Medicine
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Observational Study
Sublingual immunotherapy for treating adult patients with allergic rhinitis induced by house dust mite among Chinese Han population: A retrospective study.
The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for treating adult patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) induced by house dust mite (HDM) among Chinese Han population. A total of 201 adult patients with AR induced by HDM were included. All of them received SLIT treatment. ⋯ Compared with the AR symptoms and quality of life before the treatment, significant differences were found after 1-year treatment (P < .01), and 2-year treatment (P < .01). Additionally, only mild and acceptable adverse events were observed in this study. This study demonstrated that SLIT may be efficacious and safety for adult patients with HDM induced by AR among Chinese Han population.
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Ogilvie's syndrome, also known as acute colonic pseudo-obstruction, refers to pathologic dilation of the colon without underlying mechanical obstruction, occurring primarily in patients with serious comorbidities. Diagnosis of Ogilvie's syndrome is based on clinical and radiologic grounds, and can be treated conservatively or with interventions such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (such as neostigmine), decompressive procedures including colonoscopy, and even surgery. Based on our clinical experience we hypothesized that conservative management yields similar, if not superior, results to interventional management. ⋯ Two patients, one in each group, died from complications unrelated to their Ogilvie's syndrome. We conclude that Ogilvie's syndrome, although uncommon, and typically associated with severe underlying disease, is currently associated with a low inpatient mortality. While interventional management is often alluded to in the literature, we found no evidence that aggressive measures lead to improved outcomes.
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Observational Study
Effects of CYP3A5 and UGT2B7 variants on steady-state carbamazepine concentrations in Chinese epileptic patients.
Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a widely used antiepileptic drug with large interindividual variability in serum concentrations. Previous studies found that CYP3A5*3 (rs776746), UGT2B7*2 (802C>T), and UGT2B7*3 (211G>T) variants could change the enzymes' activity, which may influence drug concentrations. Our study aims to investigate whether these variants affect steady-state CBZ concentrations in Chinese epileptic patients. ⋯ There were no differences between UGT2B7*3, UGT2B7*1/*1 and CYP3A5*3, and CYP3A5*1/*1 patients with regard to steady-state CBZ concentration, dose-normalized concentration, required CBZ dose, and body weight-normalized dose (all P > .05). Moreover, a significant difference in body weight-normalized CBZ dose between UGT2B7 GC and TT haplotype patients was observed (P = .0154). In conclusion, our study found that the UGT2B7*2 variant, but not the CYP3A5*3 or UGT2B7*3 variant, could affect steady-state CBZ concentrations in epileptic patients.
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Observational Study
Effect of improved medication adherence on health care costs in osteoporosis patients.
Osteoporosis is a chronic disease that requires continuous health care spending for pharmacotherapy and examinations. Osteoporotic fractures are a major economic burden. However, little is known about the economic effects of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures in Korea. ⋯ We estimated that about $5 million of health insurance expenses could be saved annually if all non-adherents became adherents. Improved osteoporosis medication adherence can reduce osteoporosis-related health care costs by preventing fractures. Persistent pharmacotherapy for osteoporosis is necessary to prevent osteoporotic fractures and to reduce osteoporosis-related health care costs.