Page 2 - Intern Med News Today

Ann Robinson reviews the latest research The ancient Sumerians and Egyptians used willow bark containing salicylates to treat pain and fevers more than 3500 years ago. In 1897, Bayer chemist Felix Hoffmann synthesised the first aspirin tablet, and 70 years later John Vance explained that it works by inhibiting prostaglandins. Today, aspirin remains one of the most widely used drugs worldwide and new indications for its use can still get researchers excited. This preliminary phase 2 trial of 80 a...

Proposed national $35 insulin cap would help some patients, researchers say

Tom Nolan reviews the latest research Each year, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) quietly sweeps through the world killing over 100 000 children. Somehow, it barely gets a mention in the news cycle, although that may soon change if countries launch RSV vaccination programmes. A meta-analysis sought to estimate the global burden of RSV disease and risk factors for both getting the infection and severe outcomes. A key finding was that preterm infants born <32 weeks’ gestation have a higher...

But glucocorticoid replacement right after surgery may be protective

Tom Nolan reviews the latest research When the infamous adverts suggesting that e-cigarettes are “95% less harmful than cigarettes” appeared in 2015, it seemed to knock the stuffing out of smoking cessation services: why should soon to be bankrupt councils pay GPs and pharmacists to help people stop smoking when they could just buy a vape instead? Since then vapes have become a permanent presence in corner shops and school classrooms. But, despite their success as consumer products, vapes ar...

Young women carry the highest risk, study finds

Breast cancer survival has improved hugely since 1975. But what is it that has made the difference? Is it screening, the treatment of early stage cancer, or the management of metastatic cancer? And as treatment improves, does screening still have a place? This study used four simulation CISNET models to estimate the relative impact of interventions at each stage. Overall, improvements in mammographic screening and treatment of breast cancer in the US between 1975 and 2019 were associated with a ...

Lifetime reduction in acute pain episodes should offset high upfront costs of the therapy

In September, the UK started phasing out use of the live herpes zoster vaccine (Zostavax) to replace it with the recombinant vaccine Shingrix. Vaccination is also gradually being offered to younger people, eventually from the age of 60 years. A phase 3 randomised controlled trial of Shingrix had previously found an efficacy of 97% in adults aged 50 years and above, and a longer duration of protection than from the live vaccine, meaning it could be offered from a younger age. A new observational...

39% higher risk compared with nonusers, database study finds