NEJM Journal Watch - General Medicine

In a large, randomized trial, initiation of a direct oral anticoagulant within 4 days of stroke onset provided comparable outcomes to delayed start.

Multiple autoimmune diseases developed more often among people who had COVID-19 than among those who did not.

Some oncologists are far more aggressive than others.

In the 5 years before diagnosis, patients with IGE were more commonly prescribed psychiatric medications and had higher healthcare use than matched controls.

A multinational, controlled trial has affirmed that 7 days of antibiotic therapy is adequate for uncomplicated bacteremia.

The U.S. CDC has updated some longstanding recommendations on pneumococcal and COVID-19 vaccinations.

In 2024, NEJM Journal Watch covered many studies that are not included in our detailed Year in Review feature but still were important contributions to the outpatient literature. Here are brief synopses of some of those studies.

In patients with obesity, semaglutide improved moderate knee osteoarthritis pain, and tirzepatide lowered the apnea–hypopnea index in moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea.

In a secondary analysis from a randomized trial, no important differences were noted.

Two reports suggest that a daily trial, as opposed to several in a day, is better.