Current medical research and opinion
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To investigate the impact associated with mild hypoglycemia among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in the United States and to identify risk factors among different subpopulations. ⋯ Understanding the benefit versus risk of glycemic control and hypoglycemia is fundamental to the successful management of patients with T2DM. Our validated hypoglycemia model is an important step in addressing this issue and may be helpful to researchers, clinicians, and payers to determine the patients who are at the highest risk for hypoglycemia, whether a patient is experiencing events at 'higher-than-expected' rates, and the corresponding economic burden.
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Treatments and their mode of administration may represent a burden for patients and can therefore impact their health-related quality of life (HRQL) or treatment/health satisfaction. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can be treated with oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs), injectable medications (such as insulin), or a combination of agents. This review aimed to identify patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments measuring HRQL and/or satisfaction that could differentiate between oral medications based on medication related attributes such as efficacy, tolerability, weight loss, dosing frequency and pill burden. ⋯ Very few of the existing PRO instruments are specific to OHAs. Despite satisfaction instruments being recommended to differentiate between OHAs in studies of T2DM based on medication attributes, we find that none of the existing instruments appear to be useful in detecting differences between treatments, therefore limiting their use in clinical and observational research.
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The profiles of 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) in adults with clinically stable bronchiectasis in Chinese adult patients with bronchiectasis are unclear. ⋯ The 6MWD could be safely measured in adult patients with bronchiectasis and is poorly associated with clinical parameters. DLCO less than 80% predicted and higher MMRC scale are independent predictors of 6MWD below the lower limit of normal. Our findings will provide a reference for management of bronchiectasis patients in mainland China.
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To assess the incidence and economic impact of postoperative ileus (POI) following laparotomy (open) and laparoscopic procedures for colectomies and cholecystectomies in patients receiving postoperative pain management with opioids. ⋯ Use of opioids in patients who develop ileus following abdominal surgeries is associated with prolonged hospitalization, greater costs, and increased readmissions. Furthermore, higher doses of opioids are associated with higher incidence of POI. Limitations are related to the retrospective design and the use of administrative data (including reliance on ICD-9 coding). Yet POI may not be coded and therefore underestimated in our study. Assessment of pre-existing disease and preoperative pain management was not assessed. Despite these limitations, strategies to reduce opioid consumption may improve healthcare outcomes and reduce the associated economic impact.
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Controlled Clinical Trial
An open-label extension study to evaluate the safety of ropinirole prolonged release in Chinese patients with advanced Parkinson's disease.
This open-label extension (OLE) study evaluated the safety profile of ropinirole prolonged release (PR) administered for 24 weeks as adjunctive to levodopa in Chinese patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). ⋯ The safety profile of ropinirole was consistent with the preceding DB study and also with the established safety profile for ropinirole. Results support the long-term use of ropinirole PR as an adjunctive to levodopa in Chinese patients with advanced PD. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT 1536574.