Current medical research and opinion
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Incidence and costs of polypharmacy: data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of risperidone and quetiapine in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
The use of adjunctive psychotropics and the costs of polypharmacy in patients randomized to receive risperidone or quetiapine were compared in a placebo-controlled double-blind study conducted in India, Romania, and the United States. ⋯ The results confirm earlier reports of higher rates of polypharmacy with quetiapine than with risperidone. The findings also reveal substantial between-treatment differences in costs associated with polypharmacy. Limitations of the study include that the study was of short duration and that a high proportion of patients were recruited from countries other than the United States.
-
Atypical antipsychotics are playing an increasing role in the treatment of bipolar disorder. The objective of this study was to assess the medication treatment patterns and costs associated with different atypical antipsychotics. ⋯ Antipsychotic medication use patterns were statistically significantly different among atypical antipsychotics in the usual treatment of bipolar disorder. Olanzapine appears to be more likely used as a monobipolar medication compared with risperidone, quetiapine, and ziprasidone. The annual healthcare costs associated with the treatment of bipolar disorder by olanzapine and risperidone were similar, and the costs of these treatments were lower than with quetiapine or ziprasidone.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
A trial of levofloxacin 750 mg once daily for 5 days versus ciprofloxacin 400 mg and/or 500 mg twice daily for 10 days in the treatment of acute pyelonephritis.
A double-blind, noninferiority trial was conducted to establish the safety and efficacy of a once-daily, 5-day course of levofloxacin 750 mg compared to a twice-daily, 10-day course of ciprofloxacin in complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) and acute pyelonephritis (AP). This report focuses on subjects with AP. ⋯ High-dose, short-course therapy with levofloxacin in subjects with AP is at least as effective as standard 10-day therapy with ciprofloxacin.
-
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic condition and a major public health concern. Moreover, its prevalence is increasing. COPD commonly affects patient performance of daily activities that people perform in order to meet basic needs, fulfill usual roles, and maintain their health and well-being. What types of activities are affected and to what degree? How do these effects change over time? What impact, positive or negative, do various treatments have on the capacity of patients to perform activities? To address these questions, the concept of activity performance must be defined and appropriately measured. ⋯ Selection of endpoints and instruments for clinical studies of COPD and its treatment must be driven by a clear definition of concepts of interest and the relevance of content areas to patients. Some existing instruments may provide adequate coverage of endpoints or content areas under investigation. Others clearly will not.