| 1. |
- Gillespie, Ulrika, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of Pharmacists' Interventions on Appropriateness of Prescribing and Evaluation of the Instruments' (MAI, STOPP and STARTs') Ability to Predict Hospitalization-Analyses from a Randomized Controlled Trial
- 2013
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 8:5, s. e62401-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Appropriateness of prescribing can be assessed by various measures and screening instruments. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of pharmacists' interventions on appropriateness of prescribing in elderly patients, and to explore the relationship between these results and hospital care utilization during a 12-month follow-up period. Methods: The study population from a previous randomized controlled study, in which the effects of a comprehensive pharmacist intervention on re-hospitalization was investigated, was used. The criteria from the instruments MAI, STOPP and START were applied retrospectively to the 368 study patients (intervention group (I) n = 182, control group (C) n = 186). The assessments were done on admission and at discharge to detect differences over time and between the groups. Hospital care consumption was recorded and the association between scores for appropriateness, and hospitalization was analysed. Results: The number of Potentially Inappropriate Medicines (PIMs) per patient as identified by STOPP was reduced for I but not for C (1.42 to 0.93 vs. 1.46 to 1.66 respectively, p<0.01). The number of Potential Prescription Omissions (PPOs) per patient as identified by START was reduced for I but not for C (0.36 to 0.09 vs. 0.42 to 0.45 respectively, p<0.001). The summated score for MAI was reduced for I but not for C (8.5 to 5.0 and 8.7 to 10.0 respectively, p<0.001). There was a positive association between scores for MAI and STOPP and drug-related readmissions (RR 8-9% and 30-34% respectively). No association was detected between the scores of the tools and total re-visits to hospital. Conclusion: The interventions significantly improved the appropriateness of prescribing for patients in the intervention group as evaluated by the instruments MAI, STOPP and START. High scores in MAI and STOPP were associated with a higher number of drug-related readmissions.
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| 2. |
- Gron, K. L., et al.
(författare)
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The association of fatigue, comorbidity burden, disease activity, disability and gross domestic product in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. : Results from 34 countries participating in the Quest-RA programme
- 2014
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Ingår i: Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. - 0392-856X .- 1593-098X. ; 32:6, s. 869-877
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective The aim is to assess the prevalence of comorbidities and to further analyse to which degree fatigue can be explained by comorbidity burden, disease activity, disability and gross domestic product (GDP) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Nine thousands eight hundred seventy-four patients from 34 countries, 16 with high GDP (>24.000 US dollars [USD] per capita) and 18 low-GDP countries (<24.000 USD) participated in the Quantitative Standard monitoring of Patients with RA (QUEST-RA) study. The prevalence of 31 comorbid conditions, fatigue (0-10 cm visual analogue scale [VAS] [10 worst]), disease activity in 28 joints (DAS28), and physical disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire score MAW) were assessed. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to assess the association between fatigue and comorbidities, disease activity, disability and GDP. Results Overall, patients reported a median of 2 comorbid conditions of which hypertension (31.5%), osteoporosis (17.6%), osteoarthritis (15.5%) and hyperlipidaemia (14.2%) were the most prevalent. The majority of comorbidities were more common in high-GDP countries. The median fatigue score was 4.4 (4.8 in low-GDP countries and 3.8 in high-GDP countries, p<0.001). In low-GDP countries 25.4% of the patients had a high level of fatigue (>6.6) compared with 23.0% in high-GDP countries (p<0.001). In univariate analysis, fatigue increased with increasing number of comorbidities, disease activity and disability in both high- and low-GDP countries. In multivariate analysis of all countries, these 3 variables explained 29.4% of the variability, whereas GDP was not significant. Conclusion Fatigue is a widespread problem associated with high comorbidity burden, disease activity and disability regardless of GDP.
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| 3. |
- Henrohn, Dan, et al.
(författare)
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Acute haemodynamic response in relation to plasma vardenafil concentrations in patients with pulmonary hypertension
- 2012
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Ingår i: British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0306-5251 .- 1365-2125. ; 74:6, s. 990-998
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIMS To evaluate the acute haemodynamic effects of a single oral dose of vardenafil and to study the drug concentration in relation to haemodynamic effects in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). METHODS Sixteen patients with PH (aged 29-85\ years), received one single oral dose of vardenafil (5, 10 or 20 mg). The haemodynamic effect was assessed over a 60 min period. Vardenafil plasma concentrations were measured after 15, 30, 45 and 60 min using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS At 60 min a reduction in mPAP with a median % decrease of -20.3% (range -48.3 to 3.0; P < 0.001) and an increase in cardiac output and the cardiac index with a median % change of 10.6% (range -25.0 to 88.1; P = 0.015) and 12.1% (range -24.0 to 94.4; P = 0.01) respectively was observed. The pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was reduced with a median % decrease of -28.9% (range -61.5 to -5.9; P < 0.001), and pulmonary selectivity was reflected by a median percent reduction of -16.9% (range -49.0 to 16.5; P = 0.002; n = 14) in the PVR/ systemic vascular resistance ratio. There was a correlation between the plasma concentrations of vardenafil and change in mPAP (r = -0.579, P = 0.019) and between vardenafil concentrations and change in PVR (r = -0.662, P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS Vardenafil causes rapid changes in cardiopulmonary haemodynamics and there is a correlation between plasma vardenafil drug concentration and the acute changes in mPAP as well as PVR in patients with PH.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Khan, N. A., et al.
(författare)
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Patient's global assessment of disease activity and patient's assessment of general health for rheumatoid arthritis activity assessment : Are they equivalent?
- 2012
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Ingår i: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. - : BMJ. - 0003-4967 .- 1468-2060. ; 71:12, s. 1942-1949
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: To assess (A) determinants of patient's global assessment of disease activity (PTGL) and patient's assessment of general health (GH) scores of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients; (B) whether they are equivalent as individual variables; and (C) whether they may be used interchangeably in calculating common RA activity assessment composite indices. Methods: Data of 7023 patients from 30 countries in the Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Patients with RA (QUEST-RA) was analysed. PTGL and GH determinants were assessed by mixed-effects analyses of covariance models. PTGL and GH equivalence was determined by Bland-Altman 95% limits of agreement (BALOA) and Lin's coefficient of concordance (LCC). Concordance between PTGL and GH based Disease Activity Score 28(DAS28), Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) and Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3) indices were calculated using LCC, and the level of agreement in classifying RA activity in four states (remission, low, moderate, high) using κ statistics. Results: Significant differences in relative and absolute contribution of RA and non-RA related variables in PTGL and GH ratings were noted. LCC of 0.64 and BALOA of -4.41 to 4.54 showed that PTGL and GH are not equivalent. There was excellent concordance (LCC 0.95-0.99) for PTGL and GH based DAS28, CDAI and RAPID3 indices, and >80% absolute agreement (κ statistics 0.75-0.84) in RA activity state classification for all three indices. Conclusions: PTGL and GH ratings differ in their determinants. Although they are individually not equivalent, they may be used interchangeably for calculating composite indices for RA activity assessment.
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| 6. |
- Malinovschi, Andrei, et al.
(författare)
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Increased plasma and salivary nitrite and decreased bronchial contribution to exhaled NO in pulmonary arterial hypertension
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Journal of Clinical Investigation. - : Wiley. - 0014-2972 .- 1365-2362. ; 41:8, s. 889-897
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Conflicting results on exhaled NO in pulmonary hypertension (PH) exist. Therefore, we analysedexhaled NO, as well as systemic and local nitrite, a possible alternative source of NO, in PH with regard to PHaetiology.Methods Exhaled NO at multiple flow-rates, as well as plasma and salivary nitrite and nitrate, was measured in22 patients with PH and 21 healthy controls. Alveolar NO (CalvNO) and bronchial flux (J’awNO) were calculatedusing the slope–intercept model. Patients with PH were subdivided into pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)and PH WHO Groups II–IV, according to the WHO clinical classification of PH.Results Exhaled NO was reduced at flow-rates in the range of 20)200 mL s)1 in patients with PAH (n = 13) vs.PH WHO Group II–IV (n = 9) (P < 0Æ05 all). Patients with PAH had higher CalvNO than healthy controls [2Æ61(2Æ23, 3Æ36) vs. 1.97 ppb (1Æ22, 2Æ49), P = 0Æ03] and similar to PH WHO Group II–IV (P = 0Æ51). Patients with PAHhad lower J’awNO than patients with PH WHO Group II–IV or healthy controls [430 (371, 702) vs. 807 (557, 993)or 731 pL s)1 (580, 818), P < 0Æ05 both]. Subjects with PAH were characterized by higher levels of salivary andplasma nitrite than healthy controls (P < 0Æ05 both).Conclusions Patients with PAH have lower bronchial NO flux compared to healthy controls and patients withPH WHO Group II–IV along with elevated salivary and plasma nitrite compared to controls. This implies reducedbronchial NO synthase-derived NO formation in PAH. Increased alveolar NO levels were found in subjects withPH compared to controls, especially in subjects with PAH. This may reflect NO diffusion disturbances in thealveoli.
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| 7. |
- Naranjo, A., et al.
(författare)
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Smokers and non-smokers with rheumatoid arthritis have similar clinical status : data from the multinational QUEST-RA database
- 2010
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Ingår i: Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. - 0392-856X .- 1593-098X. ; 28:6, s. 820-827
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives To analyse clinical severity/activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) according to smoking status. Methods The QUEST-RA multinational database reviews patients for Core Data Set measures including 28 swollen and tender joint count, physician global estimate, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), HAQ-function, pain, and patient global estimate, as well as DAS28, rheumatoid factor (RE), nodules, erosions and number of DMARDs were recorded. Smoking status was assessed by self-report as "never smoked", "currently smoking" and "former smokers". Patient groups with different smoking status were compared for demographic and RA measures. Results Among the 7,307 patients with smoking data available, status as "never smoked," "current smoker" and "former smoker" were reported by 65%, 15% and 20%. Ever smokers were more likely to be RF-positive (OR 1.32; 1.17-1.48, p<0.001). Rheumatoid nodules were more frequent in ever smokers (OR 1.41; 1.24-1.59, p<0.001). The percentage of patients with erosive arthritis and extra-articular disease was similar in all smoking categories. Mean DAS28 was 4.4 (SD 1.6) in non-smokers vs. 4.0 (SD 1.6) in those who had ever smoked. However, when adjusted by age, sex, disease duration, and country gross domestic product, only ESR remained significantly different among Core Data Set measures (mean 31.7mm in non-smokers vs. 26.8mm in ever smoked category). Conclusion RA patients who had ever smoked were more likely to have RF and nodules, hut values for other clinical status measures were similar in all smoking categories (never smoked, current smokers and former smokers).
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Sandqvist, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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High inter-individual variability of vardenafil pharmacokinetics in patients with pulmonary hypertension
- 2013
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Ingår i: European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0031-6970 .- 1432-1041. ; 69:2, s. 197-207
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To evaluate the pharmacokinetic parameters of a single oral dose of vardenafil in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Sixteen patients with PH received vardenafil in single oral doses (20, 10 or 5 mg), and repeated blood sampling for up to 9 h was performed. Vardenafil plasma concentration was determined using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using model-independent analysis. The plasma vardenafil concentration increased rapidly and exhibited a median time to maximum plasma concentration (t(max)) of 1 h and a mean elimination half-life (t(1/2)) of 3.4 h. The geometric mean and standard deviation of (1) the peak plasma concentration (C-max) was 21.4 +/- 1.7 mu g/L, (2) the normalized C-max (C-max,C- norm) 79.1 +/- 1.6 g/L, (3) the area under the time-concentration curve (AUC) 71.5 +/- 1.6 mu g center dot h/L and (4) the normalized AUC (AUC(norm)) 261.6 A +/- 1.7 g center dot h/L. Patients co-medicated with bosentan reached t(max) later and had a 90% reduction of C-max, C-max,C- norm, AUC and AUC(norm). The pharmacokinetic profile of vardenafil overall revealed considerable inter-individual variability in patients with PH. Co-medication with bosentan resulted in a pharmacokinetic drug interaction, leading to significantly decreased plasma concentrations of vardenafil. Therapeutic drug monitoring for individual dose optimization may be warranted.
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| 10. |
- Sokka, Tuulikki, et al.
(författare)
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Work disability remains a major problem in rheumatoid arthritis in the 2000s : data from 32 countries in the QUEST-RA Study
- 2010
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Ingår i: Arthritis Research & Therapy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1478-6362 .- 1478-6354. ; 12:2, s. R42-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION:Work disability is a major consequence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), associated not only with traditional disease activity variables, but also more significantly with demographic, functional, occupational, and societal variables. Recent reports suggest that the use of biologic agents offers potential for reduced work disability rates, but the conclusions are based on surrogate disease activity measures derived from studies primarily from Western countries.METHODS:The Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Patients with RA (QUEST-RA) multinational database of 8,039 patients in 86 sites in 32 countries, 16 with high gross domestic product (GDP) (>24K US dollars (USD) per capita) and 16 low-GDP countries (<11K USD), was analyzed for work and disability status at onset and over the course of RA and clinical status of patients who continued working or had stopped working in high-GDP versus low-GDP countries according to all RA Core Data Set measures. Associations of work disability status with RA Core Data Set variables and indices were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analyses.RESULTS:At the time of first symptoms, 86% of men (range 57%-100% among countries) and 64% (19%-87%) of women <65 years were working. More than one third (37%) of these patients reported subsequent work disability because of RA. Among 1,756 patients whose symptoms had begun during the 2000s, the probabilities of continuing to work were 80% (95% confidence interval (CI) 78%-82%) at 2 years and 68% (95% CI 65%-71%) at 5 years, with similar patterns in high-GDP and low-GDP countries. Patients who continued working versus stopped working had significantly better clinical status for all clinical status measures and patient self-report scores, with similar patterns in high-GDP and low-GDP countries. However, patients who had stopped working in high-GDP countries had better clinical status than patients who continued working in low-GDP countries. The most significant identifier of work disability in all subgroups was Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) functional disability score.CONCLUSIONS:Work disability rates remain high among people with RA during this millennium. In low-GDP countries, people remain working with high levels of disability and disease activity. Cultural and economic differences between societies affect work disability as an outcome measure for RA.
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| 11. |
- Wållberg Jonsson, Solveig, et al.
(författare)
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Kardiovaskulär risk bör skattas regelbundet vid inflammatorisk systemsjukdom : reumatologföreningen har utarbetat riktlinjer för primärprevention
- 2012
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Ingår i: Läkartidningen. - : Läkartidningen Förlag AB. - 0023-7205 .- 1652-7518. ; 109:1-2, s. 27-29
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Förekomst och dödlighet i hjärt–kärlsjukdomar är överrepresenterade vid inflammatoriska reumatiska sjukdomar.Risken är särskilt stor hos patienter med reumatoid artrit med persisterande sjukdomsaktivitet och/eller extraartikulär sjukdom samt vid systemisk lupus erythematosus (SLE).En arbetsgrupp inom Svensk reumatologisk förening har tagit fram riktlinjer för kardiovaskulär primärprevention för dessa patientgrupper.Patienter med reumatisk sjukdom bör screenas regelbundet och vid behov behandlas för påverkbara riskfaktorer såsom högt blodtryck, lipidrubbningar, diabetes mellitus, rökning och bukfetma.Vid riskintervention bör patienter med reumatoid artrit med persisterande hög sjukdomsaktivitet eller med SLE betraktas som om de hade en extra riskfaktor.Att behandla grundsjukdomen optimalt är viktigt även ur kardioprotektivt perspektiv.
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