Learning Lab NEJM Visual Abstracts

Inhaled glucocorticoid plus β-agonist in a single inhaler was compared with maintenance inhaled glucocorticoid for exacerbation risk among patients with mild asthma. Combination therapy was noninferior to maintenance therapy.

A blinded trial involving patients with resected stage III melanoma showed that adjuvant pembrolizumab every 3 weeks for a year was associated with a 1-year recurrence-free survival rate of 75%, as compared with 61% for placebo.

Verubecestat, an orally administered inhibitor of BACE-1, reduces amyloid concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid. In a randomized, 78-week trial involving patients with mild or moderate Alzheimer’s disease, the drug did not slow cognitive decline as compared with placebo.

In a randomized trial involving patients with acute stroke, the incidence of revascularization was higher with tenecteplase than with alteplase for intravenous thrombolysis before endovascular thrombectomy. Cerebral hemorrhage occurred at the same rate in each group.

Despite the benefits of rotavirus vaccination, concerns about intussusception are an important consideration. In this study, the risk of intussusception associated with rotavirus vaccination was assessed in African countries in which the vaccine had recently been rolled out.

In a randomized trial, 366 patients with advanced heart failure received a centrifugal- or axial-flow LVAD. At 2 years, the centrifugal-flow LVAD was superior with regard to survival free of disabling stroke or reoperation to replace or remove a malfunctioning device.

This randomized, controlled trial showed that, among patients with malignant pleural effusion, the insertion of talc into the pleural space through an indwelling catheter resulted in a higher frequency of successful pleurodesis than placebo.