Matthew Gavidia

Researchers find that monitoring dietary intake in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) could detect possible micronutrient insufficiencies that may exacerbate adverse effects such as constipation. Expanding knowledge on correct medication intake among patients with PD was also cited.

Switching off a “master regulator” of the epigenome called TET2 may protect the brain from the inflammatory damage and neurodegeneration caused by Parkinson disease, according to recent study findings.

In 2 surveys, employers identified efforts to increase availability of virtual care, support employees undertaking greater caregiving roles, and address social and health inequities as a result of the pandemic.

Through the partnership between Innovaccer and Emtiro Health, data utilization will work to delineate and address social aspects known to affect the health of populations nationwide, said Kelly Garrison, CEO at Emtiro Health, and Paul Grundy, MD, chief transformation officer at Innovaccer.

The prevalence of such sleep disorders as narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea increased appreciably from 2013 to 2016. It is unknown whether this is due to increased awareness or increased incidence.

DA-9701 therapy was found to improve the severity of gastrointestinal symptom–related quality of life and severity in patients with Parkinson disease, with no adverse effects on motor symptoms, according to study findings.

Short-term use of acetazolamide was shown to improve both obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA), with significantly greater reductions in the apnea-hypopnea index observed with higher doses.

Given the constraints prevalent post-COVID-19, Dr Mark Fendrick, director of the University of Michigan Center for Value-Based Insurance Design, stresses that it is now more important than ever for the health care industry to prioritize payment reform, value-based benefit design, and novel policy initiatives.

Among patients with Parkinson disease aged 60 years and younger with early motor complications, deep brain stimulation was found to provide significant improvements in social, occupational, and psychosocial function.

Researchers discuss current and prospective pharmacological therapies for treating both excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy, as well as efforts to address narcolepsy stigma.

Beyond telework, some notable strategies that employers should consider when managing back-to-school and other leave related concerns among employees include child care benefits and flexible work options, said David Weisenfeld, JD, legal editor and host of a XpertHR podcast.

Improving on the ability to confirm diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) earlier and determining who is at risk for PD were referenced as key factors in further slowing progression of the disease, according to review findings.

Hinge Health announced the expansion of its clinical and technical musculoskeletal (MSK) capabilities to cover the full continuum of MSK care. The move will provide the most complete back and joint health solution to employers and health plans.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia delivered via telemedicine was found to be noninferior to in-person delivery in managing severity, with similar improvements in daytime functioning exhibited between the 2 methods, according to study findings.

Overall, there are 145 registered and ongoing clinical trials for therapies targeting Parkinson disease, of which 28 are currently in phase 3, according to review findings.

Researchers discuss the implications of nonmotor symptoms in patients with Parkinson disease, which can contribute to major sleep, ocular, olfactory, throat, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, or musculoskeletal disorders.

Through GoMo Health’s partnership with the Center for Health Technology and Innovation (CHTI) at the American Heart Association (AHA), GoMo, in collaboration with the AHA, has launched the telehealth care coordination solution, known as Concierge Care, a behaviorally-based, patient-centric care solution that can lead to measurable and sustainable population health, said Patrick Dunn, program director of CHTI at the AHA, and Bob Gold, chief executive officer of GoMo Health.

Amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Italy, a significant number of patients with epilepsy reported difficulties managing their condition, especially those who reported greater use of antiseizure medications for chronic therapy and poor sleep quality, according to study findings.

Individuals who had experienced a concussion were found to be at a greater risk of Parkinson disease, mood and anxiety disorders (MADs), dementia, and hyperactivity disorder, with concussed women indicated as a notable at-risk population for MADs, according to study findings published today.

A recent webinar discussed what causes symptom recurrence in patients with Parkinson disease and what implications this has for health outcomes and health care cost.

This week, the FDA approved Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ XywavTM (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium oxybates), an oral solution for the treatment of cataplexy or excessive daytime sleepiness in patients 7 years and older with narcolepsy.

In 2 midyear deals reports issued today by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), total US health services deal value and volume were down in the first half (H1) of 2020 compared with H1 2019, with overall global pharma and life sciences sectors also down in H1 2020 compared with the second half of 2019.

Findings from the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s (MJFF) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survey, based on patient-reported information from Fox Insight, highlight the known adverse effects of general infections on worsening of motor and nonmotor symptoms in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). However, there still remains insufficient data on the specified risk of COVID-19 in the PD community, noted Vanessa Arnedo, vice president of Research Cohorts for MJFF, and Ethan Brown, MD, neurologist and principal investigator of the MJFF COVID-19 survey.

Increases in different aspects of snoring, such as frequency and loudness, among patients with obstructive sleep apnea and established cardiovascular disease were associated with greater risks of cerebral but not cardiac events, according to study findings.

Patients with Parkinson disease who experience visual impairment were found to be more prone to behavioral issues such as depression and anxiety, as well as dementia and death, according to study findings.

Automatic positive airway pressure was found to significantly improve peak oxygen uptake, left ventricular function, and quality of life in patients with comorbid obstructive sleep apnea and heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, according to study findings.

Patients with type 2 diabetes who sleep too much (≥ 10 hours) or too little (≤ 5 hours) were found to exhibit a higher mortality rate. Those at a younger age of diabetes onset who reported longer sleep duration were also associated with greater risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, according to study findings published today.

Recognizing trends in health care that align with the COVID-19 pandemic and related racial disparities can improve the design of timely and effective strategies by employers to safely return employees to the workplace. Some of these efforts include less wait time for testing results, an improved focus on social determinants of health, and greater accessibility to care, said Lauren Vela, MBA, senior director at Pacific Business Group on Health.

A quality improvement project led by a multidisciplinary team was found to significantly improve on-time administration of levodopa and other medications for patients with Parkinson disease, according to study findings.

In patients with Parkinson disease (PD) who underwent deep brain stimulation, dementia prevalence and incidence were not found to be higher than those in the general PD population, according to study findings.