Evaluation of the Prescribing Skills Assessment implementation, performance and medical student experience in Australia and New Zealand.

Aims: The UK Prescribing Safety Assessment was modified for use in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) as the Prescribing Skills Assessment (PSA). We investigated the implementation, student performance and acceptability of the ANZ PSA for final-year medical students.

Methods: This study used a mixed-method approach involving student data (n = 6440) for 2017-2019 (PSA overall score and 8 domain subscores).

Homeopathic medicinal products for preventing and treating acute respiratory tract infections in children.

Background: Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are common and may lead to complications. Most children experience between three and six ARTIs annually. Although most infections are self-limiting, symptoms can be distressing.

Dynamics of Patient-Based Benefit-Risk Assessment of Medicines in Chronic Diseases: A Systematic Review.

Background: A critical gap exits in understanding the dynamics of patient-based benefit-risk assessment (BRA) of medicines in chronic diseases during the disease journey.

Purpose: To systematically review and synthesize current evidence on the changes of patients' preferences about the benefits and risks of medicines during their disease journey including the influence of disease duration and severity, and previous treatment experience.

Methods: A systematic review of studies identified in PubMed and Embase, from inception to November 2020, was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement.

Patient concerns regarding antidepressant drug–drug interactions: a retrospective analysis using data from a medicines call centre.

Introduction Antidepressant use has increased over the last two decades, with Australia and New Zealand among the highest antidepressant users in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Comorbidity and polypharmacy are common in antidepressant users, increasing the likelihood of interaction-related adverse drug events, which are frequently preventable. Aim We aimed to identify, profile, and analyse potential antidepressant drug-drug interactions in information-seeking antidepressant users.

Patient-based benefit-risk assessment of medicines: development, refinement, and validation of a content search strategy to retrieve relevant studies.

Introduction: Poor indexing and inconsistent use of terms and keywords may prevent efficient retrieval of studies on the patient-based benefit-risk assessment (BRA) of medicines. We aimed to develop and validate an objectively derived content search strategy containing generic search terms that can be adapted for any search for evidence on patient-based BRA of medicines for any therapeutic area.

Methods: We used a robust multistep process to develop and validate the content search strategy: (1) we developed a bank of search terms derived from screening studies on patient-based BRA of medicines in various therapeutic areas, (2) we refined the proposed content search strategy through an iterative process of testing sensitivity and precision of search terms, and (3) we validated the final search strategy in PubMed by firstly using multiple sclerosis as a case condition and secondly computing its relative performance versus a published systematic review on patient-based BRA of medicines in rheumatoid arthritis.

Long term impact of the WHI studies on information-seeking and decision-making in menopause symptoms management: a longitudinal analysis of questions to a medicines call centre.

Background: While women are taking a greater role in decisions about menopause symptom management, the legacy of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) studies persist. Despite hormone therapy (HT) being effective in reducing all-cause mortality, many women seeking relief of menopausal symptoms exaggerate HT harms and overstate the perceived benefits or ignore the risks of alternative therapies. We aimed to explore the longitudinal impact of the widely-publicised WHI 2002 study on women's information-seeking and describe determinants of decision-making about managing menopausal symptoms.

Trends in Systemic Antifungal Use in Australia, 2005-2016: a Time-Series Analysis.

Data on antifungal utilization trends are important for encouraging antifungal stewardship. This study explored the use of antifungal agents for systemic application and the impact of reimbursement policy changes in Australia. We analyzed national data from the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) (2005-2016) and determined patterns of use over time and the impact of reimbursement decisions using an interrupted time-series model.

Heliox for croup in children.

Background: Croup is an acute viral respiratory infection with upper airway mucosal inflammation that may cause respiratory distress. Most cases are mild. Moderate to severe croup may require treatment with corticosteroids (the benefits of which are often delayed) and nebulised epinephrine (adrenaline) (the benefits of which may be short-lived and which can cause dose-related adverse effects including tachycardia, arrhythmias, and hypertension).

ICU Patients' Antibiotic Exposure and Triazole-Resistance in Invasive Candidiasis: Parallel Analysis of Aggregated and Individual Data.

The relationship between antibiotic use and the incidence of triazole-resistant phenotypes of invasive candidiasis (IC) in critically ill patients is unclear. Different methodologies on determining this relationship may yield different results. A retrospective multicenter observational analysis was conducted to investigate exposure to antibiotics and the incidence of non-duplicate clinical isolates of spp.

Homeopathic Preparations for Preventing and Treating Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Acute upper respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are common and mostly self-limiting. A range of treatments are used with the aim to cure or treat symptoms, including widespread use of homeopathic treatments.

Objective: To undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of trials with the highest level of evidence, to establish the benefits and risks for oral homeopathic remedies used to treat and prevent ARTIs in children.

Withdrawal and Misuse Concerns of Consumers regarding Opioid Analgesic and Anxiolytic, Hypnotic and Sedative Medicines.

Opioid analgesic (OA) and anxiolytic, hypnotic and sedative (AHS) medicines use raise community concerns about risks of dependence: dose escalation, unintentional misuse. We aimed to identify common consumer OA and AHS information gaps and concerns that led to information seeking from a hotline. We conducted a retrospective, mixed-method observational study of consumers' OA and AHS-related calls to an Australian national medicines call center (September 2002-30 June 2010).

Real-world questions and concerns about disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs): a retrospective analysis of questions to a medicine call center.

Background: Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have transformed the treatment of numerous autoimmune and inflammatory diseases but their perceived risk of harm may be a barrier to use.

Methods: In a retrospective mixed-methods study, we analysed conventional (c) and biologic (b) DMARDs-related calls and compared them with rest of calls (ROC) from consumers to an Australian national medicine call center operated by clinical pharmacists from September 2002 to June 2010. This includes the period where bDMARDs became available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, the government-subsidized prescription medicines formulary.

Consumption of medicines used for gastric acid-related disorders in Australia and South Korea: a cross-country comparison.

Purpose: The study's aim was to compare the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), histamine 2-receptor antagonists (HRAs) and mucoprotective medicines (MPs) used for gastric acid-related disorders (GARD) in Australia and South Korea (Korea) from 2004 to 2017.

Methods: Prescription data for PPIs, HRAs and MPs for Australian outpatients were extracted from the Australian Statistics on Medicines annual reports, with dose-specific and expenditure data obtained from Medicare. Similar data were obtained from Korean National Health Insurance Service claims data.

Antifungal agents for invasive candidiasis in non-neutropenic critically ill adults: What do the guidelines recommend?

Objectives: Recommendations in clinical practice guidelines (CPG) may differ and cause confusion. Our objective was to appraise CPGs for antifungal treatment of invasive candidiasis (IC) in non-neutropenic critically ill adult patients.

Methods: We systematically searched the literature for CPGs published between 2008 and 2018.

Implementing a sustainable medication reconciliation process in Australian hospitals: The World Health Organization High 5s project.

Background: Medication reconciliation (medrec) is a mandated patient safety strategy by national, including Australian, accreditation bodies. Yet there are no validated performance measures.

Objective: To determine the feasibility of implementing the World Health Organization (WHO) Medrec Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) in a range of Australian acute care facilities to achieve measurable and sustainable reductions in medication discrepancies occurring at admission.

Network meta-analysis and pharmacoeconomic evaluation of antibiotics for the treatment of patients infected with complicated skin and soft structure infection and hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated penumonia.

Background: Infections due to methicillin-resistant MRSA) cause serious health risks and significant economic burdens and the preferred drugs are still controversial.

Methods: We performed a network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the efficacy and safety of antibiotics used to treat inpatients with complicated skin and soft structure infections (cSSSI) or hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP/VAP). We also developed a decision tree model to assess the cost-effectiveness of antibiotics.

Heliox for croup in children.

Background: Croup is an acute viral respiratory infection with upper airway mucosal inflammation that may cause respiratory distress. Most cases are mild. Moderate to severe croup may require treatment with corticosteroids (from which benefits are often delayed) and nebulised epinephrine (adrenaline) (which may be short-lived and can cause dose-related adverse effects including tachycardia, arrhythmias, and hypertension).

Homeopathic medicinal products for preventing and treating acute respiratory tract infections in children.

Background: Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are common and may lead to complications. Most children experience between three and six ARTIs annually. Although these infections are self-limiting, symptoms can be distressing.

Does consumer medicines interest reflect medicines use? An observational study comparing medicines call center queries with medicines use.

Background: Consumers have questions about their medication but the nature of these concerns and how they reflect medication use is unknown.

Objectives: To determine the characteristics and medicines interests of callers to an Australian medicines call center and whether the medicines interest of callers corresponds with medicines utilization.

Methods: Data from consumers who contacted a national medicines call center between September 2002 and June 2010 were analyzed.

Learnings and challenges to deploy an interprofessional and independent medical education programme to a new audience.

The importance of interprofessional education (IPE) in continuing medical education and professional development has long been recognised by health organisations and academic societies, benefiting not only patient outcomes and interprofessional relationships but also overall health systems and workforce shortage. We report on the outcomes of an Australian IPE activity on medication-overuse headache (MOH) with general practitioners (GPs) and community pharmacists as learners. The design of the activity, which followed the predisposing-enabling-reinforcing instructional framework by Green and Kreuter, aimed to: (1) improve knowledge and foster a willingness in GPs and pharmacists to work collaboratively to enhance the prevention, diagnosis and management of MOH; and (2) address their educational gap by demonstrating the utility of a blended learning IPE strategy on MOH.

Homeopathic medicinal products for preventing and treating acute respiratory tract infections in children.

Background: Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are common and may lead to complications. Most children experience between three and six ARTIs each year. Although these infections are self limiting, the symptoms can be distressing.

Changing environment of hyperglycemia in pregnancy: Gestational diabetes and diabetes mellitus in pregnancy.

The diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have been in a state of flux since the World Health Organization accepted and endorsed the International Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group's diagnostic pathway and criteria in 2013. These new diagnostic criteria identify an increasing number of women at risk of hyperglycemia in pregnancy (HGiP). Maternal hyperglycemia represents a significant risk to the mother and fetus, in both the short and long term.

The bidirectional relationship between vasomotor symptoms and depression across the menopausal transition: a systematic review of longitudinal studies.

Objective: To explore the nature of the bidirectional relationship between vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and depression, and to determine whether hot flashes and night sweats differentially affect the association between VMS and depression through their effect on sleep disruption.

Methods: Multiple databases were searched from 1961 until July 31, 2016, and a manual search of reference lists of identified articles was conducted. Sixteen articles that involved 10,008 participants were identified and analyzed.