Question Are interleukin-6 antagonists effective in decreasing mortality among persons hospitalized with COVID-19? Conclusion Based on this systematic review, it is unclear if IL-6 antagonists decrease mortality among persons hospitalized with COVID-19. Co-intervention with corticosteroids has muddied the waters, and…

Question What is the best treatment for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children? Conclusion For children with MIS-C caused by SARS-CoV-2, the preferred initial treatment is IVIG plus corticosteroids. Reference Son MB, Murray N, Friedman K, et al, for the Overcoming…

Question How effective are current vaccines against the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2? Conclusion Fortunately, the existing Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines appear to offer robust protection against the widespread delta variant. Efficacy is much better after 2 doses than after only…

Question Are steroid bursts in children potentially harmful? Conclusion Although corticosteroid bursts have potential for improving outcomes for many acute illnesses, this study shows that the potential harms are not trivial. Reference Yao TC, Wang JY, Chang SM, et al.…

Question Is 7 days of antibiotic therapy noninferior to 14 days of therapy when treating urinary tract infection symptoms in afebrile men? Conclusion This study found that 7 days of antibiotic therapy with either ciprofloxacin or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is noninferior to…

Question Is high-frequency spinal cord stimulation added to conventional medical management effective in alleviating pain in persons with painful diabetic neuropathy refractory to medical therapy? Conclusion Is high-frequency spinal cord stimulation added to conventional medical management effective in alleviating pain…

Question What is the optimal duration of oral antibiotic therapy after surgical treatment for prosthetic hip or knee joint infections? Conclusion Following surgical treatment for prosthetic joint infections, a 6-week course of oral antibiotic therapy is not as effective as…

Question Are multiple intra-articular corticosteroid injections more effective and safer than other joint injections in patients with degenerative joint disease? Conclusion In this systematic review, patients with degenerative joint disease who received multiple corticosteroid injections did not have more meaningful…

Question Are flat flexible shoes as effective as stable supportive shoes to decrease pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis? Conclusion Tell patients with knee pain to experiment to see if changing their shoe type produces pain relief. In this study,…

The Drug The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Saphnelo™ (anifrolumab-fnia) as a treatment for adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who are receiving standard therapy. It is the third U.S. FDA approval of a lupus therapy since…