Matthew Gavidia

The use of fluticasone-containing inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) was linked to increased risk of pneumonia in patients with COPD, according to study findings.

First Stop Health’s inaugural 2019 Health Benefits Cost Containment Report found that reining in benefits spending is a top priority for employers, but many lack the data necessary to make effective changes, according to results of a survey of human resources professionals.

School-based interventions for health issues pertinent to adolescents have been linked with beneficial outcomes, and a study published this week showed potential long-term benefits of a school-based sleep education program.

A clofazimine-containing regimen was found to be well tolerated and potentially effective in patients with rapidly growing mycobacteria infection, especially nonpulmonary and non–Mycobacterium abscessus complex infections, according to retrospective cohort study findings.

Patients with prior preventive treatment failures for migraine were shown to benefit more from a higher dose of erenumab (140 mg) versus a lower dose (70 mg), according to study findings.

Researchers uncovered that patients with Parkinson disease could benefit from immune modulation as an alternative treatment, due to the condition’s influence on immune imbalance, according to study findings.

A blood test showcased potential efficacy for screening and detection of breast cancer, according to an abstract to be presented at the 2019 NCRI Cancer Conference.

Gut microbiome composition, sleep physiology, the immune system, and cognition were found to be interlinked, indicating possible therapies of gut microbiome manipulation to improve sleep quality, according to study findings.

Highmark announced this week that its outcomes-based contract with AstraZeneca for the respiratory combination medication of budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort) revealed positive results in improving outcomes for those with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

An analysis of a carrier-based mandatory obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) program on truckers’ non–OSA-program medical insurance claim costs revealed substantial healthcare cost savings, according to study findings.

Panelists YuQian Liu, PharmD, and Carly Rodriguez, PharmD, FAMCP, discussed migraine treatment advances, available real-world evidence, and migraine management strategies with moderator Charles Collins, MS, MBA, at AMCP Nexus 2019 in National Harbor, Maryland.

Regular use of chemical disinfectants among female nurses was found to be a potential risk factor for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to study findings.

Cleveland Clinic announced the top 10 medical innovations for 2020, which details the medical advancements that have the potential power in transforming healthcare in the next year, at a multimedia presentation during the 2019 Medical Innovation Summit.

Insufficient sleep among 2 adolescent groups aged 6-12 and 13-17 was linked with decreased childhood flourishing, a measurement of behavioral and social well-being that affects school performance, as well as, physical and mental health, according to a study to be presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2019 National Conference & Exhibition in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Two employers, Candace Shaffer from Purdue University and Natalie Roberts from Monarch Beverage Company, discuss in a fall webinar series how they have used the RAND Transparency findings to drive referrals.

Innovaccer, a healthcare data activation company, released its state of the union report, which provides an analysis of multiple payment modes speculating care delivery for the 2020s and discusses trends in value-based payment models.

Fremanezumab was shown to clinically improve headache-related disability outcomes in patients with either chronic or episodic migraines and reported inadequate response to 2 to 4 classes of migraine preventative medications, according to a study presented at the 144th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association.

The FDA approved the triple combination of elexacaftor, ivacaftor, and tezacaftor, to be sold under the name Trikafta, as a novel treatment among patients with the most common cystic fibrosis mutation.

An August study reveals that a school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization program attributed to a dramatic reduction of cervical precancer rates among women living in British Columbia, Canada.

People who are former smokers or who smoke fewer than 5 cigarettes a day were shown to have long-term damage to their lungs, which can increase the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a study.

Speakers from major area cancer centers and Independence Blue Cross addressed progress in implementing value-based care initiatives during a session held September 19, 2019.

Higher employer-sponsored healthcare premiums were found to occur in companies where women account for 75% or more, as opposed to 25%, of the workforce, according to a statistical brief.

Extended estrogen exposure and longer-term hormone therapy was shown to benefit cognitive function among postmenopausal women, according to a new study.

African Americans who report high levels of chronic stress were shown to be at a heightened risk of developing high blood pressure, or hypertension, with specific stressors such as discrimination and socioeconomic status serving as possible catalysts, according to study findings.

Research presented at the 123rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2019 in San Francisco, California, indicated sleep apnea as a risk factor for diabetic macular edema, a complication of diabetes that can cause vision loss or blindness.

Noninvasive nerve stimulation shows potential effectiveness as a novel treatment for vestibular migraine attacks, according to a small, preliminary study.

Noninvasive nerve stimulation shows potential effectiveness as a novel treatment for vestibular migraine attacks, according to a small, preliminary study.

Enrollment in a high-deductible health plan was shown to be associated with cost-related barriers to care, financial strain, and more frequent emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study.

Enrollment in a high-deductible health plan was shown to be associated with cost-related barriers to care, financial strain, and more frequent emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study.