Use of antibiotics in an Italian children's hospital, 1993-1995; clinical and economic considerations

Antibiotic consumption and expenditure was studied during 1993 and 1995 in G. Gaslini children's hospital, an Italian 400-bed paediatric hospital, to see if any changes in use had occurred. There was an increase in the cost of antibacterial agents from 1993 to 1995, with a decrease in the daily cost of antibiotics and in the consumption of antiviral, antifungal and antiparasitic agents. There was a notable increase in the use of glycopeptides and carbapenems between 1995 and 1993 especially in specialities such as onco-haematology and intensive care. We suggest a basis for an antibiotic management programme aimed at reducing costs while still providing a high standard of care for patients.     

Weekly monitoring of influenza impact in Belgium (1993-1995)

The primary objectives of an influenza monitoring programme are early detection of an epidemic and the identification of the viruses responsible. The healthcare impact of the disease is often some time after the epidemic. In Belgium data on the consequences of influenza are recorded weekly, which provides an early estimate of the severity of the epidemic. Data collected during 3 influenza seasons (1993-95) showed that during the peak of the very moderate influenza A/H3N2 outbreak in 1993-94, general practitioner consultations for acute respiratory infections increased by 100%, work absenteeism by 56%, total sales of pharmaceuticals by pharmacists by 26% and overall mortality by 14%. From these data, we estimated that 498,400 working days were lost during the peak week in Belgium in 1993, and 848 excess deaths were observed during the whole of the 1993-94 epidemic. 12% of those who died were aged less than 60 years. Hospitalisation data must be included in the future in order to complete the information that is essential for formulating public health policies on influenza vaccination.     

Adverse events in patients treated with 5-aminosalicyclic acid: 1993–1994 pharmacovigilance report for Pentasa in France

Background : The incidence of the side-effects of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in clinical practice is not known.
Aim : To present the safety reports on the use of Pentasa in France.
Methods : Pentasa-related adverse events were recorded from 1 January 1993 to 31 December 1994. Spontaneous reports to Ferring S.A. came from physicians or pharmacovigilance regional centres.
Results : In 1993 and 1994, 51 and 79 adverse events were reported; the estimated gross incidence was 6.6 and 9.0 per million days of therapy. Detailed information was obtained in 64% of cases in 1993 and 53% in 1994. Adverse events with a high likelihood of causalty included five cases of diarrhoea, 14 cases of pancreatitis, seven cases of liver abnormalities, seven of blood dyscrasias, two cases of renal insufficiency (one of which was in a fetus), and eight of cardiac disorders including three myocarditis.
Conclusions : Pentasa seldom has adverse effects. The majority of the adverse events do not seem to be dose-related. Clinicians should be aware of exceptional but severe adverse events including pancreatitis, cardiac disorders, blood dyscrasias and renal insufficiency.     

The occurrence of mycotoxins in key commodities in Bangladesh: surveillance results from 1993 to 1995

A three-year surveillance program assessed the extent of mycotoxin contamination of key foods and feeds grown in Bangladesh. The study also included groundnuts utilized as snack food. In the first two phases of the program the samples collected were analyzed only for aflatoxins, but in the third phase, as well as for aflatoxins, samples were tested for the presence of fumonisin B1, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, and T-2 toxin. Of the foods and feeds tested, the incidence of aflatoxin contamination varied from low (rice collected from farmers' stores, 8%) to high (maize, 67%). However, both the average total aflatoxin contents (< 1.0 microg/kg) and the maximum aflatoxin B1 contents (< or = 5.0 microg/kg) recorded for pulses, rice and its various products, and wheat were low. On the other hand, the levels of contamination of maize, roasted and raw groundnuts, and poultry feed were considerably higher, with average total aflatoxin B1 contents of 33, 13, 65, and 7 microg/kg, respectively, and maximum aflatoxin B1 contents of 245, 79, 480, and 160 microg/kg, respectively. Fumonisin B1, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, and T-2 toxin were found, to any significant extent, only in some of the maize samples tested, always accompanied by aflatoxins. One sample of maize contained five mycotoxins, namely, the aflatoxins, fumonisin B1, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, and ochratoxin A. In a limited trial using hospital staff in Dhaka, the analysis of the aflatoxin-albumin adduct in serum showed that approximately half of the test group had been recently exposed to low levels of aflatoxins.     

1995年～1999年我国医院制剂发展概况及分析

目的：了解我国医院制剂发展的动向。方法：收集并分析了３４３篇于１９９５年～１９９９年在３种杂志上发表的“医院制剂”类文献。结果：医院制剂不仅注重西药开发,中药制剂也日益增多。３４３种制剂中,西药制剂１８５种（５３．９％）,中药制剂１２５种（３６．４％）,中西药结合制剂３３种（９．６％）。皮肤科制剂最多,１０１种;其次是口腔科制剂,４０种;妇产科制剂２８种。同时,医院制剂不仅注重旧剂型改进,也不断有新剂型应用于临床。结论：医院制剂丰富多彩且正朝着新药开发的方向发展。     

1995-2016年我国儿科药学监护文献分析

目的:通过检索和分析文献,了解我国儿科药学监护的现状及发展情况,为今后开展儿科药学监护工作提供参考。方 法:通过CNKI 检索1995-2016年我国关于儿科药学监护的文献并进行统计分析。结果:共收集符合要求的文献101篇,发表于 41种期刊,其中儿科药学监护实践类文献占88.12%(89/101)。第一作者共95人,学历主要为硕士,职称主要为主管药师,主 要分布在江苏、广东、北京、江西等省市。儿科药学监护的对象包括患儿家属、医生和护士,内容以抗感染药物的药学监护为主。 结论:我国儿科药学监护工作起步晚,发展较缓慢,其深度和广度均需加强。国家政策的大力支持和儿科临床药师的不懈努力 是推动儿科药学监护工作发展的有力保障。