Aiming for quality as well as quantity

The 4(th) International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection was held November 8-12, 1998, in Glasgow, Scotland. Triple combination therapy, the so-called HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), has now become established as the cornerstone of treatment, but a number of new approaches are under investigation. Current treatments have a number of limitations, including problems achieving patient compliance with complicated drug regimens and the development of resistance. One of the most interesting drugs that may become more important in any future treatment is hydroxyurea. A patient genotyping approach may also become more popular in future in order to provide an objective means of selecting a new drug regimen. As well as attacking the HIV virus, some researchers believe that it is equally important to stimulate the patient's immune system, and a number of different methods are under study. Many still believe that an effective vaccine is the best way to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS; unfortunately, progress has been painfully slow in this area. Sadly, research in this area is concentrating on HIV subtypes found in North America and Europe, while most cases of HIV are in the Third World. Greater efforts should be made in this area since it offers the best way of helping the greatest number of HIV sufferers.     

Homeopathy is as effective as fluoxetine in depression

Adler UC, Paiva NMP, Cesar AT, Adler MS, Molina A, Padula AE, Calil HM. Homeopathic individualized Q‐potencies versus fluoxetine for moderate to severe depression: double‐blind, randomized non‐inferiority trial. Evid Based Complement Altern Med 2011: 20182.     

Alcoholics Anonymous as treatment and as ideology.

It is proposed that Alcoholics Anonymous's continued domination of the alcoholism treatment field has fettered innovation, precluded early intervention and limited treatment strategies.     

卡马西平、奥卡西平相关尿潴留

1例72岁女性患者,因带状疱疹后遗神经痛服用卡马西平0.1 g、2次/d,1 d后出现尿潴留,停药并予导尿术治疗后恢复正常。停用卡马西平后4 d,患者服用奥卡西平0.3 g、2次/d,次日再次出现尿潴留、排尿困难,停用奥卡西平,留置导尿管并给予抗感染治疗,7 d后排尿恢复正常。