This week, take a look at an approval for EDS, as well as highlights from IDWeek 2024, held in Los Angeles, California.
Interested in receiving a copy of the Contemporary Pediatrics journal every month?
Want to stay up to date with pediatric news? Subscribe to the Contemporary Pediatrics e-newsletter to receive emailed updates regarding new data, pediatric clinical trials, puzzler cases, FDA news, and much more.
Thank you for visiting the Contemporary Pediatrics® website. Take a look at some of our top stories from last week (Monday, October 14, to Friday, October 18, 2024), and click on each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.
The FDA has approved sodium oxybate (Lumryz; Avadel Pharmaceuticals) extended-release oral suspension to treat cataplexy or excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in patients aged 7 years or older with narcolepsy, according to a press release from Avadel.
The decision makes sodium oxybate the only FDA-approved once-at-bedtime oxybate treatment for cataplexy or EDS in among this patient population. Along with the approval, sodium oxybate has been granted Orphan Drug Exclusivity in pediatric narcolepsy patients aged 7 years and older through October 16, 2031.
Findings from a recent study suggested that treatment with glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) in adolescents with obesity is associated with lower risks of suicidal ideation or attempts. The study findings, published in JAMA Pediatrics, highlight the need for additional studies to further explore the underlying reasoning for this demonstrated association.
At the 2024 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition, Matthew M. Davis, MD, MAPP, executive vice-president, enterprise physician-in-chief, and chief scientific officer of Nemours Children's Health, shared key themes in children's health that are at the forefront of current discussions. These include mental and behavioral health, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in pediatrics, and addressing social needs for children and families.
"The first of these is a familiar one, which is, how are kids doing with regard to their mental and behavioral health?" Davis remarked, emphasizing that mental health remains a significant concern in the wake of the pandemic. He highlighted the ongoing challenge of insufficient behavioral health care professionals to meet the growing demand.
In a study that featured the largest sample to date of adolescents and young adults treated with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for major depressive disorder (MDD), TMS treatment with NeuroStar (Neuronetics) led to improvements in depressive symptoms and anxiety among in this population. The study was presented at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) meeting in Seattle, Washington, taking place from October 14 - 19, 2024.
Contemporary Pediatrics was joined by Melissa Fickey, MD, a board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist at Embracing Life Wellness Center in Riverview, Florida, to discuss transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for major depressive disorder (MDD) in adolescents and young adults.
