Prescribing Appropriate Medicines to Older Adults: A Finnish Experience with the Web-Based Meds75+ Database.

The Finnish web-based Meds75+ database supports rational, safe and appropriate prescribing to older adults in primary care. This article describes the content and updating process of Meds75+ and demonstrates its applicability in everyday clinical practice. Meds75+ contains a classification (A-D) and recommendation texts for 450-500 drug substances when used in the treatment of older adults aged 75 years or older.

Regulatory and health technology assessment advice on postlicensing and postlaunch evidence generation is a foundation for lifecycle data collection for medicines.

The understanding of the benefit risk profile, and relative effectiveness of a new medicinal product, are initially established in a circumscribed patient population through clinical trials. There may be uncertainties associated with the new medicinal product that cannot be, or do not need to be resolved before launch. Postlicensing or postlaunch evidence generation (PLEG) is a term for evidence generated after the licensure or launch of a medicinal product to address these remaining uncertainties.

Impact of type 2 diabetes treated with non-insulin medication and number of diabetes-coexisting diseases on EQ-5D-5 L index scores in the Finnish population.

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) causes significant health and economic burden. In addition to comorbidities there are also coexisting diseases linked to obesity, lifestyle and T2D. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of T2D and T2D-coexisting diseases on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the Finnish population and whether it is T2D or the coexisting diseases that have the largest impact on HRQoL.

A novel mutation in the matrix metallopeptidase 2 coding gene associated with intrafamilial variability of multicentric osteolysis, nodulosis, and arthropathy.

Background: MONA, which stands for a spectrum of Multicentric Osteolysis, subcutaneous Nodulosis, and Athropathia, is an ultra rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2) gene. To date only 44 individuals, carrying 22 different mutations have been reported. Here we report on two brothers with identical homozygous MMP2 gene mutations, but with clearly different phenotypes.

Topical cis-urocanic acid prevents ocular surface irritation in both IgE -independent and -mediated rat model.

Purpose: Our purpose was to investigate the effect of locally administered cis-urocanic (cis-UCA) in two experimental models of allergic conjunctivitis.

Methods: The compound 48/80 (C48/80)-induced ocular irritation model (IgE-independent) and the ovalbumin (OA)-induced ocular allergy model (IgE-mediated) were used to test and compare the effect of cis-UCA on dexamethasone, ketotifen and olopatadine. In the C48/80 model, clinical severity scoring from photographs, immunohistochemical analysis of nuclear Ki-67 antigen to quantify actively proliferating epithelial cells and of caspase-3 enzyme to identify apoptotic activity in the conjunctival tissue were used.

A randomized phase I clinical study of cis-urocanic acid eye drops in healthy adult subjects.

Purpose: To evaluate safety, ocular tolerability and pharmacokinetics of 0.5% and 2.5% cis-urocanic acid (cis-UCA) eye drops.

Cis-urocanic acid inhibits SAPK/JNK signaling pathway in UV-B exposed human corneal epithelial cells in vitro.

Purpose: The cornea is sensitive to ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation-induced oxidative stress and inflammation. Its clinical manifestations are photokeratitis and climatic droplet keratopathy. Urocanic acid (UCA) is a major endogenous UV-absorbing chromophore in the epidermis and it is also an efficacious immunosuppressant.

Heritability of spherical equivalent: a population-based twin study among 63- to 76-year-old female twins.

Purpose: To examine the heritability of spherical equivalent (SE) in older women.

Design: Population-based twin study.

Participants: Ninety monozygotic (MZ) and 86 dizygotic (DZ) female twin pairs aged 63 to 76 years who were born from 1924 through 1937.