Internal Medicine
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Ibudilast Shows Promise for the Treatment of Progressive MS
A Phase II trial of ibudilast in progressive multiple sclerosis demonstrated a decreased rate of brain atrophy when compared to placebo.
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Steroid Treatment Regimens for Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
In the United States, first-line treatment for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Authors of this retrospective survey from Europe found that corticosteroid treatment had similar efficacy as IVIG and should be considered as first-line therapy for CIDP.
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Use of a Low-carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet to Treat Obesity
Overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions in the United States. For individuals affected by obesity, clinical studies have shown that carbohydrate restriction, including a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet, can be a safe and effective treatment. This article includes a narrative review of clinical research studies and a practical description of implementing a “keto” diet for obesity.
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MRI for Patients With Pacemakers and Defibrillators
Performing an MRI on patients with pacemakers and defibrillators that were not MRI-conditional was not associated with any clinically significant changes in device parameters.
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Clinical Context and Outcomes in Stress Cardiomyopathy
An analysis of the International Takotsubo Registry showed that long-term mortality is similar to that observed in patients with acute coronary syndromes but varies widely depending on the triggering event.
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Tafamidis Improves Survival in Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis
Treatment with tafamidis in transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy patients produced reductions in all-cause mortality and cardiovascular hospitalizations. This was the first medical therapy to demonstrate improved survival for patients with this condition.
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MitraClip Falls Short in First Randomized Trial Specific to Functional Mitral Regurgitation
The authors of a recent study concluded that percutaneous mitral valve repair with MitraClip did not significantly alter rates of death and heart failure hospitalization at one year over medical therapy alone.
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Who Really Needs Intensive Blood Pressure Control?
A patient baseline characteristics level analysis of the SPRINT and ACCORD trials resulted in the creation of a simple algorithm for identifying high-risk patients who experienced fewer major cardiac events without increased serious adverse events from intensive blood pressure therapy.
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Infectious Disease Alert Updates
Pet Snake Snacks: A Salmonella Treat; Linking HIV-positive Inmates to Outpatient Care
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Prophylactic Antibiotics for Acute Aspiration
Researchers compared outcomes in patients with aspiration pneumonitis who received prophylactic antibiotics during the first two days after macro-aspiration to patients who received only supportive care during this time. Among the 200 patients meeting the acute aspiration pneumonitis case definition, antimicrobial prophylaxis was not associated with improvement in mortality. However, patients receiving prophylactic antibiotics required more frequent escalation of antibiotics and received more days of antibiotics than those who were managed initially with supportive care alone.