Comparing COPD treatment: nebulizer, metered dose inhaler, and concomitant therapy.

Purpose: Patients using albuterol and ipratropium for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can use either nebulizers or metered dose inhalers. This study compared the 2 methods of delivering medication and the concomitant use of both nebulizer and inhaler, with respect to health-related quality of life, patient symptoms, and efficacy.

Subjects And Methods: Patients over 50 years old with COPD were randomized into 3 groups: nebulizer, inhaler, or concomitant treatment.

The impact of managed eye care on use of vision services, vision costs, and patient satisfaction.

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the impact of introducing a managed vision benefit program on the use and costs of vision services in a managed care setting and also to assess satisfaction with those services after the program was introduced.

Methods: Utilization and costs were compared for two groups of patients. The comparison group (n = 36,168) included all patients enrolled for 18 months before implementation of the managed eye-care plan.

Functional status and somatization as predictors of medical offset in anxious and depressed patients.

Objective: Certain anxious/depressed primary care patients decrease medical utilization after mental health treatment. Previous research has established demo-graphic and medical comorbidities as distinguishing these patients. We asked whether characteristics such as symptom severity, somatization, or health-related quality of life (HRQoL) could also distinguish patients who reduce or increase primary care utilization after mental health care.

Prospective study designs in outcomes research: the case of migraine.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs), including resource utilisation, productivity and quality of life, are important outcomes in the field of migraine. Clinical trials have begun to incorporate PROs; however, not all research questions can be answered fully within the framework of a clinical trial design. Other prospective designs, including effectiveness trials, observational studies, and study hybrids may be used to answer many of the different research questions related to PROs.