Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis recapture clinical response during re-treatment with etanercept

Background  Patients with psoriasis experience remission and gradual reappearance of erythematous and scaly plaques and require individualized treatment over time. A goal of psoriasis treatment is to provide optimal efficacy with a flexible therapeutic regimen that may include treatment pauses.
Objectives  To determine whether patients receiving initial treatment with etanercept who then pause therapy would subsequently recapture response during re-treatment.
Patients and methods  A post-hoc analysis of 226 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis from a large multicentre trial was performed. Patients had received etanercept 50 mg twice weekly subcutaneously until a target clinical response had been achieved, then had paused treatment and eventually relapsed. They were then re-treated with etanercept 25 mg twice weekly. The number of patients recapturing a Physician Global Assessment (PGA) of psoriasis rating of ≤ 2 (clear, almost clear or mild) on first re-treatment was assessed. Patient satisfaction during the initial treatment and first re-treatment period was also determined.
Results  A total of 187 (83%) patients recaptured the target clinical response of a PGA of ≤ 2 after re-treatment. The majority of patients [219 of 226 (97%)] reported satisfaction with etanercept re-treatment. No new safety concerns emerged during re-treatment.
Conclusions  In this post-hoc analysis, patients with psoriasis who were re-treated with etanercept 25 mg twice weekly effectively recaptured clinical responses that patients found satisfactory. A flexible treatment option is available to dermatologists and patients for individualized care.     

Efficacy of lamivudine re-treatment for relapsed patients after an initial lamivudine therapy in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B

The efficacy of lamivudine re-treatment in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who relapse after HBeAg seroconversion with lamivudine has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of lamivudine re-treatment in relapsed patients. Among 192 patients who had achieved HBeAg seroconversion with lamivudine at a dose of 100 mg/day, 121 patients discontinued lamivudine. Relapse occurred in 49 patients (40.5%). Thirty-three relapsed patients received lamivudine re-treatment for at least 6 months. The mean duration of lamivudine re-treatment was 16 months and the follow-up period was 8.9 months. HBeAg seroconversion was achieved in 23 patients (69.7%). The cumulative HBeAg seroconversion rates at 5, 9, and 12 months were 60, 64, and 67%, respectively. The mean time to HBeAg seroconversion in lamivudine re-treatment was shorter than that in the initial therapy (4.7 months vs. 9.7 months). Viral breakthrough occurred in six (18.2%) patients. All patients with viral breakthrough were accompanied by elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Among 15 patients who discontinued lamivudine re-treatment after HBeAg seroconversion, relapse occurred in six patients (40%). All relapses occurred within 9 months after the discontinuation of lamivudine re-treatment. In conclusion, lamivudine re-treatment in relapsed patients after initial lamivudine therapy had a higher response rate and shorter duration to HBeAg seroconversion than during the initial therapy. However, HBeAg seroconversion induced by lamivudine re-treatment was not durable.     

复治肺结核病人服药依从性影响因素分析

[目的]了解复治肺结核病人的服药依从性现况及影响因素,为科学实施护理干预提供理论基础.[方法]采用慢性疾病病人服药依从性测量量表对160例复治肺结核病人进行调查,观察多种因素对复治肺结核病人服药依从性的影响.[结果]复治肺结核病人的服药依从性差者占总数的25.6%;单因素分析显示,文化程度低、已婚、家庭人均月收入少于1 000元、无医疗保险、有排菌影响服药依从性;多因素Logistic回归分析显示,已婚、家庭人均月收入小于1 000元、有排菌是服药依从性的危险因素.[结论]服药依从性取决于诸多因素,应针对性地采取干预措施.     

颅内破裂动脉瘤栓塞术后早期破裂再出血危险因素分析

目的探讨颅内破裂动脉瘤栓塞术后早期破裂再出血的临床特点及危险因素,以减少动脉瘤栓塞术后早期再出血的发生率,为临床治疗方法的选择提供依据。方法回顾性分析我科2002年7月至2007年10月经全脑血管造影确诊的颅内破裂动脉瘤并行血管内介入栓塞治疗的病例,分析栓塞术后早期再出血病例(病例组)的临床及影像学特征,从同期治疗的未再出血的患者中随机抽取123例病例作为对照组,对两者的可疑危险因素进行单变量与多变量的统计学分析。结果881例行介入栓塞治疗的颅内破裂动脉瘤中有17例(1.93%)发生早期破裂再出血,其中12例(占70.6%)死亡。颅内破裂动脉瘤栓塞术后早期破裂再出血的独立危险因素为动脉瘤的真假性、术前动脉瘤的破裂次数、术中造影有明显的脑血管痉挛及动脉瘤的栓塞程度4项。并得到预测栓塞术后早期再出血概率的方程。结论本研究显示栓塞术后早期破裂再出血的发生率低,但预后差,病死率高。术前针对危险因素进行预防、术中尽可能致密栓塞动脉瘤、术后早期及时复查脑血管造影有利于减少颅内破裂动脉瘤栓塞术后早期再出血率,积极再治疗可以改善早期再出血患者的预后。     

肝癌术后复发再治疗方式合理选择

肝癌术后复发与转移是进一步提高肝癌疗效的瓶颈,在缺乏公认的预防复发转移手段的前提下,复发性肝癌的早诊早治显得尤为重要。应综合考虑肿瘤的生物学特征、肝脏储备功能、残余肝体积以及病人的全身情况等因素,选择再切除、挽救性肝移植、局部消融、经肝动脉栓塞化疗、放疗和系统治疗等方法,对复发性肝癌进行多学科综合治疗。在缺少前瞻性随机对照临床研究结果的情况下,Meta分析是评价不同治疗策略疗效的重要依据。     

Effects of treatment cessation and re-treatment in randomized controlled trials of prucalopride in patients with chronic idiopathic constipation

Background

Prucalopride is a selective, high-affinity serotonin type 4 receptor agonist approved for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults. We investigated the impact of prucalopride cessation and re-treatment on efficacy and safety.

Methods

Data were from two randomized controlled trials in adults with CIC. In a dose-finding trial, complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) and treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were assessed during a 4-week run-out period after a 4-week treatment period (TP; prucalopride 0.5–4 mg once daily or placebo). In a re-treatment trial, CSBMs and TEAEs were assessed during two 4-week TPs (prucalopride 4 mg once daily or placebo) separated by a 2- or 4-week washout period.

Key Results

In the dose-finding trial (N = 234; 43–48 patients/group), mean CSBMs/week and the proportion of responders (≥3 CSBMs/week) were higher with prucalopride than placebo during the TP, but similar in all groups 1–4 weeks after treatment cessation. TEAEs were less frequent following treatment cessation. In the re-treatment trial (efficacy analyses: prucalopride, n = 189; placebo, n = 205), the proportion of responders was similar in both TPs and significantly higher (p ≤ 0.001) with prucalopride (TP1, 38.6%; TP2, 36.0%) than placebo (TP1, 10.7%; TP2, 11.2%). Most patients who responded to prucalopride in TP1 responded again in TP2 (71.2%). TEAEs were less frequent in TP2 than TP1.

Conclusions and Inferences

Prucalopride cessation resulted in a loss of clinical effect to baseline levels within 7 days. Similar efficacy and safety were observed between TP1 and TP2 after prucalopride was re-initiated following a washout period.