Current medical research and opinion
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Antipsychotics with reduced dosing frequency may improve adherence and clinical outcomes for patients with schizophrenia. This study compared treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization (HRU), and costs between Medicaid beneficiaries with schizophrenia treated with once-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP1M) and those who transitioned to once-every-three-months paliperidone palmitate (PP3M). ⋯ Medicaid beneficiaries who transitioned to PP3M had higher adherence and persistence, and a reduced likelihood of hospitalization relative to those who continued treatment with PP1M. The results suggest potential clinical value to transitioning eligible patients to PP3M.
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We compared the effectiveness and safety outcomes of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) and warfarin in patients with AF and VHD, as these patients have been partially excluded from clinical trials. ⋯ NOACs had a comparable risk of ischemic stroke and bleeding in patients with AF and VHD, and reduced the risk of venous thromboembolism, intracranial hemorrhage, and mortality, compared to warfarin. Therefore, NOAC is an effective and safe alternative to warfarin in these patients.
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Multicenter Study
Hospital incidence, in-hospital mortality and medical costs of pneumococcal disease in Spain (2008-2017): a retrospective multicentre study.
The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of the patients attended with a pneumococcal disease in Spanish hospitals, to evaluate trends in hospital incidence and in-hospital mortality and to quantify patients' use of resources and medical costs. ⋯ The incidence of pneumococcal pneumonia and meningitis decreased over the study period after the introduction of vaccination in Spain. The advanced age of patients and presence of chronic comorbid conditions that are associated to in-hospital mortality must be taken into account when improving care protocols and upcoming vaccination plans.