Oral Fabrol (oral N-acetyl-cysteine) in chronic bronchitis.

Five hundred and twenty-six patients suffering from chronic bronchitis were randomized to receive either N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or placebo during a 6-month period. The aim was to compare the number of acute exacerbations in the two groups. General practitioners were asked to enter patients with a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis, based on the MRC criteria. We failed to find any statistically significant difference in the number of exacerbations between the two treatment groups although there was a slight trend towards improvement in the NAC group during the first 3 months of the trial. The tolerability was similar for both treatments. Patients taking NAC showed a reduction in number of days on which they were incapacitated and this result was statistically significant.

An audit of the management of patients with epilepsy in thirty general practices.

An audit of the management of epilepsy in 30 general practices is presented. A total of 377 patients from widely dispersed practices in the UK independently completed questionnaires which mirrored similar questionnaires answered by their doctors. A lack of detailed awareness by the doctor of how epilepsy was affecting the patient was detected. Many patients were found to have difficulty in communicating anxieties and problems associated with the disease to their general practitioner. Use of drug monotherapy and anticonvulsant blood level monitoring was sub-optimal. This multi-centre study supports previous single-centre reports of certain deficiencies in long-term management of epilepsy in general practice.

Efficacy and tolerability of sustained-release clomipramine (Anafranil SR) in the treatment of phobias: a comparison with the conventional formulation of clomipramine (Anafranil).

This multicentre double-blind trial in general practice compared the efficacy and tolerability of the sustained-release formulation of clomipramine (Anafranil SR) with its conventional formulation (Anafranil) in the treatment of phobias. Patients were allocated at random to receive clomipramine 75 mg once daily as either the sustained-release or conventional formulation for 11 weeks following a 1-week dosage build-up period. Analysis of results from forty-six patients showed that the sustained release formulation of clomipramine 75 mg was as effective as the conventional formulation of clomipramine 75 mg in improving symptoms of phobia as assessed by a phobia inventory and global evaluation. Unwanted effects attributable to therapy were similar in both treatment groups but there were fewer withdrawals due to unwanted effects of the sustained release formulation of clomipramine 75 mg. It was concluded that the sustained-release formulation of clomipramine does offer advantages for patients requiring 75 mg clomipramine daily.

Irish general practice study of acetylcysteine (Fabrol) in chronic bronchitis.

The results of this general practice study in 248 patients suggest that acetylcysteine (Fabrol) administered orally for 2 months to patients with chronic bronchitis effectively changes the viscosity and character of sputum with resultant ease of expectoration and cough severity. There was a notable improvement in associated abnormal physical signs such as the presence of rhonchi, crepitations and symptoms including dyspnoea at rest. Tolerability was good, with 77% of patients experiencing no side-effects.

Acetylcysteine (Fabrol) in chronic bronchitis--a study in general practice.

The results of this general practice study suggest that acetylcysteine (Fabrol) administered orally for 2 months to patients with chronic bronchitis effectively changes the viscosity and character of sputum with resultant ease of expectoration and cough severity. There was a notable improvement in associated abnormal physical signs such as the presence of rhonchi, crepitations and symptoms including dyspnoea at rest. Tolerability was good, with 81% of patients experiencing no side-effects.