At the recent ObesityWeek® Interactive 2020 meeting, researchers discussed the investigational agent setmelanotide and it’s potential to treat two rare genetic diseases that cause insatiable hunger (hyperphagia). Setmelanotide, a melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) agonist, is being developed by Rhythm Pharmaceuticals to treat patients with deficiencies in pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) or leptin receptor (LEPR) who develop persistent severe obesity […]
A Nature journal has announced that it is conducting a “priority” investigation into a new paper claiming that women in science fare better with male rather than female mentors.The article, “The association between early career informal mentorship in academic collaborations and junior author performance,” appeared in Nature Communications on November 17, and was written by a […]
Up-front immunotherapy is the most cost-effective option for treating newly diagnosed unresectable stage III or IV melanoma with unknown BRAF mutation status, concludes a modeling analysis. Investigators evaluated eight up-front options and found that nivolumab monotherapy was the most cost-effective, followed by pembrolizumab monotherapy and the combination of nivolumab plus ipilimumab.Using targeted therapy (with the […]
Women with type 2 diabetes who take metformin during pregnancy to control their blood glucose levels experience a range of benefits, including reduced weight gain, reduced insulin doses, and fewer large for gestational age babies, suggest the results of a randomized controlled trial.However, the drug was also associated with an increased risk of small for […]
The all-consuming news about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 has overshadowed other viral pathogens that are the cause of severe or fatal lower respiratory infections (LRI) including human metapneumovirus (HMPV).”MPV is really a leading cause of LRI not just in children but in adults, with high mortality rates in the frail elderly, long-term care facilities, and cancer […]
Marijuana use was associated with a higher prevalence of recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) and a greater risk of bleeding or stroke after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in separate studies.Rhushik Bhuva, MD, presented the recurrent-MI results from a national US study, and Sang Gune K. Yoo, MD, presented the PCI study, which used data from a […]
Perhaps 40% of hospitalized patients with type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) are not evaluated by a cardiologist at the same admission, suggests a study based on experience over several years at a major medical center.Such patients may be short-changed on the number and kind of tests they undergo, their discharge prescriptions, and whether they are scheduled […]
Gusacitinib, a novel oral inhibitor of multiple inflammatory pathways, achieved rapid and clinically meaningful improvement in corticosteroid-refractory moderate to severe chronic hand eczema in a phase 2b, randomized trial, Howard Sofen, MD, reported at the virtual annual congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.The once-daily drug proved effective for this challenging condition, regardless […]
Patients with a primary humoral immunodeficiency (PID) are 91% more likely to have a psychiatric disorder and 84% more likely to exhibit suicidal behavior, compared against those without the condition, new research shows.Results showed that this association, which was stronger in women, could not be fully explained by comorbid autoimmune diseases or by familial confounding.webmd.ads2.defineAd({id:’ads-pos-1122′,pos: […]
Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. An infectious disease expert panel cautions against routine use of bamlanivimab (Eli Lilly) and notes that remdesivir (Veklury) can shorten the clinical course of COVID-19 — which could be critical as “as hospitals fill up” across the United States.webmd.ads2.defineAd({id:’ads-pos-1122′,pos: 1122});The group also said the […]