Complementary medicine use in cancer patients receiving intravenous antineoplastic treatment.

Objective: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use has grown considerably, although there is little research on the topic in Spain. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of complementary medicine use in adult cancer patients at the same time as they were receiving conventional treatment in a Spanish referral cancer centre.

Method: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Ambulatory Treatment Unit during 2 consecutive weeks in March 2015.

Cost-effectiveness study of closed system transfer devices for the preparation of antineoplastic agents.

Most cytostatic drugs cannot be administered directly to patients in their marketed presentation, but require previous reconstitution conducted in the Pharmacy Unit areas for cytostatic preparation. There are systems that allow drug reconstitution and transfer once it has been diluted, in order to protect staff from any potential contamination during handling. These are commonly known as Closed Systems, and generally have a piece for vial attachment and a syringe adapter with a built-in filter, that replace the traditional needles.

Ceftazidime-induced thrombocytopenia.

Ceftazidime is an antibiotic belonging to the group of third generation cephalosporins, frequently used in clinical practice for its broad antibacterial spectrum. A case report is presented on a 78-year-old man who entered the intensive care unit due to respiratory failure secondary to nosocomial pneumonia in the postoperative period of a laparoscopic hepatic bisegmentectomy for a hepatocarcinoma. It required invasive mechanical ventilation and was treated with ceftazidime, developing a progressive decrease in platelet count after the onset of this drug and after re-exposure to it, not coinciding with the introduction of other drugs.

[Identifying potentially inappropriate prescriptions in patients over 65 years-old using original Beers criteria and their Spanish adaptation].

Objective: To compare the detection of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) using the original Beers criteria, a global reference for evaluating prescriptions in the elderly, and their Spanish version.

Design: Retrospective observational study LOCATION: A Primary Care area in the province of Murcia, Spain.

Participants: A total of 7,856 subjects aged 65 and over, with at least one drug prescribed in a Primary Care Area of Spain during study period.

Assessment of bevacizumab quality and stability in repackaged syringes for clinical use.

Objectives: Among measures taken to optimise financial resources, the off-label use of bevacizumab (Avastin) in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) involves its repackaging from higher volume dosage forms. This use requires studies to analyse the viability of the repackaged preparations to ensure their quality, safety and efficacy. Our aim was to assess the structural stability and particle size of bevacizumab after it was repackaged from the original glass vials and stored in plastic syringes.

[Utilization of hormone replacement therapy in Spain: Trends in the period 2000-2014].

Background And Objective: The objective of the study was to describe the trends of utilization, supply and prevalence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in Spain during the period 2000-2014.

Methods: Annual prevalence of HRT use including the 95% CI was calculated for women aged≥40 using individual data from the national population-based database BIFAP. Annual and total-period consumptions were expressed in defined daily doses (DDD) per 1,000 inhabitants per day and were obtained from the databases of medications dispensed in community pharmacies and charged through official prescriptions to the Spanish National Health System.

Biosimilars: A new scenario in biologic therapies.

There is no doubt that biologic therapies provide added value for health systems. However, due to their special nature, they also raise some questions that make highly rigorous and demanding quality control and monitoring of their use indispensable. This circumstance is reinforced with the appearance on the scene of biosimilars, which, given their lower cost, are having an increasing impact on the international market.

[The challenge of administering anti-tuberculosis treatment in infants and pre-school children. pTBred Magistral Project].

Introduction: There are no paediatric formulations of anti-tuberculous drugs in Spain, with the only exception being rifampicin. Some paediatricians often prescribe composite formulations (CF), while others prefer to give crushed tablets. Nevertheless, there is no consensus in this regard, or any pharmacokinetic studies validating these procedures.

Cost analysis of biologic drugs in rheumatoid arthritis first line treatment after methotrexate failure according to patients' body weight.

Objective: The objective was to assess the influence of patients' weight in the cost of rheumatoid arthritis treatment with biologic drugs used in first line after non-adequate response to methotrexate.

Patients And Method: Pharmaceutical and administration costs were calculated in two scenarios: non-optimization and optimization of intravenous (IV) vials. The retrospective analysis of 66 patients from a Spanish 1,000 beds-hospital Rheumatology Clinic Service was used to obtain posology and weight data.

Administration of calcimimetics after dialysis: same effectiveness, better gastrointestinal tolerability.

Introduction: Cinacalcet has proved effective to control secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients on haemodialysis (HD). Some studies have reported an appropriate secondary hyperparathyroidism control and a better compliance after intradialytic use of calcimimetics.

Objectives: To assess the effect of post-dialysis calcimimetics use on mineral bone disorders and calcimimetics gastrointestinal tolerability in our HD unit.

[Vancomycin intoxication in a patient with inappropriate antidiuretic hormone syndrome and diarrhea].

Vancomycin is an antibiotic used for infections by gram-positive bacteria with a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model. Its monitoring has an established therapeutic range (10-20 mg/L) to prevent nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity due to supratherapeutic levels, and inefficiency and development of resistance by subtherapeutic levels. Nephrotoxicity for vancomycin monotherapy at standard doses according to pathogen and typical regimens (usual dose: 15-20 mg/kg/12 h) is rare and usually reversible.

Potentially inappropriate prescribing detected by STOPP-START criteria: are they really inappropriate?

Background: the STOPP-START criteria were developed to detect potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) in older people. The reasons why multidisciplinary geriatric teams decide not to follow STOPP-START criteria have not been studied.

Objective: to analyse compliance with the recommendations of the STOPP-START criteria in older inpatients.

[Prevalence of malnutrition in not critically ill older inpatients].

Background: Elder people suffer physiological changes and illnes that increase the risk of malnutrition. Nutritional status is a major prognosis factor in older people. This study is aimed at estimating the prevalence of malnutrition among the population of 65 and over inpatients as much at admission as at discharge.

[Etanercept on steroid-refractary acute graft-versus-host disease].

Unlabelled: Objetive: To describe etanercept use and effectiveness on steroid- refractary acute graft-versus-host disease after hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Method: Patients treated with etanercept as off label use for steroid-refractary acute graft-versus-host disease were selected and each patient's medical history was reviewed to assess the clinical response.

Results: The study included five patients: four presented with digestive manifestations and one presented pulmonary and liver manifestations.

[Implementation of a robot for the preparation of antineoplastic drugs in the Pharmacy Service].

Objective: To describe the implementation of a robot for the preparation of antineoplastic drugs in the Pharmacy Service and to be able to analyze the added value to pharmacotherapy.

Methods: The implementation was carried out in June 2012 at a tertiary level Hospital, taking place in two periods: 1- test period with the installation of the robot, with technical configuration of the equipment and validation of 29 active ingredients and the integration of electronic prescribing software with the robot application (9 months). 2- Usage period (22 months).