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- Skendros, Panagiotis, et al.
(författare)
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Complement C3 inhibition in severe COVID-19 using compstatin AMY-101
- 2022
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Ingår i: Science Advances. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 2375-2548. ; 8:33
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Complement C3 activation contributes to COVID-19 pathology, and C3 targeting has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. We provide interim data from ITHACA, the first randomized trial evaluating a C3 inhibitor, AMY-101, in severe COVID-19 (PaO2/FiO2 <= 300 mmHg). Patients received AMY-101 (n = 16) or placebo (n = 15) in addition to standard of care. AMY-101 was safe and well tolerated. Compared to placebo (8 of 15, 53.3%), a higher, albeit nonsignificant, proportion of AMY-101-treated patients (13 of 16, 81.3%) were free of supplemental oxygen at day 14. Three nonresponders and two placebo-treated patients succumbed to disease-related complications. AMY-101 significantly reduced CRP and ferritin and restrained thrombin and NET generation. Complete and sustained C3 inhibition was observed in all responders. Residual C3 activity in the three nonresponders suggested the presence of a convertase-independent C3 activation pathway overriding the drug's inhibitory activity. These findings support the design of larger trials exploring the potential of C3-based inhibition in COVID-19 or other complement-mediated diseases.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Gavriilidis, Georgios, et al.
(författare)
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Empowerment evaluation of a Swedish gender equity plan.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1654-9880 .- 1654-9716. ; 7:Jul 2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Empowerment is essential for gender equity and health. The city of Malmö, Sweden, has formulated a development plan for gender equity integration (GEIDP). A 'Policy Empowerment Index' (PEI) was previously developed to assess the empowerment potential of policies. Objectives: To pilot-evaluate the GEIDP's potential for empowerment and to test the PEI for future policy evaluations. Design: The GEIDP was analyzed and scored according to electronically retrieved evidence on constituent opinion, participation, capacity development, evaluation-adaptation, and impact. Results: The plan's PEI score was 64% (CI: 48-78) and was classified as 'enabling', ranging between 'enabling' and 'supportive'. The plan's strengths were: 1) constituent knowledge and concern; 2) peripheral implementation; 3) protection of vulnerable groups; and 4) evaluation/adaptation procedures. It scored average on: 1) policy agenda setting; 2) planning; 3) provisions for education; 4) network formation; 5) resource mobilization. The weakest point was regarding promotion of employment and entrepreneurship. Conclusions: The PEI evaluation highlighted the plan's potential of constituency empowerment and proposed how it could be augmented.
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| 4. |
- Gavriilidis, Georgios, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluating a traditional medicine policy in South Africa: phase 1 development of a policy assessment tool.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1654-9880 .- 1654-9716. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Policies that empower individuals and communities may be appropriate for public health, and more broadly. Simple, transparent and acceptable tools are therefore required to evaluate policies from an empowerment perspective. In 2008, the South African Department of Health (DOHSA) drafted a policy to endorse the integration of African Traditional Medicine (ATM) into the public health sector, following the World Health Organization's (WHO) long-standing directives. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to critically analyze this policy using a novel evaluation tool. DESIGN: A 12-point 'Policy Empowerment Index' (PEI) is introduced, and used to classify and score the policy according to five theoretical policy types. The evaluation was based on a stepwise review and associated publications: policy drafts, policy statements and news announcements. RESULTS: According to the assessment tool, the ATM policy was marginally 'supportive' of constituent empowerment, although several 'directive' features were also observed. The importance of ATM to SA's communities and the promotion of education, employment, entrepreneurship and peripheral resource mobilization were the main empowering elements. Centralised conception, planning and implementation, the absence of provisions for local adaptations and the authoritative legislation context were sub-optimal features. CONCLUSIONS: South Africa's ATM legislation may need to further involve communities in policy design and implementation to capitalise upon the broader benefits of community empowerment. However, the iterative nature of method and evaluation is important. Indeed, they are proposed as points to initiate participatory development, and improve policy evaluation. Such instruments can empower constituents in the political process.
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