International journal of clinical practice
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Jan 2013
Evaluation of the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire at baseline as a predictor for time to pain improvement in two clinical trials of pregabalin.
The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) is a patient-reported outcome that evaluates the impact of fibromyalgia (FM) on daily life. This study evaluated the relationships between the functional status of FM patients, measured with the FIQ at baseline, and median time to a clinically relevant pain reduction. ⋯ Time to a clinically relevant reduction in pain was significantly associated with FM severity at baseline as measured by the FIQ. Such an analysis can inform patient and physician expectations in clinical practice.
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Jan 2013
ReviewCardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease: untying the Gordian knot.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects around 10-13% of the general population, with only a small proportion in end stage renal disease (ESRD), either on dialysis or awaiting renal transplantation. It is well documented that CKD patients have an extremely high risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with the general population, so much so that in the early stages of CKD patients are more likely to develop CVD than they are to progress to ESRD. ⋯ In this review, we try to understand and further explore the link between CKD and CVD, as well as offering interventional advice where available, while exposing the current lack of RCT-based research and trial evidence in this area. We also suggest pragmatic Interim measures we could take while we wait for definitive RCTs.
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Jan 2013
Comparative StudyAssessment of EndoPAT scores in men with vasculogenic and non-vasculogenic erectile dysfunction.
The role of endothelial function testing using peripheral artery tonometry (PAT) in the evaluation of ED is not well established. Endothelial dysfunction is expected to be more common in men presenting with general or vasculogenic ED, compared with men who develop ED after prostatectomy. This study evaluated whether PAT could help identify men in whom endothelial cell dysfunction was the underlying cause of ED. ⋯ The value of EndoPAT testing in the clinical evaluation of ED patients is questionable.