Clinical drug investigation
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Multicenter Study
Dosing and Outcomes Study of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Therapies (DOSE) : a registry for characterizing anaemia management and outcomes in oncology patients.
To report the design, methodology, implementation and initial results of the Dosing and Outcomes Study of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Therapies (DOSE) Registry, the first US patient registry to collect and report on practice patterns and outcomes associated with erythropoiesis-stimulating therapy (EST) for anaemia management in oncology patients. ⋯ The DOSE Registry is a valuable source of data relating to anaemia management, practice patterns and outcomes in oncology patients from the perspective of actual clinical practice. Results from this registry should provide patients, clinicians and healthcare decision makers with a better understanding of the relationship between EST dosage and outcomes in the clinical setting.
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Multicenter Study Controlled Clinical Trial
Pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerance of voriconazole in renally impaired subjects: two prospective, multicentre, open-label, parallel-group volunteer studies.
Since little is known regarding the pharmacokinetics of voriconazole in renally impaired patients, two prospective, open-label, parallel-group volunteer studies were conducted to estimate the effect of renal impairment on the pharmacokinetics of oral voriconazole and intravenous voriconazole solubilized with sulphobutylether-beta-cyclodextrin (SBECD), respectively. ⋯ These data suggest that renal impairment does not affect the pharmacokinetics of voriconazole. Furthermore, in subjects with moderate renal impairment, there is a strong linear correlation between SBECD clearance and creatinine clearance, and elevated SBECD levels do not necessarily correlate with increased serum creatinine levels (an indicator of worsening renal function).
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In the recent X-ACT (Xeloda in Adjuvant Colon cancer Therapy) trial, oral capecitabine (Xeloda) demonstrated superior efficacy and an improved safety profile compared with infused fluorouracil + leucovorin (folinic acid) [FU+LV] in patients with Dukes' C colorectal cancer. We used the X-ACT results to determine the cost effectiveness of capecitabine compared with FU+LV from the perspective of the Italian National Health Service (NHS). ⋯ Adjuvant capecitabine for patients with Dukes' C colon cancer has the same activity in terms of outcome when compared with FU+LV but is a lower cost option from the economic perspective of the Italian NHS.
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Comparative Study
Cost-effectiveness analysis of a lidocaine 5% medicated plaster compared with gabapentin and pregabalin for treating postherpetic neuralgia: a german perspective.
This study set out to assess the cost effectiveness of using a 5% lidocaine (lignocaine) medicated plaster for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) compared with gabapentin, pregabalin 300 mg/day or 600 mg/day in German primary care. The analysis took the perspective of the Statutory Health Insurance scheme (GKV). ⋯ The 5% lidocaine-medicated plaster is a cost-effective treatment option for the management of PHN in Germany compared with gabapentin and both 300 and 600 mg/day of pregabalin.
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A 48-year-old woman suddenly lost consciousness as a result of a right rostral pontine tegmentum haemorrhage. The patient presented with decerebrate rigidity (DR) and regained full consciousness 5 days after the initial onset. ⋯ The patients' preserved consciousness and motor-evoked potentials to transcranial magnetic stimulation indicated a derangement of the extrapyramidal tracts with preservation of the pyramidal tracts. This case report discusses the possible mechanisms of action of gabapentin in DR.