In a nutshell This paper studied the outcome of adding cilostazol (Pletal) to aspirin in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. The authors found that this reduced rates of heart attack, stroke or revascularization. Some background Percutaneous coronary intervention is a procedure done to improve blood flow in blocked blood...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study investigated long-term survival in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The study concluded that patients with type 1 diabetes had more than double the long-term risk of death after CABG compared with patients without diabetes. The long-term risk of death in patients...
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In a nutshell This study investigated whether anticoagulants were effective at preventing second stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, and when treatment should be started. They concluded that anticoagulants are more effective than antiplatelets, and are most effective when administered between 4 and 14 days after the first stroke. Some...
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In a nutshell The authors evaluated the effectiveness of administering melphalan (Alkeran) and TNF (a protein involved in inflammation process) by ‘isolated limb perfusion (ILP)’- a technique to apply drugs at the sites of tumors in melanoma. They found out that ILP with melphalan and TNF was effective in relieving pain in advanced...
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In a nutshell This study explored the use of abatacept (ABT, Orencia) with either methotrexate (MTX, Trexall) or tacrolimus (TAC) in rheumatoid arthritis patients who had not responded well to previous drugs. The study concluded that ABT and TAC together showed the best response and could be used together to treat rheumatoid arthritis after other drugs...
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In a nutshell This study explored the relationship between vitamin D levels and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study concluded that RA patients frequently had lower vitamin D levels than healthy patients. Some background RA is a chronic autoimmune disease (when the immune system attacks healthy tissue) that is thought to be caused by both...
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In a nutshell This study compared the effectiveness of a nasal glucagon treatment to the standard injectable form. The study concluded that nasal glucagon was effective in the treatment of hypoglycemia in adults with type 1 diabetes. Some background The current treatment for severe hypoglycemia (dangerously low blood sugar levels) is an...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to assess the influence of possible infections following breast reconstruction on the risks of breast cancer recurrence. This study showed that post-operative complications or infections had a significant impact on the rates of breast cancer recurrence. Some background Breast reconstruction surgery is a procedure...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study examined the effectiveness of various treatment combinations for localized prostate cancer. Researchers concluded that prostate surgery is as effective as radiation therapy, but without the need for additional hormone therapy. Some background Surgical removal of the prostate gland and radiation therapy are both...
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In a nutshell This study investigated the associations between colorectal cancer, chemotherapy and cognitive impairment. The authors concluded that colorectal cancer patients had higher levels of cognitive impairment than healthy controls. Chemotherapy was not associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Some background Cognitive...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study compared the effectiveness and safety of nivolumab (Opdivo) and docetaxel (Taxotere) for the treatment of advanced squamous-cell non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study concluded that nivolumab is more effective and safer than docetaxel for this type of cancer. Some background PD-L1 is a protein that...
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In a nutshell This study assessed whether tubal canalization (TC) was effective in treating blocked fallopian tubes. The study concluded that TC was a safe, effective, and minimally invasive way of unblocking fallopian tubes in certain cases. Some background Blocked fallopian tubes are common in women of reproductive age and can result in...
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