In episode 484, Mike and James go PREMIUM on two topics that annoy them – Vitamin D and interpretation of tests. We find there is no value to using Vitamin D to prevent acute respiratory infections and that as health care providers we overestimate the probability of diagnoses before and after testing.

Show notes

1) Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis of aggregate data from randomised controlled trials 

Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2021; 9: 276–92 

2) Accuracy of Practitioner Estimates of Probability of Diagnosis Before and After Testing 

JAMA Intern Med. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.0269 

In episode 483, James and Mike invite Tina to the podcast to talk about the aducanumab (Aduhelm) FDA approval story. We look at all the latest evidence, we talk about how people analyzed the data, whether or not the findings were clinically important, the side effects and finally the cost. And no matter how we looked at it we were still puzzled it got FDA approval. What do you think?

Show notes

1) Effect of reductions in amyloid levels on cognitive change in randomized trials: instrumental variable meta-analysis.

BMJ 2021; 372 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n156 (Published 25 February 2021)

2) Failure to demonstrate efficacy of aducanumab: An analysis of the EMERGE and ENGAGE trials as reported by Biogen, December 2019

Alzheimers Dement. 2021 Apr;17(4):696-701.  doi: 10.1002/alz.12213.  Epub 2020 Nov 1.

3) Institute for Clinical and Economic Review

Aducanumab for Alzheimer’s Disease: Effectiveness and Value

In episode 482, Mike and James take a look into all the evidence for baths for atopic dermatitis. The evidence is fairly clear that more frequent bathing has a reasonable effect in people with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. However, adding bleach or anything else to the bath doesn’t seem to do much at all.

Show notes

Tools for Practice

Bath Time: Atopic Dermatitis and Bathing