Clinical therapeutics
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Clinical therapeutics · Apr 2011
Comparative StudyPalonosetron versus other 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with cancer on chemotherapy in a hospital outpatient setting.
Despite favorable evidence from clinical trials for single-dose palonosetron versus other commercially available 5-HT(3)-receptor antagonists for the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), clinical comparative data are scarce from hospital outpatient settings, where these antiemetic agents are used in patients diagnosed with cancer who are receiving chemotherapy (CTH). ⋯ In this study, patients with cancer who were treated with CTH and on antiemetic prophylaxis using palonosetron were found to have significantly lower CINV event rates than those receiving other 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists.
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Clinical therapeutics · Apr 2011
Comparative StudyCost-effectiveness of targeted therapy with cetuximab in patients with K-ras wild-type colorectal cancer presenting with initially unresectable metastases limited to the liver in a German setting.
In patients with metastases limited to the liver (liver-limited disease [LLD]), effective therapies such as monoclonal antibodies combined with chemotherapy may facilitate metastasis resection and improve long-term survival. ⋯ First-line treatment with cetuximab plus FOLFIRI offers a cost-effective treatment option versus bevacizumab plus FOLFOX for the metastatic colorectal cancer LLD population with K-ras wild-type genotype in Germany. K-ras testing should be performed on all presenting cases of metastatic colorectal cancer to ensure access to this treatment option.
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Clinical therapeutics · Mar 2011
Pharmacokinetics and tolerability of vandetanib in Chinese patients with solid, malignant tumors: an open-label, phase I, rising multiple-dose study.
Vandetanib (ZD6474) is an orally available inhibitor of 3 signaling pathways important in tumor progression: vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, and rearranged during transfection tyrosine kinase activity. Current development of vandetanib is focused on the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer and other tumor types, including thyroid cancer. This study was conducted as a requirement for regulatory submission for vandetanib in China. ⋯ The pharmacokinetic properties of vandetanib in these Chinese patients were characterized by low plasma clearance of approximately 8 L/h, a long half-life of approximately 8 to 10 days, and an accumulation of approximately 8-fold to 15-fold on multiple dosing. In these Chinese patients, the pharmacokinetic profile of vandetanib appeared to be comparable with that observed in Japanese and Western populations. Oral doses up to 300 mg once daily appeared to be well tolerated.
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Clinical therapeutics · Feb 2011
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEfficacy of pregabalin for peripheral neuropathic pain: results of an 8-week, flexible-dose, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted in China.
Several classes of medications such as tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants, narcotic analgesics, and α2-δ ligands, such as pregabalin, have been reported to be efficacious in the treatment of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in whites. However, no large double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have been reported that evaluated the efficacy of pregabalin for the treatment of neuropathic pain in a Chinese population in China. ⋯ Study results suggest that relative to placebo, pregabalin in daily doses of 150 to 600 mg/d was effective and well tolerated in Chinese patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe DPN or PHN, indicated through improved pain scores and PGIC scores.
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Clinical therapeutics · Feb 2011
ReviewTherapeutic options in the management of sleep disorders in visually impaired children: a systematic review.
Treatment of sleep disorders in visually impaired children is complicated by a complex pathophysiology, a high incidence of sleep disorders in this population, and a dearth of management options. The significant impact on the health of these children and distress to their caregivers warrant a systematic assessment of the published literature on therapeutic approaches. ⋯ Children with visual impairment and sleep disorders are a heterogeneous patient group, making diagnosis and treatment difficult. RCTs on treatment options remain in their infancy, with a lack of evidence for appropriate therapeutic strategies. Trials across a range of selected diagnoses need to be conducted with adequate sample populations to differentiate the efficacy of 4 different treatment modalities (behavioral therapy, light therapy, melatonin, and hypnosedatives) as agents for improving sleep.