Multidisciplinary

Jairia Dela Cruz, 39 minutes ago

Alcohol consumption appears to influence outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with a recent study showing that low to moderate drinkers have a lower disease activity and higher health-related quality of life than abstainers.

Knee osteoarthritis management with ESCEO guidelines: The importance of a multimodal approach

9 hours ago

At the Pain Masterclass Tour Symposium, held at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur, Prof Dr Reginster discussed the ESCEO guidelines for the management of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in improving the quality of life of individuals suffering from this disease, and presented information and evidence affirming the efficacy of the novel symptomatic slow-acting drugs for OA(SYSADOAs), patented crystalline glucosamine sulfate (pCGS).

Weierkang pills show promise in treatment of chronic atrophic gastritis

20 hours ago

Treatment with Weierkang pills, a traditional Chinese medicine, results in improved symptoms, endoscopic appearance, and pathologic changes in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis, a study has shown. Notably, trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) appears to play a major role in the pathophysiology mechanism.

Does age influence management of patients with prosthetic joint infections?

Stephen Padilla, 21 hours ago

Patients aged ≥75 years with a first prosthetic joint infection following hip or knee arthroplasty have similar presentations and management as their younger counterparts (aged <75 years), according to a study. However, cardiac abnormalities and mortality at 1 year are higher in older patients.

Knee osteoarthritis management with ESCEO guidelines: The importance of a multimodal approach

01 Feb 2023

The role of oral antivirals in COVID-19 treatment: Who, when, and how?

Dr. Roger Paredes, Dr. Nicola Petrosillo, Dr. Petrick Periyasamy, 30 Jan 2023

Though most countries have eased pandemic restrictions, there is no room for complacency in managing COVID-19, which continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality.

At a recent symposium, esteemed experts Dr Roger Paredes, Head of Department of Infectious Diseases at the Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain, and Dr Nicola Petrosillo, Head of the Infection Prevention and Control and Infectious Disease Service at University Hospital Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy, gave global perspectives on the continuing unmet needs in the COVID-19 outpatient landscape and discussed the role of antiviral treatment options in patients at risk of progressing to severe COVID-19. Dr Petrick Periyasamy, Head of Infectious Diseases Unit, Medical Department, UKM Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, chaired the session.

Antimicrobial resistance: Next global, public health threat after COVID-19

Pank Jit Sin, 10 Jan 2023

As the dust settles from the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the lurking threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) once again rears its ugly head. Weighing in on this topic is Professor Dr Sasheela Sri La Sri Ponnampalavanar, Infectious Disease Professor, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC). Below is an excerpt from her bylined piece titled ‘Tackling the Next Global and Public Health Threat After COVID-19 – Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).’

Simplicity with linagliptin: Efficacy and safety in a broad range of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus including those with cardiovascular and kidney diseases

01 Jan 2023

At a recent webinar jointly organised by the Malaysian Medical Association and Boehringer Ingelheim celebrating a decade-long of linagliptin use in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), two distinguished speakers addressed the efficacy and safety of linagliptin in a broad range of patients with T2DM; updates from recent clinical trials and real-world evidence were discussed.

Multipathogen testing an essential part of Test-Target-Treat strategy for respiratory illnesses

Dr. Mohan Ravuru, Dr. Johnny Sinon, Assoc Prof. Nuntra Suwantarat, 16 Dec 2022

At a recent webinar, experts discussed the paradigm shift in respiratory illnesses and treatment practices as the COVID-19 pandemic transitions to an endemic phase. The late Dr Mohan Ravuru, Physician Researcher and former Asia Pacific Medical Director, Abbott, Dr Johnny Sinon, Senior Emergency Physician from Makati Medical Center, Philippines, and Associate Professor Nuntra Suwantarat, Infectious Disease Specialist, from Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Thailand, delivered informative presentations and engaged the audience through a stimulating panel discussion.

Among the topics covered were the ‘immunity debt’ phenomenon leading to potential epidemics, challenges in the differential diagnosis of COVID-19 and influenza, and the importance of point-of-care, multipathogen testing as a part of the Test-Target-Treat strategy in respiratory diseases.

A retrospective case series of ovarian stimulation with follitropin delta in a mixed regimen with HP-hMG: An interim analysis of clinical outcomes

05 Dec 2022

Studies have shown that controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) supplementation with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-driven luteinising hormone activity such as highly purified human menopausal gonadotropin (HP-hMG) (Menopur®) resulted in a significantly higher proportion of top-quality embryos and numbers of good-quality blastocysts compared with recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) alone. Regimens that combine FSH and hMG are often referred to as ‘mixed protocols’ and have been widely used for ovarian stimulation in the past decade. This single-centre, retrospective case series study aims to assess the efficacy of COS with follitropin delta in a mixed protocol regimen with HP-hMG in terms of the number of top-quality embryos and clinical pregnancy rate among Malaysian patients in a reproductive medicine clinic.

MANAGING INFECTIONS AMONG PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE MYELOMA

05 Dec 2022

Managing infections in patients with multiple myeloma (MM)is important to improve their quality of life. Patients with MM are prone to infections due to the disease itself—the production of many malignant clonal plasma cells, which in turn, produce defective monoclonal antibodies.

Durable benefits with beti-cel therapy in beta-thalassaemia

Elvira Manzano, 26 Jan 2023

One-time ex-vivo gene therapy with betibeglogene autotemcel (beti-cel) reduces the need for transfusion in patients with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassaemia in an analysis of studies presented at ASH 2022.

Efgartigimod tied to sustained platelet count increase in patients with ITP

Elaine Soliven, 24 Jan 2023

Treatment with efgartigimod, a neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) antagonist, in patients with chronic or persistent immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) resulted in a higher proportion of patients achieving a sustained platelet count response compared with placebo, according to the ADVANCE IV* trial presented at ASH 2022.

Device filters out direct thrombin inhibitor from plasma for routine haemostasis tests

Jairia Dela Cruz, 23 Jan 2023

A user-friendly medical device can effectively remove the direct thrombin inhibitor (DTI) argatroban from plasma in a rapid and ergonomic manner, as shown in the results of a study presented at ASH 2022.

Trastuzumab deruxtecan confers hope as second-line therapy for HER2+ mBC

Roshini Claire Anthony, 20 Jan 2023

Updated results of the DESTINY-Breast03 trial, presented at SABCS 2022, showed that in patients with HER2+ metastatic breast cancer, second-line treatment with trastuzumab deruxtecan conferred better survival benefits than treatment with trastuzumab emtansine.

FRSW 107 proven safe, effective in previously treated patients with haemophilia A

Stephen Padilla, 20 Jan 2023

Use of FRSW 107, a novel homodimer recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) Fc fusion protein, for prophylaxis and treatment of bleeding episodes is both safe and effective among previously treated adolescent and adult patients with haemophilia A (HA), reports a China study presented at the 64th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition.

Signs of heavy menstrual bleeding often missed; standardized criteria for assessment needed

Jairia Dela Cruz, 20 Jan 2023

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) and women themselves may overlook the signs of heavy menstrual bleeding, with most HCPs failing to recognize the key indicators for bleeding disorders and perform assessments for patients with heavy menstrual bleeding, according to a study presented at ASH 2022.

Mitapivat maintains long-term Hb response in PK deficiency patients

Stephen Padilla, 19 Jan 2023

Treatment with mitapivat results in long-term and durable improvements in haemoglobin (Hb) and a decrease in transfusion burden over several years in patients with pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency, according to the results of a study, which was presented at the 64th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition.