Basel Habboub, Robert Speer, Markus Gosch, Katrin Singler
{"title":"The Diagnosis and Treatment of Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity.","authors":"Basel Habboub, Robert Speer, Markus Gosch, Katrin Singler","doi":"10.3238/arztebl.m2025.0004","DOIUrl":"10.3238/arztebl.m2025.0004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sarcopenia is a progressive, generalized disease of skeletal muscle characterized by a loss of muscle strength and muscle mass. The combination of obesity and sarcopenia is called sarcopenic obesity. Because of the aging of the population in many countries around the world, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity are a challenge for global health policy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective literature search.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The effects of sarcopenia on health and quality of life are far-reaching and include difficulty coping with everyday life, an increased risk of falling, frequent hospitalization, and increased mortality. A population-based study in Germany revealed a 7% prevalence of sarcopenia in adults aged 65 and above. The prevalence of sarcopenic obesity was 4.5%. Persons aged 65 and above who are at increased risk for sarcopenia should be screened, e.g., with the SARC-F questionnaire. If screening yields a suggestive finding (SARC-F ≥ 4 points), the diagnosis of sarcopenia should be confirmed or ruled out by measurements of muscle strength (e.g. hand-grip strength, reference values: women <16 kg, men <27 kg) and appendicular muscle mass (women <5.5 kg/m2, men <7.0 kg/m2). The demonstration of reduced muscle strength is sufficient to initiate treatment. For the diagnosis of sarcopenic obesity, increased fat mass is additionally required. The goal of treatment is to improve mobility and reduce negative health outcomes. The treatment consists of resistance training and nutritional interventions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A targeted and structured approach to the detection and treatment of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity can make a major contribution to the maintenance or improvement of these patients' functionality and quality of life.</p>","PeriodicalId":11258,"journal":{"name":"Deutsches Arzteblatt international","volume":" Forthcoming","pages":"121-126"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143001898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nikolaus Börner, Alina-Sophie Kappenberger, Sabine Weber, Florian Scholz, Philipp Kazmierczak, Jens Werner
{"title":"The Acute Abdomen: Structured Diagnosis and Treatment.","authors":"Nikolaus Börner, Alina-Sophie Kappenberger, Sabine Weber, Florian Scholz, Philipp Kazmierczak, Jens Werner","doi":"10.3238/arztebl.m2025.0019","DOIUrl":"10.3238/arztebl.m2025.0019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The acute abdomen is a life-threatening clinical entity that requires immediate diagnostic evaluation and appropriate treatment. 15-20% of emergency room patients with acute abdominal pain need interventional or surgical treatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This narrative review is based on publications retrieved by a PubMed search, current textbooks and guidelines, and the authors' personal experience.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The acute abdomen presents with the sudden onset of maximally intense abdominal pain, sometimes with guarding, and often with impaired general well-being, ranging to manifestations of shock. Its more common causes, aside from nonspecific abdominal pain (30-41%), are acute appendicitis (8-30%), cholecystitis (9-11%), and ileus (4-5%). The diagnosis is established by the history and physical examination, laboratory tests, imaging studies, and, in some cases, exploratory laparoscopy. The acute abdomen is generally a surgical condition, but it often requires interdisciplinary, multimodal treatment and follow-up. It carries a 2% to 12% mortality, with the figure rising for every elapsed hour until specific treatment is provided.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Structured, quality-controlled, rapid, and targeted diagnosis and treatment markedly lower the morbidity and mortality of patients presenting with an acute abdomen.</p>","PeriodicalId":11258,"journal":{"name":"Deutsches Arzteblatt international","volume":" Forthcoming","pages":"137-144"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143457249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniela Heddaeus, Tharanya Seeralan, Kerstin Maehder, Sarah Porzelt, Anne Daubmann, Judith Dams, Thomas Grochtdreis, Hans-Helmut König, Olaf von dem Knesebeck, Bernd Löwe, Amra Pepić, Moritz Rosenkranz, Ingo Schäfer, Thomas Zimmermann, Bernd Schulte, Angelika Weigel, Karl Wegscheider, Silke Werner, Antonia Zapf, Martin Scherer, Jörg Dirmaier, Martin Härter
{"title":"Collaborative and Stepped Care for Mental Disorders: Results of a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial in Outpatient Care (The COMET Study).","authors":"Daniela Heddaeus, Tharanya Seeralan, Kerstin Maehder, Sarah Porzelt, Anne Daubmann, Judith Dams, Thomas Grochtdreis, Hans-Helmut König, Olaf von dem Knesebeck, Bernd Löwe, Amra Pepić, Moritz Rosenkranz, Ingo Schäfer, Thomas Zimmermann, Bernd Schulte, Angelika Weigel, Karl Wegscheider, Silke Werner, Antonia Zapf, Martin Scherer, Jörg Dirmaier, Martin Härter","doi":"10.3238/arztebl.m2025.0011","DOIUrl":"10.3238/arztebl.m2025.0011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Collaborative and stepped care (CSC) models are recommended in guidelines because of their effectiveness in treating depression and anxiety disorders. The evidence for other mental disorders is, however, limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a collaborative and stepped care model (COMET) for patients with depressive, anxiety, somatoform, and/or alcohol-related disorders and related comorbidities in the routine care setting in Germany.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A prospective, cluster-randomized, controlled, parallelgroup superiority trial was conducted; the subjects were patients in primary care practices. The primary endpoint was the change in mental health-related quality of life, assessed with the SF-36 Mental Health Component Summary Score (MCS) at 6 months in the intention-to-treat population. The secondary endpoints were symptom severity, remission, and response.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Forty-one primary care offices were randomized either to COMET (n = 20) or treatment as usual (TAU, n = 21), and 615 patients were recruited (CSC: n = 307; TAU: n = 308). Data were available for 62% (COMET) and 55% (TAU) of the participants at 6 months. No significant group difference was found with respect to the primary endpoint (-1.96 ,95% confidence interval [-4.39; 0.48], p = 0.113) or any of the secondary endpoints.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We found no superiority of the COMET model for the mental disorders addressed. Methodological issues, including differences at baseline and high dropout rates, make these findings challenging to interpret. Future studies should ensure comparability of groups, allocate resources for quality management, and investigate more suitable outcome measures, paying attention to factors of implementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":11258,"journal":{"name":"Deutsches Arzteblatt international","volume":" Forthcoming","pages":"127-134"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143254723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna Patricia Goth, Alexander Klug, Georg Gosheger, Mirkka Lynn Hiort, Doruk Akgün, Kristian Nikolaus Schneider
{"title":"Traumatic Anterior Shoulder Dislocation: Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment.","authors":"Anna Patricia Goth, Alexander Klug, Georg Gosheger, Mirkka Lynn Hiort, Doruk Akgün, Kristian Nikolaus Schneider","doi":"10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0254","DOIUrl":"10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0254","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation is the most common type of joint dislocation, with an incidence of 11 to 29 per 100 000 persons per year. Controversy still surrounds the recommendations for treatment and the available procedures for surgical stabilization.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This review is based on pertinent publications (2014-2024) that were retrieved by a selective search in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Meta-analyses and ran - domized controlled trials (RCTs) with evidence levels I and II were included.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The typical injury mechanism is forcible external rotation and abduction of the arm. The diagnosis is established by x-ray, which may be supplemented by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the assessment of soft-tissue structures. The indication and type of surgical treatment depends on the patient's age, sex, activity level, and concomitant injuries. For purely soft-tissue injuries, arthroscopic Bankart repair is an established treatment, with reported significant reduction in the rate of recurrent instability after follow-up periods of up to 12 years. An accompanying bony injury of the dorsal humeral head (Hill-Sachs lesion), depending on its extent, may be an indication for the arthroscopic Remplissage procedure: this can lower the rate of recurrence, but it can also cause a postoperative restriction of external rotation. In cases of chronic instability, an arthroscopic or open Latarjet procedure and bone grafting can be per formed to augment the ventral glenoid articular surface. These procedures have likewise been reported to yield low rates of recurrent instability, but also higher complication rates.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The treatment of shoulder dislocation should be individually tailored. Although the reported results are promising, the evidence base remains weak. Prospective studies with larger case numbers are needed so that clear treatment algorithms can be established.</p>","PeriodicalId":11258,"journal":{"name":"Deutsches Arzteblatt international","volume":" Forthcoming","pages":"89-95"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143001849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jonel Trebicka, Michael Praktiknjo, Kai-Henrik Peiffer, Andreas Pascher, Martin Sebastian Schulz, Frank Erhard Uschner
{"title":"Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure.","authors":"Jonel Trebicka, Michael Praktiknjo, Kai-Henrik Peiffer, Andreas Pascher, Martin Sebastian Schulz, Frank Erhard Uschner","doi":"10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0255","DOIUrl":"10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0255","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cirrhosis is the end stage of chronic liver disease. Cirrhosis causes portal hypertension, which, in turn, can lead to acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF), which is defined as acute decompensation combined with failure of the liver, coagulation system, kidneys, lungs, and/or circulatory system, or hepatic encephalopathy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This review is based on a selective literature search for international publications in the NCBI database using the keywords \"liver cirrhosis\" and \"ACLF.\" Valid guidelines (up to June 2024) were also included.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Cirrhosis is present in approximately 1% of all hospital admissions in Germany, and complications of cirrhosis cause an estimated 1 million deaths worldwide each year. ACLF, the most severe form of decompensated liver cirrhosis, bears a 28-day mortality of 45% and affects 35% of all patients hospitalized for decompensated cirrhosis. Its precipitating factors are infection, alcohol overuse, bleeding, and drug-induced enceph alopathy (benzodiazepines or opioids). No drugs or other treatments for ACLF have been approved; only its etiology and precipitating factors are amenable to treatment.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Liver transplantation is currently the only curative option for ACLF but is not suitable for all patients because of the narrow therapeutic window and the common presence of contraindications. Prospective data are lacking that would aid in the selection of patients for liver transplantation so that post-transplantation survival rates can be improved.</p>","PeriodicalId":11258,"journal":{"name":"Deutsches Arzteblatt international","volume":" Forthcoming","pages":"96-102"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142946373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bernhard Haring, Johann Bauersachs, Norbert Frey, Uta C Hoppe, Torsten Doenst, Michael Böhm
{"title":"Myocardial Revascularization in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction.","authors":"Bernhard Haring, Johann Bauersachs, Norbert Frey, Uta C Hoppe, Torsten Doenst, Michael Böhm","doi":"10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0249","DOIUrl":"10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0249","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Heart failure (HF) patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) now more commonly die of non-cardiovascular causes than they did in the past. In patients with both HFrEF and ischemic cardiomyopathy (as the cause of HFrEF or as an accompanying condition), the effect of myocardial revascularization-i.e. percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)-on long-term outcome is unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This review is based on publications that were retrieved by a selective search of the literature for pertinent clinical studies and current guidelines.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Drug treatment for HFrEF has markedly prolonged these patients' survival. In a comparative study, HF pharmacotherapy was found to add an average of 8.3 years to the lifespan of a 55-yearold patient with HFrEF. Three of the four randomized controlled trials on revascularization procedures were conducted prior to the major pharmacotherapy improvements leading to better outcomes in HF patients over the past decade. These trial data indicate a long-term benefit from CABG compared to medical treatment alone in patients with HFrEF and severe coronary heart disease. For example, in the STICH trial, the hazard ratio for death from any cause after a follow-up time of nearly 10 years was 0.84 (95% confidence interval, [0.73; 0.97]). The role of pre-procedural myocardial viability and ischemia testing remains to be fully determined. The choice of method for myocardial revascularization should be discussed within an interdisciplinary cardiac team in consideration of the patient's symptoms and ischemic burden, the complexity of the coronary findings, as well as the patient's perioperative risk and current medical HF therapy. No RCTs comparing CABG to PCI are yet available.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Optimal guideline-directed medical therapy is a key determinant of long-term survival in patients with HFrEF.</p>","PeriodicalId":11258,"journal":{"name":"Deutsches Arzteblatt international","volume":" Forthcoming","pages":"103-108"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143001895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Goda Kalinauskaite, Konstantin Nikolaou, Andrea Wittig, Daniel Zips, Klaus Zöphel, Carolin Senger
{"title":"Online Radiotherapy: The Paradigm Shift to Real-Time Adaptive Radiotherapy.","authors":"Goda Kalinauskaite, Konstantin Nikolaou, Andrea Wittig, Daniel Zips, Klaus Zöphel, Carolin Senger","doi":"10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0242","DOIUrl":"10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0242","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Adaptive radiotherapy (ART) involves the continuous adaptation of the radiation plan according to patient- and tumorspecific feedback. In online ART, the plan is optimized in real time during the treatment; in offline ART, the plan is recalculated between treatment sessions. Hybrid linear accelerators with integrated CT, MRI, or PET are required to perform online ART.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This review is based on clinically relevant studies on online ART (January 2019 - May 2024) that were retrieved by a selective search in PubMed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Online ART is a new technique for which no phase 3 trials have been published; in contrast, multiple randomized trials are already available for offline ART. The initial findings of a random - ized phase 2 trial of online ART for head and neck cancer showed lower rates of G2 or higher radiation-induced dermatitis (8% vs. 31%, p = 0.05) and a lower dose to the parotid gland (mean dose: 11.5 Gy vs. 16.0 Gy, p = 0.02) with online ART compared to standard radiochemotherapy. Moreover, observational studies show that online ART is feasible and spares organs at risk in patients with esophageal, pancreatic, rectal, and prostatic cancer. Additionally, online ART can enable simulation-free treatment planning and faster initiation of radiotherapy. It is, however, more demanding of time and resources and more costly than standard radiotherapy, and no studies with long-term clinical endpoints are available to date.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Initial studies confirm the feasibility of online ART and arouse the hope that it will enable more precise radiotherapy with less damage to surrounding structures. Phase 3 trials are needed so that the patient groups who stand to benefit most from online ART can be identified.</p>","PeriodicalId":11258,"journal":{"name":"Deutsches Arzteblatt international","volume":" Forthcoming","pages":"59-64"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142869410","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Said Farschtschi, Pia Vaassen, Lan Kluwe, Tabea Hartung, Johannes Salamon, Thorsten Rosenbaum
{"title":"Age-Adapted Diagnostic Evaluation and Treatment of Patients With Type 1 Neurofibromatosis in Germany.","authors":"Said Farschtschi, Pia Vaassen, Lan Kluwe, Tabea Hartung, Johannes Salamon, Thorsten Rosenbaum","doi":"10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0257","DOIUrl":"10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0257","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a rare genetic disorder affecting multiple bodily systems that predisposes to the development of tumors. It affects approximately 1 in 3000 newborns in Germany. Its clinical manifestations are diverse and complex, and its diagnostic and therapeutic management call for specialized knowledge and experience. The lack of nationwide guidelines and recommendations further increases the difficulty of establishing an appropriate standardized and interdisciplinary approach.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The suggestions presented here are based on a selective literature review, international guidelines, and our own clinical experience over many years.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We propose an age-adapted diagnostic and therapeutic approach to patients with NF1, subdivided into four main areas. We suggest follow-up examinations every one to two years to address typical course of the disease as well as administrative aspects, such as care by pediatricians. Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should be performed when the diagnosis is made. MRI and ultrasonography of particular body regions should be performed where appropriate. The NF1 gene should be sequenced to determine the causative pathogenic variant and as an aid to genetic counseling. If this fails to reveal a pathogenic variant, the NF1 gene should also be sequenced in tumor tissue. The vitamin D3 and sex hormone status are also relevant, as are serum metanephrines. Further specialist consultations may be necessary, and their findings should be discussed in an interdisciplinary framework.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These recommendations are intended to serve as a guide to a standardized interdisciplinary approach to the management of patients with NF1 in Germany, based on an up-to-date scientific understanding of the disease. This approach should improve care overall, both by enabling better care and by eliminating unnecessary diagnostic studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":11258,"journal":{"name":"Deutsches Arzteblatt international","volume":" Forthcoming","pages":"71-76"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142946375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Delayed Gastric Emptying Under Treatment with GLP-1 Agonists.","authors":"Monika Rau, Alexander Meining","doi":"10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0233","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0233","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11258,"journal":{"name":"Deutsches Arzteblatt international","volume":"122 3","pages":"70"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143794576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sandra Liakopoulos, Leon von der Emde, Marvin L Biller, Thomas Ach, Frank G Holz
{"title":"Geographic Atrophy in Age-Related Macular Degeneration.","authors":"Sandra Liakopoulos, Leon von der Emde, Marvin L Biller, Thomas Ach, Frank G Holz","doi":"10.3238/arztebl.m2025.0003","DOIUrl":"10.3238/arztebl.m2025.0003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition of multifactorial origin, is a major cause of irreversible vision loss in industrialized countries. The dry late stage of the disease, known as geographic atrophy (GA), is characterized by progressive loss of photoreceptor cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells in the central retina. An estimated 300 000 to 550 000 people in Germany suffer from GA.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This review is based on pertinent literature retrieved by a selective search in the PubMed and Web of Science databases.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In 2023, the complement inhibitors pegcetacoplan and avacincaptad pegol were approved in the USA for repeated intravitreal injections and thereby became the first drugs ever approved for the treatment of GA. In Europe, the marketing authorization application for both drugs was withdrawn by the manufacturers after a negative judgment was expressed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). The EMA stated that the significant slowing of atrophy progression that had been achieved in the approval trials did not lead to any clinically relevant functional benefit for the patients. Further treatment approaches, including gene therapy, are now being studied in clinical trials. There is evidence that micronutrients may slow the progression of atrophy.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In Europe at present, there is no approved treatment for GA due to AMD. There is thus a continuing need for preventive and rehabilitative measures such as smoking cessation, a balanced diet, and magnifying visual aids for patients in the advanced stages of the disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":11258,"journal":{"name":"Deutsches Arzteblatt international","volume":" Forthcoming","pages":"82-88"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143001892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}