The use of antibiotics in acute oral health patients presenting at public dental clinics in the Western Sydney region.

BACKGROUND: There is a limited need for antibiotics when treating oral health problems, yet they are often prescribed, increasing risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). With AMR a threat to public health, the objectives of this study were to assess the frequency, suitability, and factors associated with antibiotic prescriptions for acute dental problems across Greater Western Sydney public dental clinics. METHODS: Patients' reason for attending, details of any antibiotics use, and the treating dental practitioner's clinical examination and diagnosis were compared to current prescribing guidelines, and logistic regression was used to identify predictors of antibiotic prescription. RESULTS: In all, 1,071 patients participated in the study, and 15.9% reported to using antibiotics for their dental problem. Over three-quarters obtained the antibiotics from their general medical practitioner (GMP). A high prevalence of antibiotics were not indicated for the patient's complaint (71.8%) including for those with a history of extraction, pain, or intraoral swelling, who had significantly higher odds of antibiotic prescription (OR > 9). The antibiotic type prescribed was generally suitable. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the data suggest that the majority of antibiotics were inappropriately prescribed for the patient's dental complaints and there is a need for interventions to improve compliance with antibiotic prescribing guidelines.

Noncompliance with Therapeutic Guidelines for Chronic Hepatitis B Patients in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Standardized treatment regimens for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) are crucial in suppressing viral replication, disease progression and the development of complications. However, information on routine compliance with such therapeutic recommendations in medical practice is rare. Aim: To evaluate the application of Brazilian therapeutic guidelines for CHB within the scope of the Unified Health System in Minas Gerais state. Four key recommendations from the national guidelines were compared with data from treated patients: (i) eligibility to start treatment; (ii) type of treatment applied; (iii) rescue antiviral therapy; and (iv) monitoring of virological response. Most physicians (69.8%) declared to adopt these guidelines, while 10 of them were unaware. However, according to the criteria established by the guidelines, only 39.5% of treated patients should have been considered "truly" eligible to start treatment and only 67.6% of these underwent the recommended pharmacological treatment. The virological response was laboratory monitored in just over a third of patients. Rescue therapy was adequately supplanted in 41.2% of patients previously treated with lamivudine. There was low compliance with national guidelines by public service physicians in Brazil, highlighting the need to raise awareness of the importance of its adherence to expand the control of CHB. Thus, increasing the adherence of health professionals to this tool is a current challenge for health institutions and managers.

Speak-PIM, Towards a Framework for the Automatic Detection of Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions.

Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) have adverse health consequences, particularly in elderly patients. Various explicit criteria have been developed to detect PIMs. However, it is difficult to apply these criteria without the help of an electronic decision support tool. Programming these tools can be very complex. Indeed, for computer scientists it is difficult to understand medical issues and for clinicians it is difficult to program in a computer programming language. In this work we present Speak-PIM, a framework for formalizing the PIM's rules. Speak-PIM is based on a very simple semantics which is suitable for the declaration of PIMs without embarking on all the complexity of description logic or computer languages. It aims to offer an efficient collaboration between the computer scientists and clinicians.

Masticatory Myofascial Pain Syndrome: Implications for Endodontists.

INTRODUCTION: Masticatory myofascial pain syndrome can present similarly to other dental conditions in odontogenetic structures. Endodontists should be familiar with the symptomology and pathophysiology of masticatory myofascial pain syndrome to avoid misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment, and medicolegal repercussions. The aim of this review was to provide a foundational summary for endodontists to identify and correctly manage masticatory myofascial pain syndrome. METHODS: A narrative review of the literature was performed through a MEDLINE search and a hand search of the major myofascial pain textbooks. RESULTS: Masticatory myofascial pain syndrome is a musculoligamentous syndrome that can present similarly to odontogenic pain or refer pain to the eyebrows, ears, temporomandibular joints, maxillary sinus, tongue, and hard palate. Currently, the most comprehensive pathophysiology theory describing masticatory myofascial pain syndrome is the expanded integrated hypothesis. The most widely accepted diagnostic guidelines for masticatory myofascial pain syndrome are the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders; however, their diagnostic capability is limited. There is no hierarchy of treatment methods because each patient requires a tailored and multidisciplinary management aimed at regaining the muscle's range of motion, deactivating the myofascial trigger points, and maintaining pain relief. CONCLUSIONS: The pain patterns for masticatory myofascial pain syndrome are well-known; however, there is a lack of consensus on the most proper method of trigger point diagnosis or pain quantification. The diagnostic strategies for masticatory myofascial pain syndrome vary, and the diagnostic aids are not well developed.

Cost effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs and treatment guidelines.

PURPOSE: Arterial hypertension (AH) is associated with a high economic burden for the individual patient and for society in general. The study evaluates antihypertensives and their cost-effectiveness, comparing diuretics (D), beta-blockers (B), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin-II receptor blockers (A) and calcium channel blockers (C) with no intervention (NI). METHODS: The study included five health states in a Markov model. Cost values included average cost of the drugs used, treatment in hospital and treatment in general practice (collected from Croatian Health Insurance Fund). The study was conducted separately for 65-year old men and women, with an initial probability of cardiovascular death risk of 2% and heart failure risk of 1%. The results were presented in terms of increase in QALYs and associated financial savings or costs in euros (€). RESULTS: Results for men (compared with NI): treatment with D resulted in a QALY increase of 0.76 and €886 in savings, treatment with C in an increase of 0.74 QALYs and €767 in savings, treatment with A in an increase of 0.69 QALYs and €834 in savings, treatment with B resulted in an increase of 0.40 QALYs, but with an additional cost of €41. Results for women (compared with NI): treatment with D resulted in an increase of 0.93 QALYs and €987 in savings, treatment with C in an increase of 0.89 QALYs and savings of €855, treatment with A in an increase of 0.86 QALYs and savings of €991, treatment with B in an increase of 0.48 QALYs, but with an additional cost of €148. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of AH with D, C and A is cost effective compared with the no-intervention scenario. Diuretics are the most cost-effective first-line treatment. The scenario with beta-blockers resulted in additional QALY when compared with no intervention, but also additional costs; therefore, based on our results, this therapy would not be recommended as first-line treatment.

Visual Comparison of Guidelines: Method and Application to Potentially Inappropriate Medication Lists.

Therapeutic guidelines developed by experts are essential tools for improving therapy and drug prescription. Several guidelines often exist that target the same patient, from different organizations and countries. The case of lists for the detection of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) is an example which illustrates how these guidelines can be varied and multiple. In order to have an overview to the divergences and similarities between different lists of PIMs, we propose a visual method to compare PIMs lists, based on set visualization, and we apply it to 5 guidelines.

Perspectives on Repurposed Drugs Based on Globally Accepted Therapeutic Guidelines to Combat SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

A beta coronavirus was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and was named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. It spread globally at a rapid rate and killed innumerable people. The SARS-CoV-2 infection, also called coronavirus disease 2019, was declared a pandemic by WHO on March 11, 2020. The increasing number of SARS-CoV-2 related deaths is due to a number of reasons. A few antiviral, antimicrobial, and immune-based drugs have been repurposed for treatment as well as improvement of patient prognosis. These drugs are currently being studied in clinical trials conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other global health organizations to identify the agents that produce maximum positive patient outcomes and reduction in mortality rate. The aim of this article is to discuss the safety and efficacy of the repurposed drugs in SARS-CoV-2 infection based on currently available clinical evidence and to emphasize the importance of caution required whilst employing the international therapeutic guidelines. Also highlighted in this article are certain specific comorbid conditions, that either involve treatment with the repurposed drugs or have a direct impact of the virus in patients owing to their vulnerability.

The Role of Gram-Negative Bacteria in Urinary Tract Infections: Current Concepts and Therapeutic Options.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are some of the most common infections in human medicine worldwide, recognized as an important public health concern to healthcare systems around the globe. In addition, urine specimens are one of the most frequently submitted samples for culture to the clinical microbiology laboratory, exceeding the number of most of the other sample types. The epidemiology, species-distribution and susceptibility-patterns of uropathogens vary greatly in a geographical and time-dependent manner and it also strongly correlated with the reported patient population studied. Nevertheless, many studies highlight the fact that the etiological agents in UTIs have changed considerably, both in nosocomial and community settings, with a shift towards "less common" microorganisms having more pronounced roles. There is increasing demand for further research to advance diagnostics and treatment options, and to improve care of the patients. The aim of this review paper was to summarize current developments in the global burden of UTI, the diagnostic aspects of these infectious pathologies, the possible etiological agents and their virulence determinants (with a special focus on the members of the Enterobacterales order), current guidelines and quality indicators in the therapy of UTIs and the emergence of multidrug resistance in urinary pathogens.

Guía de práctica clínica para la prevención, el diagnóstico, el tratamiento y la rehabilitación de la falla cardiaca en población mayor de 18 años, clasificación B, C y D. Componente de rehabilitación cardiaca / Practice Guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of heart failure in a population greater than 18 years-old: B, C and D Classification. Cardiac rehabilitation component

Resumen Introducción: Los programas de rehabilitación cardiaca integran la realización de ejercicio supervisado con prevención secundaria y soporte sicosocial que permite mejorar la adherencia a medidas con impacto claro sobre la morbilidad y mortalidad en pacientes con falla cardiaca. Metodología: Para el desarrollo de la guía de práctica clínica basada en la evidencia se siguieron los pasos definidos en la Guía Metodológica para la Elaboración de Guías de Práctica Clínica con Evaluación Económica en el Sistema General de Seguridad Social en Salud Colombiano del Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social de Colombia. Resultados: Se establecen las recomendaciones para el desarrollo adecuado de un programa de rehabilitación cardiaca integral en pacientes con falla cardiaca, abordando aspectos de evaluación de capacidad funcional, efectividad y seguridad del ejercicio, dosificación, modalidad y rehabilitación en pacientes con dispositivos. Conclusión: La práctica de ejercicio en pacientes con falla cardíaca estable ha demostrado disminuir las hospitalizaciones, mejorar la calidad de vida y la capacidad funcional y ser seguro en aquellos a quienes se les ha implantado un dispositivo.

Abstract Introduction: Cardiac rehabilitation programs combine the performing of supervised exercise with secondary prevention and psycho-social support that helps to improve adherence to measures, with a clear impact on the morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure. Methodology: For the development of the evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, the steps followed were those defined in the Methodological Guidelines for the Preparation of Clinical Practice Guidelines with an Economic Assessment in the General Social Security System in Colombian Health by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Colombia. Results: Recommendations were established for the adequate development of an integrated cardiac rehabilitation program for patients with heart failure. The aspects approached included the assessment of functional capacity, effectivity and safety of the exercise, dosification, methodology, and rehabilitation in patients with devices. Conclusion: The practice of exercise in patients with stable heart has shown to reduce the number of hospital admissions, improve the quality of life and functional capacity. It has also shown to be safe in those that have a device implanted.

A systematic review of standard treatment guidelines in India.

Background & objectives: Standard treatment guidelines (STGs) are the cornerstone to therapeutics. Multiple agencies in India develop STGs. This systematic review was conducted to find out STGs available in India, evaluate if these were as per World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for STGs and compare these with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. Information on legal authority and responsibility for formulating STGs was also sought. Methods: PRISMA guidelines were followed. Publications from PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for STGs using terms 'Standard Treatment Guidelines AND India'. Data from STGs were compiled in excel as per the WHO and authors' criteria for STGs and compared with NICE guidelines. Results: PubMed and Google Scholar search provided 56 publications (out of 1695 search results) mentioning 27 STGs. Google search and replies from authors led us 36 STGs, totalling to 63 STGs. No STG mentioned any specific period of revision, eight STGs were not evidence-based, 55 had some Indian references, 48 STGs were for single disease and the remaining multi-disease, three STGs did not include diagnostic criteria, 16 STGs did not give prescribing information of recommended treatment and 16 STGs provide no referral criteria for patients. Fifty five STGs did not mention level of health care. While NICE is a single legal authority in England and guidelines are as per WHO recommendations for STGs, in India although Acts and rules do not vest authority, National Health Systems Resource Center is generally designated responsible for STGs. Interpretation & conclusions: In India, although there are multiple STGs developed by various authorities and professionals for the same conditions, these fulfil WHO recommendations only partially. Authority with statutory duty collaborating with professional organizations, a standard methodology for adopting international guidelines, Indian data for evidence base, attention to local needs will help in developing better STGs and their acceptance.

Thrombotic microangiopathy in hematotoxic snakebites and its impact on the prognosis: an entity often overlooked.

Snakebite associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a spectrum of disorders characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and acute kidney injury (AKI). We carried out this study to find out the prevalence of TMA in hematotoxic snake envenomation and to analyze its impact on the clinical outcome of patients. Retrospective data were collected from the medical records, hospital and lab information system after institutional ethics committee approval. Hematotoxic snake bite patients were categorized into Group 1 (with TMA) and Group 2 (without TMA). Chi square test, Mann-Whitney 'U' test and Odd's ratio (OR) were used for statistical analysis. Out of 331 snakebite cases admitted, 202 (64.33%) were hematotoxic envenomation with a mean age of 42.26 ± 15.61. Majority were males with a male to female ratio of 2.01:1. Lower limb was the most common site of bite (59.9%). The prevalence of coagulopathy, TMA and AKI observed was 56.4, 18.8 and 37.6% respectively. AKI had a significant risk of undergoing hemodialysis when it was associated with TMA (r = 0.635, OR = 19.3182, P < 0.0001). Higher number of patients in Group 1 received more blood products (r = 0.406, OR = 8.525, P < 0.0001). Prolonged hospital stay (17.25 ± 12.23 vs. 8.86 ± 7.18 days, P < 0.0001) and higher complication rates were (33.33% vs. 11.4%, P < 0.0048) observed in patients with TMA. Snakebite associated TMA has a significant impact on the prognosis and understanding the pathophysiology of this entity will help to formulate guidelines.

Omalizumab and unmet needs in severe asthma and allergic comorbidities in Japanese children.

Childhood asthma is one condition within a family of allergic diseases, which includes allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy, among others. Omalizumab is an anti-IgE antibody therapy that was approved in Japan for children with asthma and added to the Japanese pediatric asthma guidelines in 2017. This review highlights the Japanese clinical perspectives in pediatric allergic asthma, and consideration for allergic comorbidities, and reflects on omalizumab clinical trials in progress to present comprehensive future opportunities.

Omalizumab and unmet needs in severe asthma and allergic comorbidities in Japanese children

Childhood asthma is one condition within a family of allergic diseases, which includes allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy, among others. Omalizumab is an anti-IgE antibody therapy that was approved in Japan for children with asthma and added to the Japanese pediatric asthma guidelines in 2017. This review highlights the Japanese clinical perspectives in pediatric allergic asthma, and consideration for allergic comorbidities, and reflects on omalizumab clinical trials in progress to present comprehensive future opportunities.

Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis use and infection prevalence in non-cosmetic breast surgery procedures at a tertiary hospital in Western Australia-a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a common complication following breast surgery procedures, despite being considered a clean surgery. The prevalence of SSIs can be minimised with the appropriate use of antibiotic prophylaxis as outlined in the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines (eTG). The aims of this study were to evaluate adherence to the eTG for antibiotic prophylaxis in breast surgery procedures at a Western Australian teaching hospital following an update of the guidelines in 2014 and examine the impact of prophylactic antibiotics on SSI incidence and length of hospital stay. METHOD: A retrospective cross-sectional study which reviewed medical records from a random sample of 250 patients selected from 973 patients who underwent breast surgical procedures between February 2015 and March 2017. RESULTS: Overall adherence to current eTG occurred in 49.2% (123/250) of operations. Pre-operative and post-operative antibiotics were prescribed in 98.4% (246/250) and 11.2% (28/250) operations respectively. Adherence rates to three specific elements of the eTG (drug prescribed, drug dosage and timing of administration) were 91.6% (229/250), 53.6% (134/250) and 86.4% (216/250) respectively. For the 14.4% (36/250) patients with relevant drug allergies, there was zero adherence to the eTG. Overall recorded SSI prevalence was low at 5.2% (13/250). The mean length of stay in patients (2.3 ± 1.7 days) was not influenced by level of eTG adherence (p = 0.131) or SSIs (p = 0.306). CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate a significant improvement in overall adherence to the eTG from 13.3% to 49.2% (p =  < 0.001). The level of detected SSIs in this study was low. Further improvement is necessary with respect to prescribing appropriate antibiotic dosages and for those with allergies.

Topical Therapies in Psoriasis.

Topical therapy as monotherapy is useful in psoriasis patients with mild disease. Topical agents are also used as adjuvant for moderate-to-severe disease who are being concurrently treated with either ultraviolet light or systemic medications. Emollients are useful adjuncts to the treatment of psoriasis. Use of older topical agents such as anthralin and coal tar has declined over the years. However, they are cheaper and can still be used for the treatment of difficult psoriasis refractory to conventional treatment. Salicylic acid can be used in combination with other topical therapies such as topical corticosteroids (TCS) and calcineurin inhibitors for the treatment of thick limited plaques to increase the absorption of the latter into the psoriatic plaques. Low- to mid-potent TCS are used in facial/flexural psoriasis and high potent over palmoplantar/thick psoriasis lesions. The addition of noncorticosteroid treatment can also facilitate the avoidance of long-term daily TCS. Tacrolimus and pimecrolimus can be used for the treatment of facial and intertriginous psoriasis. Tazarotene is indicated for stable plaque psoriasis usually in combination with other therapies such as TCS. Vitamin D analogs alone in combination with TCS are useful in stable plaques over limbs and palmoplantar psoriasis. Topical therapies for scalp psoriasis include TCS, Vitamin D analogs, salicylic acid, coal tar, and anthralin in various formulations such as solutions, foams, and shampoos. TCS, vitamin D analogs, and tazarotene can be used in the treatment of nail psoriasis.

General measures and quality of life issues in psoriasis.

Psoriasis generally does not affect survival but has significant detrimental effect on quality of life (QOL), which may be comparable to that of ischemic heart disease, diabetes, depression, and cancer. The foremost important thing in the management of psoriasis is counseling of the patient. The clinician needs to be empathetic and spend adequate time with the patient and educating the patient about psoriasis. Clinicians should make it clear to the patient that the primary goal of treatment is control of the disease rather than cure. Eating a balanced and low glycemic diet could be an important adjuvant factor in the prevention and treatment of moderate nonpustular psoriasis. Obese people are more likely to have severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis than people with an average body mass index. Dietary supplementation with oily fish, rich in n-3 fatty acids, in psoriasis had shown mixed results in trials. Promising results have been documented for parenteral application of n-3 fatty acid, but not with oral supplementation. Increased smoking or alcohol abuse increases the risk of developing psoriasis and may influence disease severity, and hence must be avoided. Soaking in warm water with bath oil can be done in extensive psoriasis for hydration and emollient effect, and bland soaps or soap substitutes should be used; antiseptics should be avoided as they may irritate the skin. Relatively small, localized patches of psoriasis may improve with occlusion, i.e., waterproof adhesive dressings. The use of emollients is an internationally accepted standard adjunctive to the treatment of psoriasis. Dermatology Life Quality Index is a psychometrically sound and responsive measure of psoriasis-specific outcomes and most comprehensively captures the impact of clinical signs and symptoms on patient's well-being.

Bite wounds and antibiotic prescription among patients presenting to an Australian emergency department.

INTRODUCTION: Emergency department presentations after mammalian bites may be associated with injection of bacteria into broken skin and may require prophylactic antibiotics to prevent subsequent infection. We aim to describe the epidemiology of patients presenting with a mammalian bite injury and antibiotic choice to an Australian adult tertiary centre. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed capturing all presentations after mammalian bite wounds between 01 Jan 2014 and 31 Dec 2014. An explicit chart review was conducted to determine management of each case. Cases were subgrouped into high- and low-risk groups as defined by the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines for animal bites. RESULTS: There were 160 cases of mammalian bite wounds included, with 143 (89.4%) patients grouped as high-risk and 17 (10.6%) patients identified as low-risk. High-risk features were delayed presentation > 8 hours (57 patients, 35.6%), bites to the head, hand or face (113 patients, 70.6%), and puncture wounds unable to be adequately debrided (74 patients, 46.3%). There was a significant association with delayed presentation of more than eight hours and clinically established infection [OR 36.2; 95% CI: 12.6-103.6; P < 0.001]. Prescriptions for antibiotics that adhered to current guidelines occurred in 99 (61.9%) cases. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights variability in antibiotic prescription practice among clinicians and the need for ongoing education on antibiotic stewardship. Intervention strategies, including ongoing education, are indicated to improve adherence to antibiotic guidelines.

The prevalence of urinary tract infection in children with severe acute malnutrition: a narrative review.

This article aims to review the current evidence which shows that the prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI) has been increasing in children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). UTI remains one of the most common causes of febrile illness in pediatric practice. Most studies conducted among hospitalized children with complicated SAM have reported high prevalence rates of UTI. Clearly, the knowledge of baseline risk of UTI can help clinicians to make informed diagnostic and therapeutic decisions in these children. From the global reports reviewed in this article, UTI prevalence rates range from as low as 6% to as high as 37% in developing countries, while the most common bacterial isolates from urine cultures are Gram-negative coliform organisms such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species. These findings form the basis for the current diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines for clinicians managing children with complicated SAM. With the reported high prevalence of UTI among these children and concerns over antibiotic resistance, more extensive data are required using standardized microbiological methods. Thus, the assessment of the performance of urine dipsticks and microscopy against the gold standard urine culture is an important step toward strengthening the evidence for the therapeutic guidelines for UTI in children with SAM.

Current trends in treatment of hypertension in Karachi and cost minimization possibilities.

OBJECTIVE: This study finds out drug usage trends in Stage I Hypertensive Patients without any compelling indications in Karachi, deviations of current practices from evidence based antihypertensive therapeutic guidelines and looks for cost minimization opportunities. METHODS: In the present study conducted during June 2012 to August 2012, two sets were used. Randomized stratified independent surveys were conducted in doctors and general population - including patients, using pretested questionnaires. Sample sizes for doctors and general population were 100 and 400 respectively. Statistical analysis was conducted on Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Financial impact was also analyzed. RESULTS: On the basis of patients' doctors' feedback, Beta Blockers, and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors were used more frequently than other drugs. Thiazides and low-priced generics were hardly prescribed. Beta blockers were prescribed widely and considered cost effective. This trend increases cost by two to ten times. CONCLUSION: Feedbacks showed that therapeutic guidelines were not followed by the doctors practicing in the community and hospitals in Karachi. Thiazide diuretics were hardly used. Beta blockers were widely prescribed. High priced market leaders or expensive branded generics were commonly prescribed. Therefore, there are great opportunities for cost minimization by using evidence-based clinically effective and safe medicines.