Trends in prescription opioid analgesic use in Australia from 2015 to 2022.

Background: Recent measures to curb use and harms of pharmaceutical opioids in Australia have reduced dispensings of opioid analgesics for pain, under Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). But information on trends in private (self-funded) dispensings and public (government-funded) hospital opioids use is not readily available. Our study describes eight-year population-level trends in Australia's prescribed opioid analgesic use, estimating PBS dispensing claims, private dispensings and hospital use.

Long-term prescribed opioid use after hospitalization or emergency department presentation among opioid naïve adults (2014-2020)-A population-based descriptive cohort study.

Aims: The aim of this work is to describe opioid initiation and long-term use after emergency department (ED) visits or hospitalizations in New South Wales, Australia, by patient, admission and clinical characteristics.

Methods: This is a population-based cohort study, including all hospitalizations and ED visits between 2014 and 2020, linked to medicine dispensings, deaths and cancer registrations (Medicines Intelligence Data Platform), among adults with no opioid dispensings in the previous year. Outcome measures were opioid initiations (dispensed within 7 days of discharge) and long-term use (90 days of continuous exposure, 90-270 days after initiation).

Trends in use of medicines for opioid agonist treatment in Australia, 2013-2022.

Background: There are limited longitudinal data on national patterns of opioid agonist treatment (OAT). This study describes 10-year trends in the sales of OAT medicines in Australia.

Methods: A descriptive and time-series analysis of methadone, sublingual (SL) buprenorphine (+/-naloxone), and long-acting injectable (LAI) buprenorphine sold in Australia between 2013 and 2022 was performed.

Evaluating the accuracy of data extracted from electronic health records into MedicineInsight, a national Australian general practice database.

Introduction: MedicineInsight is a database containing de-identified electronic health records (EHRs) from over 700 Australian general practices. Previous research validated algorithms used to derive medical condition flags in MedicineInsight, but the accuracy of data fields following EHR extractions from clinical practices and data warehouse transformation processes have not been formally validated.

Objectives: To examine the accuracy of the extraction and transformation of EHR fields for selected demographics, observations, diagnoses, prescriptions, and tests into MedicineInsight.

Utilisation of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention in the Australian general practice setting: a longitudinal observational study.

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) became available through the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) on 1 April 2018 for HIV infection prevention in patients ≥18years at medium-to-high HIV risk. The aims were to investigate PrEP utilisation in general practice since PBS listing, and factors associated with discontinuation.

Methods: This longitudinal study included patients aged 18-74years attending general practices participating in MedicineInsight, a large-scale national primary care database of deidentified electronic health records, between October 2017 and September 2019.

Characteristics of patients aged 50–74 years with a request for an immunochemical faecal occult blood test in the Australian general practice setting.

Objective To support improving participation in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP), we aimed to identify Medicare-subsidised test requests for immunochemical faecal occult blood tests (FOBT) in Australian general practice for patients aged 50-74 years, eligible for the NBCSP, and describe sociodemographics, risk factors, indications and outcomes. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using de-identified data from 441 Australian general practice sites in the MedicineInsight database, recorded from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2019. Results Of the 683 625 eligible patients, 45 771 (6.

Exploring the physical health of patients with severe or long-term mental illness using routinely collected general practice data from MedicineInsight.

Background And Objectives: Australian information on the physical health of general practice patients with a mental illness is limited. The aim of this study was to explore the physical health of patients with a severe and/or long-term mental illness (SMI).

Method: Analysis was performed of routinely collected data from patients visiting one of 452 general practice sites participating in the national MedicineInsight program during 2017-18.

A cluster randomized controlled trial of a MedicineInsight Educational Quality Improvement Programme to improve the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis C in general practice (the EQUIP-HEPC trial).

The availability of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) sparked efforts to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Australia. We evaluated whether an educational intervention of a 1-h discussion among staff using audit and feedback data from the MedicineInsight GP programme would improve DAA uptake. Of 296 eligible general practices in MedicineInsight, 11% opted out.

Patterns of real-world opioid prescribing in Australian general practice (2013-18).

Little is known about private-market opioid prescribing and how Australian opioid policies impact prescribing across public and private markets in Australia. We aimed to investigate publicly subsidised and private-market opioid prescribing from 2013 to 2018. We used prescribing records from MedicineInsight, an Australian primary care database, to examine trends in prescriptions for non-injectable opioid formulations from October 2013 to September 2018.

The changing characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis C prescribed direct acting antiviral medicines in general practice since listing of the medicines on the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Background And Aim: The primary objective of this study was to determine whether the characteristics of patients prescribed direct acting antiviral (DAA) medicines have changed since initial listing of the medicines on the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from MedicineInsight, an Australian database of general practice electronic health records, from March 2016 to August 2018. We compared sociodemographic, comorbidity, and clinical characteristics of patients aged at least 18 years who were prescribed at least one DAA in the first 4 months of PBS listing in 2016 with those prescribed at least one DAA in 2018.

Validity of algorithms for identifying five chronic conditions in MedicineInsight, an Australian national general practice database.

Background: MedicineInsight is a database containing de-identified electronic health records (EHRs) from over 700 Australian general practices. It is one of the largest and most widely used primary health care EHR databases in Australia. This study examined the validity of algorithms that use information from various fields in the MedicineInsight data to indicate whether patients have specific health conditions.

Cumulative annual coverage of meningococcal B vaccination in Australian general practice for three at-risk groups, 2014 to 2019.

serogroup B (MenB) is the most common cause of meningococcal disease in adolescents and young adults. In Australia, MenB vaccination has been available through private prescription since 2014 and has been recommended for at-risk groups including adolescents, young adults who smoke and people medically at risk. For each of these at-risk groups, we estimated cumulative annual coverage of MenB vaccination between 2014 and 2019.

Prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in the Australian general practice population: A cross-sectional study.

The burden of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Australia is increasing but national data about the current prevalence are limited. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of IBD (including Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and unspecified IBD) as well as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis separately in a general practice population in Australia. We also assessed risk factors associated with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Pregabalin prescribing patterns in Australian general practice, 2012-2018: a cross-sectional study.

Background: In 2013 pregabalin was subsidised by Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for neuropathic pain. Since the subsidy, pregabalin prescribing has been increasing in Australia and so has related harm. There are concerns it is being prescribed for indications other than neuropathic pain, which have little evidence of efficacy.

Safety of live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine in adults 70-79 years: A self-controlled case series analysis using primary care data from Australia's MedicineInsight program.

Background: Australia introduced a funded shingles vaccination program for older adults in November 2016, administered predominantly in primary care clinics. MedicineInsight, a nationally representative primary care database, was used to investigate the risk of pre-specified outcomes following live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine (ZVL) in Australia.

Methods: Individuals aged 70-79 years who received ZVL between 1 November 2016 and 31 July 2018 were identified from MedicineInsight.

Prevalence, incidence and management of atopic dermatitis in Australian general practice using routinely collected data from MedicineInsight.

Background/objectives: The prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) has increased significantly in industrialised countries in recent decades but data about the incidence or prevalence of AD in Australia are sparse. We aimed to determine the prevalence and incidence of AD among patients seen in Australian general practice and the use of specified medicines.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 2.

Statin use in cancer survivors versus the general population: cohort study using primary care data from the UK clinical practice research datalink.

Background: Cancer survivors may be at increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, but little is known about whether prescribing guidelines for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease are adequately implemented in these patients. We compared levels of statin initiation and cessation among cancer survivors compared to the general population to determine differences in uptake of pharmaceutical cardiovascular risk prevention measures in these groups.

Methods: The study population included individuals aged ≥40 during 2005-13 within the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink primary care database.

Single-arm, observational study of the ease of use of a redesigned pen device to deliver recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (follitropin alfa) for assisted reproductive technology treatment.

Purpose: Evaluation of patients' ease of use of the redesigned, disposable, ready-to-use follitropin alfa pen during controlled ovarian stimulation for assisted reproductive technology.

Methods: This single-center, observational, open-label, single-arm study recruited infertile normo-ovulatory women (aged 18-45 years). Nurses trained patients to self-administer recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone daily using the follitropin alfa pen (300 IU, 450 IU, and 900 IU).

A direct comparison of the antigen-specific antibody profiles of intravenous immunoglobulins derived from US and UK donor plasma.

Background And Objectives: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is used in a range of immunodeficiency states that require a broad spectrum of protective antibodies to a range of common pathogens. A comparison of the antigen-specific antibody profile of preparations of an IVIG (Vigam) derived from US and UK sourced plasma was performed, and these preparations were also compared with three other IVIG products from different manufacturers.

Materials And Methods: Antibodies against a range of bacterial and viral pathogens were measured by immunoassay.

Clinical experience with a new solvent detergent-treated intravenous immunoglobulin free of hypotensive effects.

Objective: To see if modifications to the processing of intravenous immunoglobulin to include a virus inactivation stage alter immunoglobulin G (IgG) resulting in hypotension in patients.

Methods: Clinical trials were done involving extensive patient monitoring during infusion: in vitro - testing for markers of hypotension, and in vivo - an animal model which closely simulates clinical use.

Results: No hypotensive response was seen in the animal model or clinical trial.

Relationship between alpha 1-antitrypsin inactivation and tumor necrosis factor alpha concentration in the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To examine the relationship between alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) specific activity and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) concentration in synovial fluid from 48 patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: The specific activity of alpha 1AT was calculated from the measurement of alpha 1AT concentration (by rocket immunoelectrophoresis) and elastase inhibitory capacity. TNF alpha was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.