International journal of clinical practice
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Sep 2008
Review Meta AnalysisGene therapy as a novel therapeutic option in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Stimulation of therapeutic angiogenesis using gene therapy is a novel intervention for peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Despite encouraging outcomes from animal studies and phase 1 trials, results from larger trials in this area have been conflicting. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials in this field, to clarify the current situation. ⋯ The available data suggests that gene therapy confers no benefit on patients with PVD. Closer examination of the individual trials shows that several have an excessive placebo response, which may go some way to explaining our result. Further research in this area in needed.
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Aug 2008
ReviewHeterogeneity of violence in schizophrenia and implications for long-term treatment.
Most patients with schizophrenia are not violent. However, persistent violent behaviour in a minority of patients presents a therapeutic challenge. Published treatment guidelines and most pharmacological and epidemiological literature on violence in schizophrenia treat overt physical aggression as a homogeneous phenomenon. The aim of this review is to address the subtyping of violent behaviour in schizophrenia, and to relate the subtypes to treatment. ⋯ Violence in schizophrenia is aetiologically heterogeneous. This heterogeneity has therapeutic implications that impact clinical practice today and should be further explored in future studies.
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Aug 2008
Randomized Controlled TrialThe impact of analytic method on interpretation of outcomes in longitudinal clinical trials.
Various analytical strategies for addressing missing data in clinical trials are utilised in reporting study results. The most commonly used analytical methods include the last observation carried forward (LOCF), observed case (OC) and the mixed model for repeated measures (MMRM). Each method requires certain assumptions regarding the characteristics of the missing data. If the assumptions for any particular method are not valid, results from that method can be biased. Results based on these different analytical methods can, therefore, be inconsistent, thereby making interpretation of clinical study results confusing. In this investigation, we compare results from MMRM, LOCF and OC in order to illustrate the potential biases and problems in interpretation. ⋯ Inferences are based on between-group comparisons. Therefore, whether or not underestimating (overestimating) within-group changes was conservative or anticonservative depended on the relative magnitude of the bias in each treatment and on whether within-group changes represented improvement or worsening. Preference should be given in analytic plans to methods whose assumptions are more likely to be valid rather than relying on a method based on the hope that its results, if biased, will be conservative.
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Aug 2008
ReviewA review of the GOLD guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with COPD.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death in the USA, and represents a major health, social and economic burden. COPD is underdiagnosed and often misdiagnosed, which likely contributes to the continuing increases in the prevalence, morbidity and mortality associated with this disease. This is unfortunate because whereas COPD cannot be cured, it can be treated effectively, particularly during the earlier stages of the disease. ⋯ These guidelines are updated and revised on a regular basis to reflect recent advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of and treatments available for COPD. Nevertheless, primary-care physicians have reported a lack of awareness of the fundamental concepts underpinning the optimal treatment and management of COPD presented in the guidelines. Thus, the objective of this article is to summarise key physiologic, diagnostic and management concepts provided in the most recent update of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines, which were published in November 2006.
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Aug 2008
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyPatient assessment of a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of severe, chronic pain.
Opioid-induced constipation can have a major negative impact on patients' quality of life. This randomised clinical trial evaluated patient assessment of the efficacy and tolerability of oral prolonged-release (PR) oxycodone when co-administered with oral naloxone PR. ⋯ The co-administration of oral naloxone PR with oxycodone PR improves patient assessment of analgesic opioid therapy for severe chronic pain, in terms of both efficacy and tolerability.