Cost-effectiveness of computed tomography versus ultrasound-based surveillance following endovascular aortic repair of intact infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Background: While Society for Vascular Surgery guidelines recommend computed tomography angiography (CTA) or ultrasound for surveillance following infrarenal endovascular aortic repair (EVAR), there is a lack of consensus regarding optimal timing and modalities. We hypothesized that ultrasound-based approaches would be more cost-effective and developed a cost-effectiveness analysis to estimate the lifetime costs and outcomes of various strategies.

Methods: We developed a decision tree with nested Markov models to compare five surveillance strategies: yearly CTA, yearly CDU, yearly CEU, CTA at first year followed by CDU, and CTA at first year followed by CEU.

Abnormal beta and gamma frequency neural oscillations mediate auditory sensory gating deficit in schizophrenia.

Background: Sensory gating is a process in which the brain's response to irrelevant and repetitive stimuli is inhibited. The sensory gating deficit in schizophrenia (SZ) is typically measured by the ratio or difference score of the P50 event-related potential (ERP) amplitudes in response to a paired click paradigm. While the P50 gating effect has usually been measured in relation to the peak amplitude of the S1 and S2 P50 ERPs, there is increasing evidence that inhibitory processes may be reflected by evoked or induced oscillatory activity during the inter-click interval in the beta (20-30 Hz) and gamma (30-50 Hz) frequency bands.

Impact of pharmacist interventions on cost avoidance in an ambulatory cancer center.

Objective To provide a foundation to justify the presence of a full-time clinical pharmacist in the ambulatory cancer center in addition to an existing centralized pharmacist through cost avoidance calculation and patient and staff satisfaction surveys. Methods The prospective, pilot study took place in an ambulatory cancer center over four weeks in 2014. Cost avoidance values were assigned to interventions performed by a pharmacy resident, who was present in the ambulatory cancer center during clinic hours, along with a centralized oncology pharmacist routinely working with the cancer center.

An evaluation of hyperkalemia and serum creatinine elevation associated with different dosage levels of outpatient trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole with and without concomitant medications.

Background: Adverse events associated with high-dose trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) for outpatient infections, particularly those likely caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, have not been adequately characterized.

Objective: Describe hyperkalemia and acute renal injury associated with high-dose TMP-SMX.

Methods: An electronic medical record database retrospective study was conducted of outpatients receiving high-dose or low-dose TMP-SMX, comparing the incidences of hyperkalemia and acute renal injury.

A comparison of adverse drug reactions between high- and standard-dose trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in the ambulatory setting.

Background: High-dose trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) for the empiric treatment of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infections has been evaluated for efficacy, but characterization of adverse reactions is lacking.

Methods: To describe adverse reactions associated with high-dose TMP-SMX therapy, a retrospective medical record review of outpatients receiving TMP-SMX was conducted. Each episode (case) of a patient receiving high-dose TMP-SMX (at least 4 double-strength tablets per day) was matched by next closest prescription number with a patient (control) receiving standard-dose TMP-SMX.