Tracking Triptan Safety During Pregnancy

TOPLINE: Prenatal exposure to triptans, alone or with other migraine medications, was not associated with a significantly increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in children born to mothers with a history of migraine in a new study. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a registry-based cohort study in Norway, using data from multiple national health registries between 2008 … Read more

AI Pen Accurately Diagnoses Early PD via Handwriting

Biomedical engineers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI)–enhanced pen for personalized handwriting analysis to aid in the early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD).  In a small pilot study, the “diagnostic pen” accurately recorded handwriting signals, and neural network-assisted analysis successfully distinguished PD from non-PD handwriting with greater than 95% accuracy. “Further validation through large-scale human … Read more

GLP-1 Less Frequent Dosing May Maintain Weight Loss

TOPLINE: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) administered at off-label reduced dosing maintained weight-loss benefits, with patients retaining the effects even with 2-4 weeks between doses. METHODOLOGY: GLP-1 RAs are transforming obesity treatment, but high costs and shortages limit patient access. Clinicians have suggested a less frequent dosing to maintain weight loss, but evidence … Read more

How Are Young Adults Quitting Vaping?

TOPLINE: In 2022, nearly one third of young adults in the United States used electronic nicotine products, and almost one third of the young adults who used them attempted to quit, with social support being the most commonly used cessation method. METHODOLOGY: Researchers performed a secondary analysis and analyzed Wave 7 data, collected between January … Read more

Consider Spice Testing in Vulvar Dermatitis Complaints

TOPLINE: In patients with chronic vulvar complaints, allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) shows high prevalence with 86.6% exhibiting positive patch test reactions, of which 37.9% were clinically relevant. Nearly half of patients (43.3%) had reactions to spices and herbs, with 34.5% having clinically relevant reactions. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of 67 adult patients with … Read more

Bariatric Surgery Linked With Psoriasis Improvement

TOPLINE: Most patients with psoriasis experienced clinical improvement or remission after metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) in a systematic review. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a systematic review of 14 studies that included 169 patients (mean age, 46.8 years; 74% women) with psoriasis who underwent MBS. Participants underwent various surgical procedures; gastric bypass was the most common … Read more

HIV Medication Adherence Critical for Viral Suppression

TOPLINE: A recent study found that antiretroviral therapy adherence below 90% was associated with significantly lower odds of viral suppression among women living with HIV. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed data from community-based prospective cohort study including women living with HIV across British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec between 2013 and 2018. Overall, 1187 participants (median age, 42 … Read more

Independent Cancer Risk Predictors ID’d for Sjögren Disease

TOPLINE: Patients with Sjögren disease (SjD) had a 68% higher risk for overall malignancy than the general population, with hematologic malignancies contributing more to this elevated risk than solid tumors. Cancer accounted for 23.8% of deaths, with older age at diagnosis, smoking, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, and cryoglobulinemia identified as key predictors. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a prospective … Read more

ED Alert Boosts A1c Testing, Not Glycemic Control

TOPLINE:  An emergency department (ED)–based alert led to a higher rate of A1c testing among patients with diabetes overdue for routine monitoring but did not significantly improve long-term glycemic control. METHODOLOGY: In this retrospective study, the researchers analyzed 348,490 ED visits by patients with diabetes from January 2017 to September 2023. In November 2017, an … Read more

Exposure to Antibiotics Preterm May Affect Lung Function

TOPLINE: Premature infants exposed to multiple courses of antibiotics around the time of birth had weaker lung function and a higher risk for asthma episodes by early school age than those with lower exposure.  METHODOLOGY: The study analyzed 3820 premature infants born between 22 and 36 weeks of gestation with low birth weights (< 1500 … Read more