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News If Suicides Were COVID-19... or Why We Still Overlook a Significant Cause of Premature Deaths?
More than a year since the start of the pandemic, the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has claimed 2.8 million lives globally, with 127 million recorded cases of COVID-19 (as of March 29, 2021). According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, there are 800,000 suicides annually, with suicide attempts being up to 20 times more frequent, totaling over 16 million. Given our current focus on physical health, are we overlooking the extent and importance of mental health issues in the population? This question has been raised by several experts from different countries in their submission to the February issue of The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
News Comparison of Biologics in the Treatment of Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps
The authors of a meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials comparing dupilumab, omalizumab, and mepolizumab in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps attempted to identify the most advantageous of the available biologics for this indication based on the ratio of benefits to risks.
News EMPATHY Questionnaire as a Tool for Better Personalization of Levothyroxine Doses in Patients with Primary Hypothyroidism?
The therapy for hypothyroidism consists of substitution with levothyroxine (L-T4). Failure to achieve the target thyrotropin hormone (TSH) level can be due to non-compliance (in 60% of cases) or malabsorption of the drug (in 40%). The aim of the presented Italian study was the validation of the EMPATHY questionnaire for better personalization of therapy.
News Association of Low TSH Levels in Hypothyroidism Therapy with Mortality Risk
Community surveys indicate that up to 53% of patients treated for hypothyroidism have serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels outside the normal range at some point. The negative effect of TSH levels above the upper reference limit is well documented, but according to two recently published population studies, mortality in patients treated with levothyroxine is also increased when TSH levels are below the lower reference limit.
News Current NCCN Recommendations for Classification and Risk Symptoms in SLL/CLL
The new recommendations from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) regarding chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) from August 2022 also include a brief summary of the most common symptoms and methods for classifying the disease based on its extent at diagnosis or in case of progression.
News Three tests to confirm the diagnosis of acquired hemophilia – infographic
Acquired hemophilia (AHA) typically manifests with spontaneous bleeding in patients with no prior personal history of significant bleeding.1–4 The cause of the bleeding is a significant decrease in FVIII activity induced by autoantibodies against coagulation factor VIII.5 In polymorbid patients, established antithrombotic therapy at the time of AHA diagnosis may also contribute to the bleeding.4
News MS in Children – An Overlooked Sister of Adult Diseases?
Multiple sclerosis is not just an adult disease. How common is it in children and how have current therapeutic possibilities advanced for this population both in our country and around the world?
News Recommendations for the diagnosis of ITP in adults and children according to ASH guidelines
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) guidelines from 2019 highlighted several important aspects in the diagnosis and treatment of ITP that have remained unchanged from the 2011 guidelines.
News Efficacy of Ceftazidime/Avibactam in the Treatment of Infections Caused by Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteria
Infections caused by carbapenemase-producing enterobacteria are associated with high mortality, and their incidence continues to rise. The study presented below investigated the efficacy of therapy with the combination of ceftazidime/avibactam (a third-generation cephalosporin and a beta-lactamase inhibitor) in treating these infections compared to the 'best available antibiotic therapy' (BAT).
News AAD 2023: Efficacy of Bimekizumab in the Treatment of Hidradenitis Suppurativa
At the latest annual congress of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), held March 17-22, 2023 in New Orleans, the results of the phase III BE HEARD I and II studies were presented among late-breaking presentations. The studies demonstrate the safety and high efficacy of bimekizumab in the treatment of adults with moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).
News Fixed Combination of Tramadol/Paracetamol in the Treatment of Chronic Lower Back Pain and Its Effect on Apathy in Chronically Algic Patients
Long-term chronic pain is associated with apathy, loss of motivation, and depression in patients. However, these comorbidities of chronic pain and their interconnections are still insufficiently explored. The aim of the Japanese study was to evaluate the prevalence of apathy in patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) and the therapeutic efficacy of the fixed combination of tramadol/paracetamol in treating this pain and its effect on apathy in LBP patients.
News How to Determine the Optimal Target Value of Intraocular Pressure in Glaucoma Treatment?
Glaucoma remains the second most common cause of blindness in Europe. Therapy needs to be individualized with regard to the severity of the condition, expected lifespan, and the rate of disease progression. Which factors should we consider when determining the optimal target value of intraocular pressure (IOP) for a particular patient?
News What Benefits Do Modern Antidiabetics Bring to Patients in Primary Care?
How has the life of patients who now have the opportunity to treat diabetes mellitus in general practice changed? And what do the current prescription conditions for modern antidiabetics bring to their treating physicians? We discuss this and more with diabetologist MUDr. Katarína Nováková.
News More Patients Will Now Have Access to Incontinence Aids
Since December of last year, new rules have been in effect for the prescription of medical aids prescribed through vouchers, including aids for urine collection and voiding. The new rules are governed by the current wording of Act No. 48/1997 Coll., on Public Health Insurance, which also includes a new categorization tree (Appendix No. 3 to the Act).
News The Patient Will Feel Comfortable Only with a Properly Chosen Absorption Aid
While before the approval of the amendment to the Public Health Insurance Act, it was possible to issue a prescription only for one type of aid firmly tied to a particular level of incontinence, now it is allowed to freely combine aids according to the individual needs of the patient. The modern market offers a wide range of aids − but how to choose a product that matches specific needs?
News Reasons for Nonadherence to Statin Therapy - Survey Results Among Patients
Adherence to statin therapy remains suboptimal despite its proven benefits in reducing cardiovascular risk in individuals with dyslipidemia. Recently published survey results conducted among patients prescribed statins have identified barriers preventing proper adherence to this treatment.
News Picking from the Red Book of the CHS: What's New in This Year's Recommendations for Diagnosis and Treatment of AML?
In recent years, there have been significant advances in the diagnosis and therapy of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). High-quality laboratory diagnostics (molecular genetics, cytogenetics, and flow cytometry) are absolutely essential, and monitoring measurable residual disease is becoming increasingly important. The range of treatment options is also beginning to expand. The content of the latest 'Recommendations for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML),' which are part of this year's updated 'Red Book' of the Czech Hematology Society ČLS JEP (CHS), is primarily based on the 2022 European Leukemia Network (ELN) guidelines and offers, among other things, an updated disease classification and risk stratification, as well as an overview of current treatment options for both intensive and non-intensive regimens.
News New Strategies in the Treatment of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia was primarily associated with dopamine dysfunction. Previous and current treatments have mainly targeted the mesolimbic dopamine pathway in the CNS and D2 receptors. However, the cited review article primarily addresses newer treatment targets and strategies beyond the dopamine hypothesis.
News Third Generation Targeted Therapy for ROS1-Positive NSCLC
The potent third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor, lorlatinib, has shown activity in preclinical studies against nearly all known mutations in the ALK and ROS1 genes that lead to resistance to crizotinib treatment. Moreover, lorlatinib crosses the blood-brain barrier, offering hope for patients with CNS metastases. The results of a clinical evaluation of the efficacy and safety of lorlatinib in patients with advanced ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were published in The Lancet Oncology.
News Pregabalin in the Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia Resistant to Gabapentin
Pregabalin appears to be an effective aid in patients with postherpetic neuralgia. This is evidenced by numerous clinical studies comparing the effects of pregabalin and gabapentin. It can be expected to alleviate painful symptoms and improve sleep quality, thereby significantly enhancing patients' quality of life.
News Combination of Targeted Therapy with Chemo in 1st Line in Patients with Left-Sided wtRAS mCRC
The preferred targeted therapy added to the combination with standard chemotherapy (CHT) for left-sided metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with non-mutated RAS oncogene should be an antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR), not against the vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF). This is based on a direct comparison of anti-EGFR panitumumab and anti-VEGF bevacizumab in the Japanese phase III PARADIGM study. The results were presented at the ASCO 2022 annual meeting.
News The Importance of Hydration in Wound Healing
In response to skin injury, bodily processes initiate to restore the function of the skin barrier, minimize fluid loss, and ensure optimal hydration. Studies have shown that wounds maintained in a moist or hyperhydrated environment heal faster than those left to dry in the air. Research further suggests that the harmful effects of exudate in poorly healing wounds are not due to the water itself, but to the biological components contained in the exudate.