Adverse Drug Reactions in Hospitalized Patients: Results of the FORWARD (Facilitation of Reporting in Hospital Ward) Study.

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are an important public health problem, representing a major cause of morbidity and mortality. However, several countries have no recent studies available. Since 2014, a prospective active pharmacovigilance project, aimed to improve ADRs monitoring in hospital wards (FORWARD) was performed in Sicily.

Improvement in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease following a clinical educational program: results from a prospective cohort study in the Sicilian general practice setting.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lungs associated with progressive disability. Although general practitioners (GPs) should play an important role in the COPD management, critical issues have been documented in the primary care setting. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational program for the improvement of the COPD management in a Sicilian general practice setting.

Treatment pattern and frequency of serum TSH measurement in users of different levothyroxine formulations: a population-based study during the years 2009-2015.

Background: Several conditions can modify the intestinal absorption of levothyroxine tablets, with potential consequences on their therapeutic effect. Pre-dosed ampoules and oral drops have been recently made available to overcome this limitation.

Aims: To describe the pattern of use of different formulations of levothyroxine in a general population of Southern Italy and to perform an exploratory analysis investigating the effect of switching from levothyroxine tablets to oral liquid formulations.

Indications of newer and older anti-epileptic drug use: findings from a southern Italian general practice setting from 2005-2011.

Aims: The aim of the study was to analyze the prescribing pattern of both newer and older AEDs.

Methods: A population of almost 150 000 individuals registered with 123 general practitioners was included in this study. Patients who received at least one AED prescription over 2005-2011 were identified.

Pattern of statin use in southern italian primary care: can prescription databases be used for monitoring long-term adherence to the treatment?

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the prescribing pattern of statins according to national and regional health policy interventions and to assess specifically the adherence to the therapy in outpatient setting in Southern Italy.

Methods: A population-based study was performed on persons ≥15 years old, living in the catchment area of Caserta (Southern Italy), and registered in Arianna database between 2004 and 2010. Prevalence and incidence of new treatments with statins were calculated for each year and stratified by drug.

How much are biosimilars used in southern Italy?: a retrospective analysis of epoetin utilization in the local health unit of Messina in the years 2010-2011.

Background: Epoetins are one of the three biologics for which biosimilars are available in Italy. So far, there is a lack of Italian national/regional longitudinal data about epoetin use.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prescribing pattern of epoetins (reference products and biosimilars) in a Local Health Unit (LHU) of Southern Italy in recent years.