Review
Infectious Diseases
Alex Soriano, Patrick M. Honore, Pedro Puerta-Alcalde, Carolina Garcia-Vidal, Anna Pagotto, Daniela C. Goncalves-Bradley, Paul E. Verweij
Summary: Invasive candidiasis (IC) is a serious infection caused by Candida species, and it is the most common fungal disease in hospitals in high-income countries. Despite improvements in healthcare and treatment, mortality rates in IC have not significantly improved. This review aims to summarize the main challenges in managing adult patients with IC and highlight specific forms of the infection.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Maria Eva Mingot-Castellano, Jose Maria Bastida, Gonzalo Caballero-Navarro, Laura Entrena Urena, Tomas Jose Gonzalez-Lopez, Jose Ramon Gonzalez-Porras, Nora Butta, Mariana Canaro, Reyes Jimenez-Barcenas, Maria Del Carmen Gomez Del Castillo Solano, Blanca Sanchez-Gonzalez, Cristina Pascual-Izquierdo
Summary: Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by low platelet counts and bleeding risk. Current treatments have limitations, and therefore a thorough review of novel therapies is necessary. The pathophysiology of ITP is complex, but it also presents an opportunity to uncover new treatment targets.
Article
Microbiology
Catherine Cabrera, Kanoelani Pilobello, Steven Dalvin, Johanna Bobrow, Darshi Shah, Lori Freed Garg, Sujata Chalise, Patrick Doyle, Glenn A. Miller, David R. Walt, Sara Suliman, Pawan Jolly
Summary: During the early months of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the medical research community developed diagnostic methods and tools to address testing challenges. They proposed a framework for assessing technologies and clinical validation to guide device selection and application. This approach can be extended to future technology assessments and emerging pathogens.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Psychiatry
Falk W. Lohoff
Summary: Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) poses significant challenges to individuals, communities, healthcare systems, and economies. The most commonly used treatment methods, such as cognitive and behavioral therapy, have limited efficacy. Addressing the bottlenecks in AUD research and developing novel treatment strategies are important for improving outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fabio Lobefaro, Giulio Gualdi, Sergio Di Nuzzo, Paolo Amerio
Summary: Atopic dermatitis is a common chronic skin disorder that negatively impacts the quality of life for patients. The diagnosis and management of atopic dermatitis still face several challenges. This paper presents the main clinical features of atopic dermatitis and the unmet needs that need to be addressed in future research.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Michelle L. Oyen
Summary: Historically, medical conditions that predominantly affect women have been under-studied. This article examines the reasons for this discrepancy and discusses the research on women's reproductive tissues, biomaterials, and women's health.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Gerard Honig, Paul B. Larkin, Caren Heller, Andres Hurtado-Lorenzo
Summary: Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases still have many unmet needs despite progress, requiring innovative therapies to target disease drivers more broadly and tailor treatment. The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation has launched IBD Ventures and IBD Innovate (R) to focus on researching and developing innovative products that meet patient needs.
INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Uwe Platzbecker, Anne Sophie Kubasch, Collin Homer-Bouthiette, Thomas Prebet
Summary: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of myeloid neoplasms characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, variable cytopenias, and a risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia. Current treatments for MDS lack a clear standard of care, and there is a need for new, more effective but tolerable strategies. Advances in molecular diagnostics have improved understanding of the genetic abnormalities driving MDS, necessitating complex personalized treatment approaches.
Review
Oncology
Lewis R. Roberts, Brian M. Rivers, Clayton C. Yates, Lisa A. Newman, Benjamin D. Sarkodie, Melissa B. Davis, Yaw Asare-Aboagye, Alex A. Adjei, Adalynn E. Harris, Baffour Awuah
Summary: Clinical trials directed toward cancer prevention, screening, and diagnosis, as well as the identification of innovative treatments in Africa, are necessary. The cancer burden in Africa, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, is increasing rapidly. Mortality rates for certain cancers in sub-Saharan Africa are the highest in the world, comparable to high-income countries. However, most cancer therapies are introduced to Africa without confirmatory clinical trials, highlighting the need for more clinical trials focused on Africa.
Review
Oncology
Andrew. H. H. Matthews, Keith. W. W. Pratz, Martin. P. P. Carroll
Summary: This review examines the advancements in treating acute myeloid leukemia, discussing two promising approaches targeting specific molecular and genetic abnormalities and highlighting new therapies for subgroups like NPM1 mutations, KMT2A rearrangements, and TP53 mutations. These novel treatments have the potential to improve outcomes for patients with high unmet needs.
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
John C. Stendahl, Jennifer M. Kwan, Darko Pucar, Mehran M. Sadeghi
Summary: Cardiovascular imaging is evolving to meet the trends of molecular characterization and personalized therapies. The development of new radiotracers is crucial for addressing the unmet diagnostic needs in cardiovascular medicine. This review discusses various radiotracers for imaging cardiovascular inflammation, thrombosis, fibrosis, calcification, and amyloidosis, which have the potential to improve risk stratification, thrombi detection, and diagnosis of cardiomyopathies.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
John C. Stendahl, Jennifer M. Kwan, Darko Pucar, Mehran M. Sadeghi
Summary: The development of new radiotracers is crucial in cardiovascular medicine to address unmet diagnostic needs and support personalized therapies. This review discusses emerging radiotracers for cardiovascular imaging, covering perfusion, neuronal imaging, inflammation, fibrosis, thrombosis, calcification, and cardiac amyloidosis.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Pediatrics
Daniel P. Gitterman, William W. Hay Jr, W. Scott Langford
Summary: Although pediatric funding has increased significantly, the question remains whether the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has reflected recent changes in disease burden and conditions in its allocation process. This study focuses on childhood adversity, gun violence, suicide, and drug abuse/overdose as unmet needs and emerging challenges. Pediatric researchers need to reconceptualize gun violence as a form of childhood adversity, as well as address other leading causes of child and adolescent mortality such as suicide and drug abuse/overdose. Spending on pediatric-related gun violence research remains minimal, accounting for only 0.0017% of the NIH pediatric portfolio.
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Karolina M. Stepien, Elizabeth A. Braunlin
Summary: This review describes the unmet cardiac needs in adults with MPS disorders, including the lack of effective treatments, monitoring guidelines, and the challenges regarding expertise and training, and psychosocial support.
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Nnaoma Agwu, Michael R. Recto, Arash Kheradvar
Summary: A common feature of congenital heart disease is RVOT obstruction, which can be mild to severe and may lead to pulmonary valve atresia. Although RVOT abnormalities can be surgically or interventionally corrected, most patients will eventually develop pulmonary valve insufficiency and right ventricular dilation, necessitating pulmonary valve replacement. The evolution of transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement has provided a solution, but there are still unmet needs for certain patient populations.
ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Allison J. Kwong, W. Ray Kim, John Lake, Peter G. Stock, Connie J. Wang, James B. Wetmore, Marc L. Melcher, Andrew Wey, Nicholas Salkowski, Jon J. Snyder, Ajay K. Israni
Summary: A study found that livers with macrovesicular steatosis are less likely to be transplanted due to their higher risk of graft failure. To facilitate the use of these higher-risk organs, the SRTR now includes the variable of macrovesicular steatosis in their risk-adjustment models.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Alexandre Louvet, Valerie Bourcier, Isabelle Archambeaud, Louis d'Alteroche, Cendrine Chaffaut, Frederic Oberti, Christophe Moreno, Dominique Roulot, Thong Dao, Romain Moirand, Jean-Charles Duclos-Vallee, Odile Goria, Eric Nguyen-Khac, Stanislas Pol, Nicolas Carbonell, Jerome Gournay, Laure Elkrief, Isabelle Fouchard-Hubert, Sylvie Chevret, Nathalie Ganne-Carrie
Summary: This study aims to investigate the factors influencing the long-term prognosis of patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis. The results showed that alcohol recurrence and moderate alcohol consumption were associated with poor outcomes. It is recommended that patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis should completely abstain from drinking alcohol.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jin Ge, W. Ray Kim, Jennifer C. Lai, Allison J. Kwong
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Won-Mook Choi, Terry Cheuk-Fung Yip, Grace Lai-Hung Wong, W. Ray Kim, Leland J. Yee, Craig Brooks-Rooney, Tristan Curteis, Harriet Cant, Chien-Hung Chen, Chi-Yi Chen, Yi-Hsiang Huang, Young-Joo Jin, Dae Won Jun, Jin-Woo Kim, Neung Hwa Park, Cheng-Yuan Peng, Hyun Phil Shin, Woo Shin, Yao-Hsu Yang, Young-Suk Lim
Summary: This study compared the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) versus entecavir (ETV) treatment. The results showed that patients receiving TDF had a significantly lower HCC risk, especially those with HBeAg positivity.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Heejun Son, Bo Kyung Koo, Sae Kyung Joo, Dong Hyeon Lee, Heejoon Jang, Jeong Hwan Park, Mee Soo Chang, Won Kim
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of diet on the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis progression in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The total energy intake had no impact on fibrosis progression but was associated with high-risk NASH. The effect of total energy intake on high-risk NASH was more pronounced in patients without the PNPLA3 risk allele.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION
(2023)
Review
Transplantation
Joshua Norman, Neil Mehta, Allison Kwong
Summary: A more nuanced allocation scheme for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is needed to represent the individual urgency for liver transplant and optimize organ utility. Several risk prediction models have been proposed but none have been adopted in clinical practice or liver allocation due to limitations.
CURRENT OPINION IN ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Eileen L. L. Yoon, Won Kim
Summary: The socioeconomic burden of alcohol-related liver disease is increasing globally. Its prevalence is underestimated and early diagnosis is rare. Alcoholic hepatitis, a life-threatening syndrome, is characterized by systemic inflammation. Prednisolone is the first-line treatment for severe alcoholic hepatitis, with liver transplantation as an option for non-responders. Abstinence is crucial for long-term care, and new therapeutic targets aim to prevent hepatic inflammation, reduce oxidative stress, improve gut dysbiosis, and enhance liver regeneration. This review covers the pathogenesis, current treatment, and barriers to clinical trials of alcoholic hepatitis, as well as ongoing or recently completed trials.
JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Florent Artru, Sophie-Caroline Sacleux, Jose Ursic-Bedoya, Georges-Philippe Pageaux, Alexandre Louvet, Faouzi Saliba
LIVER TRANSPLANTATION
(2023)
Editorial Material
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Young-Suk Lim, Allison Kwong, Alina M. Allen
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Pimsiri Sripongpun, Prowpanga Udompap, Ajitha Mannalithara, N. Lance Downing, Anna A. Vidovszky, Allison J. Kwong, Aparna Goel, Paul Y. Kwo, W. Ray Kim
Summary: The study aims to analyze the impact of health insurance coverage on HCV infection prevalence in US adults born after 1965 and formulate strategies for population screening. The results show higher HVC prevalence in uninsured individuals, and alanine aminotransferase prescreening can effectively reduce the number of screenings.
MAYO CLINIC PROCEEDINGS
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Luis Antonio Diaz, Juan Pablo Arab, Alexandre Louvet, Ramon Bataller, Marco Arrese
Summary: In this Review, Arrese and colleagues discuss the pathophysiology, clinical management, and future research directions of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), which are the leading causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. The authors highlight the shared features and interactions between alcohol and metabolic dysfunction in the development and progression of liver disease, as well as the under-reporting of alcohol consumption in patients classified as having NAFLD. They propose the evaluation of both metabolic syndrome and alcohol consumption in patients with fatty liver disease to improve prognosis and personalize treatment.
NATURE REVIEWS GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Ayooluwatomiwa Deborah Adekunle, Adeyinka Adejumo, Ashwani K. K. Singal
Summary: Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a complex and rapidly increasing disease without approved therapeutic targets. Challenges in study designs and clinical trials need to be overcome to drive drug development in this field. ALD management should focus on achieving and maintaining alcohol abstinence, while early liver transplantation protocols and noninvasive biomarkers require improvement. Integrated multidisciplinary care models are urgently needed to improve long-term outcomes for ALD patients with alcohol use disorder and liver disease.
THERAPEUTIC ADVANCES IN GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Mark Thursz, Anne Lingford-Hughes
Summary: Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is a leading contributor to liver-related morbidity and mortality, and its burden is increasing. The disease is influenced by genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Despite long-term excessive alcohol consumption, most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, missing opportunities for intervention. Non-invasive tests have shown promise in early detection. Public health measures and individual interventions have limited ability to reduce the disease burden due to a lack of effective interventions. Abstinence from alcohol is crucial for established ALD patients, and liver transplant is indicated in cases of decompensated ALD. Understanding the mechanisms of alcohol-induced liver disease offers potential for new treatments, but funding in this area has been historically inadequate.
BMJ-BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Ashwani K. Singal, Lorenzo Leggio, Andrea DiMartini
Summary: Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a leading cause for liver transplantation (LT) globally, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and among young individuals. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is prevalent in the majority of ALD patients, and early liver transplantation (eLT) has emerged as a potential treatment for selected patients with alcohol-associated hepatitis. However, the challenge lies in addressing AUD treatment, which requires an integrated multidisciplinary care approach.
LIVER TRANSPLANTATION
(2023)