Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Oseltamivir Reduces Influenza Mortality

For people with hospitalizations due to influenza, oseltamivir treatment was associated with a lower mortality risk, earlier discharge, and lower readmission rates in a large retrospective study published in JAMA Network Open. Researchers analyzed 11,073 hospitalized adults with seasonal influenza across 30 Canadian hospitals from 2015 through 2023 and found when oseltamivir treatment was initiated in the hospital on day 0 or day 1, patients experienced significantly improved outcomes compared to those who had supportive …

More Cannabis Use Equals More Negative Health Effects

Cannabis use among adults is rising, which emerging literature shows also causes added concern for negative health effects. This month in a health letter published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers found the prevalence of past-month cannabis use among older adults increased significantly from 4.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.9%-5.9%) in 2021 to 7.0% (95% CI, 6.2%-8.0%) in 2023. The study included 15,689 adults aged 65 years or older. Additionally, a separate retrospective study involving 6 …

New RSV Vaccine Approved For Infants

The Food and Drug Administration this month approved a new vaccine for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract disease in newborns and infants, designed as preventive care for their first RSV season. The long-acting monoclonal antibody clesrovimab-cfor offers protection through 5 months with the same 105 mg dose regardless of weight, according to a press release from manufacturer Merck. Clinical data from multiple trials shows significant reductions in RSV incidence and …

GLP-1 Drugs Increase Risk of Macular Degeneration

A recent study in JAMA Network Ophthalmology found that older adults with diabetes who were treated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) had a significantly higher risk of developing neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). The retrospective study, conducted from January 2020 to November 2023, followed patients for up to 3 years. It included individuals aged 66 years or older (46.6% female) who had a diagnosis of diabetes and at least 12 months of follow-up …

Should Diphenhydramine Revert to Prescription-Only Status?

A recent article in the World Allergy Organization Journal aims to discourage the use of prescription and over-the-counter diphenhydramine. Clinical teams from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Division of Allergy and Immunology, University of California, San Diego, argue that the first-generation antihistamine has risks and should no longer be widely prescribed or made available over-the-counter. There are safer and more effective second-generation alternatives like cetirizine, loratadine, and fexofenadine available that might be …

Online Beauty Trend Has Clinical Application Too

Hypochlorous acid has gained sudden attention on social media lately where influencers and consumer skincare companies are promoting its benefits for conditions like acne, eczema, and rosacea. Products offered online have clever brand names with words like “magic molecule” and “beauty rescue,” which may have clinicians doubting the claims and raising concerns over their patients using the skin treatments. However, dermatologists interviewed by MedPage Today say that hypochlorous acid can help reduce skin inflammation, and …

Trends Show More Teens Prescribed Weight Loss Drugs

Use of semaglutide for weight loss among American teens is rising with new prescriptions increasing significantly, according to an analysis of 1.3 million electronic health records by Truveta and Reuters. The rate climbed from 9.9 prescriptions per 100,000 teens in 2023 to 14.8 in 2024. The average rate climbed further during the first 3 months of this year, reaching 17.3 new prescriptions per 100,000, according to Reuters. This growth also follows the American Academy of …

MMR Vaccine Rates Decline In 78% of U.S. Counties

The United States is witnessing a significant decline in vaccination rates for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) as reported across more than 2,000 counties, according to a study published in JAMA . Data covering the years 2019 through 2024 show that the county-level mean vaccination rate fell from 93.92% in the pre-pandemic years to 91.26% after the pandemic with 78% of counties reporting declining rates. Only 4 states reported increased rates of MMR vaccination during …

RSV Vaccine Effective For Older Adults

The real-world effectiveness of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination among U.S. adults aged 60 years and older during the 2023–2024 RSV season was found to be 75.1% (95% confidence interval, 73.6–76.4%), according to research published in JAMA Network Open. Vaccine effectiveness was evaluated against acute respiratory infection, urgent care or emergency department visits, and hospitalizations. Among those 60 years and younger, the vaccine was 75.8% effective (73.2-78.1%) against urgent care or emergency department visits …

Door Handles Won’t Give You The Flu: Simulation Study

During flu season, many people go out of their way to wash down high-touch surfaces at home, at work, and in schools, hoping to avoid the spread of germs. An experimental laboratory study published in Microbiology and Immunology that evaluated the risk of influenza transmission through contact with contaminated surfaces, however, found the risk of picking up the flu from touching door handles and other objects is actually quite low. Researchers in Japan simulated “artificial …

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