A simple rule to personalize standard dual therapy across all genotypes in naive chronic hepatitis C patients: the TT4 randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Rapid and early virological responses to peginterferon-alpha and ribavirin are predictive of sustained virological response (SVR) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We aimed at finding a simple rule to determine the shortest duration of dual therapy for all HCV genotypes, obtained by multiplying time to Initial Viral Response, IVR (first undetectable HCV-RNA) by 4 (Tailored Therapy-4, or TT4). METHOD: 267 naïve HCV-infected patients with compensated liver disease were randomized (2:1) to the TT4 (n=180) or current standard-of-care (SoC, n=87) and received peginterferon-alpha plus ribavirin. Patients with HCV-RNA decrease ≤2log10 at week 12 or detectable HCV-RNA at week 24 discontinued treatment. RESULTS: Both groups had comparable baseline characteristics, SVR rates were similar in the whole population (60.6% vs. 60.9%) and within each genotype subgroup (G1: 46.6% vs. 55.6%; G2: 90.2% vs. 94.4%; G3: 74.1% vs. 58.3%; G4: 45.8% vs. 33.3%). Relapse rate was higher in G1-TT4 than G1-SoC. Treatment duration in SVR patients was shorter in TT4 compared to SoC, both overall [25±15 vs. 36±12.1 weeks], and for subgroups: G1 [35.3±16.7 vs. 47.3±2.6 weeks], G2 [18.3±7.5 vs. 24±2.8 weeks], G3 [15.2±8.7 vs. 22.8±3 weeks] and G4 [26.9±13 vs. 48 weeks]. CONCLUSIONS: In HCV-naive patients, TT4-rule treatment yields similar SVR rates compared to SoC but with shorter treatment duration and remarkable cost reduction.

Relationship between student leadership activities and prepharmacy years in college.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a relationship exists between the number of years of college completed before entering pharmacy school and students' leadership involvement. METHODS: All pharmacy students from 2004-2007 were classified based upon their educational level at time of matriculation: Early Assurance Program (EA); 2 years of college, but not EA (2Y); 3 or more years of college but no degree (3Y+); and bachelor's degree or higher (BD). In terms of leadership positions, students were classified as holding any office, total number of offices, and Phi Lambda Sigma (PLS) membership. RESULTS: Students who entered the pharmacy program as EA students held 27.1% or 71 offices compared to 31.9% or 45 for 2Y, 26.8% or 39 for 3Y+ and 30.2% or 80 for BD students. Students selected for PLS were 12.1% for EA, 15.3% for 2Y, 16.1% for 3Y+ and 13.5% for BD. There was no significant relationship between prepharmacy education and leadership measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Although no relationship was found between pharmacy students' involvement in leadership activities and number of prepharmacy years of education, the importance of predictive factors and approaches to evaluate students' leadership activities and involvement merits further research.

Prepharmacy years in college and academic performance in a professional program.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether there was a significant difference in the cumulative grade point average (GPA) of individual students at the end of their first 3 professional years in the doctor of pharmacy curriculum as a function of previous years in college. METHODS: The cumulative GPA for the first- through third-professional years was calculated for the 2004-2007 graduating classes. Previous college education was classified as 2 years, 3 or more years without a bachelor's degree, and bachelor's degree or higher. Students with 2 years of prepharmacy education were classified as early assurance (EA) versus non-early assurance. Specifically, non-early assurance students were those who transferred in after 2 years but did not participate in the early assurance program. Statistical differences in the cumulative GPA were calculated using MANOVA with repeated measures followed by a LSD Post-Hoc test. RESULTS: Students with a bachelor's degree performed better academically, especially in the first professional year of the program compared to those with other levels of education including those who entered through our EA program. There was a consistent decrease in cumulative GPA during the second-professional year, but no additional change in the third-professional year. CONCLUSIONS: Students who obtain a bachelor's degree perform better academically presumably because of previous college experiences.