Improving medication adherence in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review

Adherence to medication among individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is suboptimal and has negative impacts on survival and health care costs. No systematic review has examined the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve medication adherence. Electronic databases Medline and Cochrane were searched using a combination of MeSH and keywords. Eligible studies were interventions with a primary or secondary aim to improve medication adherence among individuals with COPD published in English. Included studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) criteria. Of the 1,186 papers identified, seven studies met inclusion criteria. Methodological quality of the studies was variable. Five studies identified effective interventions. Strategies included: brief counselling; monitoring and feedback about inhaler use through electronic medication delivery devices; and multi-component interventions consisting of self-management and care co-ordination delivered by pharmacists and primary care teams. Further research is needed to establish the most effective and cost effective interventions. Special attention should be given to increasing patient sample size and using a common measure of adherence to overcome methodological limitations. Interventions that involve caregivers and target the healthcare provider as well as the patient should be further explored.     

2型糖尿病合并高血压患者个性化延续护理研究

为探讨个性化延续护理对2型糖尿病合并高血压患者生活质量及服药依从性影响,本研究选取2015年6月至2017年1月在哈励逊国际和平医院治疗的150例2型糖尿病合并高血压患者,随机分组,对照组患者应用常规护理,试验组患者给予个性化延续护理,观察比较两组患者血糖、血压、焦虑自评量表(self-rating anxiety scale, SAS)、抑郁自评量表(self-rating depression scale, SDS)、自尊量表(self-esteem scale,SES)、依从性差异。结果显示,12个月后试验组患者空腹血糖(7.59±1.26) mmol/L,糖化血红蛋白(glycated hemoglobin, HbAIC)(5.62±1.28)%较对照组明显下降(p<0.05);12个月后试验组患者收缩压(116.08±9.41) mmHg、舒张压(90.35±6.92) mmHg明显低于对照组(p<0.05);试验组患者SAS (35.13±4.27)分、SDS (31.42±2.09)分、SES (25.01±5.85)分同对照组比较明显改善(p<0.05);试验组患者依从性97.33%、不良生活习惯改善94.67%、健康知识掌握98.67%同对照组比较显著升高(p<0.05)。本研究结论初步表明针对2型糖尿病合并高血压患者应用个性化延续护理可改善患者血糖和血压水平,提高患者生活质量和治疗依从性,值得推广应用。     

Levels and trends in cardiovascular risk factors and drug treatment in 4837 elderly Dutch myocardial infarction patients between 2002 and 2006

Background

It is important to gain insight into opportunities for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Our aim was to investigate levels and trends in cardiovascular risk factors and drug treatment in Dutch post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients between 2002 and 2006 and to make comparisons with the EUROASPIRE surveys (1999–2007).

Methods

We analysed data from 4837 post-MI patients (aged 69 years, 78% men) from 32 Dutch hospitals, using baseline cross-sectional data from the Alpha Omega Trial.

Results

Between 2002 and 2006, significant declines were found in the prevalence of smoking (23% to 16%, p < 0.001), hypercholesterolaemia (≥5 mmol/l; 54% to 27%, p < 0.0001) and hypertension (≥140/90 mmHg; 58% to 48%, p < 0.001). The prevalence of antithrombotic drugs was high (97%). The prevalence of lipid-modifying drugs and antihypertensives was high, and increased (74% to 90%, p < 0.0001 and 82% to 93%, p < 0.001, respectively). The prevalence of obesity (27%) was high in 2002 and decreased to 24% in 2006, albeit not significantly. Diabetes prevalence was high and increased between 2002 and 2006 (18% to 22%, p = 0.02). In comparison with EUROASPIRE patients, who were on average 8–10 years younger, our study in 2006 included patients with lower levels of obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes and lower use of antiplatelets and β-blockers, but similar levels of lipid-modifying drugs.

Conclusions

This study showed that older Dutch post-MI patients were adequately treated with drugs, and that risk factors reached lower levels than in the younger EUROASPIRE patients. However, there is room for improvement in diet and lifestyle, given the high prevalence of smoking, obesity, and diabetes.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12471-012-0248-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Association between obesity and prescribed medication use in England

We investigate the association between obesity and use of prescribed medications in England. Data were taken from fourteen rounds of the Health Survey for England (1999–2012), which has measures of current prescribed medication use based on therapeutic classifications in the British National Formulary, and nurse-measured height and weight. We find that obesity has a statistically significant and positive association with use of a range of medicines for managing diseases associated with obesity. The mean probability of using any type of medication is 0.40 in those of normal weight, 0.44 in the overweight, 0.52 in obesity class I and 0.60 in obesity class II/III. Significant positive associations were found between obesity and the use of medication for diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system, respiratory system, and central nervous system, as well as for infections, endocrine system disorders, gynaecological/urinary disorders and musculoskeletal and joint disorders. Use of anti-obesity medication is low, even among those with class II/III obesity.     

阿尔茨海默病的发病机制及药物治疗的研究进展

阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer's disease,AD)是一种慢性进行性神经变性疾病,早期临床表现为近期记忆力下降,后来逐渐发展为生活不能自理最终死亡。目前,有许多种假说阐述其发病机制,如β-淀粉样蛋白、载脂蛋白E、一些金属元素、炎症因子等,但都不全面,也有人认为其可能与朊蛋白有关。部分药物被用于治疗AD,如美金刚、胆碱酯酶抑制剂等,但疗效均不显著。一些新的治疗理念和方法也逐渐被发现,如脑源性神经生长因子(brain-derived neurotrophic factor,BDNF)以及免疫疗法等,但其远期疗效还需进一步证实,且一些副作用还并未被人们所知晓。本文主要对阿尔茨海默病的发病机制及药物治疗的研究进展进行了综述。     

循证医学在慢性充血性心力衰竭药物治疗中的应用

循证医学(evidence-based medicine,EBM)是近年来国际临床医学领域迅速发展起来的新学科,强调"为每位病人作出医疗决定时,应明确而仔细地使用现有的最好证据"。本文利用循证医学的方法,参照若干著名的大规模多中心的随机对照试验(ran- domized controlled trial,RCT)来评估目前几类临床常用药物在治疗慢性充血性心力衰竭中的作用,试图找出针对不同NYHA等级患者的最佳治疗建议。     

论《医疗事故处理条例》与《侵权责任法》的冲突

《医疗事故处理条例》与《中华人民共和国侵权责任法》是我国处理医疗纠纷案件非常重要的两部法律规范,由于二者在立法时间、立法层级和立法理念上的不同,导致它们在整体构架和具体规定上均存在一些相互冲突之处。正确梳理这些法律冲突,无论是对于理论上的学术研究,还是对于审判上的司法适用,均大有裨益。     

浙江杜鹃花属植物资源开发及利用

对浙江杜鹃花属植物的调查和标本鉴定的基础上,确认了该属在浙江共有21种2变种1变型(包括4个栽培种).按照其分布分为广布种、局域种和稀有种.该属植物在园林和医药方面有着广泛的应用,开发利用的幅度比较大.对该属的开发和保护方面提出了一些建议.     

Effects of labour and medication on major lymphocyte subsets in cord

It is envisaged that flow cytometric analysis of lymphocyte subsets in cord blood may be used as a biomarker for effects on the immune system of exposure to environmental factors. In order to investigate the possible application of this parameter, we first studied the effects of other factors that may influence the outcome of subset analysis in cord blood. FACS analysis was performed in 112 pairs of umbilical cord blood and of peripheral maternal blood sampled at labour. Whereas in maternal blood no statistically significant effects of medication during labour on T lymphocyte numbers and NK cells were found, in oxytocin and in oxytocin and prostaglandin treated mothers B cell numbers showed a statistically significant increase. In cord blood, the course of labour and or medication during labour were identified as the most important factors determining distribution of major lymphocyte subsets. In cord blood after deliveries without medication or after neuroplegic analgesia NPA, the mean percentage of cord blood T lymphocytes CD3 was highest 59 and that of NK lymphocytes CD3- CD16 56 lowest 20 . The mean percentage of T lymphocytes was significantly lower 52 and that of NK lymphocytes higher 28 in cord blood where deliveries were done under NPA in combination with infusion of oxytocin. The combination of NPA with oxytocin and induction of labour by prostaglandin E2 led to a further reduction of T lymphocytes and an increase of NK cells 39 and 38 respectively. The changes in ratio of T and NK lymphocytes were due both to decreasing absolute counts of T lymphocytes and increasing counts of NK lymphocytes. Thus, the effects of labour and or medication during labour must be taken into account when this parameter is applied as a potential biomarker of effects of environmental factors on the immune system.