Demographics and disease characteristics of patients with psoriasis enrolled in the British Association of Dermatologists Biologic Interventions Register.

Background: The British Association of Dermatologists Biologic Interventions Register (BADBIR) is a prospective, observational cohort designed to assess the long-term safety of biologic and conventional systemic therapies used for adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis in the U.K. and Republic of Ireland.

Practice improvements based on participation in simulation for the maintenance of certification in anesthesiology program.

Background: This study describes anesthesiologists' practice improvements undertaken during the first 3 yr of simulation activities for the Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology Program.

Methods: A stratified sampling of 3 yr (2010-2012) of participants' practice improvement plans was coded, categorized, and analyzed.

Results: Using the sampling scheme, 634 of 1,275 participants in Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology Program simulation courses were evaluated from the following practice settings: 41% (262) academic, 54% (339) community, and 5% (33) military/other.

Bone fracture risk is not associated with the use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: a population-based cohort analysis.

Glucagon-like Peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1-ra) are a relatively new class of anti-hyperglycemic drugs which may positively affect bone metabolism and thereby decrease (osteoporotic) bone fracture risk. Data on the effect of GLP1-ra on fracture risk are scarce and limited to clinical trial data only. The aim of this study was to investigate, in a population-based cohort, the association between the use of GLP1-ra and bone fracture risk.

Interrupted time series analysis in drug utilization research is increasing: systematic review and recommendations.

Objectives: To describe the use and reporting of interrupted time series methods in drug utilization research.

Study Design And Setting: We completed a systematic search of MEDLINE, Web of Science, and reference lists to identify English language articles through to December 2013 that used interrupted time series methods in drug utilization research. We tabulated the number of studies by publication year and summarized methodological detail.

Patterns of use for brand-name versus generic oral bisphosphonate drugs in Ontario over a 13-year period: a descriptive study.

Background: Bisphosphonates are the first-line therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis. In the province of Ontario, the Ontario Drug Benefit Program funds medications for patients aged 65 years and older. The Ontario Drug Benefit Program has a generic substitution policy that requires lower-cost generic drugs to be dispensed when they are available.

Long-term persistence with anti-osteoporosis drugs after fracture.

Unlabelled: Long-term persistence with anti-osteoporosis drugs and determinants for discontinuation among fracture patients were examined. Persistence was 75.0 and 45.

Increased Dose of Inhaled Corticosteroid versus Add-On Long-acting β-Agonist for Step-Up Therapy in Asthma.

Rationale: Guidelines advocate adding long-acting β-agonist (LABA) to inhaled corticosteroid as the preferred step-up therapy to increasing inhaled corticosteroid dose for patients with uncontrolled asthma on inhaled corticosteroid monotherapy. However, less than 5% of patients with asthma qualify for the randomized controlled trials on which guidelines are based. Thus, real-world data are needed to complement the results of randomized trials with narrow entry criteria.

Long-acting muscarinic antagonist use in adults with asthma: real-life prescribing and outcomes of add-on therapy with tiotropium bromide.

Background: Randomized controlled trials indicate that addition of a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) such as tiotropium may improve asthma control and reduce exacerbation risk in patients with poorly controlled asthma, but broader clinical studies are needed to investigate the effectiveness of LAMA in real-life asthma care.

Methods: Medical records of adults with asthma (aged ≥18 years) prescribed tiotropium were obtained from the UK Optimum Patient Care Research Database for the period 2001-2013. Patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were excluded, but no other clinical exclusions were applied.

Uptake and characteristics of zoledronic acid and denosumab patients and physicians in Ontario, Canada: impact of drug formulary access.

Unlabelled: The addition of Limited Use criteria (less restrictive access) for zoledronic acid resulted in an immediate and significant increase in uptake and resulted in differences in patient/physician characteristics. In comparison, the uptake of denosumab (only listed with Limited Use) was rapid. Thus, formulary access restrictions have significant implications for prescribing.

Can masticatory electromyography be normalised to submaximal bite force?

The combination of bite force and jaw muscle electromyography (EMG) provides an insight into the performance of the stomatognathic system, especially in relation to dynamic movement tasks. Literature has extensively investigated possible methods for normalising EMG data encapsulating many different approaches. However, bite force literature trends towards normalising EMG to a maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), which could be difficult for ageing populations or those with poor dental health or limiting conditions such as temporomandibular disorder.

Simulation-based education with deliberate practice may improve intraoperative handoff skills: a pilot study.

Study Objective: To examine the results of simulation-based education with deliberate practice on the acquisition of handoff skills by studying resident intraoperative handoff communication performances.

Design: Preinvention and postintervention pilot study.

Setting: Simulated operating room of a university-affiliated hospital.

Comparing the effectiveness of small-particle versus large-particle inhaled corticosteroid in COPD.

Purpose: Small airway changes and dysfunction contribute importantly to airway obstruction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is currently treated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and long-acting bronchodilators at Global initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) grades 2-4. This retrospective matched cohort analysis compared effectiveness of a representative small-particle ICS (extrafine beclomethasone) and larger-particle ICS (fluticasone) in primary care patients with COPD.

Patients And Methods: Smokers and ex-smokers with COPD ≥ 40 years old initiating or stepping-up their dose of extrafine beclomethasone or fluticasone were matched 1:1 for demographic characteristics, index prescription year, concomitant therapies, and disease severity during 1 baseline year.

Adherence to osteoporosis pharmacotherapy is underestimated using days supply values in electronic pharmacy claims data.

Purpose: Days supply (prescription duration) values are commonly used to estimate drug exposure and quantify adherence to therapy, yet accuracy is not routinely assessed, and potential inaccurate reporting has been previously identified. We examined the impact of cleaning days supply values on the measurement of adherence to oral bisphosphonates.

Methods: We identified new users of oral bisphosphonates among Ontario seniors (April 2001-March 2011).

Cost-effectiveness of initiating extrafine- or standard size-particle inhaled corticosteroid for asthma in two health-care systems: a retrospective matched cohort study.

Background: Real-life studies are needed to determine the cost-effectiveness of asthma therapies in clinical practice.

Aim: To compare the cost-effectiveness of extrafine-particle inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) with standard size-particle ICS in the United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US).

Methods: These retrospective matched cohort analyses used large electronic databases to study asthma-related outcomes for patients in the UK (12-60 years old; n=1730) and US (12-80 years; n=10,312) prescribed extrafine beclomethasone or fluticasone as their first ICS therapy for asthma.

AP1S3 mutations are associated with pustular psoriasis and impaired Toll-like receptor 3 trafficking.

Adaptor protein complex 1 (AP-1) is an evolutionary conserved heterotetramer that promotes vesicular trafficking between the trans-Golgi network and the endosomes. The knockout of most murine AP-1 complex subunits is embryonically lethal, so the identification of human disease-associated alleles has the unique potential to deliver insights into gene function. Here, we report two founder mutations (c.

Opportunities to diagnose chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in routine care in the UK: a retrospective study of a clinical cohort.

Background: Patterns of health-care use and comorbidities present in patients in the period before diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are unknown. We investigated these factors to inform future case-finding strategies.

Methods: We did a retrospective analysis of a clinical cohort in the UK with data from Jan 1, 1990 to Dec 31, 2009 (General Practice Research Database and Optimum Patient Care Research Database).

Characterization of inosine-uridine nucleoside hydrolase (RihC) from Escherichia coli.

A non-specific nucleoside hydrolase from Escherichia coli (RihC) has been cloned, overexpressed, and purified to greater than 95% homogeneity. Size exclusion chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis show that the protein exists as a homodimer. The enzyme showed significant activity against the standard ribonucleosides with uridine, xanthosine, and inosine having the greatest activity.

Development and testing of new candidate psoriatic arthritis screening questionnaires combining optimal questions from existing tools.

Objective: Several questionnaires have been developed to screen for psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but head-to-head studies have found limitations. This study aimed to develop new questionnaires encompassing the most discriminative questions from existing instruments.

Methods: Data from the CONTEST study, a head-to-head comparison of 3 existing questionnaires, were used to identify items with a Youden index score of ≥0.