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.
ATS 2021 Abstracts Identify Factors Influencing Hospitalization Risks for COPD
May 27th 2021Abstracts from the ATS 2021 International Conference addressed patient decision-making frameworks for seeking care for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and tactics used to assist hospitals in implementing readmission reduction plans.
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What Factors Can Help Improve the Effectiveness of Pulmonary Rehabilitation in COPD?
May 25th 2021Abstracts from the ATS 2021 International Conference provided some insight into tactics that could improve the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation programs in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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Oncology Roundup: Long-term Risks for Survivors, COVID-19 Accommodation Longevity, and More
May 24th 2021Some recent oncology news includes research into factors impacting the well-being of childhood cancer survivors; whether COVID-19 accommodations will last post-pandemic; and a possible new therapy for patients with polycythemia vera.
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Review Highlights Sociodemographic Disparities in Cancer Risk Factors and Prevention Measures
May 22nd 2021A literature review sheds light on cancer risk factors and suboptimal screening levels that persist in the United States among certain racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, despite a steady decline in cancer deaths and smoking prevalence.
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Characteristics of COPD Vary Among Different Demographics and Smoking Statuses
May 21st 2021Posters presented at the ATS 2021 International Conference noted some ways clinical characteristics associated with patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) differ based on different demographics and smoking status.
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Switches to Adalimumab Biosimilars Yielded Similar Outcomes to the Reference Product in IBD
May 21st 2021After switching to 1 of 2 adalimumab biosimilars, patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experienced comparable clinical outcomes to the reference product after 6 months, according to a recent study.
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Tailoring COPD Management Strategies May Require Additional Pulmonary Function Testing
May 18th 2021In a review, investigators concluded that physicians should use pulmonary function tests in addition to standard spirometry evaluations to better ensure that patients are appropriately being diagnosed and treated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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Real-world Evidence Supports Conditional Use of IV Formula in Hospitalized Infants With MSUD
May 16th 2021Hospitalized infants with the rare metabolic disorder maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), who are intolerant to oral or enteral administration of branched-chain amino acid-free formula, may benefit from an intravenous formulation.
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Lack of Information on Cancer Type in Attribution Algorithms Yields Variations, Inaccurate Results
May 13th 2021Attribution algorithms for patients with newly diagnosed cancer should account for cancer type and stage, among other characteristics, to ensure that attribution measurements are accurately calculated, investigators concluded.
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Alvotech Heats Up Patent Dispute Conflict by Suing AbbVie Over Humira Biosimilar
May 11th 2021Under the lawsuit, Alvotech alleges that AbbVie is unlawfully taking advantage of patent laws and claims courts to prevent biosimilar competition rivaling its blockbuster drug, Humira, from entering the US market.
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Model Using Wearable Tech, Smartphone App Able to Predict AECOPD
May 11th 2021The model that incorporated environmental and lifestyle data collected from a fitness tracker and a smartphone app was successful at predicting acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) 7 days in advance.
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Study Identifies Key Factors Affecting Patient Willingness to Use eHealth Tools in COPD
May 7th 2021Specific factors, such as experience with technology and health literacy, were key drivers of whether a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) would benefit or be likely to use eHealth tools to improve self-management skills, investigators concluded.
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Real-world Data From Multiple Sources May Be Needed to Conduct Biosimilar Comparison Studies
May 6th 2021Administrative claims data in oncology often lack sufficient information to conduct postmarketing comparison studies of biosimilars with their reference product, suggesting that other sources are needed to answer critical research questions.
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Adjusting Endurance Walk Test for COPD Could Improve Accuracy, Study Says
May 5th 2021Factors related to pulmonary and physical activity could serve as predictors for how long patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can tolerate during an endurance walk test, potentially leading to more accurate analyses on the effectiveness of interventions.
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Study Clarifies Relationship Establishing a Biomarker for Physical Activity in COPD
April 29th 2021Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) may be a useful biomarker for predicting physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which could help physicians better determine disease prognosis, investigators concluded.
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Analysis Buttresses Idea That Inhaled Corticosteroids in COPD Guard Against Lung Cancer
April 28th 2021Authors of a global meta-analysis concluded that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), who are generally at a higher risk for lung cancer, may gain some protection from inhaled corticosteroids.
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How Patient Preferences Can Inform Program Designs for Pulmonary Rehabilitation
April 28th 2021A recent study concluded that designers of pulmonary rehabilitation programs should consider patients’ preferences on what components they feel are the most important to ensure that the programs are successful and effective.
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Researchers Review Practice Guidelines for Biologics in Psoriasis
April 24th 2021Guidelines on the use of biologic drugs in patients with psoriasis were mostly seen as having medium-to-high quality; however, investigators said that more work needs to be done to ensure applicability to clinical practice.
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Study: Targeted Interventions Improve Bronchiolitis Management in Infants
April 23rd 2021Medications and management processes known to be ineffective or harmful in infants with bronchiolitis were tossed in favor of targeted interventions in hospitals, resulting in improvements in bronchiolitis care.
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Low Rate of Ocular Abnormalities Seen Among Newborns Exposed to SARS-CoV-2 In Utero
April 19th 2021A study of newborns exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, during gestation found few instances of ocular abnormalities, with none detected in exposed infants who testing positive.
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Using Telemedicine for Respiratory Infections May Lead to More Care Later
April 17th 2021The study, on the quality of on-demand video telemedicine services, found that patients using telemedicine for respiratory infections were more likely to receive follow-up care, causing higher health care spending.
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COVID-19 Pandemic Provides Glimpse Into Potential Cause of Kawasaki Disease in Children
April 10th 2021Given the high prevalence of Kawasaki disease during the pandemic, Japanese investigators determined that droplet or contact transmission of pathogens is likely not a major route causing the development of the disease.
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Review on Blended Self-management Shows Mixed Results on Relieving COPD Burden
April 8th 2021A meta-analysis, where many studies ranged in evidence quality, revealed mixed results on the effectiveness of blended self-management interventions in chronic lung conditions, establishing a need for more research.
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Study Finds Depression, Anxiety to Be More Common in COPD Than Other Chronic Comorbidities
April 6th 2021Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were found to be more likely to take medications for depression or anxiety than for other common comorbidities associated with the disease, investigators concluded.
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