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Top Medical News
Dupilumab significantly improves all disease components of severe, uncontrolled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) — a primarily type 2 inflammatory condition — compared with placebo when both are added to standard of care. Furthermore, the treatment benefit extends to even patients with comorbid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-exacerbated respiratory disease (NSAID-ERD), according to a pooled analysis of the LIBERTY NP SINUS-24 and -52* trials presented at ERS 2019.
The use of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα) inhibitors was not associated with an increased risk of infection in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a contrast to previous findings in adult IBD, a study from Denmark showed.
The combination of sofosbuvir and velpatasvir is safe and effective for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing haemodialysis, a study has shown.
The combination of sofosbuvir, velpatasvir and voxilaprevir (SOF/VEL/VOX) is safe and effective as rescue therapy for hepatitis C patients in whom prior direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) had failed, a new study has found.
In children admitted for orbital complications of acute rhinosinusitis (ARS), the most important causes of medical treatment failure are older age and stage II/III orbital complications at presentation, a recent study has shown.
Clostridium difficile (CD) infection remains high in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) or myelodysplasia syndrome (MDS) undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT), a recent study has shown. Moreover, patients with CD infection appear to have a significantly lower overall survival.
Age and blood biomarkers such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) predict mortality risk in patients with advanced schistosomiasis 2 years after discharge, a recent study has found.
Special Reports
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) remains as one of the world’s leading causes of mortality in global public health. Dr Charles Hicks shared his insights into the increasing role of dolutegravir (DTG; Tivicay, GSK) – an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) – in HIV therapy during the 4th National AIDS Conference 2018 at Swiss Garden International Hotel and Residences, Kuala Lumpur.
Urogenital infections remain a major reason for women to visit their family physician and their subsequent referral to obstetrics and gynaecology or urology specialists. The association between abnormal vaginal microbiota and an increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), as well as an increased rate of preterm labour, indicates the need to better understand and manage urogenital health in women. Probiotics are “live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”. As such, there is a sound rationale for using probiotics to maintain female vaginal and bladder health.
At the 40th Malaysian Paediatric Association Annual Congress held on 6 September 2018 at the Ipoh Convention Centre, Dr Yong Junina Fadzil discussed the applications of a hexavalent vaccine in optimizing paediatric vaccination schedules. Meanwhile, Dato’ Dr Musa Mohd Nordin shared his insights into the paediatric influenza ‘landscape’ in the region and highlighted the importance of regularly vaccinating paediatric patients.
SKYCELLFLU – Inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (inj) 0.5 mL - AJ Biologics
Influenza is a highly contagious viral disease, which is primarily spread through water droplets containing strains of the virus. Dr Leong Chee Loon shares his insights into the management of influenza in Malaysia, highlighting the importance of improving vaccination coverage in populations at high-risk of influenza-related complications, such as elderly patients and healthcare practitioners.
ZEPATIER - Elbasvir 50 mg, grazoprevir 100 mg FC tab - Merck Sharp & Dohme
At the 13th Asian Congress of Paediatric Nephrology 2017 in conjunction with the 39th Malaysian Paediatric Association Annual Congress, Dr Wanatpreeya Phongsamart spoke on the importance of influenza vaccination in children, highlighting the role of quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) in providing a broader protection against influenza. Meanwhile, Emeritus Professor Somsak Lolekha shared his insights into the effectiveness of a hexavalent vaccine in paediatric immunization, and discussed its role in the Malaysian paediatric immunization schedule.
Conference Reports
Dolutegravir demonstrated noninferiority to low-dose efavirenz in antiretroviral (ART)-naïve patients with HIV-1 infection in a resource-limited setting, according to the NAMSAL ANRS 12313* study presented at IAS 2019.
Children born to women receiving dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV since conception have an uptick of neural-tube defects compared with those whose mothers took non-dolutegravir ART at conception, additional follow-up data from the Tsepamo surveillance study show.
The combination of emtricitabine and dolutegravir with either a tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-based regimen fared similarly to a TDF-emtricitabine-efavirenz regimen in reducing HIV-1 RNA levels, according to results of the phase III ADVANCE* study presented at IAS 2019.
The investigational first-in-class attachment inhibitor prodrug fostemsavir (FTR) continues to improve virologic and immunologic response from weeks 48 to 96 in patients with multidrug-resistant HIV-1 who had been heavily treated, according to the BRIGHTE* study presented at IAS 2019.
Individuals with HIV-1 who demonstrate virologic suppression on a tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF)-based three- or four-drug regimen (TBR) could safely switch to a two-drug regimen comprising dolutegravir and lamivudine, according to results from the phase III TANGO* study presented at the recent International AIDS Society conference (IAS 2019).
The guideline-recommended, single-tablet, fixed-dose regimen comprising bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide (B/F/TAF) was noninferior to the dolutegravir and F/TAF (D/F/TAF) regimen in persons living with HIV (PLHIV), according to data presented at IAS 2019.
Persons living with HIV (PLHIV) who received monthly long-acting (LA) intramuscular formulations of the INSTI* cabotegravir and the NNRTI** rilpivirine reported higher levels of treatment satisfaction and treatment acceptance, and greater willingness to continue therapy as opposed to a daily oral antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen, according to patient-reported outcomes of the ATLAS*** and FLAIR# trials presented at IAS 2019.
