Current medical research and opinion
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The aim of the study was to determine the trend of first blood prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test prescription in France between 2011 and 2017, based on the assumption that prostate cancer (PCa) screening is expected to decline over the years. ⋯ Our results suggest that in France, PCa screening is a primary care issue. Although PCa screening remains controversial and confusion exists about the best practice, our study showed a linear decrease of blood PSA test prescriptions for 50-52-year-old men between 2011 and 2017, although the reason for screening was unknown. As clinical information was not available, additional evidence is needed to determine the real impact of this decrease on the cancer-specific and overall mortality.
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A narrative review of randomized, blinded, controlled studies assessing the antipyretic effect of ibuprofen versus acetaminophen or combined or alternating treatment in children was conducted. ⋯ Antipyretic effects of ibuprofen and acetaminophen are similar at physician-directed doses; ibuprofen may be modestly superior at over-the-counter doses.
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Observational Study
Exponential correlations among neuropathic components, pain intensity, and catastrophic thoughts in patients with musculoskeletal pain disorder.
Neuropathic components and catastrophic thoughts contribute to the quality of life impairments in patients with chronic pain. This retrospective cross-sectional observational study examined the extent to which neuropathic components affect pain intensity and catastrophic thoughts using a mathematical model. ⋯ Mathematical models indicate neuropathic components demonstrate linear correlations with NRS and PCS generally, but exponential correlations in a cluster of the patients with musculoskeletal pain. We developed and validated the discriminant based on pain characteristics to identify such patients; "pressure-evoked pain" was the most significant contributor.
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Observational Study
Costs and resource use of community-dwelling patients with Alzheimer's disease in Japan: 18-month results from the GERAS-J study.
To determine the longitudinal societal costs and burden of community-dwelling patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their caregivers in Japan. ⋯ Total treatment costs increased with AD severity over 18 months due to increases in both patient social care costs and caregiver informal care costs. Our data suggest current social care services in Japan are insufficient to alleviate the negative impact of AD on caregiver burden.
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Following a partial response of first-line antidepressant therapy for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), there is a choice to augment treatment with another agent or switch to a different antidepressant. ⋯ Patients adding an SGA to their SSRI/SNRI therapy appeared to have more severe depression and comorbid psychiatric profile than those switching their SSRI/SNRI. These differences are important to consider and adequately control for in any future comparative outcome research between these two groups.