Current medical research and opinion
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While several studies have examined adherence to controller medications for the treatment of COPD, few systematic reviews have taken the translational step to identifying important and necessary areas for further research. The objective of this study was to review data on the outcomes of adherence to various controller therapies in patients with COPD in an effort to help prescribers understand adherence properties for each therapy. ⋯ Characteristics of the medication used (i.e. dosing schedule, formulation, etc.) as well as patient characteristics affect the adherence/persistence to medications for the treatment of COPD. Further patient education is necessary in order to effectively improve disease management and patient outcomes in COPD. There is a need for future research and educational efforts to improve adherence in COPD and more clearly identify specific behavioral and treatment characteristics associated with specific COPD medications that can facilitate adherence.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Impact of solifenacin on diary-recorded and patient-reported urgency in patients with severe overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms.
It is widely recognized that patient perception of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms can vary considerably from mild to severe bother. This post hoc analysis reports outcomes in patients with severe OAB symptoms at baseline taken from the VESIcare Efficacy and Safety in PatieNts with Urgency Study (VENUS). ⋯ VENUS was a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of solifenacin (5 or 10 mg/day, flexibly dosed) in OAB patients. The primary endpoint in VENUS was mean change from baseline to study end in urgency episodes/day using 3-day bladder diaries. Secondary endpoints included other diary endpoints (frequency, incontinence, and nocturia), warning time (WT; time between first sensation of urgency to voiding), and patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures of urgency (the Indevus Urgency Severity Scale [IUSS] and Urgency Perception Scale [UPS]) and of symptom bother and health-related quality of life (HRQL) (the Patient Perception of Bladder Condition [PPBC] and Overactive Bladder Questionnaire). For this analysis, severe OAB was defined as baseline PPBC score ≥5 (1 = no problems, 6 = many severe problems).
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Comparative Study
Opioid use and healthcare costs among patients with DPNP initiating duloxetine versus other treatments.
To compare opioid utilization and healthcare costs over a 1-year period following the initiation with duloxetine versus other standard of care (SOC) treatments among patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP). ⋯ Among commercially-insured DPNP patients, duloxetine-treated patients had delayed and reduced opioid use and lower healthcare costs than SOC-treated patients.
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A pooled analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of varenicline versus placebo for smoking cessation in Asian populations. A secondary objective was to compare the data to pooled trials among predominantly Western populations. ⋯ Varenicline significantly improved smoking abstinence in Asian populations from six countries. AEs were predominantly of mild or moderate intensity. These data were largely the same as those seen in Western populations, but the studies were not designed to explore racial or cultural differences.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
A plaster containing DHEP and heparin for mild to moderate contusions and sprains with haematoma: a double-blind randomized study.
This prospective, randomized, double-blind, three-arm study was performed to investigate the efficacy of a medicated plaster containing the combination of diclofenac epolamine (DHEP) 180 mg and heparin 5600 IU in the treatment of unilateral blunt soft tissue injuries involving the upper or lower limb, complicated by severe local haematoma. ⋯ The plaster formulation combining DHEP and heparin relieves pain and induces faster dissolution of superficial haematomas, and may therefore contribute to a more rapid and complete recovery.