Elizabeth Gough-Gordon, MPR Digital Content Editor

January marks a time when patients often make New Year’s resolutions to improve their health via nutrition, weight loss, and exercise, and many clinicians may find their patients eagerly reporting use of smartphone applications and wearable fitness trackers in the early part of the year.

As medical diagnostics have become more precise and sophisticated while significantly decreasing in cost, startup companies like 23andMe and Theranos have emerged to bring this technology to patients via direct-to-consumer testing.

A case study presented at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2015 describes a patient with worsening respiration due to the migration of Trichinella to the diaphragm in the parenteral phase of infection, traced to the consumption of wild bear meat.

Despite recommendations against the use of creatine in children under the age of 18, a study to be presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition found that more than two-thirds of health food store clerks recommended this sports performance supplement to someone posing as a 15-year-old male.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Yondelis (trabectedin; Janssen) for the treatment of patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS), including liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma subtypes, who have received prior chemotherapy including an anthracycline.

Rijuven announced the launch of i2Dtx CardioSleeve for Pediatrics, the first device with ECG capabilities cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that can be used with any existing stethoscope for pediatric care.

Imprimis Pharmaceuticals announced that it has made available a compounded formulation of pyrimethamine and leucovorin as a lower-cost alternative to Daraprim (pyrimethamine; Turing Pharmaceuticals).

Impax announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Guanfacine Extended-Release Tablets, the generic version of Shire’s Intuniv.

Iroko announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Vivlodex (meloxicam), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), for the management of osteoarthritis pain.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requiring that two hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatments now include information on the risk of serious liver injury adverse events in the drug labeling.