Postgraduate medicine
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Postgraduate medicine · May 2020
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyLinagliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular and/or renal disease: results from a cardiovascular and renal outcomes trial.
Review of: Rosenstock J, Perkovic V, Johansen, OE, et al. Effect of linagliptin vs placebo on major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular and renal risk: the CARMELINA randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2019;321:69-79. ⋯ Additionally, progression of albuminuria occurred less frequently in patients who received linagliptin versus placebo (HR 0.86 [0.78-0.95]). Overall, no new safety findings were identified for linagliptin, and no increased risk of hypoglycemia was observed for linagliptin versus placebo. Together, these findings from the CARMELINA trial reaffirm treatment guidelines for choosing additional therapies for patients with T2DM at elevated CV and/or renal risk, and provide new information on the role of linagliptin in the management of T2DM.
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Postgraduate medicine · May 2020
Randomized Controlled TrialTriple fixed-dose combination empagliflozin, linagliptin, and metformin for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Fixed-dose combination (FDC) therapy can improve outcomes in type 2 diabetes (T2D). We evaluated the bioequivalence of 2 doses of an FDC of extended-release metformin (metformin XR), empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor, and linagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, versus corresponding free tablet combinations. ⋯ The evaluated doses of empagliflozin/linagliptin/metformin XR FDC tablets were bioequivalent to the corresponding free combinations. Based on these two bioequivalence studies and existing phase 3 data, the FDA has recently approved this triple FDC to improve glycemic control in adults with T2D.
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Postgraduate medicine · May 2020
Patient factors associated with diabetes medication adherence at different health literacy levels: a cross-sectional study at a family medicine clinic.
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) incurs tremendous health costs associated with various complications due to poor diabetes control. Medication adherence, which is correlated with patients' health literacy, should be consistently practiced achieving optimal diabetes control. A deeper understanding of the specific communication and psychosocial factors related to medication-taking behaviors across different levels of health literacy among people with T2D will guide the development of effective interventions and strategies to enhance medication adherence. ⋯ Findings suggest that practitioners should address concern beliefs among low-adherent patients with low health literacy, help improve self-efficacy, and address perceived barriers to medication adherence among all low-adherent patients to optimally support patients' diabetes care.
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Postgraduate medicine · May 2020
ReviewOsteoarthritis and inflammation: a serious disease with overlapping phenotypic patterns.
Globally, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent arthritic condition in those aged over 60 years. OA has a high impact on patient disability and is associated with a significant economic burden. Pain is the most common first sign of disease and the leading cause of disability. ⋯ This review focuses on what we feel are three key phenotypes: post-trauma, metabolic, and aging. A greater understanding of OA phenotypes, particularly at the early stages of disease, may be necessary to improve treatment outcomes. In the future, non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatments could be tailored to patients based on the key features of their phenotype and disease pathway.
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Postgraduate medicine · May 2020
Hospital mortality and long-term mortality among hospitalized patients with various admission serum ionized calcium levels.
We conducted a single-center historical cohort study to evaluate the association between admission serum ionized calcium and mortality in hospitalized patients. ⋯ Both hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia were associated with increased short- and long-term mortality with a U-shape relationship.