Regional variation in chronic kidney disease and associated factors in hypertensive individuals in rural South Asia: findings from control of blood pressure and risk attenuation-Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Background: We aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its cross-country variation among hypertensive individuals in rural Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. We also explored the factors associated with CKD in these populations.

Method: We studied baseline data from the Control of Blood Pressure and Risk Attenuation-Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (COBRA-BPS) trial, an ongoing cluster randomized controlled trial on 2643 hypertensive adults ≥40 years of age from 30 randomly selected rural clusters, 10 in each of the three countries.

Ward-based clinical pharmacists and hospital readmission: a non-randomized controlled trial in Sri Lanka.

Objective: To assess if a ward-based clinical pharmacy service resolving drug-related problems improved medication appropriateness at discharge and prevented drug-related hospital readmissions.

Method: Between March and September 2013, we recruited patients with noncommunicable diseases in a Sri Lankan tertiary-care hospital, for a non-randomized controlled clinical trial. The intervention group received usual care and clinical pharmacy service.

Acceptance and attitudes of healthcare staff towards the introduction of clinical pharmacy service: a descriptive cross-sectional study from a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka.

Background: Multidisciplinary patient management including a clinical pharmacist shows an improvement in patient quality use of medicine. Implementation of a clinical pharmacy service represents a significant novel change in practice in Sri Lanka. Although attitudes of doctors and nurses are an important determinant of successful implementation, there is no Sri Lankan data about staff attitudes to such changes in clinical practice.