Andrew Smith

Shockingly poor sales have led Sanofi to opt out of its deal to sell the inhalable insulin Afrezza for the company that developed it, a move that led shares of California-based Mannkind to fall 48% yesterday despite management’s promise to find a more effective marketing partner.

Testosterone has long been known to influence levels of aggression in many species, but new research may finally explain how it works, at least in human males.

A literature review concluded that multi-faceted interventions can lead patients with psoriatic arthritis and other immune-mediated inflammatory disorders to improve their adherence to treatment regimens.

Andexanet alfa is designed to reverse the anticoagulant activity of both direct and indirect Factor Xa inhibitors.

A review of studies comparing the Beger and Frey procedures for duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection found that both operations produced similar rates of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency — and nearly every other outcome — in patients with painful chronic pancreatitis.

New analyses of Watchman trial data indicate that left atrial appendage closure might be a more cost-effective long-term treatment for atrial fibrillation than medication and that it may reduce the long-term risk of serious bleeds — but only at the price of more bleeds in the short term.

The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) has drawn upon 3 years of fresh research to update its guidelines for the systematic management of psoriatic arthritis for the first time since 2012.

New research in pigs indicates that exocrine pancreatic insufficiency may have unexpectedly large effects on the body composition of human children and that it alters hormone levels in ways that could lend themselves to new diagnostic tests.

New research on the cost of treating psoriatic arthritis indicates that, on average, the annual bill for medical care and prescription medication totals just under $20,000 per patient, but that total costs vary greatly among individual patients.

A trio of professional societies has issued consensus recommendations for the use of left atrial appendage closure devices recommendations that argue against several significant restrictions in proposed rules from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

New research from Japan indicates that exocrine pancreatic insufficiency after pancreatectomy may be 1 of several factors that indicates an elevated risk of postoperative hepatic steatosis.

A new prospective study supports retrospective analyses that link central sleep apnea and Cheyne Stokes respiration with the onset of atrial fibrillation in older men, particularly those age 75 years and older.

Cystic fibrosis patients who lose pancreatic function are failing to avail themselves of operations that could replace their damaged organs and restore their ability to digest food and manage blood sugar.

New research designed to measure the accuracy and validity of a trio of tools designed to assess quality of life in psoriatic arthritis patients indicates that none are comprehensive enough to be used alone and suggests that caregivers use 2 of the assessments in tandem.

Study shows treatment with golimumab, with or without concomitant methotrexate, reduces symptom severity and improves disease outcomes in patients with psoriatic arthritis. However, adding methotrexate may increase the efficacy of golimumab.

Retrospective analysis of real-world outcomes supports the use of the Amplatzer cardiac plug for left atrial appendage closure in atrial fibrillation patients with a very high risk of stroke or serious bleeds and who cannot tolerate oral anticoagulation.

Several prior studies have noted that Roux-Y gastric bypass surgery often leaves patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, but new research from Switzerland indicates that different flavors of the procedure expose patients to greatly different risks.

New research indicates that short endoscopic secretin tests can accurately differentiate cystic fibrosis patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency from those who retain exocrine pancreatic function.

Since the discovery that the relative length of the index and ring fingers may reflect fetal testosterone exposure, researchers have spent a lot of time trying to find correlations between digit ratios and medical outcomes, questionnaire answers, and a host of other things.

A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent bariatric surgery suggests that significant weight loss significantly lessens the symptoms of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Analyses of patient records indicate that obesity increases the risk of recurrence among patients who undergo ablation for atrial fibrillation but suggest that sustained weight loss can reduce the risk.

New research into the relationship between partial pancreatectomy and the subsequent incidence of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency finds a strong positive correlation between the volume of tissue removed and subsequent complications.

A pair of studies provides further information about the positive association between testosterone levels and sexual desire and activity in older men.

A meta-analysis of studies on the effect of testosterone supplementation in older men found broad variations in reported increases in muscle mass and decreases in body fat.

A new analysis of trial data shows that patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency benefit about as much from pancrelipase delayed-release capsules (Creon) whether or not they have diabetes mellitus.

A new tool for assessing the risk of thromboembolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation performed better than the existing standard in a large retrospective analysis. ATRIA risk scores were less likely than CHA2DS2-VASc scores to mistakenly characterize patients as "high risk" and, therefore, to lead to the overuse of anticoagulation.

An analysis of 35 years of cohort data provides fresh information about the biggest risk factors for cardiovascular disease in patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Research suggests support groups help teenagers with diagnosed allergies adhere consistently to guidelines that protect them against anaphylaxis and other reactions.

How expensive? Study results show that families with children who are allergic to staple food items pay out thousands of extra dollars each year in direct and indirect costs.

Although asthma increases the risk of anaphylaxis in children with milk allergies and reduces the chance that immunotherapy will prove fully successful, study results show that the majority of patients who undergo immunotherapy for a milk allergy can achieve a protective dose.