Brand-Name Antidepressants Outperform Their Generic Counterparts in Preventing Hospitalization for Depression: The Real-World Evidence from Taiwan

BackgroundGeneric antidepressants are approved on the market based on evidence of bioequivalence to their brand-name versions. We aimed to assess whether generic antidepressants exert equal effectiveness as their brand-name counterparts for treating patients with depressive disorders.MethodsIn a nationwide, population-based cohort in Taiwan from 1997 through 2013, patients with a diagnosis of a depressive disorder aged between 18 and 65 years who were new users of antidepressant drugs were classified into either the brand-name group or the generic group. All patients were followed up until medication discontinuation or the end of the study period. We assessed the risk for hospitalization as a primary outcome and augmentation therapy, daily dose, medication discontinuation, or switching to another antidepressant as secondary outcomes.ResultsA total of 277 651 brand-name users (35.8% male; mean age: 41.2 years) and 270 583 generic users (35.8% male; mean age: 41.0 years) were divided into 10 different antidepressant groups (fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, escitalopram, citalopram, venlafaxine, mirtazapine, moclobemide, imipramine, and bupropion). We found that patients treated with the generic form of sertraline, paroxetine, escitalopram, venlafaxine, mirtazapine, and bupropion demonstrated significantly higher risks of psychiatric hospitalization (adjusted hazard ratios ranged from 1.20–2.34), compared to their brand-name counterparts. The differences between brand-name antidepressants and their generic counterparts in secondary outcomes varied across different drugs.ConclusionsCompared to most generic antidepressants, brand-name drugs exhibited more protective effects on psychiatric hospitalization for depressive patients. These findings could serve as an important reference for clinicians when encountering patients with depressive disorder.     

米非司酮联合宫瘤消胶囊对子宫肌瘤治疗效果

目的分析米非司酮和宫瘤消胶囊的联合应用对子宫肌瘤的临床治疗效果。方法本研究对象为80例子宫肌瘤患者,收治时间均在2017年3月—2018年3月期间。将上述子宫肌瘤患者随机分成两组,各40例。给予对照组患者口服米非司酮进行治疗,研究组患者在上述治疗的基础上增加宫瘤消胶囊口服治疗,记录2组患者治疗效果,性激素水平及子宫体积及肿瘤体积变化。结果(1)研究组患者的总体有效率显著高于对照组;(2)研究组患者的P、E2、LH及FSH均显著低于对照组;(3)研究组患者子宫体积及肿瘤体积均显著低于对照组。结论米非司酮片和宫瘤消胶囊的联合治疗对子宫肌瘤患者的治疗效果较显著。     

PDCA循环在消化道肿瘤伴糖尿病患者营养全程管理中的效果观察

目的 探讨PDCA 循环在消化道肿瘤伴糖尿病患者营养全程管理中的效果观察。方法 运用PDCA循环对80例不同程度营养不良的消化道肿瘤伴糖尿病患者实施营养全程管理,比较干预前后患者的体重、BMI指数、糖化血红蛋白、血红蛋白、总蛋白、白蛋白及球蛋白水平。结果 患者血红蛋白、总蛋白、白蛋白及球蛋白水平均有提高,比较差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05)。结论 PDCA循环管理在消化道肿瘤伴糖尿病患者营养全程管理中有较大的优势, 值得推广。     

Baicalin-loaded PEGylated lipid nanoparticles: characterization,pharmacokinetics, and protective effects on acute myocardial ischemia in rats

Context: Baicalin has many pharmacological activities, including protective function against myocardial ischemia by antioxidant effects and free radical scavenging activity. However, its rapid elimination half-life in plasma and poor water solubility limits its clinical efficacy.

Objective: Novel baicalin-loaded PEGylated nanostructured lipid carriers (BN-PEG-NLC) were developed to improve bioavailability of BN, to prolong retention time in vivo and to enhance its protective effect.

Methods: In this study, BN-PEG-NLC were prepared by the emulsion-evaporation and low temperature-solidification method using a mixture of glycerol monostearate and polyethylene glycol monostearate as solid lipids, and oleic acid as the liquid lipid. The physicochemical properties of NLC were characterized. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic behaviors of BN-PEG-NLC or BN-NLC were evaluated in acute MI rats.

Results and discussion: The particle size, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency for BN-PEG-NLC were observed as 83.9?nm, ?32.1?mV, and 83.5%, respectively. The release profiles of BN from both BN-PEG-NLC and BN-NLC were fitted to the Ritger–Peppas modal, which presented burst release initially and prolonged release afterwards. Pharmacokinetics results indicated that BN-PEG-NLC exhibited a 7.2-fold increase in AUC in comparison to BN solution, while a 3-fold increase in comparison to BN-NLC. Biodistribution results revealed that BN-PEG-NLC exhibited higher heart drug concentration compared with BN-NLC as well as BN solution. In the present study, BN-PEG-NLC significantly ameliorated infarct size.

Conclusion: The results of the present study imply that PEG-NLC could be the biocompatible carriers for heart-targeted drug delivery to improve myocardial ischemia.     

血液系统恶性肿瘤患者化疗后合并中性粒细胞减少性肠炎的诊治研究

目的分析成人血液系统恶性肿瘤患者接受强烈化疗后中性粒细胞减少性肠炎（NE）的发生率、危险因素及预后情况。方法收集2004至2013年接受化疗的1804例血液系统恶性肿瘤患者，记录患者血常规、凝血检测和血液生化检测结果，并记录患者年龄、性别、原发病、既往化疗次数、既往化疗方案中是否使用阿糖胞苷、临床症状、肠壁厚度、中性粒细胞最低计数、中性粒细胞缺乏持续时间、NE的治疗方法和预后等，探讨NE起病诱因、临床特征、腹部B超特点、症状的预后意义及化疗药物对发病的影响等。结果1804例患者中226例（12.5%）化疗后合并NE，化疗后10~19d起病，中位起病时间为化疗后第14天。发生NE后26例患者死亡，病死率11.5%。化疗药物包括阿糖胞苷、临床症状≥4项、中性粒细胞缺乏持续超过7d以及B超下肠壁厚度≥10mm的患者病死率相对较高。结论NE是接受强烈化疗的血液系统肿瘤患者的严重的并发症，发生NE后患者病死率较高。     

丙泊酚麻醉对老龄大鼠认知功能和海马神经元γ-氨基丁酸A受体表达的影响

目的观察丙泊酚麻醉对老龄大鼠认知功能及海马神经元γ-氨基丁酸A(GABA)受体表达的影响。方法50只SD老年大鼠随机分为丙泊酚组和对照组,每组25只。丙泊酚组大鼠腹腔注射1%丙泊酚中/长链脂肪乳注射液6 mL/kg,对照组腹腔注射等体积的生理盐水。麻醉后1 d进行Morris水迷宫实验,分别采用HE染色和尼氏体染色观察海马区神经细胞及尼氏体(Nissl体)形态学变化,Western Blot检测GABA蛋白量表达。结果麻醉后,2组大鼠肛温、心率、呼吸频率、血氧饱和度比较,差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。随着实验时间的延长,2组大鼠逃逸潜伏期、总里程数逐渐减小,丙泊酚组大鼠各时间点逃逸潜伏期、总里程均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。丙泊酚组大鼠穿越平台区域次数、时间小于、短于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。对照组海马区Nissl体存在于细胞浆及树突,染色较深,神经细胞排列整齐,形态规则;丙泊酚组Nissl体消失,神经细胞数量减少,细胞核破裂、丢失。丙泊酚组大鼠海马GABA蛋白表达量低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论丙泊酚对大鼠认知功能有影响,并与海马区GABA的表达相关。     

Lower body mass index and higher height are correlated with increased varicocele risk

To evaluate the anthropometric indexes in subjects with varicocele compared to controls and the incidence of varicocele in different body mass index (BMI) groups for the purpose of exploring the association between varicocele and anthropometric indexes. A comprehensive literature search was conducted by using PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE databases and Cochrane Library up to February 2019. A systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted by STATA, and Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was utilised for assessing risk of bias. Ultimately, 13 articles containing seven case–control studies and six cross‐sectional studies with 1,385,630 subjects were involved in our study. Pooled results demonstrated that varicocele patients had a lower BMI (WMD = ?0.77, 95% CI = ?1.03 to ?0.51) and a higher height than nonvaricocele participants, especially in grade 3 varicocele patients. Subgroup analyses showed that normal BMI individuals had a higher risk of varicocele than obese or overweight individuals and a lower risk than underweight individuals. In conclusion, this study indicates that varicocele patients have a lower BMI and a higher height than nonvaricocele participants. Moreover, men with excess bodyweight have a lower incidence of varicocele compared to normal weight or underweight people. That is to say, high BMI and adiposity protect against varicocele and high BMI is associated with a decreased risk of varicocele.