Current medical research and opinion
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To estimate real-world healthcare costs, resource utilization, and treatment patterns among metastatic melanoma (MM) patients who received a therapy recommended in current treatment guidelines during 2011 and 2012, following approval in the US of novel therapies (ipilimumab and vemurafenib). ⋯ The cost and resource utilization burden of MM is high and varies substantially across treatment cohorts. The two novel therapies, ipilimumab and vemurafenib, have quickly been adopted and are the most frequently used therapies. The results observed during the approximately 6 month follow-up period may not be representative of the full clinical experience of patients with MM.
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Limited post-crizotinib treatment options for ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) might lead to poor survival and high economic burden. ⋯ After crizotinib monotherapy, most patients either received radiotherapy only or discontinued antineoplastic treatment altogether. OS after discontinuing crizotinib was poor and shorter among those with brain metastases than without, and among those without subsequent antineoplastic treatment than with. Patients who continued antineoplastic treatment incurred substantial healthcare costs.
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Although the common cold is among the most frequent ailments encountered in clinical practice, little is known about its impact on productivity, absenteeism, and daily life. ⋯ To our knowledge, this is the first large national survey to quantify adverse effects of cough/cold on daily activity, productivity, and absenteeism. Cold- and patient-related characteristics influence the degree of impact.
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Observational Study
Changes in HbA1c, insulin dose and incidence of hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes after switching to insulin degludec in an outpatient setting: an observational study.
Insulin degludec, a basal insulin with an ultra-long duration of action, became available in Sweden from July 2013. The diabetes team at Danderyd Hospital decided to perform a clinical follow-up of patients with type 1 diabetes switching to insulin degludec to evaluate its clinical performance, using a simple form and available measures, thereby indirectly assessing cost-effectiveness. ⋯ Due to improvement in glycemic control, reduction of hypoglycemic events and reduction of insulin dose, we concluded that insulin degludec was clinically useful and economically justifiable for our patients with type 1 diabetes. Not every patient may benefit to the same degree after switching to insulin degludec. Controlled studies are needed to confirm these benefits in a larger sample of real-world patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Efficacy and safety of fluticasone furoate/vilanterol (50/25 mcg; 100/25 mcg; 200/25 mcg) in Asian patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.
Three strengths of fluticasone furoate/vilanterol (FF/VI) were previously evaluated for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a program of global Phase 3 studies that included only a small subgroup of Asian patients. This study further evaluated the efficacy and safety of the same three strengths of FF/VI exclusively in Asian patients. ⋯ NCT01376245.