Drug and therapeutics bulletin
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Calprotectin is a protein released by white blood cells involved in inflammation of the bowel.1 It can be detected in faeces using laboratory or point of care tests. Although an elevated calprotectin level indicates inflammation in the bowel, it cannot identify the cause.1 Faecal calprotectin testing is mainly used in distinguishing between 'functional' disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and 'organic' disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease, a group of conditions including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis that require referral to specialist services. Here we explain the role of faecal calprotectin testing in adults in primary care.
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For many years the only drugs licensed for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) were administered by injection (interferon beta, glatiramer and ▼natalizumab). Recently, three oral drugs have become available. We have previously reviewed the use of ▼fingolimod for highly active relapsing-remitting MS1 and ▼teriflunomide for the management of relapsing-remitting MS in adults.2 Here, we review the evidence for ▼dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera-Biogen Idec Ltd) for the treatment of adults with relapsing-remitting MS.
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▼Teriflunomide (Aubagio-Genzyme Therapeutics), the main metabolite of the disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug leflunomide,1 is an immunomodulatory agent with anti-inflammatory properties.2 It is a new oral treatment licensed for adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Here we discuss the evidence for its effectiveness and safety, and consider its place in therapy.
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Nicotine, an alkaloid derived from the leaves of tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana rustica) is the primary addictive agent in tobacco products.(1,2) There are different ways of administering the various products including smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco, holding moist snuff in the mouth, inhaling dry snuff through the nose, inhaling smoke from a waterpipe and inhaling vapour from an electronic cigarette.(3-6) It can be difficult differentiating the effects of nicotine from the many other toxic substances these products also contain. Here we review the pharmacological effects of nicotine but we will not review the well-known harmful effects of cigarettes, where it is primarily the toxins and carcinogens in tobacco smoke rather than the nicotine that cause illness and death.(7) A future article will consider the use of electronic cigarettes.