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Drug-eluting stents exhibit some benefits in patients over 80

Rarely tested in patients over the age of 80, a study found that drug-eluting stents exhibited some benefits over bare-metal stents, though both types of stents demonstrated a clinical benefit. Results of the XIMA trial were presented today at the 24th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium.

29 Oct 2012

New anti-thrombotic treatments in AF patients can reduce risk of stroke

Atrial fibrillation, whose prevalence continues to rise, was described last year as the "new epidemic" in cardiovascular disease, even though AF can be successfully controlled by the detection and management of risk factors, by rhythm control treatments, and by the use of antithrombotic therapies.

29 Oct 2012

Combined antimicrobial and light therapy effective for treating foot ulcers

Results from a phase II study show that antimicrobial photodynamic therapy is significantly more effective than placebo for treating patients with chronic leg ulcers.

26 Oct 2012

Hypnosis halts hot flashes

Clinical hypnosis results in significant reductions in hot flashes compared with structured-attention control in postmenopausal women, researchers report.

26 Oct 2012

FDA approves 'first non-surgical treatment' for vitreomacular adhesion

The US Food and Drug Administration reports the approval of ocriplasmin for the treatment of symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion.

26 Oct 2012

CUMC researchers develop first true mouse model of typhoid infection

Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have created the first true mouse model of typhoid infection. The development promises to advance the study of typhoid and the creation of new vaccines against the infection, which remains a major health threat in developing countries.

26 Oct 2012

Durata completes target enrollment in dalbavancin Phase 3 trial for ABSSSI

Durata Therapeutics today announced that it has completed its target enrollment for DISCOVER 2 ("Dalbavancin for Infections of the Skin COmpared to Vancomycin at an Early Response"), the second global, Phase 3 clinical trial of Durata's lead product candidate, dalbavancin, under investigation for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) caused by susceptible gram-positive bacteria.

26 Oct 2012

Aspirin can block tumor growth in certain patients with colorectal cancer

Aspirin has the potential to block tumor growth in certain patients with colorectal cancer, according to an editorial in the Oct. 25, 2012 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine by a University of Alabama at Birmingham oncologist.

25 Oct 2012

Ophthotech announces data from Fovista Phase 2b trial on wet AMD

Ophthotech Corporation today announced that data from a large, prospective, randomized, controlled Phase 2b clinical trial of Ophthotech's Fovista anti-PDGF therapy (1.5 mg) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) will be presented during Retina Subspecialty Day at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting (AAO) on Sat., Nov. 10, 2012 at 9:15 a.m.

25 Oct 2012

DSM extends license to supply CarboSil® TSPCU for use in AxioMed Spine Corporation’s Freedom® Spinal Discs

DSM, a global leader in biomedical materials sciences, and AxioMed Spine Corporation, an innovator in the field of spinal implant devices, today announced that they have revised and extended an existing licensing and supply agreement. DSM will supply its proprietary CarboSil®Thermoplastic Silicone-Polycarbonate-urethane material for use in AxioMed’s Freedom® Lumbar and Freedom® Cervical Discs.

24 Oct 2012

Patient and partner focus needed in rehab after prostatectomy

Most patients who undergo radical prostatectomy are keen to attend a rehabilitation program to help recover sexual potency, but the process can be frustrating and demanding, with high patient dropout rates, say researchers.

24 Oct 2012

Abbott announces results from HUMIRA clinical studies on ulcerative colitis

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced results from an analysis of three-year long-term data from an ongoing open-label extension of the HUMIRA (adalimumab) ULTRA 1 and ULTRA 2 studies.

23 Oct 2012

Possible overlap exists between inflammatory bowel disease and IBS

Research unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 77th Annual Scientific meeting in Las Vegas suggests a possible overlap of symptoms of two prevalent GI disorders: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and further suggests a possible link between subtle GI tract inflammation and IBS symptoms-a link that is also the focus of the first systemic review of the literature on this topic and an editorial both published in this month's American Journal of Gastroenterology.

23 Oct 2012

Primary care physicians miss hepatitis vaccine targets

Primary care physicians are failing to meet guidelines for hepatitis A virus and hepatitis B virus vaccination in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, according to US research.

22 Oct 2012

PLoS ONE publishes review of AntiViral-HyperActivation Limiting Therapeutics clinical trial

ViroStatics, a private Italian/American biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for viral and other chronic diseases, announced that a review of the first human clinical trial to test a new class of anti-HIV medications known as AntiViral-HyperActivation Limiting Therapeutics (AV-HALTs) has been published in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE.

22 Oct 2012

Intensive glycemic control does not reduce mortality in neurocritical care patients

A new study in BioMed Central's open access journal Critical Care suggests that intensive glycemic control does not reduce mortality in neurocritical care patients and could, in fact, lead to more neurological damage. Complicating the picture, poor glucose control also leads to worse recovery and should be avoided.

22 Oct 2012

Pediatric ICU patients often receive off-label drug treatments

"Off label" drugs are medications that have not been tested for safety or efficacy for a specific patient age or condition. New research presented Oct. 21 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans found that off-label treatments were ordered for 96 percent of all pediatric patients, and 100 percent of patients ages 13-17, in the intensive care unit of an urban children's hospital.

22 Oct 2012

Mistakes are still commonly made in prescriptions of antiretroviral medications

Research presented at IDWeek 2012- concludes that despite advances in electronic medical records, mistakes are still commonly made in the prescription of antiretroviral medications for hospitalized HIV-positive patients. At the same time, a trio of studies suggests however, that electronic records in combination with increased clinical education can help to greatly decrease medical errors.

20 Oct 2012

Clinical trial to study immunosuppressant tacrolimus against generics

A new study at the University of Cincinnati seeks to end the questions over generic-vs.-brand for a common immunosuppressive drug for transplant patients, tacrolimus.

20 Oct 2012

Brain Injury Research Center of Mount Sinai receives fund to research on TBI

The Brain Injury Research Center of Mount Sinai has received two prestigious grants totaling $6.65 million to fund research on traumatic brain injury over the next five years.

20 Oct 2012