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  • Drug resistance complicates Aspergillus treatment

    Fungal infections, particularly those caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, are becoming harder to treat as resistance to drugs increases, according to research published in The Lancet Microbe. The study found that patients are often infected with more than one strain of the fungus, some of which have different resistance genes, complicating treatment. Most resistance stems from agricultural use of fungicides, which share molecular targets with antifungal drugs. NBC News (7/9) Learn More

  • UTI antibiotic in pregnancy may increase malformation risk

    A study in JAMA Network Open found that the common antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for urinary tract infections, when used in the first trimester of pregnancy, is associated with a higher risk of congenital malformations including severe cardiac defects and cleft lip and palate. The study, which analyzed over 70,000 pregnancies, supports American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommendations to avoid the drug during the first trimester. The study found no increased risk with nitrofurantoin, another commonly used antibiotic for UTIs. Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (7/9) Learn More

  • Inhaler switch linked to more hospitalizations

    A study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that switching from a metered-dose inhaler to a dry-powder inhaler for asthma or COPD was associated with a 5% increase in emergency department visits and an 8% increase in hospitalizations. The change, which was part of a formulary update, resulted in higher rates of pneumonia-related hospitalizations and highlighted the need for reevaluation of such policy changes. MedPage Today (free registration) (7/8) Learn More

  • Phage therapy shows promise for antibiotic-resistant infection

    A study in Nature Communications found the phage therapy BX004 was associated with a 500-fold reduction in bacterial levels in people with cystic fibrosis and antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. "The publication of our peer-reviewed results in a preeminent research journal, including new data showing antimicrobial activity of BX004, provides significant third-party validation of our phage therapy platform to treat patients with chronic P. aeruginosa cystic fibrosis infections," BiomX CEO Jonathan Solomon said. PharmaTimes magazine (UK) (7/9) Learn More

  • Medicaid funding cuts put rural hospitals at risk

    Advocacy groups say that significant reductions in Medicaid spending are likely to lead to hospital closures and reductions in services in rural areas, despite funding earmarked for rural hospitals in the recently passed tax and spending package. An analysis by the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research found that more than 300 hospitals are at risk of closing. "We see rural hospitals throughout the country really operating on either negative or very small operating margins," said Carrie Cochran-McClain, chief policy officer with the National Rural Health Association. The Associated Press (7/4) Learn More

  • Expanded use of ablation catheter gains FDA approval

    The FDA has approved expanded labeling for a Boston Scientific pulsed field ablation system, now including treatment of drug-refractory, symptomatic persistent atrial fibrillation. The approval is based on the ADVANTAGE AF trial, which was published in JACC and showed a 63.5% primary effectiveness rate at one year. More than 85% of patients were free of symptomatic AFib at the one-year mark. The company plans further trials to evaluate the system's safety and efficacy in more complex cases. Healio (free registration) (7/9) Learn More

  • Balancing potential, challenges of AI in health care

    Artificial intelligence is rapidly being integrated into health care, with nearly two-thirds of physicians using it, but there is a lack of systematic evidence regarding its effect on clinical outcomes, writes Alexander Sundermann of the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. Sundermann highlights the potential of AI to address health care-associated infections but notes that few studies have tested AI tools in clinical practice. He also points out historical challenges like electronic health record implementation and the need for governmental guidance to ensure that AI adoption is safe, equitable and effective. MedPage Today (free registration) (7/8) Learn More

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