Current medical research and opinion
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Objective: To compare the rates of successfully treated patients (STPs) with vortioxetine versus venlafaxine in major depressive disorder (MDD), using dual endpoints that combine improvement of mood symptoms with optimal tolerability or functional remission, and conduct a simplified cost-effectiveness analysis. Methods: The 8-week SOLUTION study (NCT01571453) assessed the efficacy and safety of vortioxetine (10 mg/day) versus venlafaxine XR (150 mg/day) in adult Asian patients with MDD. Rates were calculated post-hoc of STP Mood and Tolerability (≥50% reduction from baseline in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS] total score and no treatment-emergent adverse events) and STP Mood and Functioning (≥50% reduction from baseline in MADRS total score and Sheehan Disability Scale total score ≤6). ⋯ Conclusions: Higher rates of dual treatment success were seen with vortioxetine versus venlafaxine. Although vortioxetine was not dominant in the base case, the incremental cost per STP for vortioxetine versus venlafaxine were overall within acceptable ranges. These results support the benefits previously reported with vortioxetine versus other antidepressants in broad efficacy, tolerability profile and cost-effectiveness.
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Objective: Comorbidities and comedications are important factors influencing optimal therapy because people are living longer with HIV infection. This study describes the long-term comorbidity profile and treatment burden among people with HIV-1 infection. Methods: This retrospective study included Medicaid claims data from patients with ≥1 antiretroviral (ARV) claim between 2016 and 2017 (most recent claim defined the index date), ≥1 HIV diagnosis within 1 year before index, age ≥18 years at first HIV diagnosis and <65 years at index, ≥12 months of continuous eligibility before index, and no history of HIV-2 infection. ⋯ In the year before index, mean (SD) daily pill burden was 2.1 (1.4) for ARVs and 5.9 (5.9) for non-ARVs. Older age and prior treatment experience were associated with higher rates of comorbidities and greater pill burden. Conclusions: In people with HIV infection, comorbidities and concomitant medication use increased with age, supporting considerations for streamlined ARV regimens highlighted in treatment guidelines.
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Objective: To determine the pattern of antidiabetic drug use, with a particular focus on the metformin dose, among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a Japanese working population. Methods: We used an administrative claims database linked to yearly health check-up data from large corporations. Data were collected for T2DM patients who began using an antidiabetic drug between 2014 and 2017 (n = 20,401). ⋯ SGLT2is were infrequently prescribed. Metformin was prescribed at a daily dose of ≤500 mg in many patients. Greater efforts are needed to assess the comparative effectiveness of these treatment strategies.
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Objective: To explore health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and assess preferences for medical treatment attributes to obtain information of the relative importance of the different attributes in a Danish population with ulcerative colitis (UC). Methods: We used data from an online survey collected in March 2018 among people with self-reported UC. A total of 302 eligible respondents answered the HRQoL questionnaires (EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D-5L) and the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ)), and 212 also completed the discrete choice experiment (DCE). ⋯ Additionally, respondents stated a preference for avoiding taking steroids, for fast onset of effect and for oral formulations. Conclusions: HRQoL correlates with disease severity, and patients with UC have lower HRQoL than the general population. The most important treatment attribute was efficacy, but patients also would like to avoid steroids, value fast onset of effect and prefer oral formulations.
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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess (1) the trends of and (2) the factors associated with health information technology (HIT) use among older adults in the U. S. Methods: A decade (2009-2018) of data from the U. ⋯ Conclusions: This study found an increasing trend of HIT use among older adults in the U. S. from 2009 to 2018. Healthcare providers should be conscious of older adults' increased HIT use patterns and guide them to proper health management.