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Aim: The aim was to study medication use, effects of medication and perspective of participants involved in medication use among hospitalized older Buddhist monks. Design: An embedded mixed‐method study. Methods: This study included 71 hospitalized older Buddhist monks and 23 participants involved in medication use. Quantitative data were collected from medical and medication records. Meanwhile, qualitative data were collected by using in‐depth interviews. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The study lasted from February to July 2021. Results: Over 77% of the monks had chronic diseases. The median of medicine use was seven medicines/person and 6 days of use. Effects of the medication were as expected (52.04%), not as expected (2.22%) and unmeasurable results (45.74%). Unexpected results were hypo‐hyperglycaemia, nausea/vomiting, high blood pressure and confusion. From the interview, participants perceived and did not perceive unique practices and medication use in Buddhist monks. In addition, the Buddhist monks received medication following standards and Buddhist doctrine. Finally, recommendations for medication use were adhering to the standard, following Buddhist doctrine and being flexible as deemed necessary. Conclusion: The results revealed medication use problems and medication effects among hospitalized older Buddhist monks. Impact: Older adults and Buddhist monks have specific needs and practices related to culture and religion, affecting typical treatment, especially medication use. Cultural diversity and sensitivity should be a concern for healthcare staff. The results can be utilized to promote an understanding of cultural diversity and increase the safety of medication administration for hospitalized older Buddhist monks. Patient and Public Contribution: Patient and public contributions were involved in this study. Participants involved in medication use were interviewed to answer the research objective. Moreover, a senior Buddhist monk at Wat Thai Washington D.C. reviewed content related to the Pali Canon for the final draft of the manuscript. Clinical Trial Registration Number: https://osf.io/b6p3e [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite being discouraged by guidelines, long-term use of benzodiazepines and related Z-drugs (BZDR) remains frequent in the real-world. An improved understanding of factors associated with the transition from new to long-term BZDR use and of temporal BZDR use trajectories is needed. We aimed to assess the proportion of long-term BZDR use (> 6 months) in incident BZDR-recipients across the lifespan; identify 5-year BZDR use trajectories; and explore individual characteristics (demographic, socioeconomic and clinical) and prescribing-related factors (pharmacological properties of the initial BZDR, prescriber's healthcare level, and concurrent dispensing of other medications) associated with long-term BZDR use and distinct trajectories. Methods: Our nationwide register-based cohort included all BZDR-recipients in Sweden with first dispensation in 2007–2013. Trajectories of BZDR use days per year were built using group-based trajectory modelling. Cox regression and multinomial logistic regression were fitted to assess the predictors of long-term BZDR use and trajectories' membership. Results: In 930,465 incident BZDR-recipients, long-term use increased with age (20.7%, 41.0%, and 57.4% in 0–17, 18–64, and ≥ 65-year-olds, respectively). Four BZDR use trajectories emerged, labelled 'discontinued', 'decreasing', 'slow decreasing' and 'maintained'. The proportion of the 'discontinued' trajectory members was the largest in all ages, but reduced from 75.0% in the youths to 39.3% in the elderly, whereas the 'maintained' increased with age from 4.6% to 36.7%. Prescribing-related factors, in particular multiple BZDRs at initiation and concurrent dispensing of other medications, were associated with increased risks of long-term (vs short-term) BZDR use and developing other trajectories (vs 'discontinued') in all age groups. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of raising awareness and providing support to prescribers to make evidence-based decisions on initiating and monitoring BZDR treatment across the lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each month, subscribers to The Formulary Monograph Service receive 5 to 6 well-documented monographs on drugs that are newly released or are in late phase 3 trials. The monographs are targeted to Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committees. Subscribers also receive monthly 1-page summary monographs on agents that are useful for agendas and pharmacy/nursing in-services. A comprehensive target drug utilization evaluation/medication use evaluation (DUE/MUE) is also provided each month. With a subscription, the monographs are available online to subscribers. Monographs can be customized to meet the needs of a facility. Through the cooperation of The Formulary, Hospital Pharmacy publishes selected reviews in this column. For more information about The Formulary Monograph Service, contact Wolters Kluwer customer service at 866-397-3433. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The contemporary prescription patterns of antidiabetic drugs following guideline changes recommending metformin as first‐line gestational diabetes (GDM) pharmacotherapy is underexplored. We aimed to examined use of metformin and insulin during pregnancy among women with GDM over 20 years in the United Kingdom. Methods: We conducted a population‐based cohort study using linked data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, its pregnancy register and Hospital Episode Statistics from 1998 to 2017. We included pregnancies of women without prior diabetes history who received GDM diagnosis or initiated an antidiabetic drug after 20 weeks gestation. Patient‐level and practice‐level characteristics were compared between metformin initiators and insulin initiators. We described trends of initiating metformin as first‐line treatment and described time to initiation of rescue insulin overall, and by body mass index among metformin initiators. Results: Our cohort included 5633 pregnancies from 5393 women with GDM, of whom 38.9% initiated pharmacotherapy (41% insulin, 59% metformin). Metformin prescriptions (as opposed to insulin) increased substantially, from <5% of pregnancies before 2007 to 42.5% in 2008. Over 85% of pregnancies that were prescribed pharmacotherapy were prescribed metformin as first‐line treatment in 2015. Among metformin initiators, 16% initiated rescue insulin, typically occurring within 40 days of metformin initiation. Choice of GDM pharmacotherapy varied by characteristics, including smoking, obesity, race/ethnicity and general practice regions. Conclusions: Metformin was the most prescribed medication for GDM, with large increases over the past 2 decades. The increasing use of oral‐antidiabetic drugs during pregnancy, consistent with other regions, highlights the need for future studies examining effectiveness and safety of antidiabetic drug use during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis use is growing among older adults to manage medical concerns including poor sleep. In this study, we characterized how patients seen at a geriatrics clinic use cannabis to address sleep disturbance. Specifically, we conducted an anonymous survey of 568 adults, including 83 who reported cannabis use within the past 3 years, to inquire about such use. We compared cannabis use characteristics between those using it for sleep disturbance versus all other conditions. We considered a p -value <.10 to be statistically significant. Among the cannabis users in our sample, 29% reported using cannabis for sleep disturbance (N = 24). They were more likely than other users to be female (p =.07), consume cannabis more frequently (p =.01), use products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (vs. cannabidiol [CBD]-only; p <.01), and use cannabis to target more symptoms (p <.01). As cannabis use continues to grow in older populations, it is essential to delineate better how cannabis may be used safely and effectively to improve older adults' sleep health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify the impact of clinical risk adjustment models for evaluating pain medication consumption differences between private rooms and a multibed ward. Background: Views of nature are reported to reduce anxiety and pain for patients. This often leads to prioritizing large windows with views for patient rooms; however, it is not clear how other factors influencing pain (e.g., patient demographics) may confound evaluations of room design. Methods: We identified 1,284 patients at the University of Michigan undergoing thyroidectomy where patients recovered in one of the two locations: a private room with a view to nature or a multibed ward with no windows. We used pain medication data from the electronic medical record and risk adjustment models to evaluate pain medication consumption between the room types. Results: Private room patients did not use more pain medications when measured using unadjusted morphine milligram equivalents (18.3 vs. 15.3 mg, p =.06). Risk adjusting for age, gender, comorbidities, opioid history, and procedure subtype resulted in private room patients demonstrating higher consumption of morphine milliequivalents (17.5 vs. 15.5 mg, p <.01). In contrast, risk adjusting for age, gender, opioid history, and selected comorbidities estimated higher pain medication consumption for multibed ward patients relative to private rooms (16.27 vs. 15.51 mg, p <.05). Conclusion: Estimated differences of pain medication consumption for patients in differently designed rooms varied depending on the risk adjustment model. These findings underscore the importance of understanding appropriate clinical measurement and risk adjustment strategies to accurately estimate the impact of design, before applying research into practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore and theorise about the desistance process of Maltese mothers who previously used drugs. The study unpacks how initial and continued desistance from high-risk drug use (HRDU) is impacted by being a mother within the Maltese context and identifies contingencies for desistance and examines how they are negotiated along the desistance pathways. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted a symbolic interactionist-inspired career framework and involved in-depth exploration of trajectories of mothering and desistance of eight Maltese women with a history of HRDU. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews and analysis used an evolved grounded theory methodology. Findings: Four explanatory categories were identified in the interview data to document the role of mothering in the various pathways to desistance recounted by the women. These are: becoming a mother; differing pathways of desistance in relation to mothering; the lived experience; identity negotiation and transformation. This study highlights how identity fluidity and transformation is central to the desistance process. Practical implications: The paper aims to inform policy and practice with mothers who use drugs and their families and has important implications for the development and delivery of gender transformative interventions. Originality/value: This study challenges taken-for-granted beliefs about the influence of mothering on desistance and identifies the complexities involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted to analyse the drugs prescribed to the elderly population with noncommunicable diseases and to determine the polypharmacy at a primary care clinic in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The study was conducted for 6 months at the primary care clinic of Gemas. Geriatric patients above the age of 65 and diagnosed with noncommunicable diseases were included upon providing written informed consent. The majority of the geriatric patients were between 65 and 69 years (mean: 69.72 ± 2.85) and prescribed 4 or more medications (mean: 5.18 ± 0.64, p = 0.007). More than 95% (n = 295) of the geriatrics were found to have multimorbidity, in which around 45% (n = 139) had type-2 diabetes together with hypertension and dyslipidaemia. Combination therapy was prescribed to more than 97% (n = 302) of the elderly, whereas cardiovascular and endocrine medications were the most commonly prescribed. Ten prescriptions were found to have drug-related problems, prescribing cascade (80%), lack of medicine optimisation (10%), and inappropriate prescription (10%). In this study, the majority of the elderly had multimorbidity; polypharmacy was commonly seen among geriatric patients. Polypharmacy is the biggest threat to the elderly population, as it increases the chances of falls and fall-related injuries. Medicine optimisation and deprescribing will reduce the chances of drug-related problems and morbidity and mortality associated with polypharmacy and over-consumption of medications. Hence, the study recommends the health fraternity look for medication optimisation and deprescribing to reduce the future complications associated with polypharmacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The combined oral contraceptive (COC) is the most commonly used hormonal contraceptive in Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa/NZ). Currently there is limited data available on who uses COC in Aotearoa/NZ. The aims were to (i) define the population of reproductive‐aged females in Aotearoa/NZ in 2018 and identify the rate of COC use among this group and (ii) describe the sociodemographic and geographic characteristics of the population of COC users compared to the general population of reproductive‐aged females in 2018. Methods: This whole‐of‐population cross‐sectional study used the Integrated Data Infrastructure, a large research database managed by Statistics New Zealand. Females aged 16–50 years with complete sociodemographic and geographic information in 2018 from Aotearoa/NZ's estimated resident population were included. COC dispensing records to this cohort were identified from the national Pharmaceutical Collection. This paper reports descriptive counts of COC use and employs generalised linear regression with a binomial distribution and a log link to estimate adjusted risk ratios (aRR) of COC use for key sociodemographic and geographic subgroups. Results: Of 1 113 750 individuals in the study, 159 789 (14.3%) were dispensed as COC in 2018. European/other individuals were most likely to use COC (aRR: 2.72, 2.67–2.78), and Pacific Peoples were least likely (aRR: 0.56, 0.55–0.58) to use COC. Individuals residing in the most deprived quintile had less COC use than individuals in the least deprived quintile (aRR: 0.73, 0.72–0.74). Conclusion: Our study is able to highlight significant disparities in use by ethnicity, area‐level deprivation, and geographic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The open dialogue (OD) approach includes the need-adapted use of psychiatric medication in treating first-episode psychosis (FEP), but there is limited information on how psychiatric medications are actually used in OD-based services. This study aims to analyse long-term medication dispensing patterns among FEP cohort treated according to the OD. The OD cohort consisted of people who received treatment for FEP in the Finnish Western Lapland catchment area at a time of OD implementation (n=61). The comparison group included people whose FEP treatment commenced outside the catchment area during the mid-1990s (n=1378). Data were gathered from national registers from onset to the end of the 10-year follow-up or death. A non-confirmatory descriptive comparison was performed to evaluate the usage patterns and cumulative exposure to psychiatric medication. Under OD, a smaller proportion had been dispensed benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and neuroleptics. Persons who had received these medications did not differ in cumulative exposure. In both groups, most of those who received neuroleptics in the first follow-up years continued using medication throughout follow-up. OD may assist in detecting FEP patients who can manage without neuroleptics, thus minimizing iatrogenic effects. Due to the observational design, further studies are required to confirm this hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we used administrative claims data from the OptumLabs Data Warehouse and American Hospital Association Annual Survey data to examine associations between hospital characteristics and uptake of biosimilar granulocyte colony-stimulating factor treatments. We found that 340B-participating hospitals and non--rural referral center (RRC) hospitals that reported owning rural health clinics were less likely to administer the lower-cost biosimilars, whereas the opposite was true for hospitals that are RRCs. To our knowledge, our study offers a first look at an underappreciated source of disparities in access to lowercost medications such as biosimilars. Results from our study reveal opportunities for targeted policies to encourage adoption of lower-cost treatments, particularly among hospitals that serve rural communities where patients often have fewer choices in care site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Literature suggests that antibiotic prescribing in COVID-19 patients is high. Currently, there are insufficient data on what drives antibiotic prescribing practices throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: This study sought to determine antibiotic use rates and identify risk factors for antibiotic prescribing in hospitalized patients. It was the first study to assess risk factors for receiving more than 1 course of antibiotics. Methods: This was a retrospective, multi-center, observational study. Patients admitted from March 1, 2020, to May 31, 2020, and treated for COVID-19 were included. The primary endpoint was the rate of antibiotic use during hospitalization. Secondary endpoints included risk factors associated with antibiotic use, risk factors associated with receiving more than 1 antibiotic course, and rate of microbiologically confirmed infections. Results: A total of 208 encounters (198 patients) were included in the final analysis. Eighty-three percent of patients received at least 1 course of antibiotics, despite low rates of microbiologically confirmed infection (12%). Almost one-third of patients (30%) received more than 1 course of antibiotics. Risk factors identified for both antibiotic prescribing and receiving more than 1 course of antibiotics included increased hospital length of stay (median 12 days), intensive care unit admission, and the necessity for mechanical ventilation. Conclusion and Relevance: There were high rates of antibiotic prescribing with low rates of microbiologically confirmed bacterial co-infection. Many patients received more than 1 course of antibiotics during hospitalization. This study highlights the importance and demand for appropriate antibiotic stewardship practices in COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antiarrhythmic drugs are commonly used to treat arrhythmia. However, data on the usage pattern of antiarrhythmic drugs, associated side effects, and the role of clinical pharmacist interventions in the Middle East are scarce. Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the usage pattern, side effects, and clinical pharmacist interventions of antiarrhythmic drugs at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), a tertiary care hospital in Oman. Methods: This retrospective observational study included adult patients (≥18 years) who received at least one dose of antiarrhythmic drugs at SQUH between January 2020 and December 2021. Ethical approval was obtained prior to conducting the study. Results: In total, 400 patients were enrolled in this study. Their mean age was 62.5 ± 16.6 years (range:19-96), and 55.3% (221/400) were male. Atrial arrhythmias were the most commonly observed (344/400, 86.0%). Beta-blockers (337/500, 67.4%) were the most prescribed class of drugs. The most commonly prescribed drugs were bisoprolol (263/400, 65.8%), carvedilol (65/400, 16.3%), and amiodarone (59/400, 14.8%). The majority of patients (300/400, 75.0%) received monotherapy, whereas 25% (100/400) received combination therapy. A total of 109 side effects were reported in 45 patients, resulting in an incidence rate of 11.3 %, with cardiovascular side effects accounting for the majority (41/109, 37.6%) of these. Amiodarone had the highest prevalence of adverse effects (33/109, 30.3%). A total of 122 clinical pharmacist interventions were observed in 13.0 % (52/400) of patients. Beta-blockers were associated with more than half of the interventions (61/122, 50.0%). Age (61.84 years vs. 66.75 years; p=0.047), comorbidities (83.6% vs. 96.2%; p=0.019), renal impairment (19.6% vs. 40.4%; p=0.001, heart failure (11.8% vs. 28.9%; p=0.002), concomitant medications (84.5% vs. 98.1%; p=0.004), polypharmacy (51.1% vs. 69.2%; p=0.022) and duration of therapy of less than one year (9.3% vs. 27.3%; p<0.001) was significantly associated with the need for intervention. Conclusion: Beta-blockers were the most commonly prescribed antiarrhythmic drugs in SQUH. Amiodarone was associated with the highest prevalence of side effects. Clinical pharmacy intervention at the SQUH was mainly related to antiarrhythmic drug selection and dose optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: From 1 February 2018, codeine was rescheduled from an over‐the‐counter (OTC) to a prescription‐only medicine in Australia. We used wastewater‐based epidemiology to measure changes in population codeine consumption before and after rescheduling. Methods: We analysed 3703 wastewater samples from 48 wastewater treatment plants, taken between August 2016 and August 2019. Our samples represented 10.6 million people, 45% of the Australian population in state capitals and regional areas in each state or territory. Codeine concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and converted to per‐capita consumption estimates using the site daily wastewater volume, catchment populations and codeine excretion kinetics. Results: Average per‐capita consumption of codeine decreased by 37% nationally immediately after the rescheduling in February 2018 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 35.3–39.4%] and substantially in all states between 24 and 51% (95% CI = 22.4–27.0% and 41.8–59.4%). The decrease was sustained at the lower level to August 2019. Locations with least pharmacy access decreased by 51% (95% CI = 41.7–61.7%), a greater decrease than 37% observed for those with greater pharmacy access (95% CI = 35.1–39.4%). Regional areas decreased by a smaller margin to cities (32 versus 38%, 95% CI = 30.2–34.1% versus 34.9–40.4%, respectively) from a base per‐capita usage approximately 40% higher than cities. Conclusion: Wastewater analysis shows that codeine consumption in Australia decreased by approximately 37% following its rescheduling as a prescription‐only medicine in 2018. Wastewater‐based epidemiology can be used to evaluate changes in population pharmaceutical consumption in responses to changes in drug scheduling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Over 247,000 people died in the U.S. from overdoses related to prescription opioids in 1999–2019, leading the WHO to deem the situation an epidemic. The purpose of this study is to examine whether culture is related to perceptions and behaviors around opioid consumption because culture has been shown, for example, to influence decision-making strategies, risk-taking, and responses to self-congruent communications. Methods: Scores for country-wide dimensions of culture from Hofstede and opioid consumption data from the International Narcotics Control Board were used to study a possible relationship. The relationship was tested by including a set of economic and socio-economic indicators from the World Bank, the United Nations, and PROSPERED. Results: The scores for the cultural dimension of individualism are correlated with opioid consumption on a country level, with higher levels of individualism connected to higher consumption. This correlation is robust to the inclusion of economic and socio-economic variables (GDP per capita, inflation, income inequality, unemployment, education, life expectancy, median age, and sick leave coverage). Conclusions and Importance: Because messages that reinforce a group's cultural value are more meaningful and effective in motivating action, educational health messages about opioid consumption in the U.S. need to be designed with culture in mind to disrupt decisions to take opioid analgesics unless medically justified or to limit their use. More research is needed on how to design self-congruent individualistic versus collectivistic persuasive appeals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although polypharmacy is considered a major predictor of irrational use of drugs, little is known about polypharmacy in developing regions. We aimed to indicate the prevalence and correlates of polypharmacy and to determine the medication profile at the population level in southern Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from participants of the Pars Cohort Study (PCS) (aged above 40 years, N = 9269). Polypharmacy was defined as using five or more medications concurrently. A Poisson multivariable model was applied to estimate the adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) of various risk factors. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system was used for classifying medications. Results: Prevalence of polypharmacy was 10.4%, (95% CI: 9.75; 11.08) and it was higher among females (15.0%), older adults (age ≥ 65 years) (16.0%), and individuals with more than two chronic conditions (31%). Being female, educated, married, and not having a low socio-economic class were independently associated with a higher likelihood of polypharmacy. The most prevalent medications among female participants were sex hormones and modulators of the genital system (58.4%), drugs for acid-related disorders (14.6%), and anti-anemic preparations (13.6%,). On the other hand, males were using acid-related disorders (14.6%), anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products (7.8%), and beta-blocking agents (6.3%). Conclusion: The prevalence of polypharmacy in our sample was relatively low, especially among males. Cardiovascular drugs, acid suppressants, hormonal contraceptives, and anti-anemic preparations are drug classes with the highest contribution to polypharmacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug utilization evaluation (DUE) is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and focuses on the medical, social, and economic consequences of pharmaceutical marketing, distribution, prescribing, and usage in society. The WHO recommends a physician to every 1 000 people. According to the recent data from the Health Ministry in 2019, in which 1.16 million doctors are of active population with just 80%, or 0.9 million, practicing. As a result, a ratio of 0.68 doctors for every 1 000 people, which is much below as per the WHO reports. This article describes history, types, WHO guidelines, need and purpose of DUE. Objective: The main aim of this paper is to provide information about the rational use of medication in outpatient and inpatient department with special emphasis of DUEs. It also provides awareness directly to healthcare professionals, researchers, academicians, pharmacist and nurses to reduce the irrationality of medicines. Methods: The method used to compile this review information gathered from websites, Google scholar, PubMed, Research gate, and studies published on DUE from July 20 to Oct 22 were included as source of information. Results: We studied more than 35 published study on DUE, that reveals most of the physicians prescribed branded drugs not generic drugs, but WHO prescribing indicator allows to prescribe generic drugs in the hospital pharmacy to maintain better inventory control. It may also help to prevent pharmacist misunderstanding during dispensing. Conclusion: The use of generic prescription names avoids the possibility of medication product duplication and lowers patient costs. It is important to remember that incorrect medication prescriptions have impact on both patients and their family members. WHO indicators identify irrational prescribing behaviours to make therapy more rational and cost-effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder affects over 5% of children and is characterised by a persistent pattern of problems with focussing or maintaining attention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. The censusADHD Study is a richly phenotyped nationwide cohort of Australian children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The overarching aims of the study are to examine attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication utilisation patterns and treatment response, the impact of children's attention and behavioural problems on caregivers, and costs related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Methods: Families of potential attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder cases aged between 6 and 11 years were identified using Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescription records for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications held by Services Australia and sent a study information letter. Data were collected from 1574 primary caregivers via online survey in 2015, including the behavioural profile of the child, the child's medication use and experiences with side effects and the impact of the child's behaviour on the caregiver. Approximately 81% of caregivers also consented to record linkage of the child's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Medicare Benefits Schedule claims to directly assess prescription dispensing history and health service usage to estimate costs to the family and Medicare health system. Results: Boys were diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder earlier (p = 0.021), more likely to present as the combined and predominantly hyperactive subtypes (p = 0.001) and at higher risk of experiencing a school suspension (p < 0.001) or expulsion (p = 0.043). Overall, children presenting as the combined subtype had higher rates of psychiatric comorbidities (p < 0.001). Finally, prescription costs for each family and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme significantly increased in the year following attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Research examining the psychosocial and financial impact of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder on Australian children and their families is needed. Our findings demonstrate the importance of examining both gender and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder subtype presentation in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate changes in drug utilization pattern of antidiabetic drugs on prospective follow-up of new and recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients along with their 10-year cardiovascular risk assessment. Methods: A prospective observational hospital-based study was conducted among new and recently diagnosed (≤ 6 months) type 2 diabetes patients attending the medicine outpatient department (OPD) at tertiary care teaching hospital, Raipur, after taking written informed consent. Antidiabetic drug prescription and socio-demographic characteristics were noted in the Case Record Form. Recruited patients were followed up at 3, 6, and 9 months. Ten-year cardiovascular risk was determined using the QRISK®3 risk calculator. Result: A total of 90 patients, 48 (53.33%) new and 42 (46.67%) recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients, were recruited. An average number of antidiabetic drugs prescribed in patients was 2.1 at the final visit. The average daily dose of antidiabetic drugs was assessed against the WHO/ATC-defined daily dose (DDD). It was decreased for metformin and other antidiabetic drugs, except for glimepiride. More than one-third of patients had a QRISK3 score >10% at each visit. Conclusion: This study highlighted that patient education and periodic review of prescription of new and recently diagnosed diabetic patients play a vital role in managing type 2 diabetes mellitus by tailoring treatment regimen. The present study revealed overtreatment of low-risk groups and under-treatment of high-risk groups based on QRISK3 score and statins. This observation signifies that risk stratification is essential for preventing CVD risks in new diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each month, subscribers to The Formulary Monograph Service receive 5 to 6 well-documented monographs on drugs that are newly released or are in late phase 3 trials. The monographs are targeted to Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committees. Subscribers also receive monthly 1-page summary monographs on agents that are useful for agendas and pharmacy/nursing in-services. A comprehensive target drug utilization evaluation/medication use evaluation (DUE/MUE) is also provided each month. With a subscription, the monographs are available online to subscribers. Monographs can be customized to meet the needs of a facility. Through the cooperation of The Formulary, Hospital Pharmacy publishes selected reviews in this column. For more information about The Formulary Monograph Service, contact Wolters Kluwer customer service at 866-397-3433. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) are risk factors for negative health outcomes among older people. This study aimed to investigate socio-demographic differences in polypharmacy and PIM use among older people with different care needs in a standard versus an integrated care setting. Methods: Population-based register data on residents aged ⩾65 years in Stockholm County based on socio-demographic background and social care use in 2014 was linked to prescription drug use in 2015. A logistic regression analysis was used to estimate socio-demographic differences in polypharmacy and PIM, adjusting for education, age group, sex, country of birth, living alone, morbidity and dementia by care setting based on area and by care need (i.e. independent, home help or institutionalised). Results: The prevalence of polypharmacy and PIM was greater among home-help users (60.4% and 11.5% respectively) and institutional residents (74.4% and 11.9%, respectively). However, there were greater socio-demographic differences among the independent, with those with lower education, older age and females having higher odds of polypharmacy and PIM. Morbidity was a driver of polypharmacy (odds ratio (OR)=1.19, confidence interval (CI) 1.16–1.22) among home-help users. Dementia diagnosis was associated with reduced odds of polypharmacy and PIM among those in institutions (OR=0.78, CI 0.71–0.87 and OR 0.52, CI 0.45–0.59, respectively) and of PIM among home-help users (OR=0.53, 95% CI 0.42–0.67). Conclusions: Polypharmacy and PIM were associated with care needs, most prevalent among home-help users and institutional residents, but socio-demographic differences were most prominent among those living independently, suggesting that municipal care might reduce differences between socio-demographic groups. Care setting had little effect on inappropriate drug use, indicating that national guidelines are followed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Empiric antibiotic use among hospitalized adults in the United States (US) is largely undescribed. Identifying factors associated with broad-spectrum empiric therapy may inform antibiotic stewardship interventions and facilitate benchmarking. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of adults discharged in 2019 from 928 hospitals in the Premier Healthcare Database. "Empiric" gram-negative antibiotics were defined by administration before day 3 of hospitalization. Multivariable logistic regression models with random effects by hospital were used to evaluate associations between patient and hospital characteristics and empiric receipt of broad-spectrum, compared to narrow-spectrum, gram-negative antibiotics. Results Of 8 017 740 hospitalized adults, 2 928 657 (37%) received empiric gram-negative antibiotics. Among 1 781 306 who received broad-spectrum therapy, 30% did not have a common infectious syndrome present on admission (pneumonia, urinary tract infection, sepsis, or bacteremia), surgery, or an intensive care unit stay in the empiric window. Holding other factors constant, males were 22% more likely (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.22 [95% confidence interval, 1.22–1.23]), and all non-White racial groups 6%–13% less likely (aOR range, 0.87–0.94), to receive broad-spectrum therapy. There were significant prescribing differences by region, with the highest adjusted odds of broad-spectrum therapy in the US West South Central division. Even after model adjustment, there remained substantial interhospital variability: Among patients receiving empiric therapy, the probability of receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics varied as much as 34+ percentage points due solely to the admitting hospital (95% interval of probabilities: 43%–77%). Conclusions Empiric gram-negative antibiotic use is highly variable across US regions, and there is high, unexplained interhospital variability. Sex and racial disparities in the receipt of broad-spectrum therapy warrant further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a cross-sectional study, rational drug use status of pregnant women and relevant factors were evaluated. The smallest sample size to determine the awareness of rational drug use in pregnant women was calculated as 377 with 95 percent confidence and ±5 margin of error. The stratified sampling method was used for selecting participants. Data were collected using the Pregnant Information Form and the Rational Drug Use Self-Awareness Scale between August 6, 2021 and October 28, 2021. In data analysis, the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare two non-normally distributed groups, while Kruskal Wallis was used to compare the mean in groups of 3 or more. The mean age of the examined pregnant women was 29.43 ± 5.32, and more than half of them had an education level of higher education. It was determined that 92.8 percent of the pregnant women had social security, 81.4 percent lived in a nuclear family. The total mean score of Rational Drug Use Self-Awareness Scale was 54.25 ± 9.79, indicating a high rational drug use awareness in pregnant women. This study showed that the awareness of rational drug use was low in those with low education level, those without social security, and those living with extended families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: To determine the effectiveness of an evidence-based postoperation nonpharmacologic pain management bundle for patients recovering from minimally invasive gynecologic and urologic surgeries. PARTICIPANTS & SETTING: This study focused on patients recovering from minimally invasive gynecologic and urologic surgery at a comprehensive cancer center. The first cohort consisted of patients three months preimplementation (n = 96) and the second consisted of those three months postimplementation (n = 86). METHODOLOGIC APPROACH: The project used a preand postintervention design and deployed the bundle as a nursing order. Nurses and patients were educated about the bundle and comprehensive postoperation pain management strategies. FINDINGS: Postimplementation, the documented use of nonpharmacologic pain management interventions significantly increased and postoperation opioid use significantly decreased without negatively affecting pain scores or lengths of stay. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nonpharmacologic pain interventions can decrease the need for postoperation opioids, and ordering a bundle of interventions alongside analgesia is an effective way patients can manage pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About 2.3 billion individuals worldwide are still deprived of the amenity of handwashing with antimicrobial agents. The progress of handwashing with antimicrobial agents in Bangladesh is relatively slower than in many developing countries. The objective of this study was to capture the inequality of the prevalence of handwashing with antimicrobial agents and to identify the factors that are potentially contributing to socio-economic inequalities of handwashing practice in Bangladesh. Cross-sectional study. The present study used the nationally representative cross-sectional data from the latest Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017–18. A total of 19,457 households were included in the analysis of this study. A regression-based decomposition method was applied to assess the socio-economic contributors of inequality. This study showed that only 38% of Bangladeshi households wash their hands with antimicrobial agents while a pro-rich socio-economic inequality was observed. Household's wealth index was responsible for about 46% of the overall inequality of handwashing with antimicrobial agents while the type of place for handwashing variable contributed 38% of total inequalities. Hygienic toilet facilities (12%) and exposure to mass media (7.4%) are other determinants of total inequalities of handwashing with antimicrobial agents. Despite recent declines in attributable mortality, handwashing with antimicrobial agents remains an important determinant of public health problems in many developing countries like Bangladesh. The regular programs aimed at promoting best hand hygiene practices and ensuring the availability of the necessary infrastructure at the community level will be important measures to eliminate this inequality at the population level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the opioid consumption and the healthcare resource utilization in patients with the intrathecal drug delivery system (IDDS) therapy and the comprehensive medical management (CMM) alone. Design A retrospective cohort study with a customized claims database. Setting In a university-based hospital. Subjects Patients with complex regional pain syndrome, post-laminectomy syndrome, and fibromyalgia. Methods Using propensity score matching (1:3), we selected patients with morphine infusion through IDDS (IDDS group) and CMM alone (CMM group). The primary endpoints were comparisons of average morphine equivalents daily dosages (MEDD, mg/day) for 6 and 12 months from an index date. The number of emergency room (ER) visits and hospitalizations and the total medical expenditures were compared as secondary outcomes. Results In total, 82 patients (N = 23 in the IDDS group and N = 59 in the CMM group) were analyzed. Although a 6-month average MEDD did not reach statistical significance, a 12-month average MEDD was significantly decreased in the IDDS group compared to the CMM group (53.2 ± 46.3 vs 123.9 ± 176.4, respectively; P  =   0.008). ER visits were more frequent in the IDDS group than the CMM group at baseline (5.4 vs 0.5, respectively; P  = .002), which was maintained for 12 months (P  <   0.001). Otherwise, the number of hospitalization and the medical expenditures for pain management were not different between the groups for 12 months. Conclusions The combined IDDS therapy had some benefits in reducing opioid consumption for 1-year follow-up compared to the CMM alone in chronic noncancer pain patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) for treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA) has been linked to potential negative health effects. Additionally, research has identified disparities in ESA utilization for CIA treatment. This study examines (1) health disparities in ESA use and (2) whether reimbursement (Medicare National Coverage Determination [NCD]) or regulatory (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy [REMS]) policies impacted disparities. Methods: In a retrospective cohort study (2006–2018) among 1,747,889 patients with cancer in the United States receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy at age ≥ 65 years, differences in ESA use for CIA were estimated using generalized estimating equation models, adjusting for policy periods, demographic characteristics, and clinical factors extracted from Medicare claims data. Results: After controlling for covariates, ESA use was higher among Black, female, and urban patients in all policy periods, but these disparities decreased significantly following the NCD. The gap continued to close through the REMS period. Disparities in ESA use across geographic regions were modest, and ESA use disparities across socioeconomic characteristics (area deprivation index or dual Medicare/Medicaid eligibility) were not observed. Conclusions: Being female, Black, or an urban resident was associated with higher ESA use for CIA in older patients with cancer. Both NCD and REMS implementation helped reduce disparities. REMS release was not observed to contribute to racial, sex, and rural–urban disparities in ESA use for CIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The etiology of hypertension in post renal transplant patients is multifold and effective control of blood pressure (BP) contributes towards proper graft functioning and reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases. This prospective observational study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of antihypertensive drug use, the prescribing pattern and trends of blood pressure control in a cohort of post renal transplant patients from eastern India. Materials and Methods: Patients who had undergone renal transplant in this public hospital were enrolled as per eligibility criteria. All enrolled patients were on antihypertensive from at least 3months prior to transplant and were followed upto one year post-transplant. Antihypertensive drug (AHD) and immunosuppressant intake, BP recordings and occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), if any were noted at each visit. Results: 56 patients were enrolled with a mean age of 33.04 ± 9.96 years, 87.5% were male. 75% were hypertensive at discharge (2-3 weeks post-transplant). Percentage of patients on AHD at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-transplant were 83.9%, 82.1%, 75% and 71.4% respectively. Amlodipine was the most common prescribed AHD. Target BP control (≤130/80 mm of Hg) was achieved in 62.5% patients at 1year post-transplant. There were no major adverse cardiac events (MACE) during the study period. Conclusion: In our study comprising of a relatively young cohort of transplant patients from India, hypertension control was well achieved in majority of the subjects and no MACE were noted. Amlodipine was the most commonly used AHD either as monotherapy or in combination with beta-blocker. Long term follow up of this cohort shall provide further insights into the trends of such control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Snake bites are a common cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in tropical countries. Snake bites in any community are managed based on the clinical features and intravenous administration of antisnake venom (ASV). The administration of ASV is either deficient or given in excess based on clinical decisions and whole blood clotting test results. The present study is designed to analyze the level of snake venom component in the blood of snake bite in association with the clinical features. Patients and methods: Blood samples were collected from the patients admitted to Karnataka Institute of Medical (KIMS) hospital with a history of snakebite considering the inclusion criteria. Serum was collected from the blood of snakebite patients before and after ASV and used to assess the level of venom-specific phospholipase A2 (PLA2) enzyme using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results: Quantitative ELISA results revealed that the snake venom-specific PLA2 in the victim's blood was in the range of 0.3-1.27 mg/mL before the administration of ASV. However, the concentration of PLA2 after 24 hours of ASV administration was decreased in most of the patients. Further, it was observed that envenomation complications were directly proportional to the amount of snake venom-specific PLA2 found in the blood of the snakebite patient. Conclusions: The study concludes that snake venom-specific PLA2 in the blood of snakebite patients could be used as a reliable venom marker, which helps in determination of appropriate ASV dosage in snakebite patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each month, subscribers to The Formulary Monograph Service receive 5 to 6 well-documented monographs on drugs that are newly released or are in late phase 3 trials. The monographs are targeted to Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committees. Subscribers also receive monthly 1-page summary monographs on agents that are useful for agendas and pharmacy/nursing in-services. A comprehensive target drug utilization evaluation/medication use evaluation (DUE/MUE) is also provided each month. With a subscription, the monographs are available online to subscribers. Monographs can be customized to meet the needs of a facility. Through the cooperation of The Formulary, Hospital Pharmacy publishes selected reviews in this column. For more information about The Formulary Monograph Service, contact Wolters Kluwer customer service at 866-397-3433. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The rapid development of the pharmaceutical industry has increased the need to assess and monitor the use of medicines. Thus, necessitates the importance of monitoring the appropriate use of medicines including antimicrobials. Objective: Pharmacoeconomic analysis of pharmacotherapy in the nephrology department at a multidisciplinary hospital. Methods: The study is a retrospective analysis of medicine use and expenditure. The study utilized the ABC-VEN analysis of medical use and the WHO-AWaRe-2021 analysis of antibiotic use, to determine the prescription and financial trends of the nephrology department (30 beds) of a multidisciplinary regional hospital (total 844 beds) in Turkestan, Kazakhstan 2018-2021. Results: The analyzed costs of drugs included 116 international nonproprietary names prescribed to patients from the nephrology department during the study period. In total, pharmacotherapy costs increased by 52.6% in 2021 compared to 2018. Five INN drugs were purchased without their inclusion in the Kazakhstan National Medicinal Formulary, such as atropine sulfate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride (crystalline salt), nitroxoline, and nitrofural. The pharmacoeconomics analysis of antibiotics usage for 2018-2021 showed a sharp increase in the%age of costs. Conclusion: The study showed an increase in funding for pharmacotherapy in the department of nephrology, which increases the availability of medicines. However, the trend in prescribing drugs with poor evidence base level, and the increase in the proportion of antibiotic prescription, require immediate intervention including the utilization of clinical pharmacy services for regular assessment of the pharmacoeconomic feasibility of antibiotic therapy. This will improve the quality of medical care and reduce the financial costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Urolithiasis causes severe acute pain and is commonly treated with opioid analgesics in the emergency department (ED). We examined opioid analgesic use after episodes of acute pain. Methods: Using data from a longitudinal trial of ED patients with urolithiasis, we constructed multivariable models to estimate the adjusted probability of opioid analgesic use 3, 7, 30, and 90 days after ED discharge. We used multiple imputation to account for missing data and weighting to account for the propensity to be prescribed an opioid analgesic at ED discharge. We used weighted multivariable regression to compare longitudinal opioid analgesic use for those prescribed vs not prescribed an opioid analgesic at discharge, stratified by reported pain at ED discharge. Results: Among 892 adult ED patients with urolithiasis, 79% were prescribed an opioid analgesic at ED discharge. Regardless of reporting pain at ED discharge, those who were prescribed an opioid analgesic were significantly more likely to report using it one, three, and seven days after the visit in weighted multivariable analysis. Among those who were not prescribed an opioid analgesic, an estimated 21% (not reporting pain at ED discharge) and 30% (reporting pain at discharge) reported opioid analgesic use at day three. Among those prescribed an opioid analgesic, 49% (no pain at discharge) and 52% (with pain at discharge) reported using an opioid analgesic at day three. Conclusion: Urolithiasis patients who received an opioid analgesic at ED discharge were more likely to continue using an opioid analgesic than those who did not receive a prescription at the initial visit, despite the time-limited nature of urolithiasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this empirical exercise was to examine how drug providers in states that implemented the Medicaid expansion in 2014 reacted to the expansion compared with providers in states where Medicare was not expanded. Medicaid beneficiaries have been susceptible to higher cost and lower quality of health care. The Affordable Care Act increased access to drugs for uninsured people. Numerous studies highlighted the effects of the Medicaid expansion on beneficiaries. However, there is a gap in the literature that looks at prescription behavior of physicians during the Medicaid expansion that compared expanded states versus nonexpanded states. A difference-in-differences regression was used to estimate the average treatment effect of implementing the Medicaid expansion on each of the 6 outcomes of interest: (1) total cost of prescribing drugs, (2) number of total drug claims for non-Medicaid beneficiaries, (3) number of drug claims for Medicaid beneficiaries, (4) number of beneficiaries, (5) number of beneficiaries who were 65 years old or older, and (6) ratio of brand-name drugs. To address potential estimation biases, a matching procedure was used to ensure that pre- and post-Medicaid period trends were parallel. Our results provide evidence that, on average, the Medicaid expansion led each provider in expanded states prescribed more drugs for beneficiaries with low-income subsidies, whereas prescribed less drugs for other beneficiaries including those over 65 years old. The authors also show the proportion of brand-name drugs prescribed by a provider in expanded states declined due to the implementation of the Medicaid expansion. These results suggests that the Medicaid expansion has contributed to increasing access to health care by low-income citizens who were in need of prescriptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a prevalent mental health condition treated with antidepressants and other psychotropic medications. This study aimed to assess the utilization pattern of antidepressants among patients visiting the outpatient clinic of the psychiatry department of a tertiary care hospital. The study included the patients who visited the study site and fulfilled the mental and behavioral diagnostic criteria for depression. The demographic and clinical details, including drugs prescribed, were documented in a study-specific data collection form. The ratio of Prescribed Daily Dose to Defined Daily Dose (PDD: DDD) was calculated to assess the adequacy of antidepressant utilization. Data total of 154 patients were collected. A total of 22 psychotropic drugs were used among the study patients as mono (n = 70), dual (n = 69), triple (n = 10), or quadruple therapy (n = 1). Escitalopram was the most often prescribed antidepressant out of the nine antidepressants alone and in combination and was used in slightly high doses (PDD: DDD ratio 1.6). Sertraline, paroxetine, and desvenlafaxine, were used in adequate doses (PDD: DDD between 1 and 1.1), and fluoxetine, duloxetine, amitriptyline, imipramine, and mirtazapine, were used in inadequate doses (PDD: DDD <0.5). Our study findings reveal the need for continuous assessment of antidepressants medications usage in a hospital set up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ankle fracture surgery is a common procedure with many patients receiving opioid medications for postoperative pain control. Whether there are factors associated with higher medication quantities or patient-reported outcomes, however, remains largely unknown. Methods: Patients with isolated, rotational ankle fractures who underwent surgical fixation between January 2018 and March 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics, injury characteristics, and preoperative and postoperative opioid prescription information were recorded. Clinical follow-up and Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) questionnaires were collected at 6 weeks and 3 months postoperatively. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the influences of age, sex, body mass index (BMI), fracture characteristics, medical comorbidities, and preoperative opioid use (OU) on postoperative opioid morphine milligram equivalent (MME) amount and FAAM scores. Results: A total of 294 patients were included with an average age of 52.11 ± 17.13 years (range, 18-97). Fracture types were proportional to one another. Chronic pain (mean = 145.89, 95% CI = 36.72, 255.05, P = .0009), preoperative OU (mean = 178.22, 95% CI = 47.46, 308.99, P = .0077), psychiatric diagnoses (mean = 143.81, 95% CI = 58.37, 229.26, P = .001), tobacco use (mean = 137.37, 95% CI = 33.35, 229.26, P = .0098), and trimalleolar fractures (mean = 184.83, 95% CI = 86.82, 282.84, P = .0002) were associated with higher postoperative opioid MME amounts. Older age (mean = –0.05, 95% CI = –0.08, –0.02, P = .0014) and higher BMI (mean = –0.06, 95% CI = –0.12, 0.00, P = .048) were both independently associated with lower FAAM scores at 6 weeks. At 3 months, higher BMI (mean = –0.09, 95% CI = –0.13, –0.04, P = .0002), bimalleolar fractures (mean = –1.17, 95% CI = –2.17, –0.18, P = .021), and higher postoperative MME amounts (mean = –0.10, 95% CI = –0.19, –0.01, P = .0256) were each independently associated with lower FAAM scores. Conclusion: In this study, we found that patients with chronic pain, preoperative OU, psychiatric diagnoses, tobacco use, and trimalleolar fractures were more likely to have higher amounts of opioid prescribed following ankle fracture surgery. However, only age, BMI, bimalleolar fractures, and postoperative MME amount were associated with lower FAAM scores postoperatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The potential benefit of regional interventions for simple lumpectomy breast cancer surgeries has not been well investigated. Understanding which patients to not offer a regional intervention to can be just as important as knowing which would benefit. It is unclear whether fascial plane blocks, such as serratus anterior plane (SAP) block, should be routinely performed for less extensive breast surgeries. Therefore, our goal in this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the association of integrating SAP blocks into a standard perioperative multimodal analgesia plan in patients undergoing simple lumpectomies (without node biopsies) with perioperative opioid consumption. As secondary outcomes, we also analyzed postoperative pain scores and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) length of stay. Methods: This was a single institution retrospective cohort study (surgical site infiltration only versus SAP block cohorts) assessing the association of SAP blocks to our outcomes of interest. In the adjusted analysis, we created matched cohorts using 1:1 (surgical site infiltration only: SAP block) propensity-score matching using nearest neighbor-matching without replacement. To compare the primary and secondary outcomes in the matched cohorts, we used the Wilcoxon signed rank test. A P-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were 419 patients included in the analysis, in which 116 (27.7%) received a SAP block preoperatively in addition to our standard perioperative analgesia plan. In an unadjusted analysis, no differences were seen in perioperative opioid consumption, PACU pain scores, and PACU length of stay. Among the matched cohorts, the median [quartile] perioperative opioid consumption in the surgical site infiltration only versus SAP block cohorts were 10 mg [10, 13.25 mg] and 10 mg [7, 15 mg], respectively (P = 0.16). No differences were seen in the other outcomes. Conclusions: In this study, we evaluated the impact of SAP blocks on patients undergoing simple lumpectomies, which are relatively less involved breast surgeries. We concluded that routine use of preoperative regional anesthesia is not beneficial for these specific patients. Future studies should focus on identifying patients that would directly benefit from regional interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our study objective was to assess if multi-modal analgesia with meperidine-ketorolac combination provides superior analgesia or reduces opioid requirement following surgery compared to meperidine alone. Design: Double-blind randomized controlled trial. Setting: Postoperative pain control in orthopedic ward after spinal anesthesia. Patients: American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) risk I or II (ASA I/II) patients who had lower limb implant surgery (88) at our center from September 2014 to July 2015. Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 1 mg/kg of intravenous (IV) meperidine and 30 mg of IV ketorolac (treatment group) or 1 mg/kg of IV meperidine (control group) post-surgery, administered every hour for the first 6 hours during the first 24 hours post-surgery. In addition, patients received intravenous meperidine on an 'as needed basis' during the first 24 hours of the postoperative period. Measurements: Outcomes were time-to-first analgesia request postoperatively; cumulative opioid dose in first 24 hours post-surgery; frequency of side effects; and patient satisfaction with pain relief using a Likert scale. Numerical rating scale (NRS) pain scores hourly for the first 6 hours, then the 8th, 12th, 16th, 18th and 24th hour post-surgery were assessed. Results: There was a significant delay in time of first request for analgesia (460 min vs 225 min; P=0.03) and a reduction in opioid consumption in 24 hours (299 mg vs 325 mg; P=0.01) in the meperidine/ketorolac group compared with the meperidine alone group which were both statistically significant. Patient satisfaction with pain relief was better in the treatment group (P=0.01). Additionally, there were fewer side effects in the treatment group than in the control group but this was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Adding ketorolac to meperidine reduced postoperative pain, reduced patient daily opioid requirement, increased patient satisfaction with pain relief, without increasing the frequency of side effects. Therefore, IV ketorolac addition to opioids may be a reasonable option in multimodal analgesic protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a pandemic and increasing numbers of patients are being admitted to dedicated COVID hospitals in a city. Since patients were being prescribed investigational, off label, and some approved drugs, it is important to understand and document prescription and drug utilization patterns. Material and methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on 1164 RT-PCR positive COVID-19 patients admitted to a dedicated COVID-19 tertiary care hospital. Treatment given to patients with COVID-19 was recorded and evaluated with respect to the place of admission, that is, wards or Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Descriptive statistics were used for the evaluation of data. Results: Among the 1164 patients, 670 (57.5%) patients were admitted to the wards while 494 (42.4%) patients were admitted to the ICU. The mortality rate of study participants was 4.1%. Ceftriaxone (39.27%) was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic in the ICU patients while azithromycin (79.10%) was the most prescribed antibiotic in wards patients. 242 (48.98%) patients received dexamethasone whereas methylprednisolone was administered to 88 (17.81%) patients. Remdesivir was administered to 48% of the patients in our study. Conclusion: We observed high rates of mortality in patients with one or more comorbidities having SpO2 less than 65. Concordance and adherence to the line of treatment as recommended by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/ICMR guidelines were discerned. Rational use of antimicrobials is warranted to curb antibiotic resistance and opportunistic infections since most of the patients received empirical therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to the abbreviated approval pathway and extrapolation to non-studied indications, an increased importance is placed on post-marketing surveillance of biosimilars to supplement existing evidence and enhance patient and provider confidence. Bevacizumab-awwb (ABP 215, Mvasi) was the first biosimilar approved to bevacizumab (Avastin), a recombinant humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody that inhibits the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Purpose: To evaluate utilization, safety, and financial outcomes of bevacizumab-awwb compared to bevacizumab at a national cancer institute (NCI)-designated cancer center. Methods: A single center, retrospective, 1:1 indication-matched cohort study of adult patients who received bevacizumab or bevacizumab-awwb between October 1, 2019 and October 1, 2020 was performed. Thirty-four patients received bevacizumab-awwb during the study period and were matched by indication to 34 randomly selected patients who received bevacizumab. Indications for both groups included: colorectal cancer (n = 19), gynecologic cancer (n = 10), glioblastoma (n = 3), hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 1), and lung cancer (n = 1). Results: Baseline and medication utilization characteristics were similar for this indication-matched cohort of 68 patients receiving bevacizumab-awwb or bevacizumab. Patients in the bevacizumab group had a higher proportion of public payer coverage (64.7% vs 38.2%, P =.029). A higher proportion of patients in the bevacizumab-awwb group remained on active treatment at the end of the study period (52.9%) as compared to the bevacizumab group (35.3%); however, differences in final treatment status and reasons for discontinuation were not statistically significant (P =.218). Rates of worsened hypertension (44.1% vs 44.1%) and worsened proteinuria (38.2% vs 23.5%, P =.077) were common in both groups. Grade 3 adverse drug events in the bevacizumab group included: gastrointestinal perforation (n = 1), gastrointestinal bleed (n = 1), hypertension (n = 2), and venous thromboembolism (n = 2). Grade 3 adverse drug events in the bevacizumab-awwb group included: epistaxis (n = 1), gastrointestinal bleed (n = 1), hypertension (n = 1), intracerebral hemorrhage (n = 1), venous thromboembolism (n = 3), and arterial thromboembolism (n = 1). One patient in the bevacizumab-awwb group experienced grade 4 hypertension. Median drug cost per dose and per milligram for bevacizumab-awwb was less than bevacizumab, representing a 15.8% and 12.1% discount, respectively. Conclusion: Utilization and safety outcomes were similar for this indication-matched cohort of 68 patients receiving bevacizumab or bevacizumab-awwb across a wide range of disease states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. The Improving Outcomes and Antimicrobial Stewardship study seeks to evaluate the impact of the Accelerate PhenoTest BC Kit (AXDX) on antimicrobial use and clinical outcomes in BSIs. Methods This multicenter, quasiexperimental study compared clinical and antimicrobial stewardship metrics, prior to and after implementation of AXDX, to evaluate the impact this technology has on patients with BSIs. Laboratory and clinical data from hospitalized patients with BSIs (excluding contaminants) were compared between 2 arms, 1 that underwent testing on AXDX (post-AXDX) and 1 that underwent alternative organism identification and susceptibility testing (pre-AXDX). The primary outcomes were time to optimal therapy (TTOT) and 30-day mortality. Results A total of 854 patients with BSIs (435 pre-AXDX, 419 post-AXDX) were included. Median TTOT was 17.2 hours shorter in the post-AXDX arm (23.7 hours) compared with the pre-AXDX arm (40.9 hours; P <.0001). Compared with pre-AXDX, median time to first antimicrobial modification (24.2 vs 13.9 hours; P <.0001) and first antimicrobial deescalation (36.0 vs 27.2 hours; P =.0004) were shorter in the post-AXDX arm. Mortality (8.7% pre-AXDX vs 6.0% post-AXDX), length of stay (7.0 pre-AXDX vs 6.5 days post-AXDX), and adverse drug events were not significantly different between arms. Length of stay was shorter in the post-AXDX arm (5.4 vs 6.4 days; P =.03) among patients with gram-negative bacteremia. Conclusions For BSIs, use of AXDX was associated with significant decreases in TTOT, first antimicrobial modification, and time to antimicrobial deescalation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to understand the use of double bronchodilator therapy and influencing factors. Methods. The patients with stable COPD who used double bronchodilators were continuously enrolled in our hospital. The information of demographic characteristics, medical history, physical examination, drug use, and correct treatment methods after using inhaled drugs were collected by standardized questionnaire. Measurement data between groups were compared by using the independent sample t-test, and counting data between groups were compared by using the chi-square test. Results. A total of 102 patients were included in the analysis. The proportion of patients with stable COPD who correctly used dual bronchodilators was 59.8% (61 patients). In the GOLD classification, the correct use rate of C-level patients was 69.8%, which was significantly higher than the used correct rate of D-level patients (49.0%) (P = 0.032). In the age group, the correct use rate of patients <65 years old was 72.1%, which was significantly higher than that of patients ≥65 years old (50.8%) (P = 0.031). In addition, education level, duration of drug use, and drug type may also affect the correct use of drugs, but no significant statistical significance was found between the groups of these three factors (P > 0.05). Conclusion. There is still a gap between the treatment of dual bronchodilators in patients with stable COPD and the guidelines, so the management of COPD should be strengthened. Besides, the correct use rate could be affected by the GOLD classification and age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the risks of opioids for pain management, we need nonpharmacological interventions that patients will engage in and that can reduce opioid use. The purpose was to examine whether offering a psychological intervention in primary care can engage patients receiving opioids for pain management and to explore whether the intervention influences opioid use. This was a secondary analysis of a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a 5-session psychological intervention in primary care for chronic pain. Patients with chronic pain (N = 220) were approached to enroll in the RCT. Electronic health records were reviewed to determine whether patients were prescribed opioids or pain medications at the time they were approached about the RCT and the 6-months following the intervention. Enrollees and non-enrollees had similar rates of opioid prescriptions, morphine milligram equivalent dose of opioids, and rates of other pain medication prescriptions (p>.05). However, no males with an opioid prescription enrolled. Though not significant, those in the intervention had lower odds of having an opioid prescription 6 months following the intervention (p=.09, OR=.32). Those randomized to the intervention had lower odds of having a non-opioid pain medication prescription (p=.01, OR=.17). Having an opioid prescription did not interfere with enrollment, suggesting that primary care may be useful for engaging patients on opioids in a psychological treatment for chronic pain. However, this may be true for women, and not men. This intervention also showed promise for decreasing opioid use and warrants further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is Known and Objective: Antibiograms gives an overview of the cumulative susceptibility of formal antibiotics to bacterial isolates, which reflects the portion of each bacterium susceptible to a given antibiotic formulation by using antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The objective of this study is to gather and analyse data from drug utilization evaluation (DUE) studies and antimicrobial susceptibility tests in order to create an antibiogram toolkit that will help clinicians to select appropriate antimicrobial agents for initial empirical antibiotic therapy at point of care settings and avoid irrational use of antibiotics. Methods: A prospective interventional study was conducted at tertiary care hospital, biological samples of infectious patients were collected from various wards as per Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute CLSI M39‐A4 guidelines. Antimicrobial susceptibility results were analysed using WHONET software. Antibiotic stewardship committee was formed and involved in monitoring the usage of antibiotics, measuring outcomes, collecting feedback and finding the scope for improving the application of antibiogram toolkit in the hospital. Antibiotic usage tracking method was followed to know the level of adherence to the prescribing guidelines by the health care professionals. Results and Discussion: A total of 157 samples were obtained from various wards of the hospital. In that, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella Pneumoniae were isolated in significant numbers. Antibacterial susceptibility results were collected, an initial antibiogram was developed for 18 antibacterial agents with respect to 3 gram‐positive (+) and 1 gram‐negative (−) organisms. 90% of prescribers mentioned that the antibiogram was useful, and 76% of them adhered to the guidelines. 26% were not adhered due to the patient‐related factors. What is New and Conclusion: In our study, we have used qualitative and quantitative evaluation of drug utilization (DUE) reports to understand the existing prescribing pattern of antibiotics and setting target organisms and antibacterials to develop the hospital antibiogram. Combining DUE studies and antibiogram development was helpful in implementing effective antibiotic policies for the hospital. Further, this study pattern will be continued on a yearly basis and focused on developing cumulative antibiograms to understand the changes in resistance pattern of antimicrobials and utilization of antibiotics in the hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on hospital-based opioid stewardship program focusing on improving the prescribing, utilization, and monitoring of opioids. Topics include resulting in increased risk of various harms in the community such as development of an opioid use disorder, overdose, or opioid-induced hyperalgesia; and several consulting services operating within the hospital for addressing issues related to pain and addiction.

Purpose: We investigated the drug use before and after transition to automated multi-dose dispensing (MDD) service among persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and compared whether the changes were similar in persons without AD. Methods: The register-based Finnish nationwide MEDALZ cohort includes 70,718 community-dwelling persons diagnosed with AD during 2005–2011. Each person who initiated MDD was matched in both groups with a comparison person without MDD by age, gender and for persons with AD, also time since AD diagnosis at the start of MDD. The study cohort included 15,604 persons with AD in MDD and 15,604 no-MDD, and 5224 persons without AD in MDD and 5224 no-MDD. Point prevalence of drug use was assessed every 3 months, from 1 year before to 2 years after the start of MDD and compared between persons in MDD to those who did not have MDD. Results: MDD was started on average 2.9 (SD 2.1) years after AD diagnosis. At the start of MDD, the prevalence of drug use increased especially for antipsychotics, antidepressants, opioids, paracetamol and use of ≥ 10 drugs among persons with and without AD. Prevalence of benzodiazepine use (from 12% 12 months before to 17% at start of MDD), memantine (from 29 to 46%) and ≥ 3 psychotropics (from 3.2 to 6.0%) increased among persons with AD. Decreasing trend was observed for benzodiazepine-related drugs, urinary antispasmodics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Conclusion: MDD seems to be initiated when use of psychotropics is initiated and the number of drugs increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antipsychotics and sedatives are used to treat agitation in the emergency department (ED) but carry significant risk in older adults. Our objective was to determine factors associated with their administration to older ED patients. Methods: This was an observational study using data from the 2014–2017 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. We identified ED visits for patients aged ≥65 years and determined whether an antipsychotic or sedative was administered. Visits related to substance use/withdrawal, other psychiatric complaints, and intubation were excluded. We performed multivariable logistic regression to identify risk factors for antipsychotic or sedative administration. Results: Of the 78.7 million ED visits that met inclusion criteria, 3.5% involved at least one dose of antipsychotic or sedative medication; 13% involved an antipsychotic and 92% a sedative. Factors associated with antipsychotic administration included nursing home residence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.67; 95% CI: 1.05–6.80), dementia (aOR: 5.62; 95% CI: 2.44–12.94), and delirium (aOR: 7.33; 95% CI: 2.21–24.32). Sedative administration was positively associated with CT or MR imaging (aOR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.42–2.43), urbanicity of ED (aOR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.02–2.08), and female gender (aOR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.08–1.99) and negatively associated with older age (age: 75–84; aOR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.49–0.91; age: 85+; aOR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.45–0.88; reference age: 65–74 years). Antipsychotic and sedative administration were associated with prolonged ED lengths of stay and hospital admission. Conclusion: We identified patient‐ and facility‐level factors associated with sedative and antipsychotic administration in older ED patients. Antipsychotic and sedative administration were associated with prolonged ED lengths of stay and hospital admission. See related editorial by Lee. in this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immediate postoperative pain in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) is common. Titration of opioid is the most popular strategy for controlling early postoperative pain. ABO blood group has been found to be associated with pain perception. We aimed to find the factors including ABO blood group for predicting the amount of opioid requirement in PACU. Methods: This prospective cohort study was performed in 3316 patients who underwent various kinds of anesthetic techniques and received immediate postoperative care in PACU. Preoperative, intraoperative and PACU data were collected. A directed acyclic graph (DAG) representing the hypothesized causal pathways of preoperative, intraoperative and PACU data were compiled prior to conducting multinomial logistic regression analysis. Statistical significance in all models was defined as a P-value < 0.05. Results: Female sex, body mass index, preoperative use of gabapentin, preoperative anxiety score, anesthetic techniques, type of operation, amount of consumed intraoperative opioids, intraoperative use of paracetamol, parecoxib and ondansetron, duration of anesthesia and surgery, amount of blood loss, pain upon PACU arrival, use of paracetamol and parecoxib in PACU were found to be factors influencing amount of opioid consumption in PACU. ABO blood group was not associated with early postoperative opioid requirement. Conclusions: A significant number of factors are related to amount of opioid requirement in PACU. Some factors can be adjusted to provide better pain relief in early postoperative period. However, ABO blood group is not identified to be a predictive factor for early postoperative opioid consumption in PACU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug utilization studies in developing countries is evolving. Rising medication cost for hypertensive patients is a major cause of noncompliance to therapy. The study was a cross-sectional drug utilization review involving outpatients in two purposively selected hospitals (secondary and tertiary) in Abeokuta, Southwestern Nigeria. Data and relevant information were obtained from the patients' medical records domiciled in the outpatients' hospital records department. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used at p < 0.05. Total medication cost to patients was USD$48,575; out of which antihypertensive medications accounted for 46% (USD$21,588) in two referral hospitals. Ramipril was the most prescribed in both hospitals. Generic drugs were cheaper than their branded alternatives. Study outcomes are beneficial for managing costs for hypertensive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]