Trends of self-reported non-adherence among type 2 diabetes medication users in the United States across three years using the self-reported Medication Adherence Reasons Scale

Background & aimsTo determine the trends of self-reported non-adherence rates among adults taking Type 2 medicines (T2D) medicines between 2017 and 2019 and to identify the patterns for the frequently reported reasons for non-adherence in the United States.Methods & resultsData from the National Health and Wellness Survey, a self-administered, internet-based cross-sectional survey of US adults from 2017 to 2019 was used. Non-adherence was measured using the self-reported Medication Adherence Reasons Scale (MAR-Scale). Frequencies were used to identify the reasons for non-adherence for insulin and non-insulin therapies for T2D.Data were obtained from 2983 respondents in 2017, 5416 in 2018, and 5268 in 2019. Based on the MAR-Scale, the self-reported medication non-adherence rate was 25% in 2017, 21% in 2018, and 27% in 2019. The most common reason for non-adherence across all the three years was simple forgetfulness, yet patients reported the lowest mean number of days missing medication for that reason. Though less frequently reported, non-adherence lasted longer when patient did not know how to take their medicines, cost was a reason, or had concerns about the long term effects of the medicines.ConclusionsWith no significant improvement in adherence with T2D medicines over time, regardless of better awareness and extensive diabetes education, focus should be on individualized non-adherence reasons-based interventions.     

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.     

Out of the boxes,out of the silos: The need of interdisciplinary collaboration to reduce poor-quality medical products in the supply chain

In this paper, we argue that understanding and addressing the problem of poor-quality medical products requires a more interdisciplinary approach than has been evident to date. While prospective studies based on rigorous standardized methodologies are the gold standard for measuring the prevalence of poor-quality medical products and understanding their distribution nationally and internationally, they should be complemented by social science research to unpack the complex set of social, economic, and governance factors that underlie these patterns. In the following sections, we discuss specific examples of prospective quality surveys and of social science studies, highlighting the value of cross-sector partnerships in driving high-quality, policy-relevant research in this area.     

段迎喜“升脾”学术思想探微

脾胃之气的充足和清气的正常升发对人体生命活动具有决定意义,饮食、劳倦、情志、外感对脾胃的损伤往往影响中焦脾胃清阳的生成及升发,脾胃病以本虚为主,多由虚致实,虚实兼有,病机关键为升降失常,脾气不升。肝对人体气机具有升宣调畅作用,脾气的升清有赖于肝气升发促进。在补中益气的同时,要补肝益气。同时,肾精气充盈,元气方能充沛,肾阳又主气化,肾精不封、肾气不固者必致肾气下陷。治疗须温肾壮阳、升阳举陷。脾胃中气不足,气机郁滞而化火,并脾之清气下流而生泄泻,相火乘其土位更加耗伤中焦清阳之气。段老师特别注重脾气生长、升发,只有清阳升发,脾气上升,元气才能充沛,阴火才会收敛潜藏。治疗时运用辛甘之药以补益中气,借升阳风药以助肝胆之用,补其中而升其阳,升浮变通,使生长之气健旺。段老师善于运用甘温之品,温补中气,升发清阳。     

针对目前已注册的上市中成药治疗新型冠状病毒肺炎临床研究分析＊

本研究系统分析了中成药治疗新型冠状病毒肺炎临床研究方案注册信息，以提高相关临床研究设计质量，以及为中成药上市后评价提供参考和建议。对中国临床试验注册中心网站（www.chictr.org.cn）和美国临床试验注册中心网站（clinicaltrials.gov）进行检索，以新型肺炎、COVID-19、中成药等为检索词，检索新型冠状病毒肺炎中成药相关临床研究方案。按照纳排标准筛选临床研究，并提取注册号、研究题目、研究设计及类型、干预措施等数据，采用描述性分析方法对纳入研究的注册信息进行分析。共纳入新型冠状病毒肺炎中成药相关研究方案35个，其中涉及的8种中成药是新冠肺炎诊疗方案（第七版）中所推荐使用的药物。评价的干预措施共涉及23种中成药（如血必净注射液、喜炎平注射液、连花清瘟胶囊/颗粒等）。主要疗效指标以退热时间、疾病痊愈时间/有效率等为主。结果显示：中成药治疗新冠肺炎的临床研究响应快速，目前已注册多个临床研究，包括疾病诊治、预防全过程。但也存在问题，如研究人群不明确、评价指标代表性差等，相关研究设计和实施尚有待优化，以进一步提高临床试验研究的可行性，以期为当前和后续更多的临床研究方案提供参考。     

子午流注择时循经刮痧干预1级原发性高血压(肝阳上亢型)患者的疗效观察

目的观察子午流注择时循经刮痧干预1级原发性高血压(肝阳上亢型)患者的疗效。方法选取60例初诊为1级原发性高血压(肝阳上亢型)患者,随机分为观察组和对照组各30例,研究中失访2例,最终纳入并进行数据分析的患者共58例。对照组给予常规生活方式干预,观察组在对照组的基础上根据子午流注理论于辰时(7:00~9:00)实施循经刮痧疗法,疗程为4周。比较两组患者干预前、干预第1天、干预第7天、干预第14天、干预第28天、干预结束后第15天的血压及中医证候积分变化情况。结果干预后观察组的收缩压水平与对照组相比,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);干预后观察组的中医证侯积分下降明显,与对照组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论运用子午流注理论择辰时循经刮痧干预肝阳上亢型高血压患者,可有效降低收缩压水平,明显改善临床症状,提高生活质量。     

中草药种植品质知识图谱的构建

科学合理地种植中草药是解决中药资源紧缺、保障中药质量的根本方法。中草药品质受种子种苗、种植措施、土壤状况等多种因素影响，各影响因素对中草药品质产生不同的作用，但迄今为止并没有通过调控中草药种植因素分析中药材品质的模型和方法。因此，本研究通过文献调研结合专家种植经验，综合分析影响中草药种植指标的复杂因素，以提高中药材品质为目标，基于图数据库的方法构建影响不同中草药种植品质的知识图谱，探讨中草药种植因素与指标之间的关系，通过调节影响中药材品质的因素，为中草药种植以及提高中药品质提供依据。     

Impact of pharmaceutical price controls on the cost of cardiovascular drugs: does essentiality matter?

ABSTRACT

Background

With the goal of improving the affordability of medicines, governments across the globe have instituted various forms of price controls. Since 2013, India has been regulating the prices of drugs included in its national list of essential medicines (NLEM). Here we evaluate the cost variations among available cardiovascular drugs and perform cost-analysis comparing essential and non-essential drugs.     

艳山姜挥发油通过调控巨噬细胞CD36和ABCA1表达抑制泡沫细胞的形成

目的:观察艳山姜挥发油对氧化低密度脂蛋白(ox-LDL)诱导巨噬细胞转化为泡沫细胞的抑制作用,并探索其机制。方法:使用佛波酯(PMA,100μg·L^-1)诱导人白血病单核细胞(THP-1)24 h后形成巨噬细胞,实验分为4组,分别为空白组(无血清RPMI 1640),模型组(80 mg·L^-1ox-LDL),艳山姜挥发油低剂量组(80 mg·L^-1ox-LDL+4μg·L^-1艳山姜挥发油),艳山姜挥发油高剂量组(80 g·L^-1ox-LDL+20μg·L^-1艳山姜挥发油)。噻唑蓝(MTT)比色法检测艳山姜挥发油对巨噬细胞的活性的影响,蛋白免疫印迹法(Western blot)检测巨噬细胞中白细胞分化抗原36(CD36)和三磷酸腺苷结合盒转运体A1(ABCA1)的表达,酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)检测巨噬细胞内胆固醇酯含量,油红O染色法检测巨噬细胞中脂质小滴的含量。结果:艳山姜挥发油对巨噬细胞无毒性。与空白组比较,模型组的巨噬细胞内脂滴和胆固醇酯的含量显著增加(P<0.01),CD36蛋白表达显著上升(P<0.01),ABCA1蛋白表达无显著变化;与模型组比较,艳山姜挥发油显著抑制巨噬细胞中脂滴和胆固醇酯的含量(P<0.01),下调CD36的蛋白表达(P<0.01),上调ABCA1蛋白的表达(P<0.01),艳山姜挥发油可抑制巨噬细胞向泡沫细胞的转化。结论:艳山姜挥发油对ox-LDL诱导的巨噬细胞向泡沫细胞的形成具有抑制作用,该药理作用与艳山姜挥发油下调巨噬细胞CD36和上调ABCA1蛋白的表达有关。     

Convergence of Medicines: West Meets East in Newly-Discovered Organs and Functions

Although the foundations and evolution of Chinese medicine and Western medicine are very different, an increasing amount of research has revealed that those Eastern medicine principles practiced over thousands of years are con?rmed by new technologies applied to the basic science of the human body.Recent scienti?c discoveries present enticing opportunities to reconcile Chinese medicine theories with Western biomedicine. Is there a trend toward the convergence of Eastern and Western medicine? Four studies which exemplify the potential for convergence are described in this article. The studies present findings in regard to mesentery, interstitium, a gut-lung axis, and lung-centered hematopoiesis, and were published recently in leading journals such as Science, Nature, and Lancet.