Latest Conference Articles

Posters presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions in Chicago, Illinois, found that the neighborhood income and socioeconomic status had an effect on heart failure and all-cause readmission rates.

Jen Gunter, MD, obstetrician and gynecologist, author, and specialist in chronic pain medicine and vulvovaginal disorders, spoke on the change in perspective regarding the medical and scientific community's role in dispelling health care misinformation on social media and in the press.

Jennifer Green, MD, professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, member of Duke Clinical Research Institute, and EMPA-KIDNEY collaborator, discussed findings of the EMPA-KIDNEY trial presented at Kidney Week 2022, which showed a 28% improvement for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on empagliflozin, whether in reduced mortality from cardiovascular disease or progression of CKD.

With no sign that medical misinformation is going away, a session at Kidney Week 2022 delved into how nephrologists and researchers can educate and inform the public.

A study presented at Kidney Week 2022 examined the effect of combining diet coaching with financial assistance for Black adults with hypertension and advanced chronic kidney disease.

Access to care remains a key issue when trying to deliver equitable kidney health care to patients, explained O.N. Ray Bignall II, MD, assistant chief diversity and health equity officer at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Brent W. Miller, MD, board certified nephrologist and professor of clinical medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine, discussed new and emerging technologies for at-home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, as well as efforts that have been made to address uptake issues for patients with kidney disease.

340B was developed with positive intentions, but has resulted in unintended consequences, said Edward J. Licitra, MD, PhD, chairman and chief executive officer, Astera Cancer Care.

Empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, reduced the risk of death or worsening progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) by 28%, according to results published Friday at Kidney Week 2022.

"We need to get rid of all obstacles that are getting in the way of the patient getting their care," said Bo Gamble, director of strategic practice initiatives at Community Oncology Alliance (COA).

Physicians and scientists are worried about the future pandemic preparedness, and the reasons why are largely due to social and political influences, according to a keynote speech and panel discussion on the first day of Kidney Week 2022.

The American Heart Association (AHA) will hold its annual conference in person in Chicago and online from November 5-7, with sessions on health equity and gene editing receiving particular focus.

Sessions at Kidney Week 2022 range from combatting medical misinformation to learning about the latest clinical advances, as well as championing health equity for patients with kidney disease.

Susan E. Quaggin, MD, FASN, president of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) for the 2021-2022 term, discussed the major focuses and breakthroughs in nephrology to be presented at Kidney Week 2022, which include novel treatments for common and rare kidney diseases, as well as efforts to address disparities for transplant and care access.

Brian Corvino, MBA, managing director, Life Sciences and Health Care Practice, Deloitte Consulting, LLP, offered an overview of how the surge of innovation in oncology—and resulting drug approvals—dominate the biopharmaceutical sector. He spoke at the Community Oncology Alliance's Payer Exchange Summit.

The quest to deliver better cancer care—with better outcomes and patient experience—is not a one-size-fits-all journey, as seen in panels during the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) Payer Exchange Summit, held in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia.

Making value-based payment models work in cancer care requires close attention to the financial and quality measures and a commitment to culture change, said experts gathered October 25 at the Community Oncology Alliance Payer Exchange Summit.

Panelists who have reviewed the Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM) say it puts additional requirements on practices with reduced monthly payments, and its risk modeling could put a small practice out of business.

A medical student at the University of Kansas discusses a research project she started in her first year of school—2020—looking at whether a racial bias in pulse oximetry was present in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure.

The latest updates in lung cancer screening guidelines will help address disparities in certain populations, but multiple barriers including access to programs and payer coverage remain issues.

Arianne Baldomero, MD, MS, a pulmonologist in the Veterans Health Administration, discusses findings of a study looking at chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) disease management for veterans in rural areas.

Urban areas face a concentration of various pollutants that will be exacerbated by the increasing temperatures caused by climate change, and low-income residents likely have fewer resources to withstand negative health impacts, according to Emily Brigham, MD, MHS, of the University of British Columbia.

Youths and young adults are the target demographic of sleek, colorful e-cigarette devices with flavorful nicotine.

Martin Runnström, MD, a fourth-year fellow at the Emory University School of Medicine, describes a study he presented at CHEST 2022 showing a reduced response to a 2-dose immunization series for SARS-CoV-2 among patients using biologics to treat severe asthma or atopic dermatitis.

In the Roger C. Bone Memorial Lecture in Critical Care at CHEST 2022, E. Wesley Ely, MD, MPH, of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, highlights the need for humanism in the intensive care unit and how the COVID-19 pandemic destroyed what had been built up.

As understanding of COVID-19 evolves and more evidence on treatments emerges, making sense of it can be a challenge for physicians.

Some atopic diseases affect asthma outcomes more than others, said Basil Kahwash, MD, an assistant professor of medicine on the clinical educator track in the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, who spoke at CHEST 2022.

There are several closely watched randomized trials examining catheter-directed therapies for acute pulmonary embolism, according to Parth Rali, MD, an associate professor of thoracic medicine and surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine and director of the Temple University Health System Pulmonary Embolism Response Team.

While more research is needed, obesity does play a role in the response to viral infections as well as immunizations, said Kara Dupuy-McCauley, MD, a pulmonologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

The first 5 minutes of a patient’s visit with a doctor can help improve communication and build more trusting relationships, explained panelists during a session on lung health disparities in America at CHEST 2022.