Current medical research and opinion
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Multicenter Study
Patient perceptions associated with the 5% lidocaine medicated plaster in daily practice.
To evaluate patients' perceptions of 5% lidocaine medicated plaster for treatment of chronic neuropathic pain in daily clinical practice. ⋯ In a patient population where 46% of individuals already suffered from chronic to markedly chronic pain, patients perceive the 5% lidocaine medicated plaster as an efficacious topical treatment of chronic neuropathic pain in daily clinical practice. Strongest pain relief as well as associated improvements in pain-related restrictions were observed within the first five treatment weeks; however, beneficial effects continued until end of observation.
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To investigate the safety and efficacy of switching to biphasic insulin aspart (BIAsp) 30, 50 or 70 in patients with type 2 diabetes previously treated with biphasic human insulin (BHI) 30/50 (with or without oral glucose-lowering drugs) in routine clinical practice. ⋯ Patients with long-standing type 2 diabetes can switch safely from BHI to BIAsp therapy, even if they receive intensified treatment, and they have no problems changing the timing of their insulin injections.
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Review Comparative Study
Treatment of seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis with a once-daily SQ-standardized grass allergy immunotherapy tablet.
Specific immunotherapy with the grass allergy immunotherapy tablet (AIT) has been developed as an effective, well tolerated, and convenient treatment for grass pollen induced seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC). Six phase II/III randomized, placebo-controlled trials with the duration of a single grass pollen season of treatment using the SQ-standardized grass AIT, Grazax (Phleum pratense, 75,000 SQ-T/2,800 BAU, ALK, Denmark), have been published previously. This review compares results from these trials. ⋯ This review confirms SQ-standardized grass AIT as a suitable therapeutic option for seasonal use in patients aged 5 years or older with grass pollen induced ARC.
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Diclofenac potassium liquid-filled soft gelatin capsule (DPSGC; Zipsor*) is a novel formulation of diclofenac potassium used to treat mild to moderate acute pain. ⋯ DPSGC provided significantly greater improvements in pain compared with placebo following bunionectomy, regardless of patients' baseline pain level.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Dosing fentanyl buccal tablet for breakthrough cancer pain: dose titration versus proportional doses.
The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of doses of fentanyl buccal tablet (FBT) proportional to doses of opioids used for background analgesia versus dose titration starting with the minimal dose for the management of breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP). ⋯ According to the data obtained in this study, there is no evidence for the use of dose titration in the management of BTcP in opioid-tolerant patients. Indeed, doses proportional to basal opioid regimen for background pain seem to be effective and safe in the majority of patients. Further studies should confirm this data in patients receiving higher doses of opioids, with other rapid-onset opioids, and in other settings.