Current medical research and opinion
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Efficacy and safety of low-dose submicron diclofenac for the treatment of osteoarthritis pain: a 12 week, phase 3 study.
NSAIDs, such as diclofenac, are the most commonly used medications to treat osteoarthritis (OA), but they are associated with dose-related adverse events (AEs). Low-dose submicron diclofenac was developed using a new, proprietary dry milling process that creates submicron drug particles (SoluMatrix Fine Particle Technology * ), enabling effective treatment at lower doses than other commercially available diclofenac drug products. This phase 3 study evaluated the efficacy and safety of low-dose submicron diclofenac 35 mg three times daily (tid) and twice daily (bid) in patients with OA pain. ⋯ Low-dose submicron diclofenac is an effective therapeutic option for the treatment of OA pain.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study Observational Study
Comparative effectiveness of vildagliptin in combination with other oral anti-diabetes agents in usual-care conditions: the EDGE-Latin America study.
To assess the proportion of patients on vildagliptin add-on dual therapy who respond to treatment over a 12 month follow-up, relative to comparator oral anti-diabetes dual therapy, in a usual care setting. ⋯ In a usual care setting, patients treated with a vildagliptin combination succeeded in lowering A1c to <7%, without weight gain, hypoglycemia or peripheral edema more often than patients treated with comparator combinations, without increased risk of adverse events. Key limitations are the observational nature of the study and its relatively limited 12 month timeframe.
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Comparative Study
Anti-tumor necrosis factor agents reduce corticosteroid use compared with azathioprine in patients with Crohn's disease.
Corticosteroids are effective for inducing remission of Crohn's disease, but should not be used long term due to risk of adverse events. Benefits of immunosuppressants (e.g., azathioprine) and anti tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents include reduced reliance on corticosteroid-based therapies and avoidance of corticosteroid-associated adverse events. Our aim was to evaluate corticosteroid-sparing effects in patients with Crohn's disease upon being newly initiated on an anti-TNFα agent or azathioprine. ⋯ Patients with Crohn's disease were able to avoid new prescriptions for corticosteroids at a statistically higher rate when treated with an anti-TNF agent. These results demonstrate that the anti-TNF agents are superior to azathioprine for minimizing exposure to corticosteroids.
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Systematic evidence synthesis of treatments for ADHD in children and adolescents: indirect treatment comparisons of lisdexamfetamine with methylphenidate and atomoxetine.
Systematically review and synthesize the clinical evidence of treatments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by indirectly comparing established treatments in the UK with a drug recently approved in Europe (lisdexamfetamine [LDX]). ⋯ For the treatment of ADHD, the synthesis of efficacy data showed statistically significant better probabilities of response with LDX than for formulations of MPH or ATX. The analysis of safety data proved inconclusive due to low event rates. These results may be limited by the studies included, which only investigated the short-term efficacy of medications in patients without comorbid disorders.
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Medication prescribing information provides guidance to healthcare providers on how to prescribe a drug properly. Oftentimes patient factors in addition to the prescribing information are considered when selecting medications. Utilizing real-world pharmacy and medical claims data, this study assessed US practitioner prescribing practices of US approved transdermal buprenorphine system (BTDS) in relation to BTDS's full prescribing information (FPI) as well as the relationship between patient factors and initial BTDS dose. ⋯ Data obtained from prescription claims reflect only the activities of prescriptions filled, not medication use or other clinical characteristics observed by physicians when treating patients.