Search results: (10000)
News Treatment of Schizophrenia in Light of New Findings
"Mental disorders constitute a significant burden on society," began Assoc. Prof. MUDr. Martin Anders, Ph.D., head of the Psychiatric Clinic at the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, during his presentation at the psychiatric symposium titled "A Chance for a Better Life with Schizophrenia Diagnosis," held on October 18, 2021, in Prague. His lecture focused on key issues in the treatment of schizophrenia, as well as on one of the recently registered antipsychotics—lurasidone.
News Bimekizumab in the Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis
Arthritis can appear in up to a third of patients with psoriasis, mostly after the onset of skin symptoms. Early recognition of this transition by dermatologists and general practitioners is crucial, as early intervention can prevent irreversible joint damage. In the context of effective biological therapy, there is even talk of the potential prevention of arthritis development in individuals with psoriasis.
News Prof. Hana Rosolová: According to recent studies, caution is needed with beta-blockers only in severe cases of asthma and COPD
Beta-blockers (BB) are among the most widely used drug groups in cardiology. While their position is clear in some indications, it is debated in others. Additionally, individual BBs differ in various aspects, which plays an important role in selecting the right treatment for a particular patient. We discussed some current topics related to beta-blockers with the head physician of the Center for Preventive Cardiology of the 2nd Department of Internal Medicine LF UK and FN Plzeň Prof. MUDr. Hana Rosolová, DrSc., FESC.
News Efficacy of Lorlatinib in Patients with ROS1-Positive NSCLC in Clinical Practice
Interesting real-world data have been brought by a study on the efficacy of lorlatinib in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a mutation in the ROS1 gene.
News Cenobamate − A Case Study from Slovak Real Practice
Cenobamate is indicated for adjunctive therapy of focal seizures with or without secondary generalization in adult patients who have not achieved sufficient results with previous treatment with at least 2 antiepileptics. This new anti-seizure medication with a dual mechanism of action thus brings another therapeutic option for patients refractory to treatment. At the November 34th Slovak-Czech Epileptology Congress in Bratislava, during a symposium titled “Is there hope for a quality life with epilepsy?” doc. MUDr. Eva Feketeová, PhD., from the Neurological Clinic LF UPJŠ and UNLP in Košice shared her first experiences with cenobamate in clinical practice.
News Assessment of Infection Risk in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Treated with Various DMDs
Although the increased risk of infections with some disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) is known, we still lack sufficient real-world clinical data to evaluate and compare the risk levels of individual drugs. A Swedish study therefore provides information about these risks with glatiramer acetate, beta interferon, natalizumab, fingolimod, and rituximab in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).
News What is the future of xenotransplantation? Pig liver and kidneys transplanted to humans for the first time
The initial successes of pig organ transplants to humans, conducted this March, gave hope that clinical trials of these procedures could soon become a reality. What path then leads to the clinical use of xenotransplantation?
News Magnetic Resonance Can Reduce the Need for Prostate Biopsies
As early as 2013, Czech experts demonstrated that in patients with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, imaging using a 3-Tesla magnetic resonance (3T MRI) can replace biopsy in many cases when detecting prostate cancer.
News Venous Insufficiency of the Lower Extremities – A Diverse Range of Risks, Manifestations, and Complications
Although initially often asymptomatic, chronic venous insufficiency includes a variety of symptoms. Some of its manifestations can be irreversible, increasing the socio-economic burden that this disease, especially in its advanced stages, represents. German authors have summarized the latest findings on the epidemiology, risks, pathogenesis, manifestations, and complications of CVI in their review.
News Targeting HER2 is Clinically Meaningful Even with Its Low Expression
Distinguishing HER2 receptor expression status on the surface of breast cancer tumor cells as simply positive or negative is now proving insufficient. Ultimately, it can lead to the non-administration of effective targeted therapy. What do we actually know about the “gray zone” between HER2 positivity and negativity?
News Doc. Jitka Fricová: The biggest challenge remains the patient with unbearable chronic pain
Research findings are pushing the boundaries of optimal chronic pain treatment, including better prevention and reduced side effects of analgesics. Algological care is readily accessible in the Czech Republic, yet it faces limitations, such as the less manageable nature of unbearable pain, particularly neuropathic or oncologic. We briefly discuss the topic with the head physician of the Pain Treatment Center at the Department of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation, and Intensive Care Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and General University Hospital in Prague, Doc. MUDr. Jitka Fricová, Ph.D.
News Effect of Extended-Release Metformin on Cognitive Functions in Older Frail Women with Diabetes and Hypertension
Women have a higher risk of geriatric frailty regardless of age and menopausal status. This risk further increases with the presence of diabetes and hypertension, which also elevate the risk of cognitive dysfunction. According to available data, metformin may reduce the risk of developing frailty in postmenopausal women. A recently published Italian study, LEOPARDESS, aimed to evaluate the effect of extended-release metformin on the cognitive functions of this population of women.
News Domestic application of biological asthma treatment improves quality of life and reduces doctor visits
The benefits of the possibility of home application of omalizumab, a monoclonal antibody indicated for patients with severe allergic asthma, are summarized by Dr. Jakub Novosad, Ph.D., from the Institute of Clinical Immunology and Allergology, Charles University Medical Faculty and University Hospital Hradec Králové.
News Pitfalls of Levothyroxine Replacement Therapy
Hypothyroidism (reduced function of the thyroid gland) affects approximately 1-2% of the population. Its prevalence increases with age and it is more common in women. Synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine is used to treat hypothyroidism. It is a widely prescribed medication available in tablets of various strengths.
News Analgesic Effect of Metamizole in Cold-induced Pain
The cold test is used to experimentally induce acute pain – it can thus be used, for example, to test the efficacy of analgesics. The authors of a recently published German study evaluated the analgesic effect and tolerability of metamizole compared to opioid analgesics using this method. They were led by the fact that although the drug has proven clinical efficacy and safety, it has not yet been tested using this procedure, unlike opioids.
News COVID-19 and Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura − Spanish Experience Suggests Surprising Connections
In a retrospective study examining the impact of COVID-19 on immune thrombocytopenic purpura, Spanish authors surprisingly observed a paradoxical effect.
News Hypnotics in the Therapy of Insomnia (Not Only) in the Elderly
Problems with insomnia make up a significant part of the subjective complaints, especially of older patients in our clinics. Up to 1/3 of the population may suffer from chronic insomnia symptoms, and the number of people with this problem is continuously increasing. What are our options in its treatment?
News What has clinical research on the effects of inosin pranobex revealed, and what does it mean for practice?
Inosin pranobex, as an antiviral drug that modulates cellular and humoral immunity, is used in the treatment of many viral infections. It is employed in diseases caused by herpetic viruses, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus, or in immunodeficient states, especially in cases of cellular immunity disorders. What insights has clinical research offered on this matter?
News Expression of PD-L1 in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
An international team of authors published a systematic review addressing the relationship between the programmed cell death receptor ligand (PD-L1) and important clinical characteristics of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the significance of PD-L1 expression for NSCLC prognosis, and the potential use of this biomarker to predict the response of patients with advanced/metastatic NSCLC to therapies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway.
News Transthyretin Amyloidosis in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is considered a warning sign for cardiac amyloidosis. Amyloid deposits are often found in the tenosynovial material removed during surgery. However, the prevalence of concomitant cardiomyopathy is not yet fully understood. Japanese researchers from Kumamoto University recently focused on the relationship between carpal tunnel syndrome and cardiac amyloidosis in their newly published prospective study.
News Doc. Miloslav Salavec: We Still Encounter Delayed Initiation of Biological Treatment in AD and Many Other Diagnoses
Not all patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) who are indicated for biological treatment with dupilumab manage to reach centers where the treatment is provided. It's even more unfortunate when there's ample evidence that the effects of this therapy on disease manifestations and overall quality of life extend beyond just the patients. It also impacts the lives of their close ones who care for those with atopic dermatitis. Head of the Clinic of Venereal and Skin Diseases at Charles University and the University Hospital Hradec Králové Doc. MUDr. Miloslav Salavec, CSc., evaluates how dupilumab has performed over several years of real clinical practice and the specific benefits it has brought to patients.