International journal of clinical practice
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Jul 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyDesign and rationale for the non-interventional Global Investigation of Therapeutic DEcisions in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Of its Treatment with Sorafenib (GIDEON) study.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complicated condition influenced by multiple confounding factors, making optimum patient management extremely challenging. Ethnicity, stage at diagnosis, comorbidities and tumour morphology affect outcomes and vary from region to region, and there is no common language to assess patient prognosis and make treatment recommendations. Despite recent efforts to reduce the incidence of HCC, most patients present with unresectable disease. Non-surgical treatments include ablation, transarterial chemoembolisation and the multikinase inhibitor, sorafenib, but their effects in all patient subgroups are not known and further information is needed to optimise the use of these treatments. ⋯ This study will recruit 3000 patients from > 40 countries and follow them for approximately 5 years to compile a large and robust database of information that will be used to analyse local, regional and global differences in baseline characteristics, disease aetiology, treatment practice patterns and treatment outcomes, with a view to improve the knowledge base used to guide physician treatment decisions and to improve patient outcomes.
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Jul 2010
Multicenter StudyCharacteristics of patients with fibromyalgia in France and Germany.
Few studies have comprehensively assessed the burden associated with fibromyalgia (FM). This cross-sectional, observational study evaluates the impact of FM on patients in France and Germany. ⋯ There is a substantial burden of illness including treatment limitations for FM patients in France and Germany.
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Jun 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEfficacy of almotriptan in early intervention for treatment of acute migraine in a primary care setting: the START study.
The benefits of taking almotriptan early for acute migraine when pain is mild have clearly been demonstrated in the neurology setting. The aim of this study was to determine whether similar benefits with early intervention of almotriptan can be achieved in everyday general practice, where most migraineurs are managed. ⋯ In the primary care setting, early intervention with almotriptan for treatment of migraine provides significant clinical benefits compared with delaying treatment and/or waiting until pain intensity has progressed beyond mild.
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · May 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyEfficacy and safety of extended-release niacin/laropiprant plus statin vs. doubling the dose of statin in patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia or mixed dyslipidaemia.
Co-administration of niacin with statin offers the potential for additional lipid management and cardiovascular risk reduction. However, niacin is underutilised because of the side effects of flushing, mediated primarily by prostaglandin D(2) (PGD(2)). A combination tablet containing extended-release niacin and laropiprant (ERN/LRPT), a PGD(2) receptor (DP1) antagonist, offers improved tolerability. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of ERN/LRPT added to statin vs. doubling the dose of statin in patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia or mixed dyslipidaemia who were not at their National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal based on their coronary heart disease risk category (high, moderate or low). ⋯ The addition of ERN/LRPT to ongoing statin treatment produced significantly improved lipid-modifying benefits on LDL-C, HDL-C and TG and all other lipid parameters compared with doubling the statin dose in patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia or mixed dyslipidaemia. The types of AEs that occurred at a greater frequency in the ERN/LRPT group were those typically associated with niacin.
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Int. J. Clin. Pract. · Jan 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyRapid relief of acute sore throat with AMC/DCBA throat lozenges: randomised controlled trial.
As antibiotics are generally not recommended for the treatment of acute sore throat, the availability of clinically efficacious, over-the-counter (OTC) treatment alternatives is becoming increasingly important. This study was designed to determine the analgesic properties of amylmetacresol and 2,4-dichlorobenzyl alcohol (AMC/DCBA) throat lozenges (Strepsils) in the relief of acute sore throat caused by upper respiratory tract infections. ⋯ Amylmetacresol/DCBA throat lozenges provide rapid analgesic effects that last for 2 h, providing ongoing relief long after the lozenge has dissolved. The superior analgesic effects and improvements in functional impairment scores observed with AMC/DCBA throat lozenges translate into pain relief benefits that are clinically meaningful and are thus a suitable OTC treatment option for patients in the self-management of acute sore throat.