We conducted a narrative literature review on studies that specifically addressed the pharmacokinetics of antidepressants in patients on hemodialysis. The search included the MEDLINE, LILACS, and Web of Knowledge databases and combined Medical Subject Headings and free-text search terms for chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, renal replacement therapy, depression, and antidepressants; it was limited to studies conducted in humans, with no language or time constraints. The search yielded 212 studies. After screening titles and abstracts, 32 studies were read in full and 11 ultimately met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Most of the studies showed no difference in the pharmacokinetics of antidepressant drugs between patients with normal renal function and patients undergoing hemodialysis. However, studies with fluvoxamine and amitriptyline showed that variations in albumin levels might affect serum concentrations of these agents. The included studies have several limitations, and there are many obstacles to the adequate treatment of depression in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Further studies on this topic are needed to support proper treatment of these patients, improving their quality of life and reducing mortality.

The worst rates of preventable mortality and morbidity among women and children occur in humanitarian settings. Reliable, easy-to-use, standardized, and efficient tools for data collection are needed to enable different organizations to plan and act in the most effective way. In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) commissioned a review of tools for data collection on the health of women and children in humanitarian emergencies. An update of this review was conducted to investigate whether the recommendations made were taken forward and to identify newly developed tools. Fifty-three studies and 5 new tools were identified. Only 1 study used 1 of the tools identified in our search. Little has been done in terms of the previous recommendations. Authors may not be aware of the availability of such tools and of the importance of documenting their data using the same methods as other researchers. Currently used tools may not be suitable for use in humanitarian settings or may not include the domains of the authors’ interests. The development of standardized instruments should be done with all key workers in the area and could be coordinated by the WHO.

Background Population aging is still an important worldwide phenomenon. Elderly people suffer from multiple chronic diseases that require the use of several drugs, and this demographic scenario fosters the increased prescription of multiple drugs, or Polypharmacy (PP) and Potentially Inappropriate Medication (PIM). Objective This study aimed to identify the prevalence rates and associated factors of PP and PIM in Brazilian older adults. Method The prevalence of PIM use and PP was estimated in a sample of 222 patients enrolled in the Family Health Program in Niterói, Brazil. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the data. Age and sex were kept in the models as potential confounding factors. Results PP and PIM use presented prevalence rates of 23.9 and 24.8%, respectively. PP was associated with body mass index, coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and a number of comorbidities, whereas PIM use was associated with PP. Conclusion The prevalence rates of PP and PIM use found were lower than those reported in previous studies. This could be a result of differences in availability of drugs or prescribing habits. Multiple chronic diseases were associated with PP. These results suggest that more care should be taken in prescribing for the elderly population.