Current medical research and opinion
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Descriptors provided by patients with neuropathic low back pain (NLBP) with or without spinally referred leg pain are frequently used by clinicians to help to identify the predominant pain mechanisms. Indeed, many neuropathic screening tools are primarily based on subjective descriptors to determine the presence of neuropathic pain. There is a need to systematically review and analyse the existing evidence to determine the validity of such descriptors in this cohort. ⋯ Subjectively reported allodynia and numbness would suggest a neuropathic pain mechanism in LBP. Dysesthesia would raise the suspicion of NLBP. More research is needed to determine if descriptors suggesting autonomic dysfunction can identify NLBP. There is poor consensus on whether other descriptors can identify NLBP.
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Ras wild-type metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRC) may be treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) agents. We aim to estimate patients' preferences for mCRC treatment and relative importance of cost, efficacy improvement, avoidance of side effects and therapy convenience, and relative uptake between profiles that resemble Bevacizumab (anti-VEGF) and Cetuximab (anti-EGFR), two commonly prescribed mCRC targeted therapies. ⋯ Patients were willing to trade off some degree of efficacy to avoid certain severity of side effects. It is therefore crucial for patients and physicians to discuss patients' preferences and circumstances to understand which attributes are more important, as well as patients' views on the trade-offs between treatment benefits and risks.
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Observational Study
Healthcare resource utilization and costs associated with postpartum depression among commercially insured households.
To quantify the economic burden of postpartum depression (PPD) that accrues to commercially insured households in the year following childbirth. ⋯ Households affected by PPD as identified by the algorithm incurred higher mean total all-cause medical and pharmaceutical spending during the first year following childbirth than did their matched controls identified without PPD, but not all costs were attributable to maternal treatment for PPD. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the potential economic burden associated with PPD and demonstrated costs may extend beyond the mother to members of the household.
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Observational Study
Level of glycemic control among US type 2 diabetes mellitus patients on dual therapy of metformin and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor: a retrospective database study.
To assess the level of glycemic control among type 2 diabetes patients on sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) and metformin dual therapy. ⋯ Approximately 3 out of 5 patients on metformin and SGLT2i dual therapy achieved HbA1c <8%, with African Americans having a lower likelihood of achieving this glycemic goal.