High blood eosinophil count is associated with more frequent asthma attacks in asthma patients.

Background: The clinical importance of eosinophils in asthma has been shown by the observation of frequent exacerbation in patients with high sputum eosinophil counts and a corresponding decrease in exacerbations when anti-inflammatory therapy was adjusted to maintain low sputum eosinophil percentages. However, less is known of the relation between blood eosinophilia and asthma exacerbation.

Objective: To examine whether patients with asthma and a higher blood eosinophil count have more asthma attacks than those with a lower count.

Esomeprazole formulary exclusion: impact on total health care services use and costs.

Esomeprazole was excluded from the United Healthcare formulary for all commercial health plan members January 1, 2007. A retrospective analysis of the Ingenix LabRx database (September 1, 2005, through June 30, 2007) evaluated the effect of this exclusion on health care utilization and costs in a real-world setting. Total medical care services, including pharmacy claims, were examined for 6 months before and after the esomeprazole exclusion.

Concomitant use of statins and CYP3A4 inhibitors in administrative claims and electronic medical records databases.

Background: Patients may experience increased risk of adverse drug interactions when statins are administered concomitantly with cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) inhibitors.

Objective: To determine patient numbers in routine clinical practice with concomitant exposure to CYP3A4-metabolized statins and CYP3A4 inhibitors and highlight potential risk for adverse drug interaction.

Methods: Exposure to prescription medications over 1 year (2005-2006) was evaluated from patient records: US PharMetrics Integrated Patient-Centric administrative claims database and the US General Electric Medical System (GEMS) database.

Impact of bipolar disorder on the family: utilization and cost of health care resources.

Objective: Our retrospective analysis compared costs and patterns of health care utilization by families that included a member with bipolar disorder ("bipolar families") and by families without serious psychiatric disease ("control families").

Methods: We used the MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database covering January 1998 through December 2002. International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-CM) codes were used to identify individuals with bipolar disorder and link them to their family members.