Immunonutrition with Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Severe TBI: Retrospective Analysis of Patient Characteristics and Outcomes.

Early evidence-based medical interventions to improve patient outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI) are lacking. In patients admitted to the ICU after TBI, optimization of nutrition is an emerging field of interest. Specialized enteral nutrition (EN) formulas that include immunonutrition containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) have been developed and are used for their proposed anti-inflammatory and proimmune properties; however, their use has not been rigorously studied in human TBI populations.

Systemic Anticancer Therapy and Overall Survival in Patients With Very Advanced Solid Tumors.

Importance: Two prominent organizations, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the National Quality Forum (NQF), have developed a cancer quality metric aimed at reducing systemic anticancer therapy administration at the end of life. This metric, NQF 0210 (patients receiving chemotherapy in the last 14 days of life), has been critiqued for focusing only on care for decedents and not including the broader population of patients who may benefit from treatment.

Objective: To evaluate whether the overall population of patients with metastatic cancer receiving care at practices with higher rates of oncologic therapy for very advanced disease experience longer survival.

Prophylactic Unfractionated Heparin in Antepartum Hospitalizations: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To assess the effect of gestational age-based dosing of unfractionated heparin (UFH) compared with standard dosing of UFH for thromboprophylaxis on an elevated serum activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) during prolonged antepartum hospitalizations.

Methods: This was a randomized trial of pregnant persons who were admitted in the antepartum period for at least 72 hours. Participants were randomly allocated to the standard dose of UFH (5,000 units subcutaneously every 12 hours) or the gestational age-based dose of UFH (first trimester [less than 14 weeks]: 5,000 units subcutaneously every 12 hours; second trimester [14-27 6/7 weeks]: 7,500 units subcutaneously every 12 hours; third trimester (28 weeks or more): 10,000 units subcutaneously every 12 hours).

Assessment of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) for prasugrel (EFFIENT): A narrative review.

Background: Prasugrel, first approved in 2009, was subject to a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) to mitigate the risk of bleeding associated with its use.

Methods: We performed a narrative review of FDA documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. Document classification and primary evidence extraction was performed by three authors (TM, JC, and SL).

A Review of Incretin Therapies Approved and in Late-Stage Development for Overweight and Obesity Management.

Objective: To review clinical trial data for incretin therapies that are approved or in late-stage development for overweight or obesity management, along with clinical implications of these therapies and future directions.

Methods: We searched for clinical trials involving incretin therapies studied specifically for overweight or obesity management in ClinicalTrials.gov and PubMed from registry inception through December 2023.

Immunonutrition with Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Severe TBI: Retrospective Analysis of Patient Characteristics and Outcomes.

Background: Early evidence-based medical interventions to improve patient outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI) are lacking. In patients admitted to the ICU after TBI, optimization of nutrition is an emerging field of interest. Specialized enteral nutrition (EN) formulas that include immunonutrition containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) have been developed and are used for their proposed anti-inflammatory and pro-immune properties; however, their use has not been rigorously studied in human TBI populations.

Why higher copayments for opioids did not reduce use among Medicare beneficiaries.

To examine whether higher cost-sharing deterred prescription opioid use. Medicare Part D claims from 2007 to 2016 for a 20% random sample of Medicare enrollees. We obtain estimates of the effect of cost-sharing on prescription opioid use using ordinary least squares and instrumental variables methods.

Socioeconomic status and inequities in treatment initiation and survival among patients with cancer, 2011-2022.

Background: Lower neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with suboptimal cancer care and reduced survival. Most studies examining cancer inequities across area-level socioeconomic status tend to use less granular or unidimensional measures and pre-date the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we examined the association of area-level socioeconomic status on real-world treatment initiation and overall survival among adults with 20 common cancers.

Residence in Hispanic/Latino Immigrant Neighborhoods, Away-From-Home Food Consumption, and Diet Quality: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

Background: Hispanics/Latinos are disproportionately burdened by nutrition-related diseases but immigrants appear healthier than their US-born counterparts. Neighborhoods characterized by high Hispanic/Latino immigrant segregation may provide environments to support healthier diets.

Objective: To examine whether or not Hispanic/Latino immigrant segregation is associated with frequency of away-from-home food consumption and diet quality in a large, diverse sample of Hispanic/Latino adults.

End-of-Life Systemic Oncologic Treatment in the Immunotherapy Era: The Role of Race, Insurance, and Practice Setting.

Purpose: Receipt of antineoplastic systemic treatment near end of life (EOL) has been shown to harm patient and caregiver experience, increase hospitalizations, intensive care unit and emergency department use, and drive-up costs; yet, these rates have not declined. To understand factors contributing to use of antineoplastic EOL systemic treatment, we explored its association with practice- and patient-level factors.

Methods: We included patients from a real-world electronic health record-derived deidentified database who received systemic therapy for advanced or metastatic cancer diagnosed starting in 2011 and died within 4 years between 2015 and 2019.

Optimal global spending for group A Streptococcus vaccine research and development.

Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) leads to 600,000 deaths and 600 million cases of pharyngitis annually. Although long a promising target for vaccine development, how much funding should be allocated to develop a Strep A vaccine is unclear. We aim to calculate the optimal amount of global spending for Strep A vaccine development, the resulting benefits, and the social rate of return on this spending.

Improving the solubility of pseudo-hydrophobic Alzheimer's Disease medicinal chemicals through co-crystal formulation.

Natural products are ligands and potential inhibitors of Alzheimer's disease (AD) tau. Dihydromyricetin (DHM) is a CNS active natural product. Despite having signature polyphenolic character, DHM is ostensibly hydrophobic owing to intermolecular hydrogen bonds that shield hydrophilic phenols.

AACC Guidance Document on the Clinical Use of Procalcitonin.

Background: Procalcitonin (PCT), a peptide precursor of the hormone calcitonin, is a biomarker whose serum concentrations are elevated in response to systemic inflammation caused by bacterial infection and sepsis. Clinical adoption of PCT in the United States has only recently gained traction with an increasing number of Food and Drug Administration-approved assays and expanded indications for use. There is interest in the use of PCT as an outcomes predictor as well as an antibiotic stewardship tool.

Two staged phase II clinical trial of Eribulin monotherapy in advanced or recurrent cervical cancer.

Background: Eribulin a microtubule targeting agent and analog of Halichondrin B, a natural product isolated from marine sponge H. okadai, has proven clinical efficacy in metastatic pretreated breast cancer and liposarcoma. We conducted a 2-stage Phase II study of eribulin in patients with advanced/recurrent cervical cancer to examine its clinical activity and evaluate biomarkers for predictors of response.

Best practices for documentation of psychotropic drug-drug interactions in an adult psychiatric clinic.

Introduction: Psychotropic drug-drug interactions (DDIs) contribute to adverse drug events, but many go undetected or unmanaged. Thorough documentation of potential DDIs can improve patient safety. The primary objective of this study is to determine the quality of and factors associated with documentation of DDIs in an adult psychiatric clinic run by postgraduate year 3 psychiatry residents (PGY3s).

Global, regional and national trends in statin utilisation in high-income and low/middle-income countries, 2015-2020.

Objective: Prior studies have reported inequitable global access to essential medicines for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, especially statins. Here we examine recent trends and disparities in statin utilisation at the income group, regional and country levels.

Design: Ecological study.

Changes in anticoagulant and antiplatelet drug supply at US hospitals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2021).

Purpose: Antithrombotic agents have a role in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment, but the pandemic disrupted medication supply. This study examined changes in the volume of oral and parenteral anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications at US hospitals during the pandemic.

Methods: IQVIA National Sales Perspective (NSP) data was used to determine the monthly volume of anticoagulants and antiplatelets purchased at US hospitals between January 2018 and February 2021.

Dihydromyricetin ameliorates social isolation-induced anxiety by modulating mitochondrial function, antioxidant enzymes, and BDNF.

Stress has been implicated in the etiology of neurological and psychological illnesses. Chronic social isolation (SI) is a psychological stressor that provokes neurobehavioral changes associated with psychiatric disorders, including anxiety disorders. Mitochondria dysfunction and oxidative stress are hallmarks of anxiety pathogenesis.