Critical care pharmacy service provision and workforce in adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centres: a multicentre cross-sectional survey.

Background: There is good evidence describing pharmacy workforce and service provision in general critical care units. However, no data exist from adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) centres.

Aim: To describe workforce characteristics, pharmacy service provision, and pharmaceutical care activities in critical care units (CCUs) providing an adult ECMO service in the United Kingdom (UK) and compare to national staffing standards for CCUs.

Video-guided exercise after stroke: a feasibility randomised controlled trial.

Background: Facilitating self-directed upper-limb exercise in people after a stroke whilst not in therapy sessions may increase therapy intensity and improve outcomes. Objectives: To investigate the feasibility and acceptability of video-guided exercise for facilitating upper-limb exercise after stroke.

Methods: A single-blind feasibility randomized controlled trial with embedded qualitative study in stroke wards at a large teaching hospital in the United Kingdom.

No meaningful drug interactions with doravirine, lamivudine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate coadministration.

Background: Doravirine (DOR) is a novel non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor available as a single tablet and a three-drug combination with lamivudine (3TC) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) to treat HIV-1 infection. These analyses assessed pharmacokinetic (PK) interactions with coadministration.

Methods: Two trials were conducted.

A randomized clinical trial to evaluate the single-dose pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of sitagliptin in pediatric patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To evaluate the single-dose pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and safety of sitagliptin in pediatric patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Study Design: This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind evaluation of sitagliptin in 35 patients 10 to 17 years old with T2DM at 7 clinical research sites. The safety, tolerability, PK, and PD (dipeptidyl peptidase-4 [DPP-4] inhibition and aspects of glucose metabolism) of single doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg were assessed.

No Pharmacokinetic Interactions Between Elbasvir or Grazoprevir and Buprenorphine/Naloxone in Healthy Participants and Participants Receiving Stable Opioid Agonist Therapy.

The aims of these phase I trials were to evaluate the pharmacokinetic interaction between elbasvir (EBR) or grazoprevir (GZR) and buprenorphine/naloxone (BUP/NAL). Trial 1 was a single-dose trial in healthy participants. Trial 2 was a multiple-dose trial in participants on BUP/NAL maintenance therapy.

Patterns of Disease in Patients with Middle-Lobe Predominant Bronchiectasis.

Background: Middle-lobe predominant bronchiectasis affecting the right middle-lobe and/or lingula (RMLP) is classically described in asthenic, elderly females with skeletal abnormalities or associated nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the frequency and clinical characteristics of patients with an RMLP phenotype in a cohort of newly diagnosed bronchiectasis patients and determine associations with disease severity.

Methods: A retrospective observational cross-sectional cohort study of consecutive bronchiectasis patients in our institution was performed.

Effects of renal sympathetic denervation on blood pressure, sleep apnoea severity and metabolic indices: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) significantly reduces blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension, who commonly have obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). These patients are considered particularly responsive to the antihypertensive effects of RSD, but additional benefits of metabolic control on sleep apnoea severity have not been thoroughly investigated.

Methods: The effect of RSD was evaluated prospectively in a cohort of patients with OSA (apnoea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥15 events per hour and an Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score ≤9) and treatment resistant hypertension.

Dementia, cognitive impairment and proton pump inhibitor therapy: A systematic review.

Background And Aim: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most widely used medications worldwide. Dementia is an increasingly common cause of disability in older populations. Recent studies have suggested an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia diagnosis among people who consume PPIs.

Predictive value of C-reactive protein and clinically relevant baseline variables in sarcoidosis.

Background: This study aims to examine the predictive and prognostic implications of C-reactive protein (CRP) and clinically relevant baseline variables in determining treatment indication and disease progression in a large clinical cohort of patients with stable sarcoidosis.

Methods: A retrospective observational study of 328 sarcoidosis patients attending a regional tertiary referral centre over a 26-year period was performed. Clinical, biochemical, radiological and physiological data were analysed according to a clinically relevant dichotomous cutpoint of CRP.

Quality of life among adults following bariatric and body contouring surgery: a systematic review.

Background: Weight loss following bariatric surgery is associated with significant improvements in obesity-related comorbidities, body satisfaction and psychosocial outcomes, at least in the short term. However, in the context of extreme weight loss, body image and appearance may worsen again because the "excess" or "loose" skin can lead to both functional and profound dissatisfaction with appearance. These concerns have led to an increasing uptake of post-bariatric surgery, "body-contouring" procedures but the implications for quality of life (QoL) have not been thoroughly considered.

Effect of Vorapaxar Alone and in Combination with Aspirin on Bleeding Time and Platelet Aggregation in Healthy Adult Subjects.

The effect of the protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) antagonist vorapaxar on human bleeding time is not known. This was a randomized, two-period, open-label trial in healthy men (n = 31) and women (n = 5). In period 1, subjects received 81 mg aspirin q.

Older people's priorities in health and social care research and practice: a public engagement workshop.

Plain English Summary: A one day public engagement workshop was held to focus on the priorities of older people about research and practice in health and social care. Seventy-five older people from the general public and a variety of backgrounds attended this event to share their views and discuss what should be prioritised. The main aim of this workshop was to identify and prioritise issues that are important to older people that would benefit from further research, as well as create an environment for older people to share ideas and problems related to these important issues.

Improving Australian care home medicine supply services: Evaluation of a quality improvement intervention.

Aim: The study aims to determine the impact of a quality improvement intervention on how accurately and suitably medicines are supplied to residents of residential aged-care facilities (RACFs).

Methods: Between September 2012 and January 2013, pharmacy-supplied dose administration aids (DAAs) were audited at 45 Victorian RACFs (Australia). RACFs had previously received an intervention (education session/toolkit) and were involved in an earlier DAA audit.

Informed, tailored, and targeted pharmacy support for nurses administering medicines in care homes.

Care home nurses could benefit from more informed, tailored, and targeted pharmacy support when undertaking medicine administration. Pharmacists could use the principles of ethnographic research methods to inform, tailor, and target the medicine administration support they provide. It should be determined if existing pharmacy support has been informed following comprehensive observations of care home medicine administration.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, short-term monotherapy study of doravirine in treatment-naive HIV-infected individuals.

Objective: To assess the antiviral activity, pharmacokinetics, and safety of doravirine in nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-naïve, HIV-infected men.

Design: Double-blind, randomized, two-panel, dose-escalation study.

Methods: In two sequential panels, 18 individuals received doravirine [25 mg (Panel A) or 200 mg (Panel B)] or matching placebo once daily for 7 days.

Hiatal hernias are correlated with increased severity of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

Background And Objective: Hiatal hernias (HH) are associated with gastro-oesophageal reflux and may contribute to lung disease severity. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HH among stable non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) patients and determine associations with disease severity.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional cohort study of 100 consecutive NCFB patients in our institution was performed.

Taking the guesswork out of supplying multicompartment compliance aids: do pharmacists require further guidance on medication stability?

Objective: The purpose of this article is to identify information that is currently available to pharmacists concerning the stability of medications repackaged into multicompartment compliance aids (MCAs). This article explores the potential risks associated with repackaging medications into MCAs for pharmacists who supply and patients who use them.

Key Findings: There is a paucity of information currently available to pharmacists concerning the stability of medications repackaged into MCAs as it is not routinely provided by pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Depressive symptoms are associated with analgesic use in people with Alzheimer's disease: Kuopio ALSOVA study.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) such as depression may be associated with pain, which according to the literature may be inadequately recognized and managed in this population. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with analgesic use in persons with AD; in particular, how AD severity, functional status, neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD, co-morbidities and somatic symptoms are associated with analgesic use. 236 community-dwelling persons with very mild or mild AD at baseline, and their caregivers, were interviewed over five years as part of the prospective ALSOVA study.

Safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of doravirine, a novel HIV non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, after single and multiple doses in healthy subjects.

Background: Doravirine is a novel non-nucleoside inhibitor of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase with potent activity against wild-type virus (95% inhibitory concentration 19 nM, 50% human serum). Doravirine has low potential to cause drug-drug interactions since it is primarily eliminated by oxidative metabolism and does not inhibit or significantly induce drug-metabolizing enzymes.

Methods: The pharmacokinetics and safety of doravirine were investigated in two double-blind, dose-escalation studies in healthy males.

A grossly abnormal trachea- severe tracheal diverticulosis and Mounier-Kuhn syndrome.

A 53-year-old smoker presented with a history of recurrent lower respiratory tract infections. A diagnosis of Tracheal Diverticulosis due to Tracheobronchomegaly (Mounier-Kuhn Syndrome) was made. The clinical history, diagnosis and treatment options are discussed.

Effect of chemotherapy on quality of life in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the extent to which quality of life (QoL) assessment has been incorporated into clinical trials of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving palliative chemotherapy.

Patients And Methods: Phase III trials for patients with NSCLC treated with palliative chemotherapy were identified by a literature search of PubMed. All abstracts and relevant articles from August 1986 to October 2011 were reviewed.