Orally dissolving pilocarpine tablets for xerostomia in advanced cancer: A pilot N-of-1 feasibility study.

Background: Xerostomia is a common and difficult symptom experienced by patients with cancer. Pilocarpine is a cholinergic agent that stimulates salivation.

Aim: To assess the feasibility of conducting a N-of-1 trial to determine the efficacy of pilocarpine orally dissolving tablets in patients with xerostomia.

Tobacco, nicotine, and cannabis use and exposure in an Australian Indigenous population during pregnancy: A protocol to measure parental and foetal exposure and outcomes.

Background: The Australian National Perinatal Data Collection collates all live and stillbirths from States and Territories in Australia. In that database, maternal cigarette smoking is noted twice (smoking <20 weeks gestation; smoking >20 weeks gestation). Cannabis use and other forms of nicotine use, for example vaping and nicotine replacement therapy, are nor reported.

Restricting supply of tobacco products to pharmacies: a scoping review.

Objective: We synthesised the published literature on proposals to restrict tobacco supply to pharmacies, covering (1) policy concept/rationale/attempts, (2) policy impact and implementation and (3) policy and research recommendations.

Data Sources: We searched eight databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, IPA, ProQuest and OATD) for publications with at least an English-language abstract. We searched reference lists of included publications manually.

Pharmacist-only supply of nicotine vaping products: proposing an alternative regulatory model for Australia.

Regulation of nicotine vaping products (NVPs) is an ongoing challenge across the world. Australia currently has a globally unique NVP regulatory model that requires a medical prescription to purchase and use NVPs, with further restrictions in progress in response to evidence of widespread illicit NVP sales. Against this background, we examine the new measures and consider a modification of the model to pharmacist-only supply as an option for increasing access to NVPs for smoking cessation, while retaining health practitioner oversight of supply.

Medication Lubricants for Oral Delivery of Drugs: Oral Processing Reduces Thickness, Changes Characteristics, and Improves Dissolution Profile.

Swallowing oral solid dosage forms is challenging for those who have medication swallowing difficulties, including patients with dysphagia. One option is to mix the drug (whole or crushed) with a thick vehicle (medication lubricant). Previous in vitro studies consistently suggest that thick vehicles could impact the dissolution of solid dosage forms, potentially influencing their therapeutic effectiveness, but do not account for changes that happen during oral processing and swallowing.

Evaluating the implementation of a prescription only regulatory model for nicotine vaping products: A qualitative study on the experiences and views of healthcare professionals.

Background: Deciding how to regulate nicotine vaping products (NVPs) is a challenge for many countries. Balanced regulation should consider the potential harms to young people from uptake of NVPs alongside the possible benefits of NVPs as a smoking cessation aid. One option is to make NVPs only available via medical prescription to adults who smoke.

Effects of a prebiotic formulation on the composition of the faecal microbiota of people with functional constipation.

Purpose: Prebiotics are defined as substances which selectively promote beneficial gut microbes leading to a health benefit for the host. Limited trials have been carried out investigating their effect on the microbiota composition of individuals afflicted by functional constipation with equivocal outcomes. In a 21-day randomised, controlled clinical trial involving 61 adults with functional constipation, a prebiotic formulation with partially hydrolysed guar gum and acacia gum as its main ingredients, significantly increased complete spontaneous bowel motions in the treatment group.

The prevalence and perceived effectiveness of using a medication-swallowing lubricant in aged care facilities across Australia.

Objective: To explore the extent of use and perceived effectiveness of using a medication lubricant that is specifically designed to help people who struggle to swallow their solid medications whole.

Method: Health care workers of varying professional levels in aged care facilities (ACFs) across Australia who are involved in medication administration were invited to participate in a structured online survey.

Results: Of the 355 health care workers who completed the survey, 48% had used the medication lubricant to aid administration of whole and/or crushed solid oral dosage forms, and of these 89% agreed with the statement that "it is effective method to facilitate medication swallowing in residents.

Deprescribing Tool for Older PeoPle with Limited-life Expectancy (De-TOPPLE) version 1: Development and validation using a modified Delphi technique.

Deprescribing decision making in older adults with limited life expectancy is often challenging for clinicians. We aimed to develop and validate a Deprescribing Tool for Older People with Limited-life Expectancy (De-TOPPLE). Modified Delphi technique was used to gain experts' consensus on the tool and further develop using their feedback.

Health literacy in Pakistani migrants in Australia-An emerging and neglected culturally and linguistically diverse community.

Issue Addressed: Pakistani migrants are one of the fastest-growing culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Australia, but there is currently a lack of information regarding their health literacy. This study aimed to investigate the health literacy of Pakistani migrants residing in Australia.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, health literacy was measured using the Urdu version of Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ).

Perceived Usability of Tablet Crushers: Comparison of Devices by People with and without Limited Hand Functions.

Tablet crushing is a common practice used by patients and their carers, mainly to facilitate swallowing. Various tablet-crushing devices with different designs are currently available on the market. This study aimed to compare the usability of different tablet-crushing devices in people with and without limited hand functions.

A systematic review on methods for developing and validating deprescribing tools for older adults with limited life expectancy.

Objectives: A number of deprescribing tools are available to assist clinicians to make decisions on medication management. We aimed to review deprescribing tools that may be used with older adults that have limited life expectancy (LLE), including those at the palliative and end-of-life stage, and consider the rigour with which the tools were developed and validated.

Key Findings: Literature was searched in PubMed, Embase, CINHAL and Google Scholar until February 2021 for studies involving the development and/or consensus validation of deprescribing tools targeting those aged ≥65 years with LLE.

Functional constipation and the effect of prebiotics on the gut microbiota: a review.

Functional constipation is a significant health issue impacting the lives of an estimated 14 % of the global population. Non-pharmaceutical treatment advice for cases with no underlying medical conditions focuses on exercise, hydration and an increase in dietary fibre intake. An alteration in the composition of the gut microbiota is thought to play a role in constipation.

An Exploratory Study of the Safety and Efficacy of a Seed Extract in Early Glucose Dysregulation: A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Background: This was an exploratory study to assess the safety and efficacy of a specialized Trigonella foenum-graceum L. seed extract for supporting healthy blood glucose metabolism in a pre-diabetic cohort. Methods: Fifty-four participants were randomised to receive 500 mg/day of T.

Higher blood nicotine concentrations following smokeless tobacco (pituri) and cigarette use linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes for Central Australian Aboriginal pregnancies.

Background: In central Australia, Aboriginal women use wild tobacco plants, Nicotiana spp. (locally known as pituri) as a chewed smokeless tobacco, with this use continuing throughout pregnancy and lactation. Our aim was to describe the biological concentrations of nicotine and metabolites in samples from mothers and neonates and examine the relationships between maternal self-reported tobacco use and maternal and neonatal outcomes.

A randomized controlled trial assessing the safety and efficacy of palmitoylethanolamide for treating diabetic-related peripheral neuropathic pain.

Background: Peripheral neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes. The management of the associated neuropathic pain remains difficult to treat.

Objective: This study explored the safety, tolerability and efficacy of a palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) formulation in treating diabetic-related peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP).

Development and validation of a tool to understand health care professionals' attitudes towards deprescribing (HATD) in older adults with limited life expectancy.

Background: Understanding the perspective of health care professionals (HCPs) is significant to the implementation of deprescribing in older adults with limited life expectancy (LLE) but a tool to assess this is lacking.

Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate a survey tool for assessing HCPs attitudes towards deprescribing (HATD) in older adults with LLE.

Methods: An online survey was used to collect data to determine the psychometric properties of a 49-item questionnaire generated from literature review, expert opinion and pretesting.

Central Australian Aboriginal women's placental and neonatal outcomes following maternal smokeless tobacco, cigarette or no tobacco use.

Objective: To describe the placental characteristics and neonatal outcomes of Central Australian Aboriginal women based on maternal self-report of tobacco use.

Methods: Placental and neonatal variables were collected from a prospective maternal cohort of 19 smokeless tobacco chewers, 23 smokers and 31 no-tobacco users.

Results: Chewers had the lowest placental weight (460 g) while the no-tobacco group had the heaviest placental weight (565 g).

Investigating the impact of patient-centred labels on comprehension of medication dosing: a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: This study aims to implement a version of patient-centred labels (PCL) consistent with current labelling practice in Australia; assess the effectiveness of PCL in relation to the proportion of participants that correctly comprehend dosing instructions, and explore the proportion of correct comprehension of PCL in participants with both low and high health literacy.

Design: Randomised controlled trial.

Setting: A large tertiary care hospital in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Impact of deprescribing dual-purpose medications on patient-related outcomes for older adults near end-of-life: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: The decision to deprescribe medications used for both disease prevention and symptom control (dual-purpose medications or DPMs) is often challenging for clinicians. We aim to establish the impact of deprescribing DPMs on patient-related outcomes for older adults near end-of-life (EOL).

Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guideline.

Central Australian Aboriginal women's pregnancy, labour and birth outcomes following maternal smokeless tobacco (pituri) use, cigarette use or no-tobacco use: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Outcomes related to maternal smoked tobacco (cigarette) use have been substantially examined over the past 50 years with resultant public health education targeted towards the reduction of use during pregnancy. However, worldwide the effects of maternal smokeless tobacco use have been less well explored and in Australia, there has been no examination of maternal outcomes in relation to the use of Australian Nicotiana spp. (tobacco plant) as a smokeless tobacco, colloquially known as pituri.

Deprescribing tool for use in older Australians with life-limiting illnesses and limited life expectancy: a modified-Delphi study protocol.

Background: Making a meaningful decision on deprescribing of potentially inappropriate medications in older adults with life-limiting illnesses (LLIs) and limited life expectancy (LLE) is often challenging. Therefore, we aimed to elicit opinion and gain consensus on a deprescribing tool for use in this population.

Methods And Analysis: A modified-Delphi method will be used to obtain a consensus from a panel of experts in geriatric therapeutics on a deprescribing tool for use in people aged ≥65 years with LLIs and LLE.

Does the content and source credibility of health and risk messages related to nicotine vaping products have an impact on harm perception and behavioural intentions? A systematic review.

Aims: To systematically review the literature on (i) whether and how various risk messages about nicotine vaping products (NVPs) alter harm perception and behavioural intentions of smokers and non-smokers and (ii) how trust in sources of NVP risk communication affects message reception and behavioural intentions.

Methods: Seven electronic databases and reference lists of relevant articles were searched for articles published up to April 2020. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies on message effects and cross-sectional studies on source credibility were included.