Press review
The essentials of recent medical publications, unpacked by our newsroom into a clear, sourced digest, specialty by specialty.
OncologyClinical decision-making in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma
ASCO convened an expert panel to update the 2020 guidelines on systemic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. The panel updated the systematic review to include 10 new randomized controlled trials published through October 2023. Atezolizumab + bevacizumab or durvalumab + tremelimumab may be proposed as first-line therapy. Where there are contraindications to these treatments, sorafenib, l
RhumatologyEfficacy and safety of pharmacological treatments for psoriatic arthritis
In this systematic literature review, researchers evaluated the efficacy and safety of pharmacological treatments for psoriatic arthritis: synthetic, biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Adverse events of particular interest were: infections (including shingles, influenza and tuberculosis), malignancies, major adverse cardiovascular events, venous thromboembolism,
Physical Medicine and RehabilitationWhat's the best type of exercise for coronary heart disease?
In this systematic review with network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, researchers evaluated different exercise modalities offered to adult patients with coronary heart disease: aerobic training (continuous or high-intensity intervals), resistance training, respiratory muscle exercise, water-based exercise, yoga, tai chi, qi gong and a combination of different types of exercise. In
NeurologyPulmonary tuberculosis and tuberculous meningitis
The bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, is primarily a respiratory pathogen, but it can also spread to other organs, including the brain and meninges, causing tuberculous meningitis. What are the immunological mechanisms that lead to differential localization of infection? Here, researchers characterized antibody profiles across blood and brain compartments d
Gastroenterology and HepatologyLow-dose aspirin in hepatic steatosis
Aspirin has been shown to have an effect on the progression of hepatic steatosis to end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. But what is its effect on hepatic steatosis? In this randomized, double-blind, phase 2 clinical trial, researchers tested the effect of low-dose aspirin in reducing liver fat content, compared with placebo. The 80 participants were randomized (1:1) to receive ei
Cardiology and Vascular MedicineDoVeR or 4D flow MRI to measure intracardiac flow?
In this study, researchers compared intracardiac flow parameters measured by color Doppler velocity reconstruction (DoVeR) with parameters measured by 4D flow MRI. A total of 20 participants were included in the study, 7 with a normal right ventricle, 10 with tetralogy of Fallot and 3 with atrial shunts. Intracardiac flow parameters such as relative pressure difference, vortex force, total kinetic
PsychiatryPsychological therapies for depression in the elderly
In this literature review and meta-analysis, researchers evaluated the effect of psychological therapies in elderly people residing in long-term care facilities, compared with the prescription of antidepressant medication. A total of 19 randomized controlled trials were included, involving 873 patients. The psychological therapies studied were cognitive-behavioral, behavioral and reminiscence ther
OncologyCholangiocarcinoma in real life
Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare and aggressive hepatobiliary malignancy, whose incidence is increasing and for which treatment options are developing. Yet real-life data are lacking to better address the clinical challenges of this tumor. In this multicenter study, researchers analyzed data from 120 patients with metastatic cholangiocarcinoma, with a mean age of 68.5 years. In 65.8% of cases, intrahe
GynecologyWhat markers should be used to determine the recommended level of physical activity during pregnancy?
Cardiovascular disease, including gestational hypertension, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. To adapt physical activity prescriptions during pregnancy, it is crucial to be able to stratify pregnant women according to their risk of adverse outcomes. In this study, researchers sought to determine reference intervals for resting VO2, anaerobic threshold, suboptimal exercise usin
Gastroenterology and HepatologyNew data on the three-dimensional anatomy of the enteric nervous system
The main treatment for Hirschsprung's disease is "traction" surgery to remove the intestine that has no enteric nervous system, with reanastomosis of the healthy intestine near the anal verge. The after-effects of the procedure are often delicate. In this study, researchers examined a hypothesis to explain these complications: retention of hypoganglionic intestine (with a low density of enteric ne
Physical Medicine and RehabilitationMedium-term consequences of moderate to severe head trauma
In this observational cohort study, researchers examined factors associated with functional outcomes at one and two years after moderate-to-severe head injury, including pre-injury and injury-related factors. In total, the study included 1,899 patients. The primary endpoint was functional outcome, measured using the Glasgow Scale - Extended. The mean age at the time of injury was 40 years, with a
PneumonologyANCA-associated vasculitis and interstitial lung disease
The association between ANCA-associated vasculitis and interstitial lung disease is already well established. Pulmonary fibrosis may coexist, before, during or after the diagnosis of vasculitis, adversely affecting the patient's prognosis. In this retrospective cohort study, Italian researchers included patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis and interstitial lung disease, with or without associa