be effective treatment for atrial fibrillation after transcatheter aortic valve replacement

A large-scale international study found that edoxaban is non-inferior to warfarin for efficacy in preventing adverse events, but led to higher bleeding complications. The trial suggests that treatment with edoxaban can be valuable in managing AF patients after TAVR, especially when a lower dose of edoxaban is used.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateAug 28, 2021

Eight predictors of upper gastrointestinal bleeding after heart attack

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified eight primary factors that increase the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding after heart attack. The study, published in European Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy, found that smoking, blood pressure, and blood glucose are among the new predictors.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalEuropean Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy·TypeObservational study·DateAug 23, 2021

Life-saving snake venom

A novel body tissue adhesive incorporating snake venom has been developed to stop life-threatening bleeding in seconds. The 'super glue' works with visible light and offers 10 times the strength of existing fibrin glue, cutting blood clotting time in half.

SourceUniversity of Western Ontario·JournalScience Advances·DateJul 15, 2021