CDC data show TB case counts increased in US since COVID-19 pandemic

Although the United States has one of the lowest tuberculosis incidence rates in the world, TB cases increased in the U.S. in 2023 among nearly all demographics, data from an MMWR report showed.
“Despite being both preventable and curable, TB remains one of the world’s leading infectious disease killers,” Paula M. Williams, DrPH, a member of the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, and colleagues wrote.
“The United States has one of the lowest TB rates globally and has a goal of eliminating TB by 2035, she said.”
Between 1995 and 2014, health departments and

Excess alcohol intake may increase risk for heart disease, especially in younger women

Young and middle-aged adults who reported high alcohol intake — at least 15 drinks for men and eight drinks for women per week — were more likely to develop coronary heart disease compared with adults who consume less alcohol.
Risk for CHD was highest for both men and women who reported binge drinking, which was defined as at least five drinks per day for men and four drinks per day for women in the past 3 months, according to research slated for presentation at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session.
In the study, which utilized a systematic alcohol screening program

Continuous subcutaneous infusion linked to more ‘on’ time in Parkinson’s

Compared with oral administration, continuous subcutaneous infusion of carbidopa/levodopa was linked to nearly 2 more hours of “on” time without dyskinesia in adults with Parkinson’s disease, data from The Lancet Neurology show.
“While oral levodopa is the primary treatment for [Parkinson’s disease], the benefits become shorter per dose, leading to motor fluctuations and dyskinesia despite changes in dose and frequency,” Alberto J. Espay, MD, MSc, principal study investigator and director of the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson’s

Oral bone mineral density-reducing medications may increase risk of revision TKA

Results showed patients who take bone mineral density-reducing medications, such as antipsychotics, serotonin reuptake inhibitors, glucocorticoids and proton pump inhibitors, may be at increased risk for revision total knee arthroplasty.
Researchers used a national administrative claims database to perform a retrospective study of data from 1,276,209 patients who underwent primary TKA between January 2010 and December 2022.
According to the study, researchers compared outcomes between patients who took at least one BMD-reducing medication within 6 months of surgery (n=502,927) vs. patients who

Hereditary angioedema attacks fall by 80% with lanadelumab

WASHINGTON — Patients with hereditary angioedema experienced reductions in the monthly rate of attacks with lanadelumab, according to a poster presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting.
“After 3 years, it was an 80% reduction in HAE attack rates from baseline,” Salomé Juethner, MSN, senior medical director, head of rare genetics, Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., told Healio.
The full analysis set of the phase 4 EMPOWER study involved 113 patients (mean age, 40.6 years; 65.5% female; 93.8% white) aged 12 years and older with

Glaucoma linked to high individual, societal costs

Glaucoma appeared tied to significant costs not only for individuals, but also for society as a result of premature retirement and loss of productivity, according to a study conducted in Finland and published in PLOS One.
“Even though timely and effective treatment could prevent the deterioration of vision, glaucoma remains as one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide,” Petri K. M. Purola, MSc, a PhD candidate in the department of ophthalmology at Tampere University in Finland, and colleagues wrote. “Furthermore, the low public awareness, the asymptomatic early stages

FDA extends Vemlidy approval for chronic hepatitis B to children as young as 6 years

The FDA has updated the label indication for Vemlidy 25 mg for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus with compensated liver disease, expanding the patient population to include children aged 6 years and older who weigh at least 25 kg.
Vemlidy (tenofovir alafenamide, Gilead Sciences) — a nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor — was previously approved for the adult population in 2016 and expanded in 2022 to include children as young as 12 years.
“Chronic hepatitis B can have a significant and lasting impact on the health of children,” Chaun-Hao Lin, MD,

Combinations of air pollutants impact pediatric asthma symptoms

Researchers used machine learning to identify 25 combinations of air pollutants that were associated with increased asthma symptoms among children in Spokane, Washington, according to a study published in Science of the Total Environment.
Also, a vulnerable sub-population was exposed to 13 of these combinations, Solmaz Amiri, DDes, MSc, research assistant professor, Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, and colleagues wrote.
“There is literature around the effect of exposure to air pollutants on asthma,” Amiri told

Calyxo receives FDA approval for redesign of device that collects kidney stone fragments

Calyxo Inc. has received FDA approval for a device that sweeps up kidney stone fragments after laser lithotripsy, according to a company press release.
More than 50 procedures have been completed by 12 urologists with the new Calyxo vacuum system, which is known as the CVAC system, according to the company.
“The most commonly used kidney stone treatments today do not reliably remove all of the stone fragments and dust,” Brian Eisner, MD, director of the kidney stone program at Massachusetts General Hospital and founding clinical advisor to Calyxo, said in the release. “We know

Geographic atrophy treatment Izervay receives permanent J-code

CMS has assigned a permanent J-code for Izervay for the treatment of geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration, according to a press release from Iveric Bio.
The new code for Izervay (avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution) for geographic atrophy (GA), J2782, is effective April 1.
“Geographic atrophy is a progressive disease that can lead to irreversible vision loss, and early treatment can have a significant impact on patients’ lives,” Michael Petroutsas, head of U.S. commercial for Astellas Pharma, Iveric’s parent company, said in the release.