Chronic kidney disease progression among patients with type 2 diabetes identified in US administrative claims: a population cohort study.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD), one of the most common complications of type 2 diabetes (T2D), is associated with poor health outcomes and high healthcare expenditures. As the CKD population increases, a better understanding of the prevalence and progression of CKD is critical. However, few contemporary studies have explored the progression of CKD relative to its onset in T2D patients using established markers derived from real-world care settings.

Lifelong neurogenesis in the cerebral ganglion of the Chinese mud snail, .

Introduction: A small group of Gastropods possessing giant neurons have long been used to study a wide variety of fundamental neurophysiological phenomena. However, the majority of gastropods do not have large neurons but instead have large numbers of small neurons and remain largely unstudied. We explored neuron size and rate of increase in neuron numbers in the Chinese mud snail, .

Predicting 1-Year Statin Adherence Among Prevalent Users: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Attempts to predict who is at risk of future nonadherence have largely focused on predictions at the time of therapy initiation; however, these users are only a small proportion of all patients on therapy at any point in time. Methods to predict nonadherence for established medication users, which have not been previously described in the literature, would be helpful to guide efforts to enhance the use of evidence-based therapies.

Objective: To test approaches for adherence prediction among prevalent statin users, namely the use of short-term filling behavior, investigator-specified predictors from medical and pharmacy administrative claims, and the empirical selection of potential predictors using the high-dimensional propensity score variable selection algorithm.

Can purchasing information be used to predict adherence to cardiovascular medications? An analysis of linked retail pharmacy and insurance claims data.

Objective: The use of retail purchasing data may improve adherence prediction over approaches using healthcare insurance claims alone.

Design: Retrospective.

Setting And Participants: A cohort of patients who received prescription medication benefits through CVS Caremark, used a CVS Pharmacy ExtraCare Health Care (ECHC) loyalty card, and initiated a statin medication in 2011.

Prevalence, effectiveness, and characteristics of pharmacy-based medication synchronization programs.

Objectives: The burden of visiting pharmacies to fill medications is a central contributor to nonadherence to maintenance medications. Recently, pharmacies have begun offering services that align prescription fill dates to allow patients to pick up all medications on a single visit. We evaluated the prevalence and structure of synchronization programs and evidence of their impact on adherence and clinical outcomes.

Rationale and design of the Randomized Evaluation to Measure Improvements in Non-adherence from Low-Cost Devices (REMIND) trial.

Background: Long-term adherence to prescription medications for the treatment of chronic disease remains low. While there are many contributors to suboptimal medication use, simple forgetfulness is widely believed to be central. Relatively simple devices may be a particularly cost-efficient and scalable way to promote adherence, however limited data exists about their ability to improve adherence in real-world settings.

Modified Regulatory Pathways to Approve Generic Drugs in the US and a Systematic Review of Their Outcomes.

Background: Generic drugs are approved on the basis of pharmaceutical equivalence and bioequivalence. Some drug products have unique structural or functional attributes, necessitating modified approaches to bioequivalence determinations.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to identify studies that evaluated laboratory or clinical outcomes of six drugs approved via modified bioequivalence approaches.

Prescription drug insurance coverage and patient health outcomes: a systematic review.

Previous reviews have shown that changes in prescription drug insurance benefits can affect medication use and adherence. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify studies addressing the association between prescription drug coverage and health outcomes. Studies were included if they collected empirical data on expansions or restrictions of prescription drug coverage and if they reported clinical outcomes.