Clinical therapeutics
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Clinical therapeutics · Aug 2008
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEfficacy and tolerability of exenatide monotherapy over 24 weeks in antidiabetic drug-naive patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study.
Evaluation of exenatide monotherapy in patients with type 2 diabetes may be of clinical interest based on improvements in glycemic control and weight that have been reported with the use of exenatide in combination with oral antidiabetic agents. ⋯ In these patients with type 2 diabetes naive to treatment with antidiabetic agents, exenatide monotherapy was associated with improved HbA(1c), improved fasting and postprandial glucose control, reduced weight, improved beta-cell function (HOMA-B), and improved blood pressure, and was well tolerated. These results suggest that exenatide monotherapy may provide a viable treatment option beyond diet and exercise and support further study of exenatide monotherapy in antidiabetic drug-naive patients with type 2 diabetes.
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Clinical therapeutics · Aug 2008
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEffect of nicotine lozenges on affective smoking withdrawal symptoms: secondary analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
The suggested mechanism for the effects of nicotine replacement medications such as nicotine lozenges on smoking abstinence is reduction in the withdrawal symptoms of emotional distress and craving (the subjective desire to smoke). ⋯ In high-dependence smokers, the 4-mg nicotine lozenge significantly reduced all affective withdrawal symptoms through the first 4 weeks of treatment. Lozenge-related decreases in craving partially mediated the effect of treatment on abstinence, particularly in high-dependence smokers.
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Clinical therapeutics · Aug 2008
ReviewLapatinib: a dual inhibitor of human epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases.
Lapatinib, the first dual inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) tyrosine kinases, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2007. It is indicated for use in combination with capecitabine for the treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer or metastatic breast cancer (MBC) whose tumors overexpress HER2 (ErbB2) and who have received previous treatment that included an anthracycline, a taxane, and trastuzumab. ⋯ Lapatinib is a dual inhibitor of the EGFR and HER2 tyrosine kinases. It is approved by the FDA for use in combination with capecitabine for the treatment of HER2-positive MBC that has progressed with standard treatment. In clinical trials, this combination was associated with a significant improvement in the time to progression in patients with MBC. Lapatinib's efficacy in other malignancies that overexpress EGFR and/or HER2 is under evaluation.
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Clinical therapeutics · Aug 2008
Estimating the health benefits and costs associated with ezetimibe coadministered with statin therapy compared with higher dose statin monotherapy in patients with established cardiovascular disease: results of a Markov model for UK costs using data registries.
Ezetimibe has been reported to improve lipid control in patients with established cardiovascular disease (CVD). ⋯ The results suggest that, in some instances, ezetimibe coadministration may be cost-effective compared with statin monotherapy, but there are several limitations with this model. The economic effects of ezetimibe must be revisited when long-term effectiveness and safety data become available.
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Clinical therapeutics · Aug 2008
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyEfficacy and tolerability of salmeterol/fluticasone propionate versus montelukast in childhood asthma: A prospective, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group study.
Asthma control remains suboptimal in adults and children worldwide. Inhaled salmeterol/fluticasone propionate combination (SFC) and oral montelukast (MON) are 2 treatments available for childhood asthma. ⋯ In these children with uncontrolled asthma previously on short-acting beta(2)-agonist monotherapy (% predicted FEV(1) <80%, frequent asthma symptoms and rescue medication use), treatment with SFC was significantly more effective in improving morning PEF and other measures of asthma control and in decreasing exacerbation rates (in a post hoc analysis) than treatment with MON. The 2 drugs were both well tolerated, with similar numbers and types of AEs reported.