Current medical research and opinion
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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.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Resource use and costs in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity in routine clinical practice in Spain.
To compare healthcare resource use (HRU) and annual costs in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with poor glycaemic control and obesity versus good glycaemic control without obesity. ⋯ Poor glycaemic control and obesity in T2DM patients were associated with increased HRU and costs in routine clinical practice.
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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.
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Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are a public health issue with over 3.5 million patients in Europe, but the advent of several biologic agents has completely changed their management. Pharmacovigilance is needed to early detect expected/unexpected adverse events (AEs) to assess the safety of drugs in a real-world setting. Aim of this prospective pharmacovigilance study was to evaluate the occurrence of AEs in patients treated with biologic drugs in gastroenterology units in Southern Italy. ⋯ Overall, considering the low rate of AEs reported and discontinuation from therapy, our data seems to confirm the positive beneficial/risk ratio of biologic treatment for IBDs and provide useful data on biologic drugs in gastroenterology.
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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.