The Impact of Dense Breasts on the Stage of Breast Cancer at Diagnosis: A Review and Options for Supplemental Screening

The purpose of breast cancer screening is to find cancers early to reduce mortality and to allow successful treatment with less aggressive therapy. Mammography is the gold standard for breast cancer screening. Its efficacy in reducing mortality from breast cancer was proven in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted from the early 1960s to the mid 1990s. Panels that recommend breast cancer screening guidelines have traditionally relied on the old RCTs, which did not include considerations of breast density, race/ethnicity, current hormone therapy, and other risk factors. Women do not all benefit equally from mammography. Mortality reduction is significantly lower in women with dense breasts because normal dense tissue can mask cancers on mammograms. Moreover, women with dense breasts are known to be at increased risk. To provide equity, breast cancer screening guidelines should be created with the goal of maximizing mortality reduction and allowing less aggressive therapy, which may include decreasing the interval between screening mammograms and recommending consideration of supplemental screening for women with dense breasts. This review will address the issue of dense breasts and the impact on the stage of breast cancer at the time of diagnosis, and discuss options for supplemental screening.     

Value of non-clinical cardiac repolarization assays in supporting the discovery and development of safer medicines

Non-clinical QT-related assays aligned to the pharmaceutical drug discovery and development phases are used in several ways. During the early discovery phases, assays are used for hazard identification and wherever possible for hazard elimination. The data generated enable us to: (i) establish structure–activity relationships and thereby; (ii) influence the medicinal chemistry design and provide tools for effective decision making; and provide structure–activity data for in silico predictive databases; (iii) solve problems earlier; (iv) provide reassurance for compound or project to progress; and (v) refine strategies as scientific and technical knowledge grows. For compounds progressing into pre-clinical development, the ‘core battery’ QT-related data enable an integrated risk assessment to: (i) fulfil regulatory requirements; (ii) assess the safety and risk–benefit for compound progression to man; (iii) contribute to defining the starting dose during the phase I clinical trials; (iv) influence the design of the phase I clinical trials; (v) identify clinically relevant safety biomarkers; and (vi) contribute to the patient risk management plan. Once a compound progresses into clinical development, QT-related data can be applied in the context of risk management and risk mitigation. The data from ‘follow-up’ studies can be used to: (i) support regulatory approval; (ii) investigate discrepancies that may have emerged within and/or between non-clinical and clinical data; (iii) understand the mechanism of an undesirable pharmacodynamic effect; (iv) provide reassurance for progression into multiple dosing in humans and/or large-scale clinical trials; and (v) assess drug–drug interactions. Based on emerging data, the integrated risk assessment is then reviewed in this article, and the benefit–risk for compound progression was re-assessed. Project examples are provided to illustrate the impact of non-clinical data to support compound progression throughout the drug discovery and development phases, and regulatory approval.This article is part of a themed section on QT safety. To view this issue visit http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121548564/issueyear?year=2010     

津力糖平片对照品溶液稳定性的研究

目的：探讨津力糖平片检验用葛根素对照品溶液的保存条件和有效期,规范中药检验对照品的管理。方法：按照《中华人民共和国药典：一部》中药的薄层色谱法对葛根素对照品溶液进行薄层成像实验,比较不同时间、不同保存条件下不同质量浓度对照品溶液的成像效果。结果：葛根素溶液最佳保存时间为配制后270d内,高浓度对照品溶液（10mg/ml）成像效果更好,常温和冷藏（2—8℃）保存对实验结果无影响。结论：本研究为中药对照品保存期限设定和标准化管理提供了一定依据,有利于减少葛根素对照品的损耗、节约药品检验成本。     

RR间期散点图与时间RR间期散点图的临床应用

RR—Lorenz散点图与24h—tRR散点图具有诊断动态心电图的功能,对于典型的心脏节律,使用这两种散点图,容易明确诊断。在动态心电图分析中RR—Lorenz散点图与24h-tRR散点图提供了互补的信息。RR—Lorenz散点图无时间的概念,从散点图上不能得到散点发生的时间,而心脏节律异常的发生与时间相关,随时间的变化而不同,这给临床考察心律的变化与时间的相关性带来了困难。在24h—tRR散点图中散点过稀不能构成特征性图形,而散点过密有时会掩盖一些图形,这时从24h—tRR散点图推断心脏节律可能会遇到困难．这时参看RR—Lorenz散点图及1h—tRR散点图,基本能明确心律的性质。当节律的诊断还是存在困难,如存在散发的个别点或散点图特征不典型时,可采用散点逆向技术,即回归该点所对应的片段心电图,通过分析心电图,达到诊断心律的目的。     

我院住院患者应用胺碘酮对QTc间期的影响

摘 要 目的:评估胺碘酮对住院患者QT/ QTc间期的影响及药品不良反应。方法：纳入2014年1～6月上海浦东新区公利医院心内科使用胺碘酮的住院患者共59例,记录患者一般情况和合并用药等信息,观察应用胺碘酮注射液或胺碘酮片剂后心率、QT间期、QTc间期的变化,以及在用药期间发生药品不良反应。结果：用药后患者的平均心率、QT间期和QTc间期较用药前显著减慢(P<0.01)。59例患者中,12例用药后QTc＞500 ms,5例患者用药后△QTc＞50 ms且 QTc＜500 ms。研究中,共有8例合并使用一种或多种可延长QT间期的药物,包括左氧氟沙星（4例）,阿奇霉素（3例）,氟哌噻吨美利曲辛（1例）,多潘立酮（1例）。32例应用胺碘酮注射液患者中有3例发生注射部位反应,用药中未出现与胺碘酮相关的心律失常[包括尖端扭转性室速(Tdp）]。结论：住院患者应用胺碘酮后QT间期、QTc间期均会不同程度延长,对于用药后QTc＞500 ms、△QTc＞50 ms或合并使用其他可延长QT间期药物的患者,Tdp发生风险增加,应及时调整胺碘酮用药方案并严密监测心电图,避免恶性心律失常事件的发生。     

Pricing and Reimbursement of Pharmaceuticals. A New Culture for the Community Pharmacist.

Pricing and reimbursement of pharmaceuticals are of concern for pharmacists. Different countries have different ways of organising their health care systems. The place for pharmaceuticals within these systems also differ. This article looks into the price and reimbursement systems for medicinal products in Germany, Sweden, the UK and Norway. Various ways of organising the pharmaceutical market emerge. Some existing measures have been in place for a long time while others have been introduced more recently. A common goal for the four countries seems to be the drive to cut costs, and attempts to do this can be directed through various reimbursement systems, by focusing on prices or by influencing the physicians' prescribing behaviour, either through the use of advice or through the use of budgets. It is important for the pharmacists to have indepth knowledge of the price and reimbursement system they have to work within in order to be of full service to their customers.     

Effectiveness of surgical management of malignant glaucoma in phakic eyes

AIM:To assess the effectiveness of core vitrectomyphacoemulsification-intraocular lens(IOL)implantationcapsulo-hyaloidotomy in treating phakic eye at least 1 mo after the onset of malignant glaucoma.METHODS:A retrospective analysis were performed on malignant glaucoma patients treated in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center between 2016 and 2018.Demographic and clinical data were described.The preoperative and postoperative visual acuity(VA),intraocular pressure(IOP),number of IOP-lowering medications used,and anterior chamber depth(ACD)of the case series were compared by Wilcoxon signed-rank test.RESULTS:Thirteen phakic eyes with long time intervals between onset and surgery were identified in this case series.Core vitrectomy-phacoemulsification-IOL implantation-capsulohyaloidotomy reduced the IOP(P=0.046)and the number of IOP-lowering medications used(P=0.004),deepened the ACD(P=0.005).Complete success was achieved in 38.5%of the eyes,and anatomical success was achieved in 100%of the eyes without any recurrence.The only postoperative complication observed is corneal endothelial decompensation.It occurred in two cases.CONCLUSION:Core vitrectomy-phacoemulsification-IOL implantation-capsulo-hyaloidotomy is safe and effective for treatment of long onset phakic malignant glaucoma.