Current medical research and opinion
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of saxagliptin monotherapy in treatment-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of once-daily saxagliptin monotherapy in treatment-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and inadequate glycemic control. ⋯ Once-daily saxagliptin monotherapy for 24 weeks was generally well tolerated and demonstrated clinically meaningful reductions in key parameters of glycemic control vs. placebo.
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This study aims to investigate whether, and in what way, generic substitution affects drug adherence in hypertensive patients. ⋯ This study shows that generic substitution can be an additional factor in poor drug adherence in hypertensive patients and contributes to concerns and confusion among the patients. Although generic substitution is an important measure of cost containment, health personnel should approach each patient individually. Clearly, many patients feel insecure about substituting their medication and demand more information.
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Multicenter Study
Retrospective cost analysis of management of febrile neutropenia in cancer patients in Spain.
Febrile neutropenia (FN) is associated with disruption of planned chemotherapy and increased management costs. However, the economic impact of FN in Spanish clinical practice has not been documented hitherto. ⋯ FN substantially affects healthcare resource use and costs in breast cancer, lung cancer and, NHL. In this study, hospitalization and antibiotics were the main drivers of cost. A limitation of the analysis was that it did not include the indirect costs associated with FN episodes.
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Systematic review and meta-analysis of the clinical safety and tolerability of ibuprofen compared with paracetamol in paediatric pain and fever.
The main aim of this review was to compare the tolerability and safety between ibuprofen and paracetamol when used as anti-pyretic and analgesic agents in children up to 18 years of age. ⋯ Ibuprofen, paracetamol and placebo have similar tolerability and safety profiles in terms of gastrointestinal symptoms, asthma and renal adverse effects. While the study data investigated here may not reflect over-the-counter use, these results are still relevant in the context of any safety concerns relating to general ibuprofen or paracetamol treatment in children.
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A recent study suggested that levofloxacin significantly reduces the hospital length of stay (LOS), by 0.5 days (p = 0.02), relative to moxifloxacin in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The current analysis evaluated the potential economic impact of this half-day reduction in LOS. ⋯ A relatively small decrease in LOS in CAP can have a substantial cost impact, with estimated savings of $457 to $846 per episode or $500-$900 million annually. Additional evaluation is warranted for interpreting these cost-savings in the context of current antibiotic prescribing patterns.