Accuracy in patient-reported adverse drug reactions and their recognition: a mixed-methods study.

Background: The causality assessment tool can be utilized to assist patients in identifying adverse drug reactions (ADRs).

Aim: To evaluate the accuracy of the causality assessment tool for patients identifying ADRs compared to assessments made by pharmacists, and to explore how patients recall and recognize symptoms as ADRs.

Method: Mixed methods study consisting of self-administered questionnaires (phase 1) and semi-structured, face-to-face interviews (phase 2) with patients who had experienced ADRs in the past year at a tertiary care hospital in Thailand.

Normative Reference Values of the Tibial Nerve in Healthy Individuals Using Ultrasonography: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: High-resolution ultrasound of the tibial nerve has been used for screening of several neurologic disorders, but normative reference values of tibial nerve cross-sectional areas (CSA) have not been well established. Thus, the present meta-analysis was performed to generate normative estimates of tibial nerve CSA at various sites of the lower limb based on ultrasonography.

Methods: Google Scholar, Scopus and PubMed were searched for potential studies.

Evaluation of patient comprehension and quality of consumer medicine information.

Background: Consumer medicine information (CMI) is voluntarily produced by pharmaceutical manufacturers in Thailand, but quality assessment of Thai-CMI is not routinely performed.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the content and design quality of CMI available in Thailand and assess patient understanding of the medicine information provided.

Methods: A cross-sectional study that consisted of two phases.

Cross-Sectional Area of the Tibial Nerve in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Ultrasonography Studies.

Background: There is a link between diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) progression and the increase in the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the tibial nerve at the ankle. Nevertheless, no prior meta-analysis has been conducted to evaluate its usefulness for the diagnosis of DPN. Methods: We searched Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed for potential studies.

Evaluation of Patient's Knowledge of Atorvastatin Information in Patient Information Leaflets: A Pre-Post Intervention Study in Thailand.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of using atorvastatin PIL on patients' medication knowledge, perceptions of the PIL usefulness, their anxiety about the medication, and factors related to these aspects.

Patients And Methods: A pre-post intervention study was conducted in outpatients at a university hospital. Patients prescribed atorvastatin were enrolled using systematic random sampling.

Real-world Evaluation of glycemic control and hypoglycemic Events among type 2 Diabetes mellitus study (REEDS): a multicentre, cross-sectional study in Thailand.

Objective: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) often experience hypoglycaemia and weight gain due to treatment side effects. Sulfonylureas (SU) and the combination of SU and metformin (SU+MET) were the most common monotherapy and combination therapies used in Thailand tertiary care hospitals. This study aimed to assess the glycaemic goal attainment rates, hypoglycaemic episodes, weight gain and treatment compliance among patients with T2DM receiving SU or SU+MET.

Impact of Hypoglycemia on Health-Related Quality of Life among Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study in Thailand.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most common chronic diseases. Patients are generally advised lifestyle changes with antihyperglycemic agents prescribed. The major drawback of prescribing antihyperglycemic agents is the risk of hypoglycemia which subsequently impacts on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Efficacy and safety of gemigliptin as add-on therapy to insulin, with or without metformin, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (ZEUS II study).

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemigliptin added to a stable dose of insulin alone or of insulin in combination with metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. After a two-week run-in period, patients were randomized 2:1 to receive gemigliptin 50 mg or placebo once daily as add-on to background therapy with insulin or insulin plus metformin for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was change in haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) from baseline at Week 24.

Survey of outpatients' use and needs of patient medicine information leaflets in Thailand.

Background Patient information leaflets are important sources of medicine information. Regulations of patient information leaflet provision varies among country. Little is known regarding patients' behavior and expectation on use of patient information leaflets.

Confidence and accuracy in identification of adverse drug reactions reported by outpatients.

Background Patient reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) could supplement the existing reporting system and contribute to early detection of ADRs. The confidence in ADR identification and their attribution of ADRs were limited to outpatients. Objective To determine the type and frequency of ADRs reported by outpatients, to evaluate confidence and accuracy in ADR identification as well as contributing factors.

Initial development and testing of an instrument for patient self-assessment of adverse drug reactions.

Purpose: To develop and conduct preliminary testing of a causality assessment tool for patients, for potential use in encouraging both discussions with clinicians about suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and reporting to authorities.

Methods: Ten causality statements, developed from qualitative studies involving patients, with a scoring system allowing categorization, were embedded in a questionnaire which also included a symptom checklist and additional details about one suspected ADR and medicine, selected for causality assessment. Patients with experiences of suspected ADRs were involved in cognitive interviews (15), piloting (20) and psychometric testing (120).

Statin adverse effects: patients' experiences and laboratory monitoring of muscle and liver injuries.

Background: Although statins have great benefit on the prevention of cardiovascular diseases with limited adverse effects (AEs), little is known about patients' contribution of AE reports in clinical practice.

Objectives: To explore patients' experiences of statin AEs and related laboratory monitoring in clinical practice.

Setting: Outpatient clinics of two University hospitals in northeast Thailand.

Smoking and death in Thai diabetic patients: the Thailand Diabetic Registry cohort.

Objective: To determine the impact of smoking and quit smoking on mortality rate.

Material And Method: This prospective cohort was a three-year follow-up of Thai Diabetes Registry project that registered 9,370 diabetic patients from 10 diabetic clinics in tertiary medical centers in Bangkok and major provinces between April 2003 and February 2006.

Results: The groups of 7,487 (80%), 1,315 (14%), and 568 (6%) patients were classified as non-smokers, ex-smokers, and current smokers.

Abdominal epilepsy: an uncommon of non-convulsive status epilepticus.

Objective: To recognize abdominal epilepsy in adults.

Material And Method: Case report.

Results: Case 1: A 21-year-old woman with DM type I presented with a 2-month history involving four episodes of severe abdominal pain and vomiting, each of which lasted four to five days.

Thailand Diabetic Registry cohort: predicting death in Thai diabetic patients and causes of death.

Introduction: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Thailand is 9.8 percent which is double the number forecast by World Health Organization. There is inadequate information to statistically represent all Thai diabetic patients for their causes of death.

Efficacy and safety of generic and original pioglitazone in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a multicenter, a double-blinded, randomized-controlled study.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of generic (Utmos) and original (Actos) 30 mg Pioglitazone tablets.

Study Design: A multicenter, parallel randomized, double-blinded, controlled study.

Material And Method: Type 2 diabetic patients, with glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA,) > or = 7.

Prediction of seizure control in non-ketotic hyperglycemic induced seizures.

Background: To study the factors predictive for seizure control in non-ketotic hyperglycemic induced seizures (NKHS).

Methods: We studied 21 patients who were clinically diagnosed as NKHS at Khon Kaen University hospital, Thailand. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify the factors predictive for seizure control.

Do thiazides worsen metabolic syndrome and renal disease? The pivotal roles for hyperuricemia and hypokalemia.

Purpose Of Review: The aims of this article are to review the current controversies related to the use of thiazide diuretics as first-line treatment of hypertension and to discuss the causal roles for hyperuricemia and hypokalemia on the adverse consequences of thiazide usage.

Recent Findings: Thiazides significantly reduce morbidity and mortality in hypertensive subjects. There remains, however, debate about thiazide usage as first-line treatment of hypertension.

Thailand diabetes registry project: prevalence of vascular complications in long-standing type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To explore the nature of diabetic complications in type 2 diabetic patients who had had diabetes for longer than 15 years (long-DM), compared to those with duration of less than 15 years (short-DM).

Material And Method: Patients studied were adult type 2 diabetic patients registered to the Diabetes Registry Project, a nationwide cross-sectional study of diabetes mellitus in Thailand. Information collected included demographic data, age at diagnosis of diabetes, blood pressure, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, HbA(1c), serum creatinine, and major diabetic vascular complications, including diabetic retinopathy (DR), albuminuria or renal insufficiency (diabetic nephropathy; DN), myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), foot ulcer and amputation.

Thailand diabetes registry project: prevalence of hypertension, treatment and control of blood pressure in hypertensive adults with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of hypertension, patterns of antihypertensive treatment and level of blood pressure control in adult Thai type 2 diabetic patients who attended diabetes clinics in university and tertiary-care hospitals.

Material And Method: A cross-sectional, multi-center, hospital-based diabetes registry of 8884 adults 18 years old and older was carried out from diabetes clinics of 11 tertiary centers. Demographic data, including use of antihypertensive drugs and blood samples were collected and analyzed for prevalence, associated factors, patterns of antihypertensive therapy and level of blood pressure control.

Thailand diabetes registry project: glycemic control in Thai type 2 diabetes and its relation to hypoglycemic agent usage.

Objective: To determine the pattern of hyperglycemic agent usage in Thai type 2 diabetics (T2 DM) who attended the diabetes clinic in university and tertiary-care hospitals. The achievement oftarget glycemic control by various modalities of treatment was also analyzed.

Material And Method: A cross-sectional, hospital-based diabetes registry of 8913 type 2 diabetic patients in 11 tertiary care hospitals and medical schools was carried out from April to December 2003.

Thailand diabetes registry project: current status of dyslipidemia in Thai diabetic patients.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia in adult Thai type 2 diabetes who attended diabetes clinics in university and tertiary-care hospitals.

Material And Method: A cross-sectional, multi-center, hospital-based diabetes registry was conducted in 11 diabetic clinics in tertiary medical centers in Bangkok and major provinces between April and December 2003. A group of 9419 diabetic patients were registered.

Thailand diabetes registry project: prevalence and risk factors of stroke in thai diabetic patients.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of stroke and its risk factors in Thai diabetic patients who attended the diabetes clinics of university and tertiary-care hospitals.

Material And Method: A cross-sectional, multi-center hospital-based diabetes registry was carried out at diabetes clinics of 11 university and tertiary-care hospitals. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, common drugs used and laboratory parameters were analyzed for prevalence and risk factors associated with stroke.