[Translated article] Genetic variants and enzyme activity in citidin deaminase: Relationship with capecitabine toxicity and recommendation for dose adjustment.

Objective: Capecitabine, an antineoplastic drug used in the treatment of breast and colon cancer, can cause severe, even fatal toxicity in some patients. The interindividual variability of this toxicity is largely due to genetic variations in target genes and enzymes of metabolism of this drug, such as Thymidylate Synthase (TS) and Dihydropyrimidine Dehydrogenase (DPD). The enzyme Cytidine Deaminase (CDA), involved in the activation of capecitabine, also has several variants associated with an increased risk of toxicity to treatment, although its role as a biomarker is not yet clearly defined.

Design and validation of an adherence scale to oral antineoplastic drugs.

Objective: To design and validate a questionnaire to measure adherence to oral antineoplastic drugs. The availability of a simple, validated tool that can be applied to routine care will make it possible to detect and identify non-adherence in order to establish strategies to improve adherence and optimize the quality of healthcare services.

Method: Validation study of the questionnaire designed to assess adherence to antineoplastic drugs in a sample of outpatients who collect their medication in two Spanish hospitals.

Genetic variants and enzyme activity in citidin deaminase: Relationship with capecitabine toxicity and recommendation for dose adjustment.

Objective: Capecitabine, an antineoplastic drug used in the treatment of breast and colon cancer, can cause severe, even fatal toxicity in some patients. The interindividual variability of this toxicity is largely due to genetic variations in target genes and enzymes of metabolism of this drug, such as thymidylate synthase and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase. The enzyme cytidine deaminase (CDA), involved in the activation of capecitabine, also has several variants associated with an increased risk of toxicity to treatment, although its role as a biomarker is not yet clearly defined.

[Translated article] Design and validation of a scale to measure adherence to oral antineoplastic drugs.

Objective: Design and validate a scale to measure adherence to oral antineoplastic drugs. The availability of a simple, validated tool that can be applied to routine care will make it possible to detect and identify non-adherence in order to establish strategies to improve adherence and optimize the quality of healthcare services.

Method: Validation study of the scale designed to assess adherence to antineoplastic drugs in a sample of outpatients who collect their medication in two Spanish hospitals.

Telepharmacy scorecard: Activity and quality indicators for the pharmaceutical care in a hospital pharmacy service.

Objective: Telepharmacy, as a complementary activity to face-to-face pharmaceutical care in a Hospital pharmacy service, must have specific activity, effectiveness and quality indicators. The objectives of the  project were to design a scorecard of activity, effectiveness and quality  indicators that will make it possible to assess the situation and progress of Telepharmacy and enable continuous improvement. A tool is also provided to measure the indicators, and some recommendations are given for its  implementation.

Evaluation of specialized training in hospital pharmacy.

Objective: To analyze the degree of satisfaction of hospital pharmacy residents and identify areas of improvement in their training.

Method: A survey (5-point Likert scale) was administered among  fourthyear hospital pharmacy residents due to complete their residency  in 2018. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses was  performed to identify the association of each independent variable with  overall satisfaction.

Quality of the record of drug-related problems in a database for voluntary adverse event reporting.

Objective: To determine the number and type of errors found in the record of drug-related problems in the SINEA database, an electronic system for voluntary reporting of adverse events in healthcare, in order to quantify the differences between the raw and refined databases, suggest improvements, and determine the need for refining said databases.

Methods: A Pharmacist reviewed the database and refined the adverse events reported from January to August, 2014, considering the "describe_what_happened" field as the gold standard. There was a comparison of the rates of medication errors, both potential and real, adverse reactions, impact on the patient, impact on healthcare, and medications more frequently involved in the raw and refined databases.