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A study on titrated ondansetron for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea (IBS-D) has fallen short of meeting the endpoint due to being underpowered. However, when data from this study and two others were pooled in a meta-analysis, ondansetron appears to yield significant improvements in the composite endpoint set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), namely stool consistency and urgency.
Monthly injections of the investigational biologic garadacimab substantially reduced the mean attack rate in patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE) in the phase III VANGUARD trial.
Inhibiting the pathways of both epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) leads to significant improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) but more adverse events (AEs), results of a meta-analysis have shown.
Offspring born to mothers with Crohn’s disease (CD), but not ulcerative colitis, are at higher risk of infection, suggests a study. This association is partly mediated by adverse birth outcomes and antitumour necrosis factor α (anti-TNFα) agents.
Adding pembrolizumab to chemotherapy consisting of ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE) in the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma appears to be well tolerated and associated with better outcomes in comparison with reports from studies on chemotherapy-only regimens, according to data from a phase II study.
Higher concentrations of infliximab postinduction results in favourable clinical outcomes in paediatric patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) both in the short and long term, reports a study.
A recent study has shown that acute sleep deprivation leads to a decrease in blood concentrations of satiety-hormone leptin and to an increase in ghrelin and adiponectin, which induce hunger.
Special Reports
Empagliflozin is the first SGLT-2i to significantly improve outcomes for patients with HF in any setting (in-hospital/outpatient), across the full spectrum of HF. Results from the EMPULSE trial showed that patients hospitalized for acute HF who were treated with empagliflozin following stabilization had 36% clinical benefit on the composite of mortality, HF events, and KCCQ-TSS improvement. The EMPULSE trial also provides a reassuring safety profile for empagliflozin that is consistent with previous trials.
Viatris, a global healthcare company, collaborated with the Thai Hypertension Society and the Thai NCD Collaboration Group to organize the NCDs in Focus Act Now! Summit 2022 in Bangkok on October 29th and 30th. This summit brought together nearly 300 multidisciplinary experts from Southeast Asia and India to address the unmet needs in managing two critical noncommunicable diseases (NCDs): cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and mental health disorders (MHDs) in the region.
The summit had several key objectives. Firstly, it highlighted the effectiveness of clinical data in addressing gaps and unmet needs in clinical practice. Secondly, it emphasized the importance of sharing expertise and best practices through a platform that can optimize patient care. Additionally, it discussed the challenges of cardiovascular disease and mental health disorder care in a post COVID-19 world, and the need to re-examine them.
The summit also offered valuable insights into policy and practice changes, as well as innovative digital solutions that can lead to better outcomes. Lastly, it emphasized the significance of gaining a deeper understanding of the gaps in the patient journey to enhance patient care further.
Overall, the NCDs in Focus Act Now! Summit 2022 was a highly informative and productive event, with experts collaborating to improve the management of CVDs and MHDs in Southeast Asia and India.
A recent webinar on Men’s Health featured the use of avanafil – a second-generation phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5i) for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). The webinar was jointly organised by A. Menarini together with the Malaysian Medical Association and Malaysian Pharmacists Society.
During the 47th annual general meeting and dermatology conference of the Dermatological Society of Malaysia Tarun Chopra, advanced research director at L’Oréal Singapore and co-director of the joint microbiome lab between L’Oréal and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering at Nanyang Technological University, presented an overview of the impact of skin microbiota dysbiosis on the development of skin disorders and the potential therapeutic role of microbiome-friendly products in the management of these diseases.
At the recent Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) Expert Forum, Professor Dr Claire Harrison presented a lecture titled “Unmet Need and Future Direction in Polycythaemia Vera (PV).” Harrison discussed the problems associated with PV treatment, new diagnostic guidelines for the disease and role of ruxolitinib in PV treatment. Harrison is Clinical Director and Professor of MPN, Guy’s and St. Thomas Hospital, London, UK.
During a symposium sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline, two distinguished speakers shared their insights into the increased risks of morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) in the elderly population and discussed the current vaccination landscape in Malaysia, highlighting the key role of healthcare professionals (HCPs) in overcoming vaccine hesitancy in the population.
Dr Surayne Segaran, a Consultant Urological Surgeon, discussed the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED), the role of PDE-5 inhibitors (PDE5i), its preference over alpha blockers as the first line treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), and the minimal side effects of tadalafil for on-demand dosing at a Novugen-sponsored forum.
Conference Reports
Monthly injections of the investigational biologic garadacimab substantially reduced the mean attack rate in patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE) in the phase III VANGUARD trial.
Among patients with lymphoma receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy, those who received atorvastatin for 12 months were significantly less likely to experience a cardiac dysfunction than those on placebo, according to the STOP-CA* trial presented at ACC.23/WCC.
Too little salt is not necessarily better for individuals with heart failure, with the results of a recent meta-analysis suggesting that sodium restriction in this population increases the risk of death.
Long-term treatment with dupilumab is well tolerated, and its efficacy in children with uncontrolled, moderate-to-severe asthma as seen in the VOYAGE study is consistent, according to the EXCURSION open-label extension study. In addition, patients who switched from placebo to dupilumab has improved rapid lung function.
Revered by diet enthusiasts as a godsend in the weight loss arena, a low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF*) diet appears to take the opposite pole from a cardiovascular (CV) standpoint, as researchers from Canada found high levels of bad cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (apoB) in individuals who adhered to this dietary pattern.
A coordinated, multifaceted intervention of assessment, education, and feedback has resulted in an increase in the prescription of recommended, evidence-based therapies in adult patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), reveals a study presented at ACC 2023.
A full, therapeutic dosing of anticoagulation flops for reducing the incidence of overall combined outcomes in noncritically ill patients hospitalized with COVID-19 as compared with prophylactic dosing, although there is a signal of benefit for mortality and disease progression with the therapeutic dosing, as shown in the FREEDOM COVID trial presented at ACC.23/WCC.
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