Current medical research and opinion
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Effect of inhaled insulin on patient-reported outcomes and treatment preference in patients with type 1 diabetes.
To compare patient-reported outcomes and treatment preference between preprandial inhaled insulin and preprandial subcutaneous (SC) insulin in the context of a clinical trial of crossover design with a primary objective of comparing HbA(1C) between groups. ⋯ Some patients desire alternatives to insulin injection. In this study 80% preferred HIIP to injected insulin. Other patients feel more comfortable with familiar insulin delivery. Healthcare providers should help patients find insulin delivery that corresponds to individual preferences.
-
Comparative Study
Resource utilization in asthma: combined fluticasone propionate/salmeterol compared with inhaled corticosteroids.
Asthma management guidelines recommend low-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) for initial treatment of mild persistent asthma. Instead, data from primary care practice show that many patients start on combination therapy with fluticasone propionate/salmeterol (FPS) for mild asthma. The consequences of this variance from guideline recommendations are not well described. ⋯ Healthcare costs were found to be lower in patients receiving ICS than in those receiving FPS, with similar health outcomes in both groups. Study limitations included the use of claims data and a proxy definition of asthma severity, and potential confounding by unobserved factors.
-
Comparative Study
Cost-utility comparison of escitalopram and sertraline in the treatment of major depressive disorder.
To construct a cost-utility model comparing escitalopram with sertraline in the treatment of major depressive disorders. ⋯ This cost-utility model that incorporated the costs of titration and impact of side-effects comparing escitalopram 10-20 mg per day and sertraline 50-200 mg per day shows that escitalopram appeared to be less costly and produced efficacy (utility) at least as good as and maybe slightly better than that of sertraline.