Arch Intern Med
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy and safety of the novel selective nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, varenicline, for smoking cessation.
The selective nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, varenicline tartrate, represents a novel type of therapy for smoking cessation. This study evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of 4 varenicline dose regimens, 2 with progressive dosing over the first week (eg, titrated) and 2 with a fixed dosing schedule (eg, non-titrated), for promoting smoking cessation. ⋯ Varenicline tartrate, 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg twice daily, is efficacious for smoking cessation.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Smoking cessation with varenicline, a selective alpha4beta2 nicotinic receptor partial agonist: results from a 7-week, randomized, placebo- and bupropion-controlled trial with 1-year follow-up.
Currently available smoking cessation therapies have limited success rates. Varenicline tartrate is a novel, selective nicotinic receptor partial agonist developed specifically for smoking cessation. This study evaluated the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of 3 varenicline doses for smoking cessation. Bupropion hydrochloride was included as an active control. ⋯ Varenicline tartrate demonstrated both short-term (1 mg twice daily and 1 mg once daily) and long-term efficacy (1 mg twice daily) vs placebo. Varenicline was well tolerated and may provide a novel therapy to aid smoking cessation.
-
Chronic widespread pain (CWP), the cardinal symptom of fibromyalgia, is prevalent and co-occurs with numerous symptom-based conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, joint pain, headache, irritable bowel syndrome, and psychiatric disorders. Few studies have examined the comorbidities of CWP in the general population. Furthermore, little is known about the importance of familial (genetic and family environmental) factors in the etiology of co-occurrence. ⋯ Associations between CWP and most comorbidities are mediated by unmeasured genetic and family environmental factors in the general population. The extent of mediation via familial factors is likely to be disorder specific.
-
A gap exists between patients' desire to be told about medical errors and present practice. Little is known about how physicians approach disclosure. The objective of the present study was to describe how physicians disclose errors to patients. ⋯ Physicians vary widely in how they would disclose errors to patients. Disclosure standards and training are necessary to meet public expectations and promote professional responsibility following errors.
-
Information on epidemiology and prognosis of imported fever is scarce and almost exclusively limited to hospital settings. ⋯ The clinical spectrum of imported fever is highly destination specific but also depends on other factors. Plasmodium falciparum malaria was the leading cause of mortality in the study population.