Trending News Today: Antibody May Suppress HIV For Up to 4 Months

Phase 2 study data suggest that infusions of an antibody that blocks HIV-binding site on CD4+ T cells may be able to suppress HIV for up to 4 months in patients halting their antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens, The American Journal of Managed Care. According to the article, patients enrolled in the study discontinued their normal ART regimens and received infusions of UB-421 over 8- or 16-week periods. Among 29 virally suppressed patients in the study, every patient treated with UB-421 maintained viral suppression, the article reported.

A recent study showed that updated pediatric blood pressure guidelines in 2017 increased the number of children diagnosed with high blood pressure, Reuters reported. According to the article, after analyzing data on approximately 4000 adults, the researchers concluded that the new guidelines would have more effectively identified children who would later have hypertension, an enlarged heart, and metabolic syndrome. Overall, the study showed that under the new guidelines, 8% more children would end up with a diagnosis of hypertension, the article reported.

A retroactive analysis has found that schizophrenia may be commonly misdiagnosed in patients, MD Magazine reported. According to the article, the study reported that several factors may influence a physician to readily diagnose a patient with schizophrenia. Of 78 patients observed in the review, 55% had a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder at the time of their referral. Fifty-one percent of those patients concluded with a different diagnosis following the consultation and 43% were not diagnosed with any form of primary psychotic disorder, the article reported.