Gaucher disease in Brazil: a comprehensive 16 year retrospective study on survival, cost, and treatment insights.

Background: Gaucher's disease (GD), a lysosomal storage disorder, poses significant treatment challenges. This 23-year study assesses survival rates and treatment efficacy in Brazilian GD patients, integrating data from a 16-year cohort (2000-2015) and the TABNET/DATASUS medicines distribution data (1999-2022).

Objective: To investigate the survival of GD patients in Brazil, identifying key risk factors and evaluating the impact of treatments funded by the Brazilian National Health System (SUS).

Pharmaceutical innovativeness index: methodological approach for assessing the value of medicines - a case study of oncology drugs.

Background: We propose a framework to assess the value of pharmaceutical innovations, with explicit clinical and methodological parameters, based on the therapeutic value and health needs.

Research Design And Methods: The study was based on the adaptation of health technology assessment methods documented in the literature, which was applied to a sample of oncological drugs. Difficulties and issues during the application of those tools were identified and addressed to develop a new framework with new and revised domains and clear classification criterion for each domain.

Survival Analysis of COPD Patients in a 13-Year Nationwide Cohort Study of the Brazilian National Health System.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has an appreciable socioeconomical impact in low- and middle-income countries, but most epidemiological data originate from high-income countries. For this reason, it is especially important to understand survival and factors associated with survival in COPD patients in these countries.

Objective: To assess survival of COPD patients in Brazil, to identify risk factors associated with overall survival, including treatment options funded by the Brazilian National Health System (SUS).

Health-Related Quality of Life in Psoriatic Arthritis: Findings and Implications.

Objectives: To assess the quality of life (QOL) and its associated factors in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who would start treatment with biologic drugs at the Brazilian Unified Health System.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at a single center pharmacy in Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. EQ-5D was used to assess the patients' QOL.

Access to medicines in the Brazilian Unified Health System's primary health care: assessment of a public policy.

In 2008, the Programa Rede Farmácia de Minas (RFM, literally translated: 'Minas Gerais Pharmacy Network' program) was created as a strategy to expand access to medicines. Measure access to medicines in public pharmacies through comparison between municipalities that joined or not the RFM. Cross-sectional, evaluative study, gathering information from a representative sample of the municipalities in Minas Gerais between July 2014 and May 2015.

Strategies to improve the availability of medicines in primary health care in Brazil: findings and implications.

Access to essential medicines is a key component of managing patients in ambulatory care. In 2008, the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, created the Pharmacy Network of Minas (Rede Farmácia de Minas [RFM]) program to improve access to medicines, increasing availability and restructuring the infrastructures. The aim was to assess the current situation, comparing municipalities with and without RFM.

Sixteen-Year Cohort of Liver Transplantation in the National Health System in Brazil: Analysis of Immunosuppression Maintenance Therapies.

Objective: To evaluate factors related to liver graft survival with a focus on immunosuppressive schemes based on calcineurin inhibitors (tacrolimus or cyclosporine).

Methodology: This study was carried out through an open cohort constructed by deterministic and probabilistic matching through three databases of the SUS with assessment of liver graft survival from 2000 to 2015 in Brazil. From this first cohort, a second cohort was constructed by pairing 1: 1 to more precisely assess the effect of the immunosuppressive scheme on graft survival.

Building the National Database of Health Centred on the Individual: Administrative and Epidemiological Record Linkage - Brazil, 2000-2015.

Introduction: In Brazil, the National Health System (SUS) provides healthcare to the public. The system has multiple administrative databases; the major databases record hospital (SIH) and outpatient (SIA) procedures. Epidemiological information is collected for all populations in subsystems, such as mortality (SIM), live births (SINASC) and diseases of compulsory declaration (SINAN).

Hipoglicemiantes Orais Para Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2: Comparação de Preços no Brasil e em Outros Sistemas Universais de Saúde.

Objectives: To estimate the average price of oral hypoglycemic agents provided by the Brazilian health system (SUS) and to compare them to other public health systems.

Methods: Cross-sectional study about drug prices purchased by Belo Horizonte (municipal level), Minas Gerais (state level) and federal institutions in January and February of 2014. Average prices were calculated by defined daily dosage (DDD) and were compared to the management levels and the program "Aqui Tem Farmácia Popular" (ATFP).

Consumer Willingness to Pay for Dengue Vaccine (CYD-TDV, Dengvaxia) in Brazil; Implications for Future Pricing Considerations.

Dengue virus is a serious global health problem with an estimated 3.97 billion people at risk for infection worldwide. In December 2015, the first vaccine (CYD-TDV) for dengue prevention was approved in Brazil, developed by Sanofi Pasteur.

Ten-year kidney transplant survival of cyclosporine- or tacrolimus-treated patients in Brazil.

Background: Cyclosporine and tacrolimus are well established immunosuppressants; however little is known about long term survival rates. The project aim was to compare 10-year graft survival and associated factors among kidney transplant patients within the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS) prescribed either immunosuppressant.

Methods: Analyze a national cohort of kidney transplant recipients within SUS.

Clinical Effectiveness and Safety of Analog Glargine in Type 1 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: The use of insulin analogs for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is widespread; however, the therapeutic benefits still require further evaluation given their higher costs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of analog insulin glargine compared to recombinant DNA (rDNA) insulin in patients with T1DM in observational studies, building on previous reviews of randomized controlled trials comparing neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin and insulin glargine.

Methods: A systematic review with a meta-analysis was performed.

Budget impact analysis of medicines: updated systematic review and implications.

This evaluation determines whether published studies to date meet the key characteristics identified for budget impact analyses (BIA) for medicines, accomplished through a systematic review and assessment against identified key characteristics. Studies from 2001-2015 on 'budget impact analysis' with 'drug' interventions were assessed, selected based on their titles/abstracts and full texts, and their characteristics checked according to key criteria. Out of 1,984 studies, 92 were subsequently identified for review.

Medication Persistence of Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs and Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Agents in a Cohort of Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in Brazil.

Objective: To assess the use and persistence of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) versus disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Brazil.

Methods: This was a new-user cohort study of RA patients from 2003 to 2010, using administrative data. Individuals were classified as being persistent using a drug at the first year and the first 2 years after cohort entry, if they did not discontinue that drug during that period.

Opioid Use and Risk of Nonvertebral Fractures in Adults With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Nested Case-Control Study Using Administrative Databases.

Objective: To assess the risk of nonvertebral fractures in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were exposed to opioids.

Methods: A population-based, nested case-control study was conducted using health services administrative databases (Quebec, Canada) from 1997 to 2012. Among RA patients, cases of nonvertebral fractures from 2007 to 2012 were identified using a validated algorithm.

Poorer functionality is related to better quality of life response following the use of biological drugs: 6-month outcomes in a prospective cohort from the Public Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde), Minas Gerais, Brazil.

We aim to analyze factors associated with the quality of life (QOL) response of individuals with rheumatic diseases treated by the Public Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde) with biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs). Data from 428 patients using bDMARDs were collected using a standardized form at baseline and 6 months after the onset of treatment. The average reduction of the scores on EuroQol-five dimension was 0.

Treatment of psoriatic arthritis with anti-TNF agents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy, effectiveness and safety.

We did a systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy and safety of the anti-TNF drugs adalimumab, etanercept, golimumab and infliximab used in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) adult treatment. Additionally, we present results of anti-TNF use in real life settings. We searched Embase, Medline, Cochrane Central and LILACS, from inception to 11/08/2013, for studies comparing anti-TNFs with each other or with controls.

Evaluation of drug-drug interaction screening software combined with pharmacist intervention.

Background: Drug-drug interactions (DDI) in hospitalized patients are highly prevalent and an important source of adverse drug reactions. DI computerized screening system can prevent the occurrence of some of these events.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of drug-drug interaction (DDI) screening software combined with active intervention in preventing drug interactions.

Duration of temporary catheter use for hemodialysis: an observational, prospective evaluation of renal units in Brazil.

Background: For chronic hemodialysis, the ideal permanent vascular access is the arteriovenous fistula (AVF). Temporary catheters should be reserved for acute dialysis needs. The AVF is associated with lower infection rates, better clinical results, and a higher quality of life and survival when compared to temporary catheters.

Factors which influenced the decentralisation of leprosy control activities in the municipality of Betim, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

Unlabelled: This is the second part of a study conducted to evaluate the decentralisation of leprosy control activities in Betim, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Objectives: To identify factors which hindered or facilitated the decentralisation of leprosy control activities in Betim municipality and to evaluate the quality of care after decentralisation.

Design: The study comprised a 2 1/2 hour focus group discussion with 10 professionals who participated in the decentralisation process.

Decentralisation of leprosy control activities in the municipality of Betim, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

Objectives: The present study aims at evaluating the decentralisation of the leprosy control activities in the municipality of Betim, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Design: A quantitative study was undertaken using data from SINAN (Sistema Nacional de Agravos de Notificação) and patient records. The study included 435 new cases registered and living in Betim.

Drug-drug interactions associated with length of stay and cost of hospitalization.

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of drug-drug interactions (DDI) in prescriptions of hospitalized patients and to identify risk factors associated.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of prescription data and medical records from a public hospital in Brazil was conducted to identify potential DDI. An inappropriate drug combination was identified and classified with a standard drug interaction source.

Pharmacoepidemiology of the elderly in Brazil: state of the art.

With improving socioeconomic conditions, longer life spans have become more common in developing countries-those with a growing economy increasing production, per capita consumption, and income. This has been the case in Brazil. If, on one hand, this phenomenon undoubtedly represents a major social achievement, there is also consensus that it provides a set of challenges for Brazilian society.

[Patient's understanding of information on antiretroviral therapy: an application of the latent trait model].

The aim of this study was to develop a score to determine the level of understanding regarding information on antiretroviral therapy (ART) among patients initiating treatment. This was a cross-sectional analysis based on interviews with HIV patients in outpatient public referral centers (Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil). The score for patients' understanding of their medicines was obtained using a latent trait model, estimated by the Item Response Theory, based on the concordance between each patient answer and the written prescription.