The Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease and Albuminuria in Patients With Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Attending a Single Centre.

Background Diabetes is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease worldwide. Diabetic kidney disease is one of the microvascular complications of diabetes and it involves changes in glomerular hemodynamics, interstitial fibrosis, and tubular atrophy. Early detection and management of Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) help to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Corrigendum: Patients Unmet Needs in Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps Care: A Patient Advisory Board Statement of EUFOREA.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2021.

Patients Unmet Needs in Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps Care: A Patient Advisory Board Statement of EUFOREA.

European patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) have had only limited occasions to unite to have their voices heard, hence missing the opportunity to contribute to the improvement of CRSwNP care. To identify unmet needs in CRSwNP from the perspective of CRSwNP patients from the Patient Advisory Board (PAB) of the European Forum for Research and Education in Allergy and Airways diseases (EUFOREA). Semi-structured interviews were conducted individually with 15 European patients with CRSwNP and with a disease history of more than 2 years.

Antipsychotic prescribing in GMS paediatric and young adult population in Ireland 2005-2015: repeated cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To examine the rates of antipsychotic prescribing in the Irish paediatric and young adult population enrolled in the Irish General Medical Services Scheme pharmacy claims database from the Health Service Executive Primary Care Reimbursement Services database, with a focus on age and sex differences. To examine concomitant prescribing of certain other related medicines in this population.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Irish General Medical Services (GMS) scheme pharmacy claims database from the Health Service Executive (HSE) - Primary Care Reimbursement Services (PCRS).

Trends in attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications among children and young adults in Ireland: a repeated cross-sectional study from 2005 to 2015.

Objective: This study examined the prescribing patterns of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications in Ireland between 2005 and 2015 in children, adolescents and young adults, and concomitant use of psychotropic medication.

Design: Repeated cross-sectional study.

Setting: Community setting using pharmacy claims data in Ireland.

Introduction of an academic internship in Ireland: views of undergraduate medical students.

Introduction: A combined academic and clinical training programme for junior doctors in Ireland, the academic track for internship, has recently been launched. The academic track offers newly graduated doctors protected time within the working week to undertake a research project in addition to funding, an academic supervisor, and additional training in research skills. This study seeks to investigate the views of undergraduate medical students.

Impact of safety warnings on domperidone prescribing in Ireland.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the impact of the 2014 safety warnings on use of domperidone, on subsequent prescribing patterns in Ireland.

Methods: The Irish HSE-PCRS pharmacy claims database was used to identify the study cohort (aged 18+), prescribed domperidone from Jan 2014 to Oct 2015. Dosage was available for each claim; concomitant prescription with the following drug classes was identified and calculated as a percentage of the total number of claims: anti-arrhythmics, macrolide antimicrobials and the selective serotonin receptor inhibitors (SSRIs) citalopram and escitalopram.

Spatial and temporal analyses of metrics of tuberculosis infection in badgers (Meles meles) from the Republic of Ireland: Trends in apparent prevalence.

Badgers are a wildlife host of Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), and an important contributor to the epidemiology of bTB in cattle in Ireland and Britain. Repeated culling of badgers in high prevalence cattle bTB areas has been used in the Republic of Ireland as one tool to reduce intra- and interspecific transmission of M. bovis.

The development of the PROMPT (PRescribing Optimally in Middle-aged People's Treatments) criteria.

Background: Whilst multimorbidity is more prevalent with increasing age, approximately 30% of middle-aged adults (45-64 years) are also affected. Several prescribing criteria have been developed to optimise medication use in older people (≥65 years) with little focus on potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) in middle-aged adults. We have developed a set of explicit prescribing criteria called PROMPT (PRescribing Optimally in Middle-aged People's Treatments) which may be applied to prescribing datasets to determine the prevalence of PIP in this age-group.

Comorbidity, health-related quality of life and self-care in type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study in an outpatient population.

Background: Comorbid conditions may be related (concordant) or unrelated (discordant) to diabetes. Comorbidity in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is associated with reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and self-care.

Aim: To examine the impact of comorbidity on HRQoL and self-care in T2DM patients attending an outpatient setting.

Regional variation in medication-taking behaviour of new users of oral anti-hyperglycaemic therapy in Ireland.

Background: Few studies have investigated regional variation in medication-taking behaviour. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are regional differences in non-persistence and non-adherence to oral anti-hyperglycaemic agents in patients initiating therapy and examine if any association exists between different types of comorbidity in terms of medication-taking behaviour.

Methods: The Irish Health Services Executive (HSE) pharmacy claims database was used to identify new users of metformin or sulphonylureas, aged ≥25 years, initiating therapy between June 2009 and December 2010.

An observational study examining the effect of comorbidity on the rates of persistence and adherence to newly initiated oral anti-hyperglycaemic agents.

Purpose: To examine whether the type of comorbid condition affects medication persistence and adherence in patients initiating oral anti-hyperglycaemic (OAH) therapy.

Methods: The Irish Health Services Executive pharmacy claims database was used to identify a cohort of incident OAH therapy users (anatomical therapeutic chemical A10B), ≥25 years, between June 2009 and December 2010. Persistence and adherence were examined at 6 and 12 months post-therapy initiation.

The prevalence and ingredient cost of chronic comorbidity in the Irish elderly population with medication treated type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cross-sectional study using a national pharmacy claims database.

Background: Comorbidity in patients with diabetes is associated with poorer health and increased cost. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and ingredient cost of comorbidity in patients ≥ 65 years with and without medication treated type 2 diabetes using a national pharmacy claims database.

Methods: The Irish Health Service Executive Primary Care Reimbursement Service pharmacy claims database, which includes all prescribing to individuals covered by the General Medical Services scheme, was used to identify the study population (≥ 65 years).

Potentially inappropriate prescribing and cost outcomes for older people: a national population study.

Aims: Optimization of drug prescribing in older populations is a priority due to the significant clinical and economic costs of drug-related illness. This study aimed to: (i) estimate the prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) in a national Irish older population using European specific explicit prescribing criteria; (ii) investigate the association between PIP, number of drug classes, gender and age and; (iii) establish the total cost of PIP.

Methods: This was a retrospective national population study (n= 338 801) using the Health Service Executive Primary Care Reimbursement Service (HSE-PCRS) pharmacy claims database.

What therapies have replaced rofecoxib in Ireland?

Aims: To examine prescription patterns of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or analgesics in patients prescribed chronic rofecoxib treatment prior to withdrawal from the Irish market, and to determine the impact on proton pump inhibitor (PPI) co-prescription.

Methods: Using a national prescribing database, adults (> or =16 years) prescribed rofecoxib for > or =3 months, but not analgesics, from January to September 2004 were identified. A longitudinal prescribing history was used to determine switching patterns to other cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors, NSAIDs or analgesics during 3 and 12 months after withdrawal.

Characterizing new users of NSAIDs before and after rofecoxib withdrawal.

Aims: To characterize patients initiated on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), pre and postrofecoxib withdrawal, by age, gender and concomitant cardiovascular (CV) therapy.

Methods: A national primary care prescription database was used to identify patients who initiated NSAID therapy pre and postrofecoxib withdrawal. Patients receiving CV therapy were identified in the same periods also.

Adherence to clinical guidance in the prescribing of oral antithrombotic medication in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation is the commonest cardiac rhythm disturbance and is an independent risk factor for stroke; however, use of oral antithrombotic therapy is reported to be suboptimal in clinical practice.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prescribing rates of oral antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation to determine if prescribing patterns reflected published clinical guidance.

Method: Patients with atrial fibrillation, admitted to hospital over a 12-week period were identified and their antithrombotic therapy regimen was analysed using statistical methods.

Effect of clinical trial publicity on HRT prescribing in Ireland.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of publicity surrounding the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) and Million Women (MW) studies on prescribing of all hormone replacement therapy (HRT) preparations and bisphosphonates in Ireland.

Methods: The General Medical Services (GMS) prescription database was used to identify the study population. Prescriptions were identified for HRT and bisphosphonate preparations [using WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification codes] in female patients aged 45-69 years in Ireland during a 4-year study period (January 2001-December 2004).

Usage of paracetamol-containing combination analgesics remains high in primary care.

Aims: Paracetamol-containing combination analgesics are widely prescribed but the use of paracetamol/dextropropoxyphene (co-proxamol) is particularly controversial. We aim to examine the prescribing patterns of the paracetamol-containing analgesics in Ireland.

Methods: A national primary care prescribing database was used to investigate patterns of usage.

The influence of guidelines on the use of statins: analysis of prescribing trends 1998-2002.

Aims: To monitor statin prescribing trends over time in order to determine whether prescribers were influenced by study results and/or clinical guidelines in terms of type and dosage of statin prescribed.

Methods: The GMS (General Medical Services) prescription database in Ireland was used to identify a cohort of patients, prescribed statins, in order to investigate prescribing trends from January 1998-December 2002. Statin prescribing rates for patients with ischaemic heart disease and diabetes were compared with rates in the general GMS population.

Have COX-2 inhibitors influenced the co-prescription of anti-ulcer drugs with NSAIDs?

Aims: To quantify usage of COX-2 inhibitors compared with nonselective NSAIDs and to determine their impact (including financial) on the co-prescription of antipeptic ulcer (anti-PU) drugs.

Methods: The Irish General Medical Services prescription database (covering 1.2 million people) was examined for NSAID prescriptions during December 1999-November 2001.

"Selective" switching from non-selective to selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Background: Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are thought to account for almost 25% of all reported adverse drug reactions, primarily gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity. Selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors have been shown to preferentially inhibit activity of the COX-2 enzyme, which maintains anti-inflammatory activity but reduces GI toxicity.

Objective: To determine the degree of switching from non-selective NSAIDs to COX-2 inhibitors and to examine the factors that were associated with switching.