Expert review of pharmacoeconomics & outcomes research
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Aug 2009
ReviewPain management and quality of life in sickle cell disease.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited disease worldwide and is responsible for a massive health burden. Its main clinical feature is severe pain that is unpredictable and recurrent, and this, in addition to the other acute and chronic features of SCD, may have a huge impact on the quality of life of both the patient and their families and carers. We consider medical and psychological methods of pain management in SCD, drawing on recently published UK Standards of Care, and also consider the effect of SCD on quality of life.
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Aug 2009
Antibiotics and reduced risk of COPD re-exacerbations.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a progressive disease of the airways in which respiratory symptoms aggravate transitorily during disease exacerbations. The treatment of the disease in its stable state is the most important factor in reducing related morbidity, but exacerbation therapy might also impact on subsequent re-exacerbation. ⋯ However, the analysis is only based on data at primary care level and, hence, should be interpreted with caution for several reasons, discussed in the paper. Furthermore, such results can represent a useful starting point for a subsequent study on this aspect, which is very important for clinical practice and surprisingly less investigated.