The Impact of Inhaler Device Regimen in Patients with Asthma or COPD.

Many inhaler devices with varying handling requirements for optimal use are available for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients may be prescribed different device types for reliever and maintenance medications, which may lead to confusion and suboptimal device use. We aimed to understand whether simplifying inhaler regimens by employing a single device type in patients who use multiple devices or prescribing a device with which a patient was already experienced could improve clinical and economic outcomes in asthma and COPD management.

Efficacy and Safety of LAMA/LABA Fixed-Dose Combination Therapies in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review of Direct and Indirect Treatment Comparisons.

Background: This literature review assessed comparative efficacy and safety of long-acting muscarinic antagonist/long-acting β-agonist (LAMA/LABA) fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) in patients with COPD and moderate-to-very severe airflow limitation, using evidence from direct (head-to-head) and indirect treatment comparisons.

Methods: Two systematic literature reviews were conducted to identify direct comparisons (head-to-head randomized controlled trials [RCTs]) and indirect comparisons (network meta-analyses [NMAs]; indirect treatment comparisons; meta-analyses) in patients with COPD with moderate-to-very severe airflow limitation. Study/Analysis characteristics, eligibility criteria, patient characteristics, and overall conclusions were extracted from relevant publications.

Patient Characteristics and Healthcare Resource Utilization Among Patients with COPD New to LAMA/LABA Fixed-Dose Combination Treatment in US-Based Real-World Practice.

Introduction: This retrospective, observational cohort study utilized an integrated dataset from an electronic health records system and a claims database to describe demographic and clinical characteristics, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and treatment patterns in COPD patients initiating long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA)/long-acting β-agonist (LABA) fixed-dose combination (FDC) treatment in the USA.

Methods: Patients were aged ≥40 years and had a COPD diagnosis (Practice Fusion system) and ≥1 prescription of LAMA/LABA FDC therapy, with an index date (first prescription) 1 May 2014-31 December 2017. For the HCRU analysis, patients had ≥2 claims from the Symphony Health database within 12 months before index.

Protective effect of aqueous garlic extract against naphthalene-induced oxidative stress in mice.

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective effects of aqueous garlic extract (AGE) against naphthalene-induced oxidative changes in liver, kidney, lung and brain of mice. Balb/c mice (25-30 g) of either sex were divided into five groups each comprising 10 animals. Mice received for 30 days: 0.