Current medical research and opinion
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Clinical Trial
Management of neuropathic pain after surgical and non-surgical trauma with lidocaine 5% patches: study of 40 consecutive cases.
To determine the efficacy of lidocaine 5% patches [Versatis, commercialised by Grünenthal GmbH, Aachen, Germany] in patients with PNCCP. ⋯ Lidocaine 5% patches seem to be an effective treatment of post-surgical and post-traumatic pain. These results should be supported with randomised and placebo-controlled studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-ups.
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Individual clinical trials have demonstrated benefits of donepezil in patients with severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). Data were pooled from three randomized, placebo-controlled trials of donepezil for severe AD to further evaluate treatment effects and overall tolerability/safety. ⋯ These findings suggest measurable donepezil-mediated symptomatic benefits in cognition, global function, and daily living activities in patients with severe AD. The treatment effects support the importance of cholinesterase inhibition as a clinically relevant therapeutic option across the spectrum of AD.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
A comparison of intranasal fentanyl spray with oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate for the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain: an open-label, randomised, crossover trial.
The efficacy of intranasal fentanyl spray (INFS) was compared with that of oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) for the relief of cancer-related breakthrough pain (BTP) in an open-label, crossover trial. ⋯ In this open-label, randomised, crossover trial, significantly more patients attained faster 'meaningful' pain relief with INFS than OTFC, and more patients preferred INFS to OTFC.
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Review Comparative Study
Gastroduodenal toxicity of low-dose acetylsalicylic acid: a comparison with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA; aspirin; 75-325 mg/day) is effective for the prevention of cardiovascular events, and its use in this indication is rapidly increasing. However, the use of ASA and, indeed, other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is limited by the incidence of adverse gastroduodenal events. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE: To review the clinical evidence for, and the pharmacodynamic basis of, ASA-induced gastroduodenal toxicity in comparison with NSAIDs, and address the question of whether low-dose ASA is 'safe' from a gastroduodenal perspective. This was a narrative, descriptive review, rather than a formal systematic review. ⋯ Data suggest that ASA causes significant gastroduodenal damage even at the low doses used for cardiovascular protection. These effects (both systemic and possibly local) may be pharmacodynamically distinct from the gastroduodenal toxicity seen with NSAIDs. Studies are required to establish strategies for improving the tolerability of low-dose ASA, allowing patients to continue to benefit from the cardiovascular protection associated with such therapy.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Diclofenac plus B vitamins versus diclofenac monotherapy in lumbago: the DOLOR study.
To assess the influence of vitamins B1, B6 and B12 on the analgesia success achieved by diclofenac in subjects with acute lumbago. ⋯ The combination of diclofenac with B vitamins was superior to diclofenac monotherapy in lumbago relief after 3 days of treatment. As a study drawback, daily VAS measurements were only recorded until subject withdrawal from treatment, whether after 3, 5, or 7 days. There were no differences in safety profile between the two study groups.