European journal of clinical pharmacology
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Eur. J. Clin. Pharmacol. · Jan 2015
Clinical features of and genetic predisposition to drug-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in a single Korean tertiary institution patients-investigating the relation between the HLA -B*4403 allele and lamotrigine.
Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are rare but fatal adverse mucocutaneous reactions to certain drugs. Recent studies suggest that ethnicity and genetic predisposition may play a crucial role in the manifestation of the reaction. In this study, we described the role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B alleles in the development of clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of SJS/TEN in a single Korean tertiary hospital. ⋯ The major SJS/TEN-inducing drugs were found to be allopurinol and anticonvulsants (such as lamotrigine). We speculated that Korean individuals expressing the HLA-B*4403 allele may be highly susceptible to lamotrigine-induced SJS/TEN.
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Eur. J. Clin. Pharmacol. · Dec 2014
Reported ingested dose of paracetamol as a predictor of risk following paracetamol overdose.
To evaluate reported ingested dose of paracetamol as a risk assessment tool in acute paracetamol overdose. ⋯ There is a positive correlation between reported ingested dose of paracetamol and subsequent chance of a PPC being above a defined treatment line; however, ingested dose of paracetamol alone is a poor risk assessment tool in accurately determining need for treatment with an antidote.
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Eur. J. Clin. Pharmacol. · Dec 2014
ReviewDrug shortages in developed countries--reasons, therapeutic consequences, and handling.
Drug shortages in developed countries pose a serious public health problem and have far-reaching implications for healthcare providers and their patients. Given the current state of the market, with the limited number of manufacturers and the array of manufacturing quality issues, drug shortages have become a global concern, forcing regulatory authorities to explore and implement strategies to prevent and mitigate drug shortages.
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Eur. J. Clin. Pharmacol. · Nov 2014
Dispensing of benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine-related drugs to pregnant women: a population-based cohort study.
The study aimed to describe the dispensing of benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine-related drugs (z-hypnotics) to pregnant women and to study the characteristics of these women and the extent of co-medication. ⋯ The use of benzodiazepines and z-hypnotic drugs during pregnancy was not very prevalent in Norway. However, our findings imply that there is a substantial number of pregnancies where these drugs are dispensed often and/or in large quantities and where co-medication occurred.