Community pharmacy services to optimise the use of medications for mental illness: a systematic review

The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the impact of pharmacist delivered community-based services to optimise the use of medications for mental illness. Twenty-two controlled (randomised and non-randomised) studies of pharmacists' interventions in community and residential aged care settings identified in international scientific literature were included for review. Papers were assessed for study design, service recipient, country of origin, intervention type, number of participating pharmacists, methodological quality and outcome measurement. Three studies showed that pharmacists' medication counselling and treatment monitoring can improve adherence to antidepressant medications among those commencing treatment when calculated using an intention-to-treat analysis. Four trials demonstrated that pharmacist conducted medication reviews may reduce the number of potentially inappropriate medications prescribed to those at high risk of medication misadventure. The results of this review provide some evidence that pharmacists can contribute to optimising the use of medications for mental illness in the community setting. However, more well designed studies are needed to assess the impact of pharmacists as members of community mental health teams and as providers of comprehensive medicines information to people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder     

Radiation dose reduction during hysterosalpingography: an application of scanning-beam digital radiography

Hysterosalpingography was performed in 31 patients by means of a low-dose scanning-beam digital radiographic system. The technique permits adequate evaluation of gynecologic abnormalities while allowing significant reduction in radiation: 2.4-mR (6.1 X 10(-7) C/kg) exposure to the skin and 0.7-mrad (7 X 10(-6) Gy) mean dose to the ovaries per image obtained. Sixteen patients demonstrated readily recognizable and documented abnormalities, corroborated by laparoscopy, laparotomy, or other supportive evidence.     

aVR sign as a risk factor for life-threatening arrhythmic events in patients with Brugada syndrome

BACKGROUND: Risk stratification in Brugada syndrome (BS) is controversial, especially in asymptomatic individuals. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of lead aVR in patients with BS. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with the electrocardiogram pattern of BS (24 male, mean age 32.1 +/- 13.6 years) and 24 healthy age- and gender-matched controls were studied. RESULTS: Thirteen patients were symptomatic. The R-wave amplitude or R/q ratio in lead aVR was significantly greater in patients experiencing a recurrence compared with those who did not. The aVR sign was defined as R wave >/= 0.3 mV or R/q >/= 0.75 in lead aVR. Most of the recurrences (78%) were in patients with present aVR sign; 84% of BS patients with present aVR sign had events during follow-up. In contrast, only 27% of BS patients with absent aVR sign had events during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Our study shows significant correlation between a prominent R wave in lead aVR (aVR sign) and risk for development of arrhythmic events in BS. In the presence of BS, prominent R wave in lead aVR may reflect more right ventricular conduction delay and subsequently more electrical heterogeneity, which in turn is responsible for a higher risk of arrhythmia.     

Solitary bronchioloalveolar carcinoma: CT criteria

The computed tomographic (CT) scans of 30 patients with solitary bronchioloalveolar carcinoma were reviewed. Common features at CT included the peripheral or subpleural location of a pulmonary mass (25 cases), pseudocavitation (18 cases), heterogeneous attenuation (17 cases), irregular margins forming a star pattern (22 cases), and pleural tags (21 cases). Using these CT criteria, four independent observers attempted to identify cases of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma from a larger sample of lung cancers and benign lesions by categorizing a series of test cases into four probability categories. Although the bronchioloalveolar carcinomas were correctly ranked in the two highest probability categories 75% of the time (in 45 of 60 cases), there was considerable overlap with other lung lesions, particularly with adenocarcinoma and large cell undifferentiated carcinoma. However, even though the typical features of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma are not invariable or highly specific, they are characteristic enough to suggest the diagnosis.