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Drug Intake (drug + intake)
Selected AbstractsEffects and serum levels of glibenclamide and its active metabolites in patients with type 2 diabetesDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 6 2001A. Jönsson SUMMARY Objective To study the effects and serum levels of glibenclamide (Gb) and its active metabolites in patients on chronic Gb medication on different daily doses. Material and methods Fifty patients with type 2 diabetes on regular Gb therapy (1.75,14.0 mg daily). Blood samples were taken immediately before and 90 min after regular Gb intake. A standardized breakfast was served 30 min after drug intake. Serum insulin and proinsulin levels were determined by ELISA methods without cross-reactivities. Serum drug levels were determined by HPLC. Fischer's R to Z -test (correlation coefficients) and paired Student t -tests were used when comparing values within the entire group and unpaired non-parametric Mann,Whitney tests were used when comparing high and low dose levels. A p-value <,0.05 was considered significant. Results There were significant correlations between daily Gb dose, on the one hand, and, on the other, HbAlc (r = 0.55), ,-insulin (r = , 0.59) and ,-proinsulin (r = , 0.52) levels. Significant correlations between Gb therapy duration and insulin (r = , 0.40) and proinsulin (r = , 0.34) secretion and between Gb dose and ratio proinsulin/insulin (RPI) at both time points (r = 0.32 and 0.30) were also found. The RPI was lower after Gb intake. In patients on , 10.5 mg steady state serum metabolite levels (Ml and Ml + M2) were higher (29(0,120) and 33 (0,120) ng/ml) than those of Gb itself (18(0,64) ng/ml). A great inter-subject variability in Gb levels at both time points was seen. Conclusions Our results indicate that, in patients on chronic medication, Gb is capable of stimulating both insulin and proinsulin secretion; the effect on insulin release is relatively greater. The effect was more pronounced in patients on a low Gb dose, either because of less impaired ,-cells in those receiving low doses, or due to reduced sulphonylurea sensitivity in those on high dosage (down-regulation). In patients on a daily dose of 10.5 mg or more, serum metabolite levels of clinical relevance were demonstrated; the metabolites may contribute to hypoglycaemic events. [source] Prevalence and cost of nonadherence with antiepileptic drugs in an adult managed care populationEPILEPSIA, Issue 3 2008Keith L. Davis Summary Purpose: This study assessed the extent of refill nonadherence with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and the potential association between AED nonadherence and health care costs in an adult-managed care population. Methods: Retrospective claims from the PharMetrics database were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were: age ,21, epilepsy diagnosis between January 01, 2000 and March 12, 2005, ,2 AED prescriptions, and continuous health plan enrollment for ,6 months prior to and ,12 months following AED initiation. Adherence was evaluated using the medication possession ratio (MPR). Patients with an MPR <0.8 were classified as nonadherent. Multivariate regression was used to assess the effect of AED nonadherence on annualized cost outcomes. Regression covariates included patient demographics, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and follow-up duration. Results: Among patients meeting all inclusion criteria (N = 10,892), 58% were female, mean age was 44 years, mean CCI was 0.94, and mean follow-up was 27 months. Mean MPR was 0.78 and 39% of patients were nonadherent. AED nonadherence was associated with an increased likelihood of hospitalization (odds ratio [OR]= 1.110, p = 0.013) and emergency room (ER) admission (OR = 1.479, p < 0.0001), as well as increased inpatient and ER costs of $1,799 and $260 (both p = 0.001), respectively, per patient per year. Outpatient and other ancillary costs were not significantly affected by nonadherence. A large net positive effect of nonadherence on total annual health care costs remained (+$1,466, p = 0.034) despite an offset from reduced prescription drug intake. Discussion: Adherence with AEDs among adult epilepsy patients is suboptimal and nonadherence appears to be associated with increased health care costs. Efforts to promote AED adherence may lead to cost savings for managed care systems. [source] Activation of group II mGlu receptors blocks the enhanced drug taking induced by previous exposure to amphetamineEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 1 2005Jeong-Hoon Kim Abstract Repeated exposure to amphetamine (AMPH) leads to the development of behavioural sensitization that can be demonstrated in rats as enhanced locomotor responding to and self-administration of the drug. Glutamate systems are known to participate in the induction and expression of sensitization by psychostimulants. Group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), because they negatively regulate both vesicular and nonvesicular glutamate release, are thus well positioned to gate its expression. Here we report that the expression of locomotor sensitization by AMPH is completely prevented by a systemic injection of the selective group II mGluR agonist LY379268 at a dose that produced no effects when administered alone. The activation of group II mGluRs in AMPH-sensitized rats also reduced the enhanced overflow of both dopamine and glutamate normally observed in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region critical for the generation of locomotor and drug self-administration behaviours. To directly determine the effect of group II mGluR activation on enhanced drug self-administration, AMPH-sensitized rats were allowed to self-administer a mixture of LY379268 and AMPH. These rats continued to self-administer but did not exhibit the enhanced work output and drug intake observed in AMPH-sensitized rats self-administering AMPH alone. Thus, activating group II mGluRs prevents the expression of different manifestations of AMPH sensitization including enhanced self-administration of the drug. These receptors may represent a potentially important target for therapeutic intervention directed at drugs of abuse. [source] Diverse Effect of Inflammatory Markers on Insulin Resistance and Insulin-Resistance Syndrome in the ElderlyJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 3 2004Angela M. Abbatecola MD Objectives: To evaluate the potential association between different inflammatory markers and insulin resistance (IR), as well as insulin-resistance syndrome (IRS) in a large, population-based study of older, nondiabetic persons. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Outpatient clinic in Greve in Chianti and Bagno a Ripoli (Italy). Participants: One thousand one hundred forty-six nondiabetic subjects ranging in age from 22 to 104. Measurements: Anthropometric measurements; plasma fasting levels of glucose, insulin, and cholesterol (total, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein); homeostasis model assessment to estimate degree of insulin resistance; tumor necrosis factor , (TNF-,), interleukin 6 (IL-6), soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R), interleukin receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), and C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma concentrations; diastolic, systolic, and mean arterial blood pressure; and echo-color-Doppler duplex scanning examination of carotid arteries. Results: Insulin resistance correlated with age (r=0.102; P<.001) and plasma levels of TNF-, (r=0.082; P=.007), IL-1ra (r=0.147; P<.001), IL-6 (r=0.133; P<.001), sIL-6R (r=,0.156; P<.001), and CRP (r=0.83; P<.001). Subjects in the upper tertile of IR degree were older and had higher serum levels of TNF-,, IL-1ra, and IL-6 and lower levels of sIL-6R than subjects in the lowest tertile. Independent of age, sex, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, triglycerides, drug intake, diastolic blood pressure, smoking habit, and carotid atherosclerotic plaques, higher IL-6 (t=2.987; P=.003) serum concentrations were associated with higher IR, whereas sIL-6R levels (t=,5.651; P<.001) were associated with lower IR. Furthermore, IL-1ra concentrations (t=2.448; P=.015) were associated with IRS, and higher sIL-6R plasma levels continued to correlate negatively with IRS. Conclusion: Different inflammatory markers are associated with a diverse effect on IR and IRS in elderly nondiabetic subjects. [source] Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) , A clinical reaction patternJOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 3 2001Alexis Sidoroff Background: A wide range of diseases or reactions can cause pustular eruptions of the skin. In this spectrum there seems to be a subgroup with characteristic clinical features and a typical course which is mostly caused by drugs for which the term acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) has been established. Objective: To describe the clinical features of AGEP. Methods: The authors' experience from a multinational epidemiological study on severe cutaneous adverse reactions and a comprehensive review of the literature were used to provide an overview of the disease and it's possible causes. An algorithm for validating cases which was established for this study is also presented. Results: AGEP typically presents with at least dozens of non follicular sterile pustules occurring on a diffuse, edematous erythema predominalty in the folds and/or on the face. Fever and elevated blood neutrophils are common. Histopathology typically shows spongiform subcorneal and/or intraepidermal pustules, a marked edema of the papillary dermis, and eventually vasculitis, eosinophils and/or focal necrosis of keratinocytes. Onset is acute, most often following drug intake, but viral infections can also trigger the disease. Pustules resolve spontaneously in less than 15 days. Conclusion: The diagnosis AGEP should be considered in cases of acute pustular rashes and detection of the causative drug should be strived for. Knowledge of the clinical features and usual course of this disease can often prevent unnecessary therapeutical measures. [source] Prevalence and cost of medication nonadherence in Parkinson's disease: Evidence from administrative claims data,MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 4 2010Keith L. Davis MA Abstract We estimated the prevalence of medication nonadherence in Parkinson's disease (PD) and the association between treatment nonadherence and healthcare costs. Insurance claims from over 30 US health plans were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were as follows: PD diagnosis, ,1 PD-related prescription between 1/1/1997 and 12/31/2004, continuous health plan enrollment for ,6 months before and ,12 months after first PD prescription. Adherence, all-cause healthcare utilization, and all-cause costs were evaluated over 12 months post-treatment initiation. Adherence was measured using the medication possession ratio (MPR), with MPR < 0.8 defining nonadherence. Among patients identified for inclusion (N = 3,119), 58% were male and mean age was 69 years. Mean MPR was 0.58 and 61% of patients were nonadherent. Unadjusted mean medical costs were significantly higher (P < 0.01) among nonadherers ($15,826) compared with adherers ($9,228), although nonadherers had lower prescription drug costs ($2,684 vs. $3,854; P < 0.05). After controlling for confounders in multivariable analyses, a large positive relationship between nonadherence and both medical and total healthcare costs remained (+$3,451, P < 0.0001 and +$2,383, P = 0.0053, respectively). Medication adherence in PD is suboptimal and nonadherence may be associated with increased healthcare costs despite offsets from reduced drug intake. Efforts to promote medication adherence in PD may lead to cost savings for managed care systems. © 2010 Movement Disorder Society [source] Effect of amantadine in essential tremor: A randomized, placebo-controlled trialMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 4 2006Alexandre Gironell MD Abstract There is a need for new medication for essential tremor (ET). Preliminary evidence suggests that amantadine may be effective in the treatment of ET. We studied the effects of amantadine in a double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled trial in ET patients. Sixteen patients with ET received amantadine 100 mg b.i.d. and placebo for 15 days, with a 1-week wash-out period between treatments. Major evaluation outcomes consisted of a tremor clinical rating scale, accelerometric recordings, and a self-reported disability scale obtained before drug intake and on study days 1 and 15 of each treatment period. A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (treatment, time) was applied. Any P value < 0.05 was considered significant. On day 15, amantadine did not demonstrate any significant efficacy in reducing tremor with respect to baseline in any tremor measures. An increase in postural tremor as an adverse effect of amantadine was referred by 37.5% of patients. Results from the present trial indicate amantadine at 100 mg b.i.d. is not effective as a treatment for ET. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society [source] (635) The Advantages and Adverse Effects of Long-Term Intrathecal Delivery of Opioid and Clonidine HCL AdmixturePAIN MEDICINE, Issue 2 2000Article first published online: 25 DEC 200 Introduction: Intrathecal clonidine may be effective in neuropathic pain situations where large doses of opioids and local anesthetics or baclofen result in side effects and inadequate pain control. Addition of clonidine activates K (ATP) channels via a-2 receptors. Clonidine administered intrathecally provides fourfold better pain control with lower side effects than systemic clonidine. Because clonidine does not interact with opioid receptors, it fails to cause opioid-like side effects. Clonidine and opioids may have a synergistic efficacy. Materials & Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 23 patients, 10 male and 13 female, with a mean age of 55.4 years. Seventeen patients had neuropathic pain and 6 patients had mixed (neuropathic-nociceptive) nonmalignant pain. They had failed to achieve satisfactory analgesia despite preclinical infusion of high dose morphine sulfate, hydromorphone HCL, or combinations of bupivacaine HCL/opioid or baclofen. The range of initiating daily dose of clonidine was 25 ,g to 50 ,g, to a maximum of 900 ,g/day. The clonidine doses were titrated upwards to the end point of either efficacy or adverse effects. Clinical parameters studied were patient vital signs, pain intensity, pain relief, quality of sleep, drug intake, and side effects. Results: The preclonidine VAPS scores were on average 7.67 and the postclonidine VAPS scores were 5.82. Sleep improved for 50% of patients having poor to fair sleep. Length of therapy ranges from 1 month to 35 months with an average of 14.7 months of therapy. Of the 23 patients studied, 8 patients have been satisfied, coping with any side effects, and are still receiving mixed clonidine/opioid therapy. The side effects noted were nausea (9), sleepiness (8), dry mouth (7), dizziness (7), orthostatic hypotension (2), short term memory loss (2), headache (2), edema (2), depression (2), tinnitus (1), lethargy (1), nausea with vomiting (1), decreased energy (1), decreased libido (1), impotence (1), fine tremor (1), and anxiety (1). Conclusions: Intraspinal infusion of clonidine plus opioid may provide safer and better synergistic control of intractable neuropathic or mixed nonmalignant pain than pure intraspinal infusions of u-opioid with local anesthetic. [source] The Etiology of Different Forms of Urticaria in ChildhoodPEDIATRIC DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2004Cansin Sackesen M.D. In contrast to the ease of its diagnosis, etiologic factors are often difficult to determine. In order to study whether differences exist among various forms of urticaria in childhood and whether the patterns of different types of urticaria differ between adults and children, we extensively studied the possible causes of urticaria in children. Fifty-four children (23 girls and 31 boys; ages 1,19 years) with various forms of urticaria were included in the study. In all cases, questions about food allergies, food additive intolerance, drug intake, signs of infection, causes of physical urticaria, insect bites, and personal and family history of atopy were asked. Clinical characteristics of the disease, such as duration, recurrence, and associated angioedema and symptoms of anaphylaxis were also investigated. Detailed laboratory tests, including serologic, autoimmune, and allergic analyses, were conducted to reveal the probable etiologies of urticaria. Of the study patients, 68.5% and 31.5% were diagnosed as having acute and chronic urticaria, respectively. The patient group with chronic urticaria was older and included more boys than the acute group. In the acute urticaria group, infection was the most frequently documented cause (48.6%), followed by drugs (5.4%), and food allergies (2.7%), whereas in chronic urticaria, physical factors were the leading cause (52.94%). The most frequently documented infection was urinary tract infection, followed by serologically determined infections of Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori. In this study we found indications that infections were frequently associated with urticaria, which suggests that urticaria management should include a survey of certain infectious agents in addition to a detailed history. [source] Seizures associated with poisoning in children: tricyclic antidepressant intoxicationPEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 6 2006AGOP ÇITAK Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of seizure due to poisoning. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis, throughout 4 years of hospital admissions for poisoning. Data of patients with seizures due to poisoning were evaluated with respect to the causes, frequencies and complications of seizures. Results: Among the 1561 admissions due to intoxication during the review period, seizures developed in 26 cases (1.6%). Tricyclic antidepressant overdose (n = 11, 42%) was the leading cause of seizure due to poisoning. Generalized tonic-clonic seizures were observed in 24 patients. Status epilepticus developed in six patients (23%). Mechanical ventilation was applied in 12 (46%) patients. Cardiac complications were observed in 11 (42%) patients with seizures. Two patients who had cardiac arrest due to acepromazin maleat and imipramine intoxication died. Conclusion: One of the causes of seizures in pediatric age group is intoxication. Seizures due to intoxications may cause serious clinical conditions. Intoxications should be thought when a patient is admitted with the diagnosis of afebrile seizure even if there is no history of drug intake. [source] Psychotropics use in the Spanish elderly: predictors and evolution between years 1993 and 2003,PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 4 2007P. Carrasco-Garrido PhD Abstract Purpose This study mainly aimed at describing the prevalence of psychotropic medication consumption in the Spanish elderly population between the years 1993 and 2003. Methods Descriptive, cross-sectional study covering the Spanish population aged 65 years and over, using data drawn from the 1993 and 2003 Spanish National Health Surveys (ENSS). A total of 9570 interviews were analysed (3436 from 1993 and 6134 from 2003). The independent variables were sociodemographic and health-related, and the dependent variable was total consumption of psychotropic medication. Using logistic multivariate regression models, we have analysed the temporal evolution of psychotropic medication consumption between 1993 and 2003. Results The prevalence of consumption was significantly higher in women (6.7% from 1993 and 26.4 % from 2003) versus men (2.4% from 1993 and 10.6% from 2003) (p,<,0.001). Multivariate analysis, highlighted the association between increased psychoactive drug intake and sex, nervous, depressive, sleep disorders and negative perception of health, displayed a strong association with consumption of psychoactive drugs across the 2 years. Conclusions In Spain, the prevalence of psychoactive drug consumption is higher among elderly women than men, and increases with negative perception of health. The prevalence of consumption was significantly higher in the year 2003. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Comedication related to comorbidities: a study in 1203 hospitalized patients with severe psoriasisBRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2008S. Gerdes Summary Background, Psoriasis is a common dermatological disorder characterized by an immune-mediated chronic inflammation which is associated with a variety of other diseases commonly referred to as comorbidities. The treatments for these diseases may interfere with the course and the treatment of psoriasis. Little is known on the general drug intake of patients with psoriasis. Objectives, To gain more insight into the general drug intake of patients with severe psoriasis. A correlation of comedication to respective diseases could lead to a better knowledge of comorbidities. Methods, Data on demographics, comedication and comorbidities from 1203 patients with severe psoriasis in Germany were analysed. As a control group data from 7099 subjects from the German National Health Survey 1998 were used. Results, Patients with severe psoriasis are receiving significantly more different systemic drugs on average than the general population, with the most prominent difference in multidrug treatment. Drugs used in the treatment of arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and other diseases of the metabolic syndrome as well as oral anticoagulants and anticonvulsant agents showed the greatest differences. Special characteristics of antihypertensive drug treatments could be determined. Conclusions, The data obtained in this study provide the basis for an improved management of patients with psoriasis. Knowledge of existing comedication and comorbidities may lead to the ability to treat psoriasis and comorbidities at the same time more safely and to use possible synergistic effects. [source] Efficacy and safety of subcutaneous immunotherapy with a biologically standardized extract of Ambrosia artemisiifolia pollen: a double-blind, placebo-controlled studyCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 9 2004C. Mirone Summary Background The allergological relevance of Ambrosia in Europe is growing but the efficacy of the injective immunotherapy for this allergen has been documented only in Northern America. Objective We sought to study the safety and efficacy of injective immunotherapy in European patients sensitized to Ambrosia artemisiifolia. Methods Thirty-two patients (18 M/14 F, mean age 36.78, range 23,60 years) suffering from rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma and sensitized to Ambrosia were enrolled and randomized in a double-blind, placebo-controlled (DBPC) study lasting 1 year. A maintenance dose corresponding to 7.2 ,g of Amb a 1 was administered at 4-week intervals after the build-up. During the second and the third year, all patients were under active therapy in an open fashion. Symptom and medication scores, skin reactivity to Ambrosia (parallel line biological assay), and pollen counts were assessed throughout the trial. Results Twenty-three patients completed the trial. No severe adverse event was observed. During the DBPC phase, actively treated patients showed an improvement in asthmatic symptoms (P=0.02) and drug (P=0.0068) scores days with asthmatic symptoms (P=0.003), days with rhinitis symptoms (P=0.05), and days with intake of drugs (P=0.0058), as compared to before therapy. No improvement for any of these parameters was detected in the placebo group. Moreover, the number of days with rhinitis and asthma was significantly higher in the placebo as compared to the active group (P=0.048 and P<0.0001, respectively). Patients who switched from placebo to active therapy improved in rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma, and drug intake. The skin reactivity decreased significantly (12.2-fold, P=0.0001) in the active group whereas a slight increase (1.07-fold, P=0.87) was observed in the placebo group after the DBPC phase. After switching to active therapy, patients previously under placebo showed a significant decrease of this parameter (4.78-fold, P=0.002). Conclusion Injective immunotherapy is safe and clinically effective in European patients sensitized to Ambrosia. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||