FDA OKAYS NEW MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY THAT’S EFFECTIVE AGAINST OMICRON
On February 11, FDA authorized Eli Lilly and Co’s COVID-19 antibody drug for people aged 12 and older at risk of severe illness, adding a tool that has been found to work against the highly contagious Omicron variant. The FDA authorized bebtelovimab for emergency use in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of progression to severe disease, including hospitalization or death. Bebtelovimab should be used when alternative COVID-19 treatment options approved or authorized by the FDA are not accessible or clinically appropriate.
Full Access: Medscape
RIVAROXABAN VERSUS NO ANTICOAGULATION FOR POST-DISCHARGE THROMBOPROPHYLAXIS AFTER HOSPITALISATION FOR COVID-19 (MICHELLE): AN OPEN-LABEL, MULTICENTRE, RANDOMISED, CONTROLLED TRIAL
In this open-label, multicenter, randomized trial conducted at 14 centers in Brazil, patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at increased risk for venous thromboembolism were randomly assigned to receive, at hospital discharge, rivaroxaban 10 mg/day or no anticoagulation for 35 days. In patients at high risk discharged after hospitalization due to COVID-19, thromboprophylaxis with rivaroxaban 10 mg/day for 35 days improved clinical outcomes compared with no extended thromboprophylaxis.
Full Access: Lancet
ORAL ANTIBIOTIC USE AND EARLY-ONSET COLORECTAL CANCER: FINDINGS FROM A CASE-CONTROL STUDY USING A NATIONAL CLINICAL DATABASE
Antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis has been associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) in older adults. A case-control study was conducted using primary care data from 1999–2011. Analysis were conducted separately in early-onset CRC cases (diagnosed < 50 years) and later-onset cases (diagnosed ≥ 50 years). This study findings suggest antibiotics may have a role in colon tumor formation across all age-groups.
Full Access: British Journal of Cancer
EMERGENCE OF CLINICALÂ CLOSTRIDIOIDES DIFFICILEÂ ISOLATES WITH DECREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO VANCOMYCIN
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is leading cause of hospital-associated antibiotic- relaed diarrhea and deaths worldwide. Stool samples from patient with CDI were collected and examined for the presence of vancomycin and metronidazole non-susceptible C. difficile. C difficile strains exhibiting reduced susceptibility to vancomycin are currently circulating in patient populations. The spread of strains resistance to vancomycin, a fist-line antibiotic for CDI, poses a serious therapeutic challenge.
Full Access: Clinical Infectious Diseases
NEW STROKE RISK SCORE DEVELOPED FOR COVID PATIENTS
Researchers have developed a quick and easy scoring system to predict which hospitalized COVID-19 patients are more at risk for stroke. The new system will allow clinicians to stratify patients and lead to closer monitoring of those at highest risk for stroke. The study was presented during the 2022 International Stroke Conference (ISC) being held in New Orleans.
Full Access: Medscape
