Current medical research and opinion
-
Timely assessment of patient-specific prognosis is critical to oncology care involving a shared decision-making approach, but clinical prognostic factors traditionally used in NSCLC have limitations. We examine a proteomic test to address these limitations. ⋯ Advanced NSCLC patients classified VSGood have significantly longer OS than those classified VSPoor. The summary effect size for OS HRs around 0.4-0.5 indicates that the expected median survival of those with a VSGood classification is approximately 2-2.5 times as long as those with VSPoor. The robust prognostic performance of the VeriStrat test across various lines of therapy and treatment regimens has clinical implications for treatment shared decision-making and potential for novel treatment strategies.
-
Although existing studies have compared clinical efficacy and pharmacokinetics of generic with brand tacrolimus, little is known about generic tacrolimus utilization patterns or factors predicting generic substitution. This study examines associations between patient-level factors and generic tacrolimus initiation or substitution among new users of oral generic or brand-name tacrolimus. ⋯ Understanding associations between patient-level factors with generic tacrolimus initiation and substitution could help practitioners and policymakers monitor treatment effect and facilitate generic tacrolimus utilization.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Quality of oral anticoagulation control in Chinese patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation: a prospective controlled study.
The sex, age, medical history, treatment, tobacco use, race risk (SAMe-TT2R2) Score; the sex, age, medical history, treatment, tobacco use, genotype combination (SAMe-TT2G2) Score; and the so-called modified SAMe-TT2R2 scores have been proposed to predict the anticoagulation quality for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). The data from a prospective controlled study is used to validate the SAMe-TT2R2 and SAMe-TT2G2 scores in Chinese NVAF patients treated with warfarin and to evaluate the association of factors with time in therapeutic range (TTR) to predict the quality of oral anticoagulation control. ⋯ A warfarin-dosing algorithm used for initial treatment of patients older than 60 helps to achieve a better quality of oral anticoagulation control, whereas concomitant torasemide can produce a negative effect. These findings provide useful information for future investigations on the quality of oral anticoagulation control in Chinese anticoagulation clinical practice.
-
In this narrative review, we will discuss some of the significant risks and dramatic consequences that are associated with epilepsy: depression, suicide, seizure-related injuries, and mortality, both in adults and in children. Considering the high prevalence of depression among people with epilepsy (PWE), routine and periodic screening of all PWE for early detection and appropriate management of depression is recommended. PWE should be screened for suicidal ideation regularly and when needed, patients should be referred for a psychiatric evaluation and treatment. ⋯ Finally, PWE have a 2-3 times higher mortality rate than the general population. Deaths in PWE may relate to the underlying cause of epilepsy, to seizures (including sudden unexpected death in epilepsy [SUDEP] and seizure related injuries) and to status epilepticus, as well as to other conditions that do not appear directly related to epilepsy. Improving seizure control and patient education may be the most important measures to reduce epilepsy related mortality in general and SUDEP in particular.
-
Multicenter Study Observational Study
Golimumab improves socio economic and health economic parameters in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Golimumab (GLM) has shown its efficacy and safety in various clinical trials. We aimed to assess the effect of GLM on socio economic and health economic parameters in daily clinical practice. ⋯ This evaluation shows improvements in socio economic and health economic parameters on GLM treatment.