Inadequate pain relief among patients with primary knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Despite the widespread treatments for osteoarthritis (OA), data on treatment patterns, adequacy of pain relief, and quality of life are limited. The prospective multinational Survey of Osteoarthritis Real World Therapies (SORT) was designed to investigate these aspects.

Objectives: To analyze the characteristics and the patient reported outcomes of the Portuguese dataset of SORT at the start of observation.

Inadequate pain relief among patients with primary knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Despite the widespread treatments for Osteoarthritis (OA), data on treatment patterns, adequacy of pain relief, and quality of life are limited. The prospective multinational Survey of Osteoarthritis Real World Therapies (SORT) was designed to investigate these aspects.

Objectives: To analyze the characteristics and the patient reported outcomes of the Portuguese dataset of SORT at the start of observation.

Acute kidney injury and death associated with renin angiotensin system blockade in cardiothoracic surgery: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after cardiovascular surgery. The use of renin angiotensin system (RAS) blockers preoperatively is controversial due to conflicting results of their effect on the incidence of postoperative AKI and mortality.

Study Design: Meta-analysis of prospective or retrospective observational studies (1950 to January 2013) using MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, conferences, and ClinicalTrials.

Triptan persistency among newly initiated users in a pharmacy claims database.

Objective: Our study was conducted to describe prescription refill patterns among patients newly treated with triptans.

Background: Although triptans are efficacious in treating migraine headache, the persistency of triptan use among newly initiated users has not been well described.

Methods: From a US pharmacy claims database, we identified patients receiving new triptan monotherapy prescriptions from 2001 to 2005.

Baseline characteristic differences between patients prescribed sitagliptin vs. other oral antihyperglycemic agents: analysis of a US electronic medical record database.

Aims: This study examined the relationship of baseline characteristics and medication use in patients with type 2 diabetes who were prescribed sitagliptin versus other oral antihyperglycemic agents in clinical practice settings in the United States.

Methods: The General Electric Healthcare's Clinical Data Services electronic medical record (EMR) database, covering 12 million US patients of all ages from 49 states, was used to identify patients with type 2 diabetes, aged >or=30 years, who received their first sitagliptin, metformin, sulfonylurea, or thiazolidinedione prescription between October 2006 and June 2008 (index period) as part of new mono-, dual, or triple therapy regimens. Patient demographics, diagnoses, prescriptions, and laboratory results were extracted for the 12-month period (baseline) prior to the index date (i.

Differences in baseline characteristics between patients prescribed sitagliptin versus exenatide based on a US electronic medical record database.

Introduction: Sitagliptin, an oral dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, and exenatide, an injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, are incretin-based therapies for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This study examined differences in baseline characteristics between patients with type 2 diabetes initiating sitagliptin vs. exenatide treatment in clinical practice settings in the US.