Special Reports

Unmet needs remain in acute and preventive management of migraine despite availability of multiple treatment options in East Asia. At the 2023 International Headache Congress in Seoul, South Korea, Professor Peter Goadsby of King’s College London in London, UK, and Professor Min-Kyung Chu of Severance Hospital, Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, reviewed the role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)–targeted therapies in migraine management, highlighting the efficacy and safety of the oral CGRP receptor antagonist (RA), rimegepant, in both acute treatment and prevention of migraine.

Growing evidence supports early initiation of guidelinedirected medical therapy (GDMT), including sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, in patients with heart failure (HF). At a Boehringer Ingelheim–sponsored symposium in Hong Kong, Professor Piotr Ponikowski of the Medical University, Wrocław, Poland, discussed how this approach may improve patients’ prognosis, highlighting randomized controlled trial (RCT) evidence supporting in-hospital initiation of empagliflozin in acute HF and sharing a case study to illustrate practical aspects of this approach.

At the United European Gastroenterology Week (UEGW) 2023 held in Copenhagen, Denmark, researchers presented latest findings on tofacitinib in ulcerative colitis (UC). Topics covered included identification of factors associated with tofacitinib treatment response and maintenance of response, histological outcomes following treatment, and long-term safety data from the global tofacitinib UC clinical programme.

Eosinophilic disorders, such as eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) and hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), often necessitate the use of corticosteroids due to diverse signs and symptoms. However, long-term corticosteroid use is associated with various complications. Patients with poor response to corticosteroids may experience disease recurrence. At an industry-sponsored symposium jointly organized by the Hong Kong Society of Rheumatology and the Hong Kong Thoracic Society, experts shared insights on multidisciplinary team management of eosinophilic disorders and discussed clinical evidence supporting the use of add-on medications, such as mepolizumab, in EGPA and HES.

Budesonide 160 mcg, glycopyrronium 7.2 mcg, formoterol fumarate dihydrate 5 mcg inhalation suspension

Recombinant luteinizing hormone (r-LH) supplementation helps improve outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in women with poor response to controlled ovarian stimulation (COS). At a recent industry-sponsored symposium, Dr Daniel Lantsberg of the Royal Women’s Hospital in Victoria, Australia, discussed which poor responders may benefit from the use of r-LH plus recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (r-FSH), and shared his experience in using combined r-FSH/r-LH (ie, follitropin alfa/lutropin alfa) among patients with prior suboptimal responses to assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures.

Eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a subtype of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) characterized by local eosinophilic inflammation. Patients with CRSwNP often require multiple nasal surgeries despite repeated use of antibiotics and systemic corticosteroids and long-term use of intranasal corticosteroids with saline nasal rinse. At a symposium organized by the Hong Kong College of Otorhinolaryngologists, Dr Narinder Singh of the Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department of the University of Sydney, Australia, discussed the pathogenesis of CRSwNP and the use of mepolizumab in improving outcomes in CRSwNP. Dr A B John, Specialist in Otorhinolaryngology in private practice in Singapore, shared clinical experience and insights in CRSwNP treatment with mepolizumab.

Next-generation femtosecond laser for correction of myopia with or without astigmatism Smooth incision lenticular keratomileusis (SILK^TM) is performed using the next-generation ELITA^TM femtosecond laser system, which is designed for tissue bridge-free incision. At a showcase symposium sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Vision, Professor Mahipal Sachdev of Centre For Sight Group of Hospitals in New Delhi, India, principal investigator of ELITA’s recent phase III trial, shared his experience in using ELITA for both flap and flapless refractive correction procedures, highlighting swift recovery, improved visual acuity and patient satisfaction with the new system.