Research published on the medRxiv preprint server ahead of peer review indicates that the antiviral drug Paxlovid may reduce risk of COVID-19 hospitalization by 45% when given to individuals who have been infected with the coronavirus. Researchers said that while this protection level was lower than the 90% reduction in hospitalization seen in Paxlovid's clinical trials during the Delta wave of infection, the drug's effects against the Omicron variant are still comparable to the effectiveness of Tamiflu to avert hospitalization in flu patients.

People with cirrhosis who used proton pump inhibitors had an increased risk of cirrhosis decompensation and severe infection, according to a study by Dr. Nadim Mahmud of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues that was presented at the International Liver Congress. Researchers found that all-cause mortality was not linked to PPI use among hospitalized patients with gastrointestinal bleed, and such patients had a lower mortality risk.

The Biden administration has declined to publicly disclose data on in-hospital SARS-CoV-2 transmission amid concerns that the information might embarrass hospitals and prevent them from sharing data. Patient advocates are urging the HHS to make the information public to allow patients, particularly those with weak immune systems and chronic conditions, to make safe choices and avoid hospitals with poor track records.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation announced that health systems can apply to join a voluntary payment model for cancer care that allows them to receive retrospective payments for performance on quality and savings if they assume financial risk for patient care on the front end. The Enhancing Oncology Model is open for applications, including from at-home cancer care providers, through Sept. 30.

A federal law established in 2021 states that US hospitals must publish what they charge for about 300 commonly provided services and procedures, so consumers can compare costs before deciding where to seek care. However, a study published in JAMA found that more than half of hospitals have not followed the requirements of the hospital price transparency rule.

Fostering innovation, embracing technology, reducing stress around information technology, vigilance on cybersecurity and competing for talent are the top areas that 12 hospital CIOs identified as their most pressing health IT concerns. Supply chain and interoperability challenges, along with the complexity of health IT, are some other areas that IT leaders noted.

Patients who have survived cancer appear to carry significantly greater risk for cardiovascular conditions including stroke and heart failure, according to a 10-year, 12,000-patient study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Study data showed that patients who survived cancer had a 42% higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those who had not survived cancer. Specifically, the survivors had a 52% greater risk of developing heart failure and a 22% greater risk of stroke.

A study published in JACC: Heart Failure found that patients with higher levels of intramuscular fat infiltration in the thigh area could be at greater risk of developing heart failure. Researchers looked at intermuscular and intramuscular fat deposition alongside heart failure incidence in a group of 2,399 older adults who took part in the Health, Aging and Body Composition study, and they used computed tomography to measure thigh fat.

A study published in the Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications found that an extreme decline in A1C with long-term high glucose levels as gauged by skin autofluorescence may raise the risk for future cardiovascular events among hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes. The findings, based on data from 386 adults, remained true after adjusting for sex, age, diabetes treatment and macroangiopathy history.

The ACC wants to hear from you! As part of ongoing efforts to report meaningful outcomes and improve patient care, the ACC is launching an open comment survey for the CathPCI Registry In-Hospital Risk Standardized Acute Kidney Injury Model. Before completing the survey, please review the CathPCI Registry risk model methodology document. The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete and will close Wednesday, July 6. Take the survey.

The global breadth and reach of the entire JACC Journals family is showcased in the latest release of the 2021 Impact Factor numbers. Not only did JACC earn its highest Impact Factor ever (gaining three points), JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging ranked 9th out of all cardiovascular journals in the world, followed closely by JACC: Heart Failure, JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions, and JACC: Basic to Translational Science. JACC: CardioOncology earned an impressive spot in the top 25, followed by JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology in the top 45 among all 207 indexed cardiovascular journals. All told, the numbers reflect the incredible work, vision and leadership of the journal Editors and their respective Editorial Boards, Publishing staff and the constant support of volunteer peer reviewers. The caliber of peer-reviewed science and the collaboration and innovation that goes into producing interactive tools, informative podcasts and central illustrations, and trusted resources and education activities all contribute to making the entire journal family -- now numbering 10 with JACC: Advances, JACC: Asia and JACC: Case Reports -- instrumental in achieving a world where science, knowledge and innovation optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes for patients worldwide. Read more.