ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SMOKING,CRACK COCAINE ABUSE AND THE DISCONTINUATION OF COMBINATION ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY IN RECIFE,PERNAMBUCO, BRAZIL

Despite the effectiveness of combination antiretroviral therapy in the treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), nonadherence to medication has become a major threat to its effectiveness. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of self-reported irregular use of antiretroviral therapy and the factors associated with such an irregularity in PLWHA. A cross-sectional study of PLWHA who attended two referral centers in the city of Recife, in Northeastern Brazil, between June 2007 and October 2009 was carried out. The study analyzed socioeconomic factors, social service support and personal habits associated with nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy, adjusted by multivariable logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of PLWHA who reported irregular use of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) was 25.7%. In the final multivariate model, the irregular use of cART was associated with the following variables: being aged less than 40 years (OR = 1.66, 95%-CI: 1.29-2.13), current smokers (OR = 1.76, 95%-CI: 1.31-2.37) or former smokers (OR = 1.43, 95%-CI: 1.05-1.95), and crack cocaine users (OR = 2.79, 95%-CI: 1.24-6.32). Special measures should be directed towards each of the following groups: individuals aged less than 40 years, smokers, former smokers and crack cocaine users. Measures for giving up smoking and crack cocaine should be incorporated into HIV-control programs in order to promote greater adherence to antiretroviral drugs and thus improve the quality of life and prolong life expectancy.     

胶类中药的特点及现代研究分析

动物胶类药物在很多疾病的治疗和保健中发挥重要作用。许多古籍中均有以胶类入方治疗疾病的记载。近年来，胶类药物的相关研究逐渐增多，应用领域也在不断扩大。笔者通过对常用胶类药物的发展变化、药性归经、现代药理作用、临床应用、胶类新药开发前景、质量控制方法等方面的分析总结，整理出胶类中药的发展变迁及现代研究进展，为今后胶类药物的开发利用提供参考。     

Real-World Impact of Transferring the Dispensing of Hospital-Only Medicines to Community Pharmacies During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ObjectivesIn Portugal, the dispensing of most outpatient specialty medicines is performed exclusively through hospital pharmacies and totally financed by the National Health Service. During the COVID-19 first wave, the government allowed the transfer of the dispensing of hospital-only medicines (HOMs) to community pharmacies (CPs). This study aimed to measure the value generated by the intervention of CP in the dispensing of HOM.MethodsA single-arm, before-and-after study with 3-month follow-up was conducted enrolling a randomly selected sample of patients or caregivers with at least 1 dispensation of HOM through CP. Data were collected by telephone interview. Main outcomes were patients’ self-reported adherence (Measure Treatment Adherence), health-related quality of life (EQ-5D 3-Level), satisfaction with the service, and costs related to HOM access.ResultsOverall 603 subjects were recruited to participate in the study (males 50.6%) with mean 55 years old (SD = 16). The already high mean adherence score to therapy improved significantly (P < .0001), and no statistically significant change (P > .5757) was found in the mean EQ-5D score between baseline (0.7 ± 0.3) and 3-month follow-up (0.8 ± 0.3). Annual savings account for €262.1/person, arising from travel expenses and absenteeism reduction. Participants reported a significant increase in satisfaction levels in all evaluated domains—pharmacist’s availability, opening hours, waiting time, privacy conditions, and overall experience.ConclusionsChanging the dispense setting to CP may promote better access and satisfaction. Moreover, it ensures the persistence of treatments, promotes savings for citizens, and reduces the burden of healthcare services, representing a crucial public health measure.     

某院重点监控中成药的管理实践

目的：探索对中成药重点监控药品合理使用的有效药事管理措施。方法：基于药品销售金额、DDDs，和DUI为评价指标，通过四步筛选法确定中成药重点监控目录，结合用药合理性评价结果进行药事管控。通过对比监管前后某院医疗指标变化情况，对管理效果进行参考性评价。结果：在疗效相同的前提下，重点监控中成药的金额占比持续下降，中成药的药占比由24.4%下降至15.8%；中成药的人均药费由1 492.5元降至878.3元；而病种类数、收治人数、治愈率均无显著性差异。中成药的用药不合理使用率也大幅度下降。结论：通过建立重点监控中成药的管理措施，规范医疗机构药物使用并取得一定成效。为中成药的管理提供新的思路。     

Report on a membership audit of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Reflex Therapy (ACPIRT)

Reflex Therapy (RT), akin to reflexology, is a non-invasive physiotherapy modality approved by the UK Chartered Society of Physiotherapists. One hundred members of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Reflex Therapy (ACPIRT) participated in an audit to establish a baseline of practice. Findings indicate that experienced therapists use RT in conjunction with their professional skills to induce relaxation (95%) and reduce pain (86%) for patients with conditions including whiplash injury and chronic pain. According to 68% of respondents, RT is “very good,” “good” or “as good as” orthodox physiotherapy practices. Requiring minimal equipment, RT may be as cost effective as orthodox physiotherapy with regards to duration and frequency of treatment.