Preference for erectile dysfunction treatments: Assessment by means of consumers preference analysis techniques.

INTRODUCTION: Patient preference for erectile dysfunction (ED) treatments is of great importance for satisfaction and adherence. We have assessed the usefulness of the main technique for assessing consumer preferences (conjoint analysis) to analyze preferences towards these treatments. We also assessed the influence of age, frequency of sexual intercourse, co-morbidities, ED severity or having testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study in 626 men aged ≥18 years that had recently taken at least two different PDE5i, one being vardenafil orodispersible (ODT). Seven selected features of ED treatments were tested. Different series of scenarios (cards) were created by combining these features: two series of 4 features (9 cards), another one series of 7 (16 cards). Short series were tested in Primary Care, and the long series in Urology/Andrology offices. Influences were tested by rank ordered logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The feature «administration form¼ was consistently given the most relative importance; the ODT form was given the greatest utility. Consensus towards the most and least preferred treatment was achieved only in one of the short series tested. Only severity of TDS symptoms, or having the most frequent symptoms, influenced treatment preference. Influence was mild. CONCLUSIONS: Conjoint analysis is a valid method for assessing preferences for ED treatments. A short series of highly selected attributes is advisable. Easiness and convenience of administration are of great importance for users. TDS symptomatology mildly affects preference.

[Effectiveness and treatment satisfaction in patients with erectile dysfunction in Spain: EDOS study]. / Efectividad y satisfacción con el tratamiento en pacientes con disfunción eréctil en España: estudio EDOS.

INTRODUCTION: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a worldwide health problem with an ever increasing prevalence, affecting the quality of life of many patients. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe treatment effectiveness and patient satisfaction with ED treatment in the Spanish cohort of the EDOS study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This observational, pan-European study, assessed treatment effectiveness and patient satisfaction with ED treatment under routine clinical settings, using standard questionnaires. Men > or =18 years about to initiate or change ED treatment were enrolled. Patients were assessed at baseline, 3 and 6 months. RESULTS: A total of 1,029 patients were analyzed (12.8% of the total European sample). In general, the Spanish population characteristics are consistent with the overall population. At baseline 56.6% of patients received tadalafilo, 16.6% sildenafilo, 19.6% vardenafilo, and 7.2% received other treatments. At 3 months, a higher proportion of patients on tadalafil reported improved erections (GAQ 1: 96.5% tadalafil, 85.7% sildenafil and 87.2% vardenafil), satisfaction with treatment (EDITS: 84.2% tadalafil, 75.0% sildenafil and 76.0% vardenafil), and sexual self confidence (SF-PAIRS: 2.73 tadalafil, 2.39 sildenafil and 2.55 vardenafil), in comparison with sildenafil and vardenafil. At 6 months, differences between treatments were not significant. The mean+/-SD time elapsed from drug intake to sexual intercourse was higher for patients on tadalafil (18.6+/-26.4 h) compared to sildenafil (3.6+/-7.5) and vardenafil (8.6+/-19.4). CONCLUSION: The longer duration of action for tadalafil, and thus, the longer period of time between dosing and sexual intercourse may contribute to enhance sexual spontaneity, patient satisfaction with the treatment and greater self-confidence.

Efectividad y satisfacción con el tratamiento en pacientes con disfunción eréctil en España: Estudio EDOS / Effectiveness and treatment satisfaction in patients with erectile dysfunction in Spain: EDOS study

Introducción: La disfunción eréctil (DE) es un problema de salud mundial con una prevalencia creciente que afecta la calidad de vida de muchos pacientes. Objetivo: Analizar la efectividad y satisfacción con el tratamiento en la cohorte española de pacientes con DE incluidos en el estudio observacional de disfunción eréctil. Material y método: Estudio observacional, paneuropeo, que analizó la efectividad y satisfacción de los tratamientos para la DE en la práctica clínica habitual, utilizando cuestionarios estándares. Participaron varones ≥18 años que iniciaron o cambiaron su tratamiento para la DE. Los pacientes fueron evaluados en la visita basal, a los 3 y 6 meses. Resultados: Se analizaron 1.029 pacientes (12,8% de la muestra europea total). En general, las características de la población española son consistentes con las de la población global. En la visita basal 56,6% recibió tadalafilo, 16,6% sildenafilo, 19,6% vardenafilo y 7,2% otros tratamientos. A los 3 meses, una mayor proporción de pacientes con tadalafilo experimentó mejorías en la erección (cuestionario de evaluación global 1: 96,5% tadalafilo, 85,7% sildenafilo, 87,2% vardenafilo), se observó una mayor satisfacción con el tratamiento (inventario de satisfacción con el tratamiento para la DE: 84,2% tadalafilo, 75,0% sildenafilo y 76,0% vardenafilo) y mayor autoconfianza (escalas psicológicas y de relaciones interpersonales: 2,73 tadalafilo, 2,39 sildenafilo y 2,55 vardenafilo). A los 6 meses, las diferencias entre tratamientos no resultaron significativas. El tiempo medio±desviación estándar entre la toma del fármaco y la relación sexual fue mayor en los pacientes con tadalafilo (18,6±26,4h) vs. sildenafilo (3,6±7,5) y vardenafilo (8,6±19,4). Conclusiones: La mayor duración del efecto de tadalafilo y en consecuencia el mayor tiempo medio entre la toma y la relación sexual podría contribuir a aumentar la espontaneidad en las relaciones sexuales, la satisfacción con el tratamiento y mayor autoconfianza (AU)

Introduction: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a worldwide health problem with an ever increasing prevalence, affecting the quality of life of many patients. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe treatment effectiveness and patient satisfaction with ED treatment in the Spanish cohort of the EDOS study. Material and methods: This observational, pan-European study, assessed treatment effectiveness and patient satisfaction with ED treatment under routine clinical settings, using standard questionnaires. Men ≥18 years about to initiate or change ED treatment were enrolled. Patients were assessed at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Results: A total of 1,029 patients were analyzed (12.8% of the total European sample). In general, the Spanish population characteristics are consistent with the overall population. At baseline 56.6% of patients received tadalafilo, 16.6% sildenafilo, 19.6% vardenafilo, and 7.2% received other treatments. At 3 months, a higher proportion of patients on tadalafil reported improved erections (GAQ 1: 96.5% tadalafil, 85.7% sildenafil and 87.2% vardenafil), satisfaction with treatment (EDITS: 84.2% tadalafil, 75.0% sildenafil and 76.0% vardenafil), and sexual self confidence (SF-PAIRS: 2.73 tadalafil, 2.39 sildenafil and 2.55 vardenafil), in comparison with sildenafil and vardenafil. At 6 months, differences between treatments were not significant. The mean±SD time elapsed from drug intake to sexual intercourse was higher for patients on tadalafil (18.6±26.4 h) compared to sildenafil (3.6±7.5) and vardenafil (8.6±19.4). Conclusion: The longer duration of action for tadalafil, and thus, the longer period of time between dosing and sexual intercourse may contribute to enhance sexual spontaneity, patient satisfaction with the treatment and greater self-confidence (AU)

In vivo and in situ measurement of electrical impedance for determination of distention in proximal stomach of rats.

We present a non-invasive, in vivo and in situ study of proximal stomach (PS) distention based on electrical impedance measurements that could be used together with distal stomach (DS) motility measurements as a response to different boluses. Stomach motility has been reported in the literature, as a response to different boluses, under in vivo conditions. However, previous studies on stomach motility have been mainly considered clinical parameters of the digestive process. The physiological complexity of the stomach requires the use of biological models when a detailed analysis of stomach function due to bolus ingestion is required. In this work, the determination of the PS distention in rats is presented. It is based on electrical resistive impedance measurements of the external stomach wall, related to different liquid bolus volumes. Trials were performed under in vivo and in situ conditions. A four-point technique with a vacuum-affixed linear electrode array was used for impedance measurements. A pouch was created in the stomach to retain the saline solution bolus in the PS for a longer time. Resulting impedance changes were directly related to the bolus volumes introduced into the PS and dependent on initial conditions and compensation mechanisms of the in vivo system. With the stomach pouch, a direct relationship between resistive impedance and bolus volume was obtained in all measurements. With no stomach pouch, 93% of the cases showed this relationship. Therefore, the obtained relationship will permit new non-invasive studies in the stomach about the effects of different types of bolus on the distention in the PS of rats.

Hypoacusis detector for evaluation of scholars in field.

Hypoacusis on scholars has become not only a problem but also an indicator when attention disorders or misunderstood instructions from teachers are observed. A primary detection of hypoacusis, in particular in speech range, can help scholars, parents and teachers to improve or correct the learning process. A hypoacusis detector has been developed to be applied in field. This device is based on the generation of three tones and three sound level pressures in the speech range. Both the laboratory evaluation and a case of study results are reported in this document.

An electronic tongue using potentiometric all-solid-state PVC-membrane sensors for the simultaneous quantification of ammonium and potassium ions in water.

The simultaneous determination of NH(4)(+) and K(+) in solution has been attempted using a potentiometric sensor array and multivariate calibration. The sensors used are rather non-specific and of all-solid-state type, employing polymeric (PVC) membranes. The subsequent data processing is based on the use of a multilayer artificial neural network (ANN). This approach is given the name "electronic tongue" because it mimics the sense of taste in animals. The sensors incorporate, as recognition elements, neutral carriers belonging to the family of the ionophoric antibiotics. In this work the ANN type is optimized by studying its topology, the training algorithm, and the transfer functions. Also, different pretreatments of the starting data are evaluated. The chosen ANN is formed by 8 input neurons, 20 neurons in the hidden layer and 2 neurons in the output layer. The transfer function selected for the hidden layer was sigmoidal and linear for the output layer. It is also recommended to scale the starting data before training. A correct fit for the test data set is obtained when it is trained with the Bayesian regularization algorithm. The viability for the determination of ammonium and potassium ions in synthetic samples was evaluated; cumulative prediction errors of approximately 1% (relative values) were obtained. These results were comparable with those obtained with a generalized regression ANN as a reference algorithm. In a final application, results close to the expected values were obtained for the two considered ions, with concentrations between 0 and 40 mmol L(-1).

Antibodies to poliomyelitis virus in cord blood of neonates born to from mothers in contact or not in contact with the wild virus.

Neutralizing antibodies to polioviruses in cord blood of neonates born from 64 mothers under age 20 and in 53 mothers aged 30 years and over were investigated in order to know and compare the transfer to newborns of antibodies to polioviruses produced by live oral vaccine mainly and those antibodies induced by natural contact with wild poliovirus strains. Total immunity for the two groups was higher than 80% for the three types of polioviruses, with only virus 3 showing an immunity below 80% (77.4%) in mothers aged 30 years and over. Average geometric titers though relatively low may be considered satisfactory. However, there is a statistically significant difference in titers to poliovirus type 2 (24.9) in mothers over age 30 years as compared to those found in mothers below age 20 years (10.8), for which we have found no explanation. It is not deemed necessary for the time being to take special prophylactic measures with these children given the occurrent epidemiologic status quo.