Background: The increasing use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) both on prescription and over the counter raises a major global health concern because of the risks associated with their use if no prop...Background: The increasing use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) both on prescription and over the counter raises a major global health concern because of the risks associated with their use if no proper guidance is given by the health care provider. This study assessed the roles of community pharmacists in screening and disseminating information about the risks associated with NSAID use in Zambia. Methodology: This was a national cross-sectional study in which a structured self-administered questionnaire was administered to 245 registered community pharmacists in Zambia. Stata/BE, version 15.1 (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA) and multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine factors associated with information dissemination about ADRs of NS-NSAIDs. Results: 231 of the 245 distributed questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 94.3%. All (100%) participating community pharmacists claimed to have practiced dispensing NSAIDs. However, only 26 (11.0%) and 71 (30.8%) regularly screened for risk factor of selective COX-2 NSAIDS (SC2-NSAIDS) and non-selective NSAIDS (NS-NSAIDs) respectively. Information dissemination on adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of SC2-NSAIDS was regularly provided by only 22 (9.5%) of pharmacists while that of NS-NSAIDs was regularly provided by 49 (21.2%). In the multivariate logistic regression model, being the owner of a pharmacy (AOR: 5.4, CI: 1.84 - 16.4) was significantly associated with information dissemination about ADRs of NS-NSAIDs while an hour increase in the working hours per day (AOR: 0.9, CI: 0.64 - 0.95) was associated with less likelihood of information dissemination. Conclusion: Pharmacists working in community pharmacies in Zambia did not regularly screen and disseminate information about the risks associated with NSAID use. Therefore, pharmacists should be able to screen and monitor patients at risk and be aware of the majority of risk factors while dispensing NSAIDs to minimize the associated complications.展开更多
AIM:To investigate the risk factors and characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) in the patients with drug-resistant chronic hepatitis B(CHB).METHODS:A total of 432 patients with drug-resistant CHB were analyz...AIM:To investigate the risk factors and characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) in the patients with drug-resistant chronic hepatitis B(CHB).METHODS:A total of 432 patients with drug-resistant CHB were analyzed retrospectively from January 2004to December 2012. The patients were divided into two groups:the HCC group(n = 57) and the non-HCC group(n = 375). Two groups compared using logistic regression for various patients and viral characteristics in order to identify associated risk factors for HCC.Secondarily,patient and tumor characteristics of HCC patients with na ve CHB(N group,n = 117) were compared to the HCC group(R group,n = 57) to identify any difference in HCC characteristics between them.RESULTS:A significant difference was found for age,platelet count,alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),positivity of HBeAg,seroconversion rate of HBeAg,virologic response,the Child-Pugh score,presence of rtM204I,and the duration of antiviral treatment in non-HCC and HCC group. Cirrhosis,age(> 50 years),HBeAg(+),virologic non-responder status,and rtM204I mutants were independent risk factors for the development of HCC. The R group had lower serum C-reactive protein(CRP) and AFP levels,earlier stage tumors,and a shorter mean tumor surveillance period than the N group. However,the total follow-up duration was not significantly different between the two groups.CONCLUSION:13.2% of patients with drug-resistant CHB developed HCC. Age,cirrhosis,YIDD status,HBeAg status,and virologic response are associated with risk of HCC. Patients with drug-resistant CHB and these clinical factors may benefit from closer HCC surveillance.展开更多
The paper examines the effects of grapefruit consumption in relation to drugs, obesity and cardiovascular risk factors. The review includes the most updated studies found in Pub-Med. The grapefruit effect refers to th...The paper examines the effects of grapefruit consumption in relation to drugs, obesity and cardiovascular risk factors. The review includes the most updated studies found in Pub-Med. The grapefruit effect refers to the ability of grapefruit juice and supplements to interact with a wide variety of pharmaceuticals, either enhancing or limiting their systemic availability. Due to altering the active dosage of the pharmaceutical, Grapefruit juice is commonly not allowed to be used alongside with many drugs. Naringin is the most important one, which can inhibit absorption of some drugs but more commonly 6’7’-dihydroxybergamottin, which inhibits CYP3A4. Lately, grapefruit has been found both in rats and adults to reduce body weight, blood pressure, improve lipid and hepatic profile and decrease platelet aggregation. These promising results must be followed by additional studies in order to add to the importance of the role and effects of grapefruit as part of our diet.展开更多
The aim of the current study was to examine the prevalence of HIV, past six-month illicit drug use, and risk behaviors among a population of heavy drug users living in an urban setting. Although many studies investiga...The aim of the current study was to examine the prevalence of HIV, past six-month illicit drug use, and risk behaviors among a population of heavy drug users living in an urban setting. Although many studies investigate substance use, sex-risk behavior, and HIV by race and gender, no studies have examined these variables simultaneously. The current study seeks to fill this gap in the literature by exploring HIV prevalence among a predominantly heterosexual sample of recent substance users by injection drug use (IDU) status, race, and sex. Baseline data from the Baltimore site of the NEURO-HIV epidemiologic study was used in this study. This study examines neuropsychological and social-behavioral risk factors of HIV, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C among both injection and non-injection drug users. Descriptive statistics and chi-square statistics were used in data analyses. Blood and urine samples were obtained to test for the presence of recent drug use, viral hepatitis, HIV, and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Findings presented here have several important implications for HIV prevention and care among substance users. Intervention programs that incorporate substance use treatment in addition to HIV education, particularly with respect to substance use and sex risk behavior are imperative.展开更多
<strong>Background:</strong><span><span><span style="font-family:""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Group B </span><i><span style="f...<strong>Background:</strong><span><span><span style="font-family:""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Group B </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Streptococcus </span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(GBS) is a major cause of bacterial infections in the perinatal period, of which colonization prevalence among Northern-Nigerian pregnant women is scarce. We attempted to determine </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">1</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) its prevalence</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">,</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) risk factors for GBS colonization and </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">3</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) drugs-susceptibility.</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Methodology:</span></b></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> This cross-sectional study involved 185 pregnant women between 35</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">-</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">37 weeks of gestation at tertiary health center of Sokoto, Nigeria. </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Vaginal/rectal swabs were collected, were cultured for GBS and tested for drug-</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">susceptibilities. The study was conducted between December, 2017 and April, </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2018.</span></span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Results:</span></b></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> <a name="_Toc14800008"></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;">One hundred and eighty five (185) pregnant women participated </span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span style="font-family:""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">in this study. GBS vaginal-colonization-rate was 3.8% (7/185). A significance relationship was observed between GBS-colonization and socio-economic class, as 57.10% (4/7) of the GBS positive women were of low-socio economic class (</span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">p</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> 0.035). No associations were observed between GBS-colonization and the followings: maternal age, parity, poor obstetric outcome-history. All the 7 GBS positive cultures were sensitive to Clindamycin. One was sensitive to both Clindamycin and Ceftriaxone. None was sensitive to Penicillin. </span><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Conclusion</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">:</span></b></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> The prevalence of GBS colonization was low in this area. Maternal socio-economic class is found to be a risk of GBS-colonization.</span></span></span>展开更多
文摘Background: The increasing use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) both on prescription and over the counter raises a major global health concern because of the risks associated with their use if no proper guidance is given by the health care provider. This study assessed the roles of community pharmacists in screening and disseminating information about the risks associated with NSAID use in Zambia. Methodology: This was a national cross-sectional study in which a structured self-administered questionnaire was administered to 245 registered community pharmacists in Zambia. Stata/BE, version 15.1 (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA) and multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine factors associated with information dissemination about ADRs of NS-NSAIDs. Results: 231 of the 245 distributed questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 94.3%. All (100%) participating community pharmacists claimed to have practiced dispensing NSAIDs. However, only 26 (11.0%) and 71 (30.8%) regularly screened for risk factor of selective COX-2 NSAIDS (SC2-NSAIDS) and non-selective NSAIDS (NS-NSAIDs) respectively. Information dissemination on adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of SC2-NSAIDS was regularly provided by only 22 (9.5%) of pharmacists while that of NS-NSAIDs was regularly provided by 49 (21.2%). In the multivariate logistic regression model, being the owner of a pharmacy (AOR: 5.4, CI: 1.84 - 16.4) was significantly associated with information dissemination about ADRs of NS-NSAIDs while an hour increase in the working hours per day (AOR: 0.9, CI: 0.64 - 0.95) was associated with less likelihood of information dissemination. Conclusion: Pharmacists working in community pharmacies in Zambia did not regularly screen and disseminate information about the risks associated with NSAID use. Therefore, pharmacists should be able to screen and monitor patients at risk and be aware of the majority of risk factors while dispensing NSAIDs to minimize the associated complications.
基金Supported by Grants from Chonnam National University Hospital 42,Jaebong-ro,Dong-Ku,Gwangju,501-757,South Korea
文摘AIM:To investigate the risk factors and characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) in the patients with drug-resistant chronic hepatitis B(CHB).METHODS:A total of 432 patients with drug-resistant CHB were analyzed retrospectively from January 2004to December 2012. The patients were divided into two groups:the HCC group(n = 57) and the non-HCC group(n = 375). Two groups compared using logistic regression for various patients and viral characteristics in order to identify associated risk factors for HCC.Secondarily,patient and tumor characteristics of HCC patients with na ve CHB(N group,n = 117) were compared to the HCC group(R group,n = 57) to identify any difference in HCC characteristics between them.RESULTS:A significant difference was found for age,platelet count,alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),positivity of HBeAg,seroconversion rate of HBeAg,virologic response,the Child-Pugh score,presence of rtM204I,and the duration of antiviral treatment in non-HCC and HCC group. Cirrhosis,age(> 50 years),HBeAg(+),virologic non-responder status,and rtM204I mutants were independent risk factors for the development of HCC. The R group had lower serum C-reactive protein(CRP) and AFP levels,earlier stage tumors,and a shorter mean tumor surveillance period than the N group. However,the total follow-up duration was not significantly different between the two groups.CONCLUSION:13.2% of patients with drug-resistant CHB developed HCC. Age,cirrhosis,YIDD status,HBeAg status,and virologic response are associated with risk of HCC. Patients with drug-resistant CHB and these clinical factors may benefit from closer HCC surveillance.
文摘The paper examines the effects of grapefruit consumption in relation to drugs, obesity and cardiovascular risk factors. The review includes the most updated studies found in Pub-Med. The grapefruit effect refers to the ability of grapefruit juice and supplements to interact with a wide variety of pharmaceuticals, either enhancing or limiting their systemic availability. Due to altering the active dosage of the pharmaceutical, Grapefruit juice is commonly not allowed to be used alongside with many drugs. Naringin is the most important one, which can inhibit absorption of some drugs but more commonly 6’7’-dihydroxybergamottin, which inhibits CYP3A4. Lately, grapefruit has been found both in rats and adults to reduce body weight, blood pressure, improve lipid and hepatic profile and decrease platelet aggregation. These promising results must be followed by additional studies in order to add to the importance of the role and effects of grapefruit as part of our diet.
文摘The aim of the current study was to examine the prevalence of HIV, past six-month illicit drug use, and risk behaviors among a population of heavy drug users living in an urban setting. Although many studies investigate substance use, sex-risk behavior, and HIV by race and gender, no studies have examined these variables simultaneously. The current study seeks to fill this gap in the literature by exploring HIV prevalence among a predominantly heterosexual sample of recent substance users by injection drug use (IDU) status, race, and sex. Baseline data from the Baltimore site of the NEURO-HIV epidemiologic study was used in this study. This study examines neuropsychological and social-behavioral risk factors of HIV, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C among both injection and non-injection drug users. Descriptive statistics and chi-square statistics were used in data analyses. Blood and urine samples were obtained to test for the presence of recent drug use, viral hepatitis, HIV, and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Findings presented here have several important implications for HIV prevention and care among substance users. Intervention programs that incorporate substance use treatment in addition to HIV education, particularly with respect to substance use and sex risk behavior are imperative.
文摘<strong>Background:</strong><span><span><span style="font-family:""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Group B </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Streptococcus </span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(GBS) is a major cause of bacterial infections in the perinatal period, of which colonization prevalence among Northern-Nigerian pregnant women is scarce. We attempted to determine </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">1</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) its prevalence</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">,</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) risk factors for GBS colonization and </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">3</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) drugs-susceptibility.</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Methodology:</span></b></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> This cross-sectional study involved 185 pregnant women between 35</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">-</span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">37 weeks of gestation at tertiary health center of Sokoto, Nigeria. </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Vaginal/rectal swabs were collected, were cultured for GBS and tested for drug-</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">susceptibilities. The study was conducted between December, 2017 and April, </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2018.</span></span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Results:</span></b></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:""> <a name="_Toc14800008"></a><span style="font-family:Verdana;">One hundred and eighty five (185) pregnant women participated </span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span style="font-family:""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">in this study. GBS vaginal-colonization-rate was 3.8% (7/185). A significance relationship was observed between GBS-colonization and socio-economic class, as 57.10% (4/7) of the GBS positive women were of low-socio economic class (</span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">p</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> 0.035). No associations were observed between GBS-colonization and the followings: maternal age, parity, poor obstetric outcome-history. All the 7 GBS positive cultures were sensitive to Clindamycin. One was sensitive to both Clindamycin and Ceftriaxone. None was sensitive to Penicillin. </span><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Conclusion</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">:</span></b></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> The prevalence of GBS colonization was low in this area. Maternal socio-economic class is found to be a risk of GBS-colonization.</span></span></span>