Excipient induced allergies in oral medications: unravelling the covert threat - a systematic review.

Excipients have been identified as 'inert' substances that often enhance the non-pharmacological aspects of a medication. However, recent clinical evidence elucidates their potential in inducing anaphylaxis and indicates that they are often overlooked as potential allergens in routine clinical practice. The aim of the study was to assimilate published evidence on excipient-induced allergies associated with the use of oral medications and to underline their potential as potent allergens.

Caregiver Medication Information Needs and Medication Management Challenges in Pediatric Cancer: A Systematic Review.

The objective of this systematic review was to identify the medication information needs and preferences of caregivers of children with cancer and explore the medication management challenges these caregivers experienced. We conducted a systematic search of three databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, and Medline) for studies published from database inception to February 27, 2024, and assessed the medication information needs of caregivers of children with cancer. The methodological quality of qualitative studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Qualitative Research Checklist.

Side Effects of Psychotropic Medications Experienced by a Community Sample of People Living With Severe and Persistent Mental Illness.

Background: Psychotropic medications are a common treatment modality for people living with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). While effective in reducing relapse and hospitalisation, psychotropic medications cause numerous side effects, varying in nature and severity. Identification and management of side effects is crucial in the ongoing management of SPMI.

Effectiveness of strategies for implementing guideline-concordant care in low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Background: International low back pain guidelines recommend providing education/advice to patients, discouraging routine imaging use, and encouraging judicious prescribing of analgesics. However, practice variation occurs and the effectiveness of implementation strategies to promote guideline-concordant care is unclear. This review aims to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of implementation strategies to promote guideline-concordant care for low back pain.

Utilization and associated factors of TPMT testing among Australian adults receiving thiopurines: A national retrospective data-linkage study.

Introduction: Thiopurine drugs are metabolized by thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) and low TPMT activity can result in severe adverse drug reactions. Therefore, TPMT testing is recommended for individuals receiving thiopurines to reduce the risk of toxicity.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess the rate of TPMT testing among individuals receiving thiopurines and explore factors associated with undergoing TPMT testing in Australia.

Association between self-reported pain experiences in hospital and ratings of care, readmission and emergency department visits: a population-based study from New South Wales, Australia.

Introduction: Evidence on patient experiences with pain in hospitals and its impact on post-discharge outcomes is limited. This study investigated the prevalence of pain in hospitals, patient characteristics associated with pain management adequacy, and the link between pain experiences, care ratings, readmission and emergency department visits after discharge.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the 2019 Adult Admitted Patient Survey, focusing on self-reported pain experiences, including presence, severity and management adequacy.

Pharmacists' mental health support behaviours with simulated patients: a mixed-methods pilot study.

Background: Simulated mental health role-plays provide a safe and relevant learning experience for pharmacy students, improving confidence in and attitudes towards providing mental health support. Little research explores the use of mental health role-plays, enacted by trained actors, with pharmacists.

Objectives: This study aimed to pilot the adaptation of simulated patient (SP) role-plays, from the university classroom with students, to a workshop with pharmacists, and explore pharmacists' experiences.

Evaluation of Mental Health First Aid Training and Simulated Psychosis Care Role-Plays for Pharmacy Education.

Objective: This study explored the impact of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and simulated psychosis care role-plays on pharmacy students' stigma, confidence, and behaviors when supporting people experiencing mental health symptoms or crises.

Methods: MHFA training was delivered to final year pharmacy students. Post-MHFA training, students were invited to participate in simulated psychosis care role-plays (co-designed and content validated with mental health stakeholders) with trained actors.

Usability Evaluation Methods Used in Electronic Discharge Summaries: Literature Review.

Background: With the widespread adoption of digital health records, including electronic discharge summaries (eDS), it is important to assess their usability in order to understand whether they meet the needs of the end users. While there are established approaches for evaluating the usability of electronic health records, there is a lack of knowledge regarding suitable evaluation methods specifically for eDS.

Objective: This literature review aims to identify the usability evaluation approaches used in eDS.

Impact of Interventions on Medication Adherence in Patients With Coexisting Diabetes and Hypertension.

Background: The coexistence of diabetes and hypertension is prevalent due to shared risk factors. Pharmacological treatment has been reported to be effective in managing both conditions. However, treatment effectiveness depends on the extent to which a patient adheres to their treatment.

The association between patient-reported experiences with hospital food services and recovery outcomes - A population survey of patients from 75 public hospitals.

Background: The quality of food service is vital to patients' experiences in care and recovery in hospitals. This study aimed to identify opportunities for improving hospital food services to enhance overall patient experiences and outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study uses the Adult Admitted Patient Survey in 2019.

Impact of an educational intervention utilising a three-dimensional-printed model for ultrasound-guided intra-articular injections of the dislocated shoulder.

Objective: Intra-articular injection of local anaesthetic provides safe and effective analgesia for patients with shoulder dislocation. We designed a three-dimensional-printed ultrasound model of the shoulder to educate ED clinicians on use of this technique. We aimed to evaluate the impact of a 1-h training session using this model on participants' knowledge, skills and clinical practice.

Inflammation altered correlation between CYP2C19 genotype and CYP2C19 activity in patients receiving voriconazole.

Voriconazole is the cornerstone of the treatment and prevention of fungal infections. While there is a good correlation between CYP2C19 genotype and voriconazole exposure during prophylactic treatment, no correlation was found in patients with invasive aspergillosis. Proinflammatory cytokines result in inhibition of CYP2C19 enzyme activity (and may result in phenoconversion).

Development and validation of measures of pharmacists' acceptability and willingness to screen for perinatal depression.

Background: While pharmacists' roles in mental healthcare are expanding, research exploring pharmacists' acceptability and willingness to provide mental health services is limited. This study developed and validated theory-driven measures of pharmacists' acceptability and willingness to screen for perinatal depression in community pharmacy settings.

Materials/methods: Items were developed using published literature and the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA), then content validated using consensus methods with experts who completed the content validity index (CVI).

Elucidating the Link Between Anxiety/Depression and Alzheimer's Dementia in the Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) Study.

Background: The associations between mood disorders (anxiety and depression) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer's dementia (AD) remain unclear.

Methods: Data from the Australian Imaging, Biomarker & Lifestyle (AIBL) study were subjected to logistic regression to determine both cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between anxiety/depression and MCI/AD. Effect modification by selected covariates was analysed using the likelihood ratio test.

What do clinical practice guidelines say about deprescribing? A scoping review.

Introduction: Deprescribing () is an integral component of appropriate prescribing. The extent to which deprescribing recommendations are included in clinical practice guidelines is unclear. This scoping review aimed to identify guidelines that contain deprescribing recommendations, qualitatively explore the content and format of deprescribing recommendations and estimate the proportion of guidelines that contain deprescribing recommendations.

Drivers of citations in social pharmacy and practice research articles.

Background: Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy has been expanding in the last decade. The recently published Granada Statements offer key recommendations to improve the quality of research in this field.

Objectives: To identify the factors associated with the citations of articles in the field of social, administrative, clinical pharmacy and practice research.

Community pharmacists' views and experiences of delivering in-pharmacy medication reviews for people living with severe and persistent mental illness: a qualitative study.

Background: People living with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) often take multiple medications and are at risk of experiencing medication related problems. Medication review services have the potential to reduce inappropriate use of psychotropic medications and improve adherence. However, there is limited research regarding pharmacists' perspectives when providing such services.

Exploring the implementation of a novel community pharmacist-led support service for people living with severe and persistent mental illness.

Background: Community pharmacists are well-placed to promote and provide mental health medication management services. However, literature evaluating the impact of pharmacy services in supporting people living with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) is currently limited. An individualised, goal-oriented pharmacist-led support service that focused on improving the physical and mental health of consumers living with SPMI, namely the PharMIbridge intervention, was provided to consumer participants as part of the PharMIbridge Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT).

Professional stigma towards clients with methamphetamine use disorder - a qualitative study.

Background: Methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) is associated with poor health outcomes. Pharmacists play a role in delivery of substance use treatment, with several studies having examined their attitudes to people with opioid use disorder, but little is known about their attitude towards people with MUD. This study aimed to explore pharmacists' perspectives on the provision of services to clients with MUD.

Development of an adaptation framework to implement a new professional pharmacy service (PPS) to a new environment.

The effective provision of professional pharmacy services is critical to support the delivery of primary health care. Structured frameworks and theoretical strategies are required to facilitate successful service implementation processes, outcomes and sustainability. This commentary discusses the considerations of what framework (adoption versus adaptation) would be suitable when implementing a new professional pharmacy service to a new environment.

Medication Adherence Among Patients With Kidney Disease: An Umbrella Review.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) imposes a significant medication burden on patients due to the necessity of multiple treatments to slow disease progression, manage coexisting conditions, and address complications. The complex medication regimen, in turn, has implications for clinical and patient-centered outcomes. This umbrella review provides comprehensive evidence on extent of medication nonadherence among adults with CKD, as well as associated risk factors, outcomes, and the effectiveness of interventions by synthesizing evidence from published systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses.

Exploring the association between cancer and cognitive impairment in the Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle (AIBL) study.

An inverse association between cancer and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been demonstrated; however, the association between cancer and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and the association between cancer and cognitive decline are yet to be clarified. The AIBL dataset was used to address these knowledge gaps. The crude and adjusted odds ratios for MCI/AD and cognitive decline were compared between participants with/without cancer (referred to as C+ and C- participants).

Are SMART goals fit-for-purpose? Goal planning with mental health service-users in Australian community pharmacies.

Goal planning is an important element in brief health interventions provided in primary healthcare settings, with specific, measurable, achievable, realistic/relevant, and timed (SMART) goals recommended as best practice. This study examined the use of SMART goals by Australian community pharmacists providing a brief goal-oriented wellbeing intervention with service-users experiencing severe and persistent mental illnesses (SPMIs), in particular, which aspects of SMART goal planning were incorporated into the documented goals. Goal data from the PharMIbridge Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) were used to investigate how community pharmacists operationalized SMART goals, goal quality, and which SMART goal planning format aspects were most utilized.

Impact of a pharmacy-led screening and intervention in people at risk of or living with chronic kidney disease in a primary care setting: a cluster randomised trial protocol.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasingly recognised as a growing global public health problem. Early detection and management can significantly reduce the loss of kidney function. The proposed trial aims to evaluate the impact of a community pharmacy-led intervention combining CKD screening and medication review on CKD detection and quality use of medicines (QUM) for patients with CKD.