Current medical research and opinion
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This paper investigates the relationship between the positivity rate and numbers of deaths and intensive care unit (ICU) patients. In addition, it explores the use of the positivity rate as an indicator for the spread of COVID-19. ⋯ The results indicate that positivity rate is a better indicator for the spread of the disease than the number of confirmed cases. Therefore, it is highly advised to use measures based on the positivity rate when indicating the spread of the disease and considering responses accordingly because these measures consider the daily number of tests and confirmed cases.
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To provide a contemporary overview of recent real-world lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) practices and outcomes in patients with hypercholesterolemia/dyslipidemia at high/very high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in Europe. ⋯ LDL-C control is suboptimal and the available LLT armamentarium, most importantly combination therapy, is being underutilized in high/very high risk patients leading to inadequate management of cardiovascular risk.
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Chronic pain is a public health concern affecting 20-30% of the population of Western countries. Focus groups of people with persistent pain indicated that their overall physical function had deteriorated because of pain, therefore assessment of function should be an integral part of pain assessment. The objective of this study was to establish a consensus on assessment of function in chronic pain primary care patients and to evaluate the use of scales and clinical guidelines in clinical practice. ⋯ Physicians agreed on the need for a precise definition of the concept of patient functional impediment to facilitate homogeneous recognition, and for the development of simple and practical scales focused on patients with chronic pain and their needs.
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To evaluate adherence to, and discontinuation of, somatropin treatment over 4 years in a US population-based study of children with pediatric growth hormone deficiency (pGHD). ⋯ Suboptimal adherence increases with treatment duration, and risk of discontinuation is associated with age, female gender, black or Hispanic race/ethnicity, and obesity. Strategies that facilitate adherence among children at risk of discontinuation may improve clinical outcomes.