Lower body mass index is associated with the achievement of target LDL in patients using PCSK9 inhibitors in Taiwan.

Objective: Proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors are a standard therapy for patients who respond poorly to or cannot tolerate statins. However, identifying responders to PCSK9 inhibitors remains unclear. This study investigates the characteristics of patients who achieve target LDL-C reduction (< 70 mg/dl) after PCSK9 inhibitor therapy.

Measurements of tenofovir-diphosphate and emtricitabine-triphosphate concentrations in dried blood spots of people receiving pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV with co-formulated tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine.

Background/purpose(s): Data regarding the concentrations of tenofovir-diphosphate (TFV-DP) and emtricitabine-triphosphate (FTC-TP) in the Asian population receiving pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and emtricitabine (FTC) (TDF/FTC) are limited, and the associations between the frequency of TDF/FTC administration and drug concentration among people receiving on-demand PrEP remain unclear.

Methods: Fifty-seven participants receiving daily TDF/FTC and 113 participants receiving on-demand TDF/FTC were enrolled in this study. The concentrations of TFV-DP and FTC-TP were measured in dried blood spots using liquid chromatography‒mass spectrometry.

Antifungal activity of a maleimide derivative: disruption of cell membranes and interference with iron ion homoeostasis.

Fungal infections caused by have posed a persistent threat to human health. Existing clinical antifungal drugs are constrained by issues such as drug resistance and side effects. Compounds containing maleimide rings have been verified to possess antifungal properties, although the specific molecular mechanisms by which they exert this activity have yet to be fully understood.

Impact of telehealth care on clinical outcomes in heart failure patients.

IntroductionHeart failure (HF) is associated with high incidence and mortality rates, limited physical activity, decreased quality of life, and increased healthcare expenses. Implementing a Telehealth Care (TC) HF program might address these challenges while improving patient outcomes.MethodWe conducted a retrospective observational study using electronic medical record data.

Efficacy and safety of early antibiotic de-escalation in febrile neutropenia for patients with hematologic malignancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a serious complication in patients with hematologic malignancies following treatments such as chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. It is typically managed with broad-spectrum antibiotics (BSA), but the optimal duration of BSA therapy remains controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of early antibiotic de-escalation in patients with hematologic malignancies with FN before hematopoietic recovery, compared to those who continued BSA until hematopoietic recovery.