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.
THE ECZEMA PRIORITY SETTING PARTNERSHIP: A COLLABORATION BETWEEN PATIENTS, CARERS, CLINICIANS AND RESEARCHERS TO IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE IMPORTANT RESEARCH QUESTIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ECZEMA.
By: Batchelor JM, Ridd MJ, Clarke T, Ahmed A, Cox M, Crowe S, Howard M, Lawton S, McPhee M, Rani A, Ravenscroft JC, Roberts A, Thomas KS.
British Journal of Dermatology 2013; 168: 577-82.
Summary: A partnership was establish between key groups to consider priorities for research into eczema treatment. Two of the top four concerns were 1) the best and safest way to use topical steroids (including frequency of application, length of use, and potency) and 2) the long-term safety of topical steroids.
ARE PHARMACY-BASED MINOR AILMENT SCHEMES A SUBSTITUTE FOR OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS?
By: Paudyal V, Watson MC, Sach T, Porteous T, Bond CM, Wright DJ, Cleland J, Barton G, Holland R.
British Journal of General Practice 2013; Jul: e472-e481.
Summary: The aim of this review was to assess the effect of pharmacy-based minor ailment schemes on health and cost related outcomes, as well as the impact on physicians in general practice. Symptom improvement subsequent to pharmacist input for a minor ailment ranged from 68 to 94%. After patient consultation with a pharmacist, re-consultation rates to a doctor ranged from 2.4 to 23.4%.
WE CAN DO MORE THAN JUST SELL THE TEST: PHARMACIST PERSPECTIVES ABOUT OVER-THE-COUNTER RAPID HIV TESTS.
By: Meyerson BE, Ryder PT, von Hippel C, Coy K.
AIDS Behav. 2013 Jul;17(6):2109-13.
Summary: Pharmacist attitudes to HIV rapid tests being available OTC in pharmacies were explored.
COMMUNITY PHARMACY DETECTION OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTIONIN MEN WITH RISK FACTORS OR WHO SEEK TREATMENT ORADVICE BUT LACK A VALID PRESCRIPTION.
By: Martin Morales A, Hatzichristou D, Ramon Lladós J, Pascual Renedo V, Pimenidou A.
J Sex Med. 2013 Sep;10(9):2303-11. doi: 10.1111/jsm.12238. Epub 2013 Jul 11.
Summary: The goal was to assess pharmacist ability to detect ED. Among the 451 men questioned in the pharmacy, 28% had a previous diagnosis and 38% had self-medicated. The time to seek care after symptom onset ranged from 0 to 360 months. On follow-up, less than one-third had visited a doctor despite pharmacist encouragement to do so. The authors concluded that pharmacist detection of ED was highly accurate.
COCHRANE REVIEW: OSMOTIC AND STIMULANT LAXATIVES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF CHILDHOOD CONSTIPATION.
By: Gordon M, Naidoo K, Akobeng AK, Thomas AG.
Evidence-Based Child Health 2013; 8: 57-109.
Summary: Constipation in children is an extremely common problem. Despite the widespread use of laxatives, there is a lack of evidence to support this practice. This review included 18 studies (1643 patients) that compared nine different agents to either placebo or each other. The results suggest that polyethylene glycol preparations may increase the frequency of bowel motions in constipated children. Polyethylene glycol was generally safe, with lower rates of minor side effects compared to other agents. Common side effects included flatulence, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea and headache. There was also some evidence that mineral oil increased the frequency of bowel motions in constipated children and was also safe. Common side effects with liquid paraffin included abdominal pain, distention and watery stools. There was no evidence to suggest that lactulose is superior to the other agents studied, although there were no trials comparing it to placebo. It was noted that the studies cited were relatively short in duration, so it is difficult to assess the long-term effectiveness of these agents for the treatment of childhood constipation.
NEW PATENTS OF FIXED COMBINATIONS OF NASALANTIHISTAMINES AND CORTICOSTEROIDS IN ALLERGIC RHINITIS.
By: Wolthers OD.
Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov. 2013 Sep;7(3):223-8.
Summary: For the care of allergy sufferers, fixed combinations of intranasal antihistamines and steroids are now available. This systematic review looked at the clinical evidence for this combination. One such formulation (azelastine and fluticasone) was found to be more efficacious than either agent alone.