Renal transplant patients receive several immunosuppressive drug regimens that are potentially nephrotoxic for treatment. Serum creatinine is the standard for monitoring kidney function; however, cystatin C (Cys C) and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) have been found to indicate kidney injury earlier than serum creatinine and provide a better reflection of kidney function. Here, we assessed Cys C and KIM-1 serum levels in renal transplant patients receiving mycophenolate mofetil, tacrolimus, sirolimus, everolimus, or cyclosporine to evaluate kidney function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: This study evaluated the prevalence of prescribing drugs with constipation-inducing potential and the prophylactic use of laxatives in community-dwelling older adults.
Method: An audit of outpatient prescriptions ordered for older adults aged ≥65 years with one or more chronic morbidities in 24 governmental primary healthcare centres in Bahrain. The prescriptions were collected by pharmacist-in-charge of each health centre between December 2015 and June 2016.
J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad
April 2020
Background: Data on the potential effects of maternal exposure to melamine is scarce. We aimed to evaluate the impact of melamine administration on pregnancy outcome and foetal growth in rats.
Methods: Positively-mated female Sprague-Dawley rats (n=24) were treated from day 6 to day 20 of gestation with vehicle (control), melamine 300 mg/kg/day (group-1) or melamine 450 mg/kg/day (group 2).
High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev
December 2019
Introduction: Hypertension, if not appropriately treated, is associated with life-threatening complications.
Aims: This study evaluated antihypertensive prescribing patterns in older adults (≥ 65 years) versus young adults based on the current guidelines with an emphasis on the use of dual single-pill combinations (SPCs).
Methods: A nationwide audit of 8746 primary care prescriptions of hypertensive patients with comorbidities in Bahrain was performed.
Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet
December 2019
Background And Objective: Critically ill children exhibit altered pharmacokinetic parameters of vancomycin, mainly due to altered renal excretion and volume of distribution (as a result of altered plasma protein concentrations). We assessed the pharmacokinetic parameters of vancomycin in this subpopulation.
Methods: Vancomycin trough concentrations in critically ill children were obtained following first dose and at steady state.
Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate: (1) the prevalence and types of potentially inappropriate prescribing in older adults with hypertension or diabetes mellitus and hypertension, and (2) whether or not differences in the training of primary care physicians were associated with potentially inappropriate prescribing.
Materials And Methods: Primary care prescriptions issued by family physicians and general practitioners were audited using Screening Tool of Older Persons' Prescriptions criteria (version 1), with 18 out of 65 applicable criteria. Descriptive statistics were used to test the difference between proportions, and two-tailed t test was used for continuous variables.
Background: The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) is deemed a major risk factor for peptic ulcer disease in elderly population that requires concomitant therapy with gastroprotective agents (GPAs).
Objective: This study evaluated the rational prescribing of NSAIDs and GPAs, and extent of adherence to the guideline recommendations in primary care.
Methods: Nationwide audit of prescriptions issued to elderly patients (≥65 years) with hypertension or diabetic hypertension in primary care.
Objectives: This study aimed to explore reasons for poor performance in prescription writing stations of the objective structured practical examination (OSPE) and absenteeism in prescription writing sessions among preclerkship medical students at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU) in Manama, Bahrain.
Methods: This descriptive study was carried out between September 2014 and June 2015 among 157 preclerkship medical students at AGU. Data were collected using focus group discussions and a questionnaire with closed- and open-ended items.
Medical students do not perform well in writing prescriptions, and the 3 variables-learner, teacher, and instructional method-are held responsible to various degrees. The objective of this clinical pharmacology educational intervention was to improve medical students' perceptions, motivation, and participation in prescription-writing sessions. The study participants were second-year medical students of the College of Medicine and Medical Sciences of the Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF