Current medical research and opinion
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To assess suitability and comparability of the most common methods of treatment adherence and persistence assessment, as applied to the same pharmacy dataset. ⋯ Our findings indicate that use of multiple measures of treatment adherence and persistence provides a more complete overview of medication use patterns, and certain limitations associated with DDD for some drug groups can be overcome with replacement by surrogate doses. The PDC indicator seems to provide a more accurate reflection of patient behavior and treatment continuity than the MPR. Any comparison of adherence/persistence should always consider the method used, variables analyzed, and corresponding data collection process.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Enteric-coated budesonide for the induction and maintenance of remission of Crohn's disease in children.
These studies evaluated the safety and efficacy of enteric-coated budesonide for the induction and maintenance of remission of mild-to-moderate Crohn's disease (CD) in children. ⋯ Budesonide treatment was generally well tolerated, although the potential for adrenal suppression was noted. Budesonide was effective for induction of remission in children with mild-to-moderate CD but not for maintaining remission (ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT01444092, NCT01453946).
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Long-term follow-up of antithrombotic management patterns in patients with acute coronary syndrome in Russia: an observational study (EPICOR-RUS study).
This study sought to describe the short- and long-term (up to 2 years) antithrombotic management patterns in a real-life setting for patients hospitalized for an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event, and to document clinical outcomes. ⋯ Despite evidence-based guidelines for the management of ACS, the real-world setting in Russia shows discrepancies in clinical practice, highlighting the need for improvements for the optimal management of high-risk patients with ACS.
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Sunscreen protection in subjects with actinic keratosis (AK) is highly recommended to prevent clinical evolution of this in situ skin cancer condition. Use of topical anti-cyclooxygenase drugs such as diclofenac and piroxicam reduces the number of lesions and improves the cancerization field. A film-forming medical device in a cream formulation containing organic and inorganic sun-filters (50+ SPF) and piroxicam 0.8% (ACTX) has shown in a pilot, single-center, open trial to reduce AK lesions improving the cancerization field. ⋯ In this multicenter, assessor-blinded trial, the use of a film-forming medical device with sun protection and anti-inflammatory actions was effective in reducing AK lesions and improving the dermoscopy aspect of the target lesion in 86% of treated subjects. A head-to-head trial evaluating the efficacy of this medical device in comparison with diclofenac is warranted to establish whether this therapeutic approach could offer additional advantages in term of AK lesion reduction compared to an established topical treatment. (Trial ID: ISRCTN72020277).
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Delirium is often unrecognized in cancer patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of delirium assessed by the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS) and possible associated factors on admission to an acute palliative/supportive care unit (APSCU). The secondary outcome was to assess changes in MDAS and symptom burden at time of discharge. ⋯ Delirium is highly prevalent in patients admitted to APSCU, characterized by a low mortality due to early referral. Comprehensive assessment and treatment may allow a decrease in the level of cognitive disorders and symptom burden.