A large bulla may look similar on a chest X-ray.A small spontaneous pneumothorax will typically resolve without treatment and requires only monitoring. This approach may be most appropriate in people who have no underlying lung disease. In a larger pneumothorax, or if there is shortness of breath, the air may be removed with a syringe or a chest tube connected to a one-way valve system. Occasionally, surgery may be required if tube drainage is unsuccessful, or as a preventive measure, if there have been repeated episodes. The surgical treatments usually involve pleurodesis (in which the layers of pleura are induced to stick together) or pleurectomy (the surgical removal of pleural membranes). About 17–23 cases of pneumothorax occur per 100,000 people per year. They are more common in men than women. Signs and symptoms
A primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) tends to occur in a young adult without underlying lung problems, and usually causes limited symptoms. Chest pain and sometimes mild breathlessness are the usual predominant presenting features. People who are affected by a PSP are often unaware of the potential danger and may wait several days before seeking medical attention. PSPs more commonly occur during changes in atmospheric pressure, explaining to some extent why episodes of pneumothorax may happen in clusters. It is rare for a PSP to cause a tension pneumothorax.Secondary spontaneous pneumothoraces (SSPs), by definition, occur in individuals with significant underlying lung disease.
Evinacumab, sold under the brand name Evkeeza, is a monoclonal antibody medication for the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH).Common side effects include nasopharyngitis (cold), influenza-like illness, dizziness, rhinorrhea (runny nose), and nausea. Serious hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions have occurred in the Evkeeza clinical trials.Evinacumab binds to the angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3). ANGPTL3 slows the function of certain enzymes that break down fats in the body. Evinacumab blocks ANGPTL3, allowing faster break down of fats that lead to high cholesterol. Evinacumab was approved for medical use in the United States in February 2021.Regeneron invented evinacumab using the companys VelocImmune® technology, a proprietary genetically-engineered mouse platform endowed with a genetically-humanized immune system to produce optimized fully-human monoclonal antibodies. History
The effectiveness and safety of evinacumab were evaluated in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 24-week trial enrolling 65 participants with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH). In the trial, 43 participants received 15 mg/kg of evinacumab every four weeks and 22 participants received the placebo. Participants were taking other lipid-lowering therapies as well.The primary measure of effectiveness was the percent change in low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) from the beginning of treatment to week 24. At week 24, participants receiving evinacumab had an average 47% decrease in LDL-C while participants on the placebo had an average 2% increase.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted the application for evinacumab orphan drug, breakthrough therapy, and priority review designations.