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Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Apr 23. Epub 2019 Apr 23.

Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 88 Sidney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.

Purpose: To assess the effect of ethnicity, food, and itraconazole (strong CYP3A4 inhibitor) on the pharmacokinetics of ivosidenib after single oral doses in healthy subjects.

Methods: Three phase 1 open-label studies were performed. Study 1: Japanese and Caucasian subjects received single doses of 250, 500, or 1000 mg ivosidenib (NCT03071770). Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Apr 18. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Programme for Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.

Purpose: Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are increasingly used, and knowledge about adverse effects is scarce based on clinical studies. The purpose of the present study was to characterise adverse effects reports of AEDs in Norway relative to changes in utilisation in various indications from population-based data to elucidate important safety aspects of use of AEDs.

Methods: Aggregated data of adverse effects reported for AEDs in Norway from the EudraVigilance-database (2004-2013) in addition to indication-specific use of AEDs during 2004-2015 from the Norwegian Prescription Database were used. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Apr 13. Epub 2019 Apr 13.

Gestione Ambulatoriale Politerapie (GAP) outpatient clinic, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco University Hospital, Milan, Italy.

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 May;75(5):741

Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.

The authors have retracted this article [1] because there are fundamental errors in the data presented that undermine the conclusions drawn. All authors agree with this retraction. The authors are re-analysing their data and intend to submit a new manuscript for peer review in due course. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology Centre, Pharmacology Department, CHU Rennes, 2, rue Henri Le Guilloux, 35000, Rennes, France.

Background: The hepatotoxicity of acetaminophen is recognised worldwide. Unfavourable prognoses relating to overdose include liver transplantation and/or death. Several hepatotoxicity risk factors (HRFs) should motivate the adjustment of acetaminophen daily intake (to < 4 g/day): advanced age, weight < 50 kg, malnutrition, chronic alcoholism, chronic hepatitis B and C and HIV infection, severe chronic renal failure and hepatocellular insufficiency. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Apr 9. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Alexianer Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany.

Purpose: To assess in a large naturalistic sample, whether clinical response to a treatment with venlafaxine is associated with different patterns of plasma concentrations of active moiety, AM (sum of venlafaxine (VEN) and its active metabolite O-desmethylvenlafaxine (ODVEN)).

Methods: Applying a regression model, plasma concentrations and plasma concentrations corrected-by-dosage (C/D) for AM were included as independent variable with Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I) scale ratings as dependent variable. Moreover, AM, VEN, and ODVEN were compared between treatment responders and non-responders, defining response as much or very much improved on the CGI-I scale based on the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U (M-W-U) test with a significance level of 0. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Apr 4. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Clinical Research Center, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Kettegaard Allé 30, 2650, Hvidovre, Denmark.

Purpose: Multi-morbidity and polypharmacy are common among older people. It is essential to provide a better understanding of the complexity of prescription drug use among older adults to optimise rational pharmacotherapy. Population-based utilisation data in this age group is limited. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Apr 1. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

Background And Objectives: Dosing of vancomycin in pediatric patients undergoing continuous venous-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) is challenging. Characterization of vancomycin pharmacokinetics can assist with dosing and attainment of goal serum concentrations.

Design, Setting, Participants, And Measurements: Patients less than 19 years of age who received vancomycin and had post-dose vancomycin concentrations while undergoing CVVHDF were identified. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 27. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.

Purpose: Establishment of causality between drug exposure and adverse drug reactions (ADR) is challenging even for serious ADRs such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN). Several causality assessment tools (CAT) exist, but the reliability and validity of such tools is variable. The objective of this study was to compare the reliability and validity of existing ADR CATs on SJS/TEN cases. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 26. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran.

Aim And Background: Reducing inflammation by nutritional supplements may help to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. Our aim in this meta-analysis was to determine the effect of L-carnitine on inflammatory mediators including C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6).

Methods: Our systematic search to find relevant randomized clinical trials (RCTs) was performed up to October 2018 using ISI Web of Science, Google Scholar, PubMed/Medline, and SCOPUS. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 26. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

Department of Geriatrics, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Göttingen-Weende, An der Lutter 24, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.

Objective: To examine the impact of medication and medical conditions on the fall risk in older hospitalized patients.

Design: Matched case-control study.

Setting: Large regional hospital in a mid-sized German city. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 26. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

Health Research Institute-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Avda Reyes Católicos 2, E-28040, Madrid, Spain.

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 22. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark.

Purpose: A subset of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience a decrease in exacerbation frequency, leading to a diminished need for treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). We investigated prescribing and discontinuation patterns of long-acting bronchodilators and ICS in COPD patients according to exacerbation frequency.

Methods: Using the nationwide Danish health registries, we conducted a drug utilization study among patients who had at least two exacerbations or one hospitalization due to an exacerbation during 2011-2012. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 21. Epub 2019 Mar 21.

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.

Purpose: Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) have been associated with a greater risk of adverse drug events and hospitalizations. To reduce PIMs use, a family health team (FHT) implemented a knowledge translation (KT) strategy that included a pharmacist-physician intervention model based on alerts from a computerized alert system (CAS).

Methods: Our pragmatic, single-site, pilot study was conducted in an FHT clinic in Quebec, Canada. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 19. Epub 2019 Mar 19.

Department of Pharmacy, Tokyo Women's Medical University Medical Center East, 2-1-10, Nishiogu, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo, 116-0011, Japan.

After online publication, we found a typographical error in Table 2. We consider correcting "VCM trough concentration > 20 g/mL" to "VCM trough concentration > 20 μg/mL". Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 15. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

Department of clinical pharmacology and pharmacotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.

Purpose: Centrally authorised medicinal products (CAMPs) in the European Union may offer added therapeutic value (ATV) but may be linked to high prices and limited efficiency. Health technology assessment (HTA) and managed entry schemes (MES) may facilitate the reimbursement decision by providing reliable estimates of the medicinal product's value and costs and by controlling the remaining uncertainty, respectively. We investigated the impact of HTA criteria and the initiation of a MES on the reimbursement decision of CAMPs in Belgium. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 15. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623 EJ, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

Aim: There is accumulating evidence that neutropenic patients require higher dosages of vancomycin. To prevent sub-therapeutic drug exposure, it is of utmost importance to obtain adequate exposure from the first dose onwards. We aimed to quantify the effect of neutropenia on the pharmacokinetics of vancomycin. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 14. Epub 2019 Mar 14.

Division of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Acute Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Purpose: It is important to accurately estimate accurate vancomycin (VCM) clearance (CLvcm) for appropriate VCM dosing in the treatment of patients with sepsis. However, the pathophysiology of sepsis can make CLvcm prediction less accurate. Clearance of hydrophilic antibiotics is disturbed by organ dysfunction, and hemoglobin levels are negatively correlated with sequential organ function assessment scores. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 13. Epub 2019 Mar 13.

Unit of Pharmacogenetics and Clinical Psychopharmacology, Centre for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Hospital of Cery, University of Lausanne, Prilly, Switzerland.

Purpose: The abstinence rate to tobacco after varenicline treatment is moderate and might be partially affected by variability in varenicline concentrations. This study aimed at characterizing the sources of variability in varenicline pharmacokinetics and to relate varenicline exposure to abstinence.

Methods: The population pharmacokinetic analysis (NONMEM®) included 121 varenicline concentrations from 82 individuals and tested the influence of genetic and non-genetic characteristics on apparent clearance (CL/F) and volume of distribution (V/F). Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 12. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

Lung Transplant Unit, St Vincent's Hospital Darlinghurst, Sydney, Australia.

Aims: To (i) describe tacrolimus (TAC) pre-dose concentrations (C), (ii) calculate apparent oral TAC clearance (CL/F) adjusted for measured haematocrit (HCTi) and standardised to a HCT of 45%, across three observation time points and (iii) explore if low TAC C or high mean CL/F are associated with an increased risk of rejection episodes early after lung transplantation.

Methods: TAC whole blood concentration-time profiles and transbronchial biopsies were performed prospectively at weeks 3, 6 and 12 after lung transplantation. The TAC pre-dose concentration (C) was measured, and CL/F was determined using non-compartmental analysis. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 9. Epub 2019 Mar 9.

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Project, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.

Purpose: Large inter-individual differences in warfarin maintenance dose are mostly due to the effect of genetic polymorphisms in multiple genes, including vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1 (VKORC1), cytochromes P450 2C9 (CYP2C9), and cytochrome P450 4F2 (CYP4F2). Thus, several algorithms for predicting the warfarin dose based on pharmacogenomics data with clinical characteristics have been proposed. Although these algorithms consider these genetic polymorphisms, the formulas have different coefficient values that are critical in this context. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 8. Epub 2019 Mar 8.

Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan.

Purpose: We previously demonstrated that the rational pediatric dosage of warfarin can be well-described by a SIZE parameter that includes an allometry exponent of weight. On the other hand, allometry alone is considered to be insufficient to predict drug clearance in neonates and infants. The primary purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of incorporation of the maturation process into the analysis model for the dose-response relationship of warfarin in Japanese children. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 5. Epub 2019 Mar 5.

Pharmacovigilance and Epidemiology Department, European Medicines Agency, London, UK.

Purpose: Knowledge on unintended consequences of product withdrawals is limited. Fusafungine, indicated for treatment of upper respiratory airways disease (URAD), was withdrawn in the EU on May 28, 2016. Given concerns about possible substitution with antibiotics, this study aimed to assess the impact of the withdrawal of fusafungine on prescribing of antibiotics and other treatments. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 5. Epub 2019 Mar 5.

Neurorehabilitation Unit, Institut Guttmann, Neurorehabilitation Hospital, Camí de Can Ruti s/n, 08916, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain.

Purpose: Patients who suffer acquired brain injury (ABI) require a great variety of drugs. Furthermore, the lack of evidence on the medication effects in this type of patient increases off-label prescription. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of medication use and the practice of prescribing off-label drugs in these patients. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 4. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Nursing Science, Centre for Research and Innovation in Care (NuPhaC), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.

Purpose: Balancing medications that are needed and beneficial and avoiding medications that may be harmful is important to prevent drug-related problems, and improve quality of life. The aim of this study is to describe medication use, the prevalence of deprescribing of medications suitable for deprescribing, and the prevalence of new initiation of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in nursing home (NH) residents with life-limiting disease in Flanders.

Methods: NH residents aged ≥ 65, suffering from end stage organ failure, advanced cancer, and/or dementia (n = 296), were included in this cross-sectional study with retrospective analyses of medication use at the time of data collection (t2) and 3 to 6 months before (t1). Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 4. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Box 521, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.

Purpose: To explore beliefs about medicines and information needs among pregnant women visiting a tertiary hospital in Belgium and to identify patient characteristics associated with beliefs about medicines.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at the outpatient obstetrics clinic of the University Hospital Leuven, Belgium, between December 2016 and March 2017. All pregnant women ≥ 18 years were invited to complete a web survey. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 3. Epub 2019 Mar 3.

Department of Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, Z5:00, Solna, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden.

Purpose: To investigate statin use in the elderly by age (≥ 80 vs. 65-79 years) in relation to established indications.

Methods: A population-based cohort, including data from four registers, encompassing inhabitants in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden, was used. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Mar 1. Epub 2019 Mar 1.

Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125, Messina, Italy.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to describe antipsychotic utilization patterns among patients with schizophrenic disorder in Italy, Spain, the UK, and the USA.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Patients aged 15 and over with schizophrenic disorder were identified in the Caserta claims database (Italy), the Valencia electronic medical record (EMR) database (Spain), in The Health Improvement Network EMR database (UK), and in databases of publicly and privately insured populations in the United States (US). Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Division of Hemostaseology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr, 20, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.

Purpose: The inhibitory effect of metamizole on platelet aggregation is known for several years, but most studies were conducted in healthy volunteers with contradictory results. Recent studies have shown an inhibitory effect of metamizole on acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)-induced platelet aggregation. We aimed to investigate the effect of metamizole on platelet aggregation after an elective surgery and the effect of metamizole on ASA-induced platelet aggregation in hospitalized patients. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Rijnstate Hospital, Wagnerlaan 55, 6815 AD, Arnhem, The Netherlands.

Introduction: Selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) is a strategy in mechanically ventilated patients to reduce mortality. Treatment consists of enterally administered non-absorbable antibiotics, i.e. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Pharmacy, Tokyo Women's Medical University Medical Center East, 2-1-10, Nishiogu, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo, 116-0011, Japan.

Purpose: Vancomycin (VCM) is used for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Although the risk factors for VCM nephrotoxicity have been evaluated, the time course of renal function during VCM treatment is unknown. We assessed risk factors for VCM nephrotoxicity and how renal function varied over time. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson campus, 39, Jabutinsky st., Petah Tikva, Israel.

Purpose: High tacrolimus trough drug level variability was found to be associated with reduced graft survival. The primary goal of this study was to find whether reduction of exposure to high tacrolimus trough level variability in patients in which previously had high variability was associated with better graft survival.

Methods: All tacrolimus drug level values in patients that underwent kidney transplantation at our center between 2006 and 2015 were collected. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Institute of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Drug Safety Center, Leipzig University and University Hospital of Leipzig, Bruederstraße 32, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.

Purpose: The individual fall risk of a patient is often multifactorial. Polymedication contributes to an additional risk of fall-risk-increasing adverse reactions (FRIARs). Previous studies have not sufficiently investigated the complexity facing prescribers when balancing the therapeutic benefits of individual drugs against their potential fall risk. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Faculty of Pharmacy, Université de Montréal, Case Postale 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada.

Purpose: Some evidence suggests that spironolactone may have a deleterious effect on glucose homeostasis. The objective of this study was to assess whether spironolactone use is associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes in a large cohort of patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods: Two Quebec government administrative databases were used to identify a cohort of hospitalized patients discharged between January 1995 and December 2009 with a primary discharge diagnosis of HF and without secondary discharge diagnosis of diabetes. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Internal Medicine I, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Kollarova 2, 036 59, Martin, Slovak Republic.

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 7. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya road, Changsha, Hunan, China.

Purpose: The IL-2 gene polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with the development of autoimmune disease. However, there are no published studies examining the influence of the IL-2 gene polymorphisms on the response of myasthenia gravis (MG) patients to tacrolimus (Tac). The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between the polymorphisms of IL-2 and Tac response in MG patients. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 7. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Laboratory for Mother and Child Health, Department of Public Health - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCSS, Via Giuseppe La Masa 19, 20156, Milan, Italy.

Purpose: Drug use in the pediatric population still often features off-label prescriptions, particularly for psychotropic drugs. We reviewed the registration status, scientific evidence, and recommendations from the guidelines for antipsychotics used for psychiatric disorders in children.

Methods: Antipsychotic drugs marketed in Italy, the United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US) were identified with the ATC Classification System. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 7. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Purpose: To obtain insight into the feasibility of, and the patients' perspective on, dried blood spot (DBS) self-sampling by patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) using nilotinib.

Methods: Sixty-eight patients with CML using nilotinib participated in this multicenter observational study. Patients were asked to perform blood sampling by means of the DBS method at home just before drug intake (trough level) and to complete a questionnaire including demographics and five questions on their experience with DBS self-sampling. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 6. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Purpose: Rivaroxaban is a substrate for ABCB1 transporter and is commonly used in patients undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery for thromboprophylaxis. The objective of this study was to develop a population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) model to investigate the influence of ABCB1 gene expression and polymorphism on rivaroxaban exposure and anticoagulation effects.

Methods: Five blood samples per patient were collected during 5 days after the surgery for the determination of rivaroxaban concentration in plasma and for determination of prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 6. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Service on Pharmacokinetics and Generics, Division of Pharmacology and Clinical Evaluation, Department of Human Use Medicines, Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Care Products (AEMPS), C/ Campezo 1, Edificio 8, Planta 2 A, 28022, Madrid, Spain.

Purpose: The existence of a sex-by-formulation interaction in bioequivalence studies implies that the bioequivalence results (i.e., the test/reference ratio of the pharmacokinetic parameters) obtained in one sex are not similar to those obtained in the other sex. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Feb 5. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, SI-1104, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Purpose: This review focuses on the most common drugs administered to surgical patients during the perioperative period that affect the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Results: Among analgesics, the risk of VTE is increased in patients treated with diclofenac, ibuprofen, and rofecoxib, but not naproxen, while metamizole can confer a protective effect. The relationship between sedatives and VTE has not been sufficiently studied. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Jan 31. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Institut für Pharmazie und Lebensmittelchemie, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.

Purpose: Dried blot spot (DBS) analysis of drugs or clinical parameters offers many advantages. We investigated the feasibility of using DBS for analysis of anti-diabetic drugs concomitantly with the estimated creatinine clearance (Cl).

Methods: The cross-sectional study involved physicians in an enabling analysis with 70 diabetic patients and community pharmacists in a field investigation with 84 participants. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Jan 29. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation Unit, DSB 29 "S. Gennaro dei Poveri Hospital", Via S. Gennaro dei Poveri 25, 80136, Naples, Italy.

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 Jan 29. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Zurich-University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 May 29;75(5):639-645. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Department of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy, Mohamed V Military Teaching Hospital of Rabat, Mohamed V University, FAR Avenue, Hay Riad, 10045, Rabat, Morocco.

Aim: To determine the effect of Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 (S. boulardii) plus sequential therapy on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication rate. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 May 28;75(5):655-663. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.

Purpose: There is a large inter-individual variation in the efficacy of valproic acid (VPA) against epilepsy. The genetic polymorphism influence of sodium channels on VPA response remains a matter of debate. The aim of the study was to explore the effect of SCN1A and SCN2A gene polymorphisms on VPA response in the treatment of epilepsy among Chinese patients. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 May 28;75(5):687-696. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Pharmacology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 90, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Purpose: To evaluate whether an educational intervention based on collegial discussions on patient cases could increase interns' professional confidence in prescribing.

Methods: In a randomized controlled study at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden, 69 interns (median age: 29 years, 54% female) were allocated to an intervention or control group. The intervention consisted of two 3-h seminars based on collegial discussions of patient cases focused on performing medication reviews. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 May 26;75(5):723-731. Epub 2019 Jan 26.

Department of Medicine (Geriatrics), University College Cork, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, T12 DC4A, Ireland.

Purpose: STOPPFrail criteria highlight instances of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in frailer older adults with poor 1-year survival prognosis. The objectives of this study were to (i) determine the proportion of older adults requiring long-term nursing care in whom STOPPFrail criteria are applicable, (ii) measure the prevalence of STOPPFrail PIMs, and (iii) identify risk factors for PIMs in this cohort.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed applications for long-term nursing care to nursing homes in the Cork area over a 6-month period. Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 May 26;75(5):619-625. Epub 2019 Jan 26.

Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.

Purpose: Suboptimal drugs therapy is a threat to older people, and listing tools providing guidance are developed to address this problem.

Methods: A systematic review was performed to identify and analyze such tools published until February 2018. A novel categorization was developed to separate patient-in-focus listing approaches (PILA) providing disease-related positive and negative guidance from drug-oriented, mostly negative listing approaches (DOLA, DOLA+: with disease specification). Read More

Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2019 May 25;75(5):609-617. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Department of Pharmacotherapy, Epidemiology and Economics, Groningen Research institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Purpose: Preparation of parenteral medication in hospitals is a complex process with a risk of microbial contamination of the product, especially when inappropriately prepared. Contaminated parenteral medications can cause severe complications to patients and increase morbidity in hospitals. The aim of this literature review is to systematically evaluate the contamination rate of parenteral medications in hospitals prepared in a pharmacy environment and a clinical environment. Read More