Current medical research and opinion
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Analgesic efficacy and safety of non-prescription doses of naproxen sodium in the management of moderate osteoarthritis of the knee or hip.
Current osteoarthritis therapies aim to alleviate pain and maintain joint function. Non-prescription oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are frequently used alone for pain relief in osteoarthritis. This post-hoc pooled analysis evaluated the analgesic efficacy and safety of two non-prescription doses of naproxen sodium for short-term use in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. A separate sub-group analysis of older patients who were administered a lower dose of naproxen sodium was performed. ⋯ For the acute management of underlying pain in patients with moderate osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, non-prescription naproxen sodium is effective and well tolerated in patients of all ages.
-
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a specific form of chronic, progressive, fibrosing interstitial pneumonia of unknown cause. To date, there is no specific cure for IPF, and only two treatments (pirfenidone and nintedanib) have marketing authorizations and recommendations in international and French guidelines. ⋯ In conclusion, this CUA has found that nintedanib appears to be a more cost-effective therapeutic option than pirfenidone in a French setting, due to fewer acute exacerbations and a better tolerability profile.
-
Vertigo and dizziness are highly prevalent symptoms in primary care, frequently misdiagnosed. Based on a thorough need assessment, INDICORE (INform, DIagnose, COmmunicate, REfer), an evidence-based complex intervention has been developed to transfer knowledge of specialized tertiary clinics to primary care providers (PCPs), improve the referral process and, ultimately, improve the functioning and quality of life of patients with vertigo/dizziness. The main objective of the PRIMA-Vertigo pilot study is to examine whether the INDICORE intervention is feasible and sufficiently promising to warrant a larger trial. ⋯ The PRIMA-Vertigo pilot study will allow further tailoring of the INDICORE intervention to stakeholder needs before its effectiveness is evaluated in a large-scale main study.
-
Multicenter Study Observational Study
First-line disease-modifying drugs in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: an Italian real-life multicenter study on persistence.
The introduction of oral disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) in addition to the available, injectable, ones for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) could be expected to improve medication persistence due to a greater acceptability of the route of administration. The aim of the study was to compare the proportion of patients discontinuing injectable DMDs (interferon beta 1a/1b, pegylated interferon, glatiramer acetate) with those discontinuing oral DMDs (dimethylfumarate and teriflunomide) during an observation period of at least 12 months. Secondary aims were to compare the time to discontinuation and the reasons for discontinuation between the two groups and to explore the demographic and clinical factors associated with DMD discontinuation. ⋯ The route of administration alone (i.e. oral versus injectable) was not a significant predictor of persistence with first-line DMDs in RRMS.
-
Statins have become an integral part of treatment to reduce cardiac events in patients with cardiovascular disease. However, their use within the public healthcare system in Brazil is unknown. Consequently, we sought to determine and characterize statin use in primary healthcare delivered by the public health system (SUS) in Brazil and evaluate associated patient factors to improve future use. ⋯ This is the first population based study in Brazil to assess statin use in SUS primary healthcare patients. Addressing inequalities in access and use of medicines including statins is an important step in achieving the full benefit of statins in Brazil, with the findings guiding future research and policies.