Current medical research and opinion
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Oxaprozin versus diclofenac in NSAID-refractory periarthritis pain of the shoulder.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of oxaprozin in comparison with diclofenac in patients with periarthritis pain of the shoulder previously unsuccessfully treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs other than diclofenac and oxaprozin. ⋯ As expected, once-daily oxaprozin proved to be as effective as diclofenac three times daily in reducing the primary efficacy variable of patient-assessed shoulder pain score in patients with periarthritis of the shoulder refractory to previous treatments with other NSAIDs. Oxaprozin was shown to be superior to diclofenac in improving shoulder function and was considered by investigators and patients to have greater overall efficacy than diclofenac. In addition, oxaprozin showed a trend toward superior results in improving patients' quality of life compared with diclofenac. A trend towards better tolerability results for oxaprozin compared with diclofenac was also noted.
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Nursing home-acquired pneumonia (NHAP) is a leading cause of morbidity, hospitalization, and mortality among older nursing home residents. Too often, these patients are erroneously grouped with cases of community-acquired and hospital-acquired pneumonia. Yet, they differ in terms of most common pathogens, significant underlying disease, impaired functional and cognitive status, and poor nutrition. ⋯ This decision often is based on the facility's ability to administer parenteral antibiotics, and care for co-morbidities and complications. Cephalosporins are the foundation of initial treatment of NHAP in the ED, and are combined with other antibiotics in anticipation of the most likely pathogens and treatment variables discussed here. It is hoped the NHAP treatment algorithm will contribute to improved outcomes.
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Bisphosphonates (BPs) are widely used in osteoporosis and other bone diseases. Treatment of osteoporosis would, in many instances, involve continued use of BP for a number of years, so it is pertinent to examine skeletal consequences of long-term BP use. Through a non-systematic review of the literature, this commentary considers the reduction in bone turnover and retention in the skeleton with regard to the long-term safety of BP use. ⋯ The amount of BP retained in bone after 10 years of alendronate treatment was estimated at 75 mg per 2 kg mineral, using a pharmacokinetic model for a dose of 10 mg per day. This small fraction, which is unevenly distributed between cancellous and cortical bone, seems unlikely to change bone mechanical properties. Taken together, the known mechanism of action of potent BPs and the experience accrued from treating a large number of patients, including up to 10 years follow-up in controlled trials, have identified only beneficial BP effects on bone.
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Weight gain is an unwanted side effect of improved glycaemic control in type 1 diabetes, associated with increased blood pressure (BP) and worsening lipid profiles. While improved glycaemic control per se should improve long-term patient outcomes, increases in BP and worsening lipid profiles may counteract these benefits. The aim of this modelling study was to assess whether the increased body weight and associated worsening of lipid profile and blood pressure would negate the improvements in glycaemic control seen with intensive therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes. ⋯ Concerns about weight gain should not deter intensive insulin therapy. However, the value of improving glycaemic control without increasing body weight (and associated increased BP and worsening of lipid profile) has been confirmed.
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Various factors influence the risk of complications in type 2 diabetes patients. The isolated impact of single risk factors on long-term outcomes is unclear. The aim of this study was to calculate the projected effects on life expectancy (LE), quality-adjusted LE (QALE) and total costs of complications (TC) of 10% improvements in baseline levels of either total cholesterol (T-CHOL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), systolic blood pressure (SBP), glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and all four parameters combined. ⋯ Combined improvements in HbA1c, lipid levels and SBP produced the greatest benefits in terms of LE, QALE and TC. A 10% improvement in HbA1c had the greatest impact on these three outcomes.