WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT• Information from the spontaneous reporting system raised the hypothesis of an increased risk of meningioma in patients treated with high doses of cyproterone acetate (CPA).• Meningiomas are known to be hormone-sensitive tumours and express progesterone receptors and CPA has an anti-androgenic, progestagenic and antigonadotropic effect. • More formal evidence from epidemiological studies is lacking. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS• This population-based cohort study supports the hypothesis that the exposure to high dose CPA increases the risk of meningioma • The increased risk was observed both in men and women and was only relevant for exposures longer than 1 year. AIMInformation from the spontaneous reporting system raised the hypothesis of an increased risk of meningioma in patients treated with high doses of cyproterone acetate (CPA). The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis of an increased risk of meningioma among users of high dose CPA as compared with non-users in a medical records computerized database. METHODSA retrospective cohort study was performed in a Spanish primary care database (BIFAP). Meningioma incidence rates were compared in patients exposed to high dose CPA (users) with those non-exposed and with those exposed to low dose CPA. Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate the incidence rate ratios after adjusting for age and gender. RESULTSAmong 2474 users of high dose cyproterone (6663 person-years) four meningioma cases were identified, resulting in an incidence rate (IR) of 60.0 (95% CI 16.4, 153.7) per 100 000 person-years, which was significantly higher than that observed among the non-users (IR 6.6; 95% CI 6.0, 7.3) and among women users of low dose cyproterone (IR 0.0, 95% CI upper limit 5.5). After adjusting for age and gender, patients exposed to high dose CPA showed an increased risk of meningioma of 11.4 (95% CI 4.3, 30.8) as compared with non-users. CONCLUSIONSThe results of this study support the hypothesis that the exposure to high dose CPA increases the risk of meningioma.

Doxycycline treatment for 45 days significantly decreased early relapse rates among adults with brucellosis without increasing adverse effects.

Purpose In June 2013, following recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency agreed updates to the codeine product information regarding use for pain in children younger than 12 years and children undergoing tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy (TA) for obstructive sleep apnoea. This study was conducted to (a) assess effectiveness of these measures on codeine prescribing in the “real‐world” setting and (b) test feasibility of a study using a common protocol by regulators with access to databases. Methods The study was performed using BIFAP (Spain), CPRD (UK), and IMS® Disease Analyzer (France and Germany) databases. Prescribers included general practitioners (GPs) (France and UK), GPs and paediatricians together (Spain), and GPs, paediatricians, and ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists separately (Germany). Between January 2010 and June 2015, prevalence of codeine prescribing was obtained every 6 months, and a time series analysis (joinpoint) was performed. Codeine prescribing within ±30 days of TA was also identified. Furthermore, doses, durations, and prior prescribing of other analgesics were investigated. Results Over the 5‐year period, codeine prescribing decreased in children younger than 12 years (by 84% in France and Spain, 44% in GP practices in Germany, and 33% in the United Kingdom). The temporal pattern was compatible with the regulatory intervention in France and the United Kingdom, whereas a decrease throughout the study period was seen in Germany and Spain. Decreased prescribing associated with TA was suggested in ENT practices in Germany. Conclusions Codeine prescribing for children decreased in line with introduced regulatory measures. Multidatabase studies assessing impact of measures by EU regulators are feasible.

BackgroundWe performed a clinical audit of preoperative rectal cancer treatment at two European radiotherapy centres (Poland and Spain). The aim was to independently verify adherence to a selection of indicators of treatment quality and to identify any notable inter-institutional differences.MethodsA total of 162 patients, in Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) 68 and in Greater Poland Cancer Centre (GPCC) 94, diagnosed with locally advanced rectal cancer and treated with preoperative radiotherapy or radio-chemotherapy were included in retrospective study. A total of 7 quality control measures were evaluated: waiting time, multidisciplinary treatment approach, portal verification, in vivo dosimetry, informed consent, guidelines for diagnostics and therapy, and patient monitoring during treatment.ResultsSeveral differences were observed. Waiting time from pathomorphological diagnosis to initial consultation was 31 (ICO) vs. 8 (GPCC) days. Waiting time from the first visit to the beginning of the treatment was twice as long at the ICO. At the ICO, 82% of patient experienced treatment interruptions. The protocol for portal verification was the same at both institutions. In vivo dosimetry is not used for this treatment localization at the ICO. The ICO utilizes locally-developed guidelines for diagnostics and therapy, while the GPCC is currently developing its own guidelines.ConclusionsAn independent external clinical audit is an excellent approach to identifying and resolving deficiencies in quality control procedures. We identified several procedures amenable to improvement. Both institutions have since implemented changes to improve quality standards. We believe that all radiotherapy centres should perform a comprehensive clinical audit to identify and rectify deficiencies.

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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Current protocols in patients with glioblastoma include performing an MR examination shortly after surgery and then 2-6 weeks after ending concomitant chemoradiotherapy. The assessment of this first postradiotherapy examination is challenging because the pseudoprogression phenomenon may appear. The aim of this study was to explore if performing an MR examination shortly before radiation therapy (preradiotherapy MR imaging) could improve the radiologic assessment of patients with glioblastoma.

Hyperlipemia is a very frequent complication of the diabetic patient on dialysis. There is difficulty of treatment with the diet, because the dietary restriction already imposed on these patients and the secondary effects and toxicity of the available drugs in uremics aggravate the problem. We have treated 22 diabetic patients on dialysis (8 on hemodialysis and 14 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis) suffering from hyperlipemia with pantethine, a physiological substance and coenzyme A precursor in the Krebs eycle. With the administration of an oral dose of 900mg/day we obtained a reduction of total cholesterol (275 ± 72 vs. 231 ± 54mg/dl; p < 0.001), very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol (66 ± 36 vs. 46 ± 18 mg/dl; p < 0.01) and triglycerides (332 ± 182 vs. 227 ± 90 mg/dl; p < 0.01) at 2 months. High-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol did not change, but the total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Total cholesterol, VLDL and triglycerides showed a progressive and significant reduction at 4 and 6 months. No changes were observed in serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase, uric acid, blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin. Gastric discomfort in 2 patients and pruritus in another one were the secondary effects related. Pantethine was shown to be a very effective hypolipemic agent in diabetic patients on dialysis with a great tolerance.

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