Every week, we will provide a brief summary and a link to the published abstract of newly published papers selected from the worldwide literature as being of particular interest to the SelfCare community.
OTC POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 3350 AND PHARMACISTS’ ROLE IN MANAGING CONSTIPATION.
By: Horn JR, Mantione MM, Johanson JF.
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association: JAPhA 52. 3 (May 2012 – Jun 2012): 372-80.
Summary: Pharmacists have a unique role in assisting patients with identifying and managing constipation. Multiple controlled clinical trials have established the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of PEG 3350 at its recommended dose of 17 g once daily. On the basis of this evidence, various professional groups have recommended PEG 3350 for use in improving stool frequency and consistency in patients with constipation. PEG 3350 is approved for short-term use, including treatment of constipation caused by medications. Compared with other available OTC agents, PEG 3350 can be recommended to patients suffering from constipation on the basis of a large body of clinical evidence supporting its efficacy and safety, as well as the high patient acceptance shown for its palatability and once-daily dosing.
RESPONSIVENESS OF EFFICACY ENDPOINTS IN CLINICAL TRIALS WITH OVER THE COUNTER ANALGESICS FOR HEADACHE.
By: Aicher B, Peil H, Peil B, Diener HC.
Cephalalgia 32. 13 (Oct 2012): 953-962.
Summary: Aim: To quantify and compare the responsiveness within the meaning of clinical relevance of efficacy endpoints in a clinical trial with over the counter (OTC) analgesics for headache. Efficacy endpoints and observed differences in clinical trials need to be clinically meaningful and mirror the change in the clinical status of a patient. This must be demonstrated for the specific disease indication and the particular patient population based on the application of treatments with proven efficacy. Responsiveness, the ability of an outcome measure to detect clinically important changes in a specific condition of a patient, should be added in future revisions of IHS guidelines for clinical trials in headache disorders.
MEDICATION AND SUPPLEMENT USE FOR MANAGING JOINT SYMPTOMS AMONG PATIENTS WITH KNEE AND HIP OSTEOARTHRITIS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.
By: JB Driban, SA Boehret, E Balasubramanian, NM Cattano, et al.
BMC musculoskeletal disorders 2012 Mar; 13: 47.
Summary: To determine the professionally-guided and self-guided medication and supplement use for joint symptom management among patients with knee and/or hip osteoarthritis (OA) in an urban hospital-based outpatient orthopedic practice. Among the 162 participants, a majority reported professionally-guided recommendations and over 40% reported at least one self-guided intervention. 37 participants reported dual-use during the same day, and among those, 15 reported dual-use at the same time. Among participants taking multiple interventions in the same day, 40.5% reported using prescription and over-the-counter medications. Both professional and self-guided medications and supplements are used by inner city OA patients to manage their joint symptoms. It is important for clinicians to discuss with these patients how to effectively manage multiple joint symptoms, the importance of taking medications as prescribed, and what they should if they believe a treatment is ineffective or their medication runs out.
OVER-THE-COUNTER (OTC) MEDICATIONS FOR ACUTE COUGH IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN AMBULATORY SETTINGS.
By: Smith SM, Schroeder K, Fahey T.
Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online) 8 (Aug 15, 2012).
Summary: Acute cough due to upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is a common symptom. Non-prescription, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are frequently recommended as a first-line treatment, but there is little evidence as to whether these drugs are effective. Twenty-six trials (18 in adults, eight in children) involving 4037 people (3421 adults and 616 children) were included in the review. There is no good evidence for or against the effectiveness of OTC medicines in acute cough. The results of this review have to be interpreted with caution due to differences in study characteristics and quality. Studies often showed conflicting results with uncertainty regarding clinical relevance. Higher quality evidence is needed to determine the effectiveness of self care treatments for acute cough.
NEW ZEALAND PHARMACISTS’ EXPERIENCES, PRACTICES AND VIEWS REGARDING ANTIBIOTIC USE WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION.
By: Dameh, M, Norris P, Green J.
Journal of primary health care 4. 2 (Jun 1, 2012): 131-40.
Summary: Very few studies have investigated pharmacists’ views, experiences and practices regarding the use of antibiotics without prescription. This study aimed to explore through self-report and hypothetical scenarios what factors determine New Zealand pharmacists’ behaviour and attitudes towards non-prescription use of antibiotics. The supply of antibiotics without prescription is not common practice in New Zealand. However, personal use of antibiotics without prescription by pharmacists may have been underestimated. Pharmacists were aware of legalities surrounding selling and using antibiotics and practised accordingly, yet many used antibiotics without prescription to treat themselves and/or spouses or partners. Many pharmacists also reported that under certain legislative, and regulatory and situational conditions they would sell antibiotics without a prescription.