Antiviral drug not beneficial for reducing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B when added to existing preventatives
- Details
- Written by Linda Huynh
- Category: Health News
Washington, DC - Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), an antiviral drug commonly prescribed to treat hepatitis B infection, does not significantly reduce mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus when taken during pregnancy and after delivery, according to a phase III clinical trial in Thailand funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study tested TDF therapy in addition to the standard preventative regimen - administration of hepatitis B vaccine and protective antibodies at birth - to explore the drug’s potential effects on mother-to-child transmission rates. The results appear in the New England Journal of Medicine.
One-month tuberculosis prophylaxis as effective as nine-month regimen for people living with HIV
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- Written by Hillary Hoffman
- Category: Health News
Washington, DC - A one-month antibiotic regimen to prevent active tuberculosis (TB) disease was at least as safe and effective as the standard nine-month therapy for people living with HIV, according to the results of a large international clinical trial. Adults and adolescents in the trial were more likely to complete the short-course regimen - consisting of daily doses of the antibiotics rifapentine and isoniazid for four weeks than the standard nine-month regimen of daily isoniazid.
Short-term increases in inhaled steroid doses do not prevent asthma flare-ups in children
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- Written by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- Category: Health News
Washington, DC - Researchers have found that temporarily increasing the dosage of inhaled steroids when asthma symptoms begin to worsen does not effectively prevent severe flare-ups, and may be associated with slowing a child’s growth, challenging a common medical practice involving children with mild-to-moderate asthma.
Dietary sodium’s impact may not be offset by other aspects of a diet
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- Written by Bridgette McNeill
- Category: Health News
Dallas, Texas - An international study suggests other aspects of the diet may not offset the harmful effect of sodium on blood pressure. The study, published in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension, also reaffirms the need for widespread sodium reduction in the food supply.
New study solves an arthritis drug mystery
- Details
- Written by Anne Trafton - MIT
- Category: Health News
Cambridge, Massachusetts - Pharmaceutical companies once considered a protein called p38 a very attractive target for treating rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis patients usually have elevated activity of this inflammation-producing protein, and in lab studies p38 inhibitors appeared to soothe inflammation. However, these drugs failed in several clinical trials.
Cancer survival rate: What it means for your prognosis
- Details
- Written by Laurel J. Kelly
- Category: Health News
Phoenix, Arizona - When first diagnosed with cancer, many people ask about their prognosis. You might want to know whether your cancer is relatively easy or more difficult to cure. Your doctor can't predict the future, but can make an estimate based on other people's experiences with the same cancer.
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