Current medical research and opinion
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Antibiotic resistance is an increasing worldwide crisis. In Egypt, it is prohibited by law to dispense antibiotics with no prescription; however, there are no active and enforced governmental policies and laws to regulate such a process. This has led to increased antibiotic dispensing and consumption. ⋯ The Egyptian Ministry of Health should regulate and monitor the process of dispensing antibiotics without a prescription with law enforcements. Moreover, community pharmacists should have more awareness on the consequences of the problem of antibiotic dispensing without a prescription, regardless of the business profit behind it.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparison of a twice daily injection of insulin aspart 50 with insulin aspart 30 in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.
To compare the efficacy and safety of a twice daily injection of insulin aspart (BIAsp) 30 and BIAsp50 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) poorly controlled with oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs). ⋯ ChiCTR-IIR-16008958.
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The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac epolamine (DHEP) formulated as a topical patch has demonstrated efficacy and safety in the localized treatment of acute pain from minor strains, sprains and contusions, and for epicondylitis and knee osteoarthritis. The glycosaminoglycan heparin enhances the activity of topical NSAIDs formulated as a medicated plaster, even in the absence of any significant release of heparin. Therefore, DHEP plus, a new formulation of the DHEP medicated plaster containing a small amount of heparin sodium as excipient, has been developed. ⋯ The benefit/risk assessment of DHEP plus 180 mg medicated plaster is favorable, with a safety profile equal to placebo and improved efficacy over the reference marketed DHEP medicated plaster.
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Review
Targeted literature review of the humanistic and economic burden of adult growth hormone deficiency.
Quality of life (QoL) and health economic data are becoming increasingly important factors in healthcare decision making. While there is a wealth of information establishing the benefit of growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy in adults with growth hormone deficiency (aGHD), recent reviews on the QoL and health economic impact of aGHD and the effect of treatment on these factors is limited. ⋯ Untreated aGHD can seriously affect patients' functioning. Early and continued treatment with GH replacement therapy could potentially improve the QoL and reduce the economic burden associated with aGHD. This review has limitations: only English language articles published since January 2006 were included and many of the studies were conducted in the Nordic countries; it is unclear how representative these studies are of the population as a whole. This was a literature review and not a systematic review, as it was thought to be unlikely that, in this rare disease, any additional publications would have been identified. Overall, this review reveals a paucity of data in this underserved population and points to research gaps which could be addressed with new studies.
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Adherence to allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is crucial for its efficacy. Subcutaneous AIT requires monthly visits (or more extended in the case of venom immunotherapy), while sublingual AIT is performed with a daily intake of allergen drops. Non-adherence to an AIT schedule and premature discontinuation are common problems. ⋯ The aim of this review is to describe the problem of non-adherence and to offer some evidence-based advice to allergologists on how to increase it. Better patient education at the beginning of treatment, sharing with patients the decision on which type of immunotherapy to select and showing sincere interest in their treatment concerns are some tips that can help to increase adherence. A well organized allergologist time schedule not only increases safety but also offers the possibility of close follow-up and an increase in patient loyalty.