Skylar is an associate editor for The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) and The Center for Biosimilars®, and joined AJMC® in 2020. She is responsible for covering all aspects of the ever-changing global biosimilar industry and produces content that is accessible and informative for all health care stakeholders.
She has a BA in journalism and media studies from Rutgers University. You can connect with Skylar on LinkedIn.
Different Pathogeneses May Cause Dementia in Older, Younger Patients With PD
Older patients with Parkinson disease (PD) were found to have a higher incidence of dementia compared with younger patients. However, the difference may have to do with different pathologies causing dementia in older and younger patients.
Ophthalmology Biobetters and Biosimilars May Be Just Around the Corner
More biobetter drugs may be on the horizon, with an opportunity to snatch market share from reference products, and several biosimilars are under development for ophthalmic conditions, authors of a review concluded.
How Does CGP Testing Align With Recommendations, Impact Budgets?
Posters from the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Nexus 2021 meeting detailed how coverage of genetic testing aligns with current guidelines as well as the potential budget impact of expanding access to comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP).
Active Video Games Improve Balance Better Than Conventional Rehab in MS
Video games that involve physical exertion was found to be more effective at improving balance in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with more conventional rehabilitation methods, investigators concluded.
Review: Greater Focus on Targeting Insulin Resistance in Patients With CKD May Be Needed
Insulin resistance may become a future target of treatment in the chronic kidney disease (CKD) population because of the several mechanisms in patients that contribute to increasing resistance, authors of a review concluded.
COVID-19 Vaccination May Provide Less Protection for Patients Taking Ocrelizumab, Fingolimod for MS
After administration of a COVID-19 vaccine, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) taking ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) or fingolimod (Gilenya) may find themselves less protected against COVID-19 than the general population.
Top 5 Most-Read Spinal Muscular Atrophy Stories of 2021
The top 5 most-read spinal muscular atrophy stories of 2021 on AJMC.com covered a variety of topics concerning the disease, including cost differences, the potential for combination therapies, and identifying biomarkers for treatment.
Racial Differences Detected Regarding Impact of Obesity on Retinal Integrity in MS
Obesity was found to have a significant association with retinal structure abnormalities related to multiple sclerosis (MS); however, the impact may be greater for African Americans than Caucasian Americans.
Top 5 Most-Read Comprehensive Genomic Profiling Articles of 2021
The top 5 most-read comprehensive genomic profiling articles of 2021 on AJMC.com largely focused on the use of liquid biopsy and how biomarkers can offer providers new ways to help predict treatment-related outcomes and identify therapeutic targets.
Dialysis Modality Influenced Degree of Pandemic-Related Psychological Distress in Patients With CKD
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing hemodialysis experienced a greater degree of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with patients treated with peritoneal dialysis, investigators found.
Acute Kidney Injury Episodes Led to Significant Impacts on Physical, Emotional Health
Patients who have experienced acute kidney injury (AKI) reported experiencing significant impacts on aspects of their physical and emotional health, demonstrating the different ways that AKI episodes influence patients’ health-related quality of life.
Review: NGS Reveals Migration Patterns of B Cells Across Blood-Brain Barrier for MS
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) may be a helpful tool for establishing how B cells migrate and maturate across the blood-brain barrier in multiple sclerosis (MS), potentially providing better insight into the pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in neuro-inflammation.
Smoking, Most DMTs Not Associated With Severe COVID-19 in Patients With MS
Although obesity, diabetes, and certain comorbidities were all detected as risk factors for severe COVID-19 among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), other long-suspected risk factors, such as smoking and use of most disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), were not.
Lifestyle Interventions May Be Needed to Improve MS Management, Quality of Life
Changes to diet, wellness, and physical activity could have a profound effect on patients’ ability to manage their multiple sclerosis (MS) and significantly improve their quality of life at the same time, researchers concluded.
Study: Heating Climate Can Lead to Higher Risks of Mortality, Hospitalization in Patients With ESRD
Rising ambient temperatures were found to be associated with higher risks of all-cause mortality and all-cause hospitalization in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), highlighting the some of the health-related consequences of climate change.
FDA Approves First CGP Test as Companion Diagnostic for BRAF Inhibitor Therapies for Melanoma
The FDA approved FoundationOneCDx as the first companion diagnostic for current and future BRAF inhibitor therapeutics used to treat melanoma, including both monotherapies and combination therapies.
Views on Telehealth vs In-Person Care Diverge Among Patients With CKD, Clinicians
Opinions on the effectiveness and usefulness of telehealth services varied among clinicians and older patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), suggesting that new measures and training programs should be put in place to mitigate disparities and accessibility issues.
Potential Link Found Between Vitamin D Therapy, Higher Hypercalcemia Risk in CKD
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and elevated levels of parathyroid hormone who are treated with active vitamin D therapy experienced significantly higher risks of hypercalcemia, investigators concluded in a meta-analysis.
Nomogram Tool Can Predict Risk of CKD in Patients at High Risk of Developing Cardiovascular Disease
A tool utilizing 5 predictors was found to be reliable at identifying patients at a high risk of cardiovascular disease who were also at risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD), potentially allowing providers to implement prevention strategies sooner than ever before.