Kenneth Bender

A new meta-analysis finds that better patient instruction can improve use and effectiveness of hand-held inhalers, and recommends closer scrutiny of how inhalers are mishandled.

A new estimate of the cost of corticosteroid-related morbidity has pulmonologists paying closer attention to steroid-sparing asthma treatments.

A triple drug combination effectively cured patients with hepatitis C virus after they had failed to respond to a combination of two oral direct acting antivirals.

Sofosbuvir-based direct acting antiviral combinations for hepatitis C virus were found as effective and well tolerated in elderly patients as in younger populations.

Can the anesthetic find an off-label footing in psychiatric applications?

Several investigational drugs show promise for pain relief without the abuse potential.

The drug reduced exacerbations and improved quality of life for patients who had symptoms despite treatment with corticosteroids and long-acting bronchodilators.

They suffer higher rates of morbidity and mortality from asthma, but their response to treatment and underlying physiological conditions are not as well known.

The cost-effectiveness of curing hepatitis C virus relative to managing the chronic illness has been argued, and now pharmacoeconomic comparisons may have identified the most cost-effective treatment regimen.

Despite the results of a large-scale trial, some experts questioned the use of beta-blockers for patients that suffered from heart failure and simultaneous AFib when in the presence of beta-adverse medications, like amiodarone.

12% of patients prescribed the 2 drugs in combination were still taking benzodiazepine 6 months later.

Investigators note that seasonal variation in relapse in MS has been observed, suggesting that season-dependent factors such as ambient air pollution may be involved.

Patients with severe affective disorder are less likely to require psychiatric inpatient readmission within 30 days of discharge if they receive ECT.

Ketamine for treatment-resistant depression found to be efficacious and well tolerated.

Though safer for relapsing-remmitting multiple sclerosis than new disease-modifying therapies, the treatment nearly doubles the chance of a patient suffering from a stroke.

Glucose was controlled as well with weekly injections of albiglutide as with 3-times daily prandial insulin lispro.

Pioglitazone actions on reducing insulin resistance could mediate changes in renal function.

A new meta-analysis found that 31 percent of patients in antidepressant treatment trials for persistent depressive disorder (PDD) responded to placebo and 57 percent reported adverse (nocebo) effects to them.

The survey applied a validated questionnaire to distinguish drug treatment side effects from the symptoms of major depression.

Researchers described the ten year course of primary care patients with major depression as “rather bleak.”

Previous link between antidepressant use to autism called into question.

Research found panels varied widely in the detail of reported results and implications.

Ketamine evokes rapid and robust antidepressant effects, according to doctors

An argument for the ethical basis of using ketamine to treat depression.

CHASE 3 data support FDA approval of Symbicort in children 6 to >12 years.

Maternal smoking may be more likely than birth age to cause asthma in kids.

The FDA contraindicated using LABA as monotherapy in adults with asthma.

UK study finds misdiagnosis in some ADHD.

Researchers compared the safety and efficacy of leading ADHD treatments.