Costs associated with febrile neutropenia in the US.

Background And Objective: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a potentially life-threatening condition that may develop in cancer patients treated with myelosuppressive chemotherapy and result in considerable costs. This study was designed to estimate US healthcare utilization and costs in those experiencing FN by location of care, tumour type and mortality.

Methods: Cancer patients who received chemotherapy between 2001 and 2006 were identified from the HealthCore Integrated Research Database®, a longitudinal claims database with enrolment, medical, prescription and mortality information covering 12 health plans and more than 20 million US patients.

Mild cognitive impairment: disparity of incidence and prevalence estimates.

Background: The purpose of conducting this study was to identify areas of concordance and sources of variation for the published rates of prevalence and incidence associated with various definitions for mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: The study used systematic review of studies published in English since 1984. Studies were identified by searching MEDLINE and EMBASE databases.

Over-the-counter ibuprofen and risk of gastrointestinal bleeding complications: a systematic literature review.

Background: Exposure to over-the-counter (OTC) ibuprofen and other OTC non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is substantial. Although the literature on gastrointestinal (GI) safety of NSAID therapy is extensive, the risk profiles of OTC and prescription dosing are seldom separated, and few studies provide risks specific to OTC ibuprofen.

Objective: To conduct a literature review to evaluate the risk of GI bleeding events related to OTC ibuprofen use.

Risk of mortality in patients with cancer who experience febrile neutropenia.

Background: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that may develop in patients with cancer who receive myelosuppressive chemotherapy. The risk of mortality from FN is not well characterized in current clinical practice.

Methods: Patients with cancer who were receiving chemotherapy in clinical practice were identified from a large US healthcare claims database, and mortality was confirmed using the National Death Index.

Bovine thrombin safety reporting: an example of study design and publication bias.

Background: Bovine thrombin, a popular hemostat and sealant since 1945, has recently been subjected to clinical trial testing due to reformulations in 1998. We sought to compare adverse event rates of early observational studies with those of later interventional trials.

Methods: A MEDLINE-based literature search in publications that report safety in bovine thrombin exposed surgical patients was extracted and reviewed.

Exogenous bovine thrombin as a biomarker of exposure and outcome.

Bovine thrombin has been used for more than 60 years as a surgical hemostat and sealant. Rare postsurgical events have been attributed to antibovine thrombin immunoglobulins cross-reacting with human homologs. In a literature review of 37 papers reporting safety outcomes in surgical patients, we extracted each paper for a quantitative measurement of bovine thrombin exposure and coagulopathic outcomes.