Background Changing demographics across the UK has led to general practitioners (GPs) managing increasing numbers of older patients with multi-morbidity and resultant polypharmacy. Through government led initiatives within the National Health Service, an increasing number of GP practices employ pharmacist support. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of a medicines optimisation intervention, delivered by GP practice-based pharmacists, to patients at risk of medication-related problems (MRPs), on patient outcomes and healthcare costs. Methods A multi-centre, randomised (normal care or pharmacist supplemented care) study in four regions of the UK, involving patients (n = 356) from eight GP practices, with a 6-month follow-up period. Participants were adult patients who were at risk of MRPs. Results Median number of MRPs per intervention patient were reduced at the third assessment, i.e. 3 to 0.5 (p < 0.001) in patients who received the full intervention schedule. Medication Appropriateness Index (MAI) scores were reduced (medications more appropriate) for the intervention group, but not for control group patients (8 [4–13] to 5 [0–11] vs 8 [3–13] to 7 [3–12], respectively; p = 0.001). Using the intention-to-treat (ITT) approach, the number of telephone consultations in intervention group patients was reduced and different from the control group (1 [0–3] to 1 [0–2] vs 1 [0–2] to 1 [0–3], p = 0.020). No significant differences between groups were, however, found in unplanned hospital admissions, length of hospital stay, number of A&E attendances or outpatient visits. The mean overall healthcare cost per intervention patient fell from £1041.7 ± 1446.7 to £859.1 ± 1235.2 (p = 0.032). Cost utility analysis showed an incremental cost per patient of − £229.0 (95% CI − 594.6, 128.2) and a mean QALY gained of 0.024 (95% CI − 0.021 to 0.065), i.e. indicative of a health status gain at a reduced cost (2016/2017). Conclusion The pharmacist service was effective in reducing MRPs, inappropriateness of medications and telephone consultations in general practice in a cost-effective manner. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.Gov, NCT03241498. Registered 7 August 2017—Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03241498

Objective: This study aimed at analyzing drug-related problems (DRPs) in hospitalized geriatric patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods:We prospectively collected data of 26 hospitalized geriatric patients at the Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital (age, >60 year) who underwent inpatient treatment for at least 1 month between February and April 2015. Readable data were obtained from prescriptions, medical records, and index card/nurses records. We obtained data on 299 drug treatments for 26 patients and identified 166 DRPs. These were analyzed based on the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe Version 6.2. Results:The percentage of treatment effectiveness (50.6%) and adverse drug reactions (49.4%) was predominantly due to an inappropriate drugdrug or drug-food combination, including the incidence of drug interactions (20.4%).

Objective: To quantify 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide in cancer patients' plasma for therapeutic drug monitoring of cyclophosphamide. Methods:The blood was collected at 0.5 and 1 h after administration of chemotherapy. Prior to analysis, 4-OHCP in plasma was derivatized with semicarbazide HCl, then was extracted using 4 ml ethyl acetate and finally was determined by Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatographytandem mass spectrometry. Chromatographic separation was conducted using waters acquity BEH C18 column (1.7 μm; 50 mm x 2.1 mm). The mobile phase consisted of formic acid 0.1% and methanol (50: 50, v/v), column temperature 30 °C and flow rate of 0.3 ml/min. Mass detection was performed on waters xevo TQD equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source at positive ion mode in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Cyclophosphamide was detected at m/z 260.968>139.978, 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide-semicarbazide at m/z 338.011>224.97, and hexamethylphosphoramide as internal standard at m/z 180.17>92.08. Results:The method was linear in the range of 5-1000 ng/ml for cyclophosphamide and also for 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide. The results showed that the level of 4-OHCP in 39 cancer patients was in the range of 5.02 ng/ml to 832.44 ng/ml.Conclusion: 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide was detected on 39 patient samples with the lowest level of 5.40ng/ml and the highest level was 832.44 ng/ml. This can be a parameter that the regiment of cyclophosphamide was effective.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the use and potential drug interactions of proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) in outpatients.Methods: This study is a retrospective descriptive analysis of prescriptions and medical records from outpatients in Gatot Soebroto Army Hospitalselected by purposive sampling who received PPI with one or more other drugs from July to December 2015. The analysis was conducted on 400prescriptions from 192 patients.Results: Data showed that 100% of the PPI therapy utilized was appropriate for the patients’ condition, 79.00% was appropriate for the indication,79.00% was appropriate for the dosage, 79.00% had an appropriate administration duration, and 83.75% was given the appropriate drug. Thepotential of PPI interactions with other drugs was found in 324 prescriptions (81.00%) from 475 cases. Of all the cases, 42 were considered majorinteractions, 138 were moderate interactions, and 295 cases had minor interactions. There were 14 drugs that could potentially interact with PPI, suchas mycophenolate mofetil, clopidogrel, cilostazol, warfarin, iron, levothyroxine, propranolol, cyclosporine, simvastatin, atorvastatin, cyanocobalamin,sucralfate, theophylline, and antacids.Conclusion: PPI use in outpatients at the Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital was not entirely appropriate and had a large number of potential druginteractions with concurrent drugs.

Administration of ceftazidime shortened duration of neutropenia and hospitalization days in breast cancer patients who had infection after myelosupressive chemotherapy. Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) as one of pharmacoeconomic methods was important to determine treatment attaining effect for lower cost. The aim of this study was to comparethe total direct medical cost and effectiveness, which was measured from length-of-stay (LOS), of generic ceftazidime A and B usage, and to decide which ceftazidime that was more cost-effective in early-stage and late-stage breast cancer patients at National Cancer Center Dharmais Hospital Jakarta year 2012. The study design was non-experimental withcomparative study retrospectively on secondary data from medical records and administrative data in 2012. Samples were taken by using total sampling method. The number of samples were 9 patients, which included 7 patients with generic ceftazidime A and 2 patients with generic ceftazidime B. The total direct medical cost of generic ceftazidime A in early-stage and late-stage breast cancer patients, respectively Rp 15.930.407,45 and Rp 15.962.519,25, were higher than generic B, respectively Rp 6.716.225,21 and Rp 7.147.956,92. Median LOS of generic A ceftazidime in early-stage and late-stage breast cancer patients, respectively 7 days and 10 days, were longer than generic B, respectively 3 days and 4 days. According to CEA result, generic ceftazidime B was more cost-effective than generic A.ABSTRAKPemberian seftazidim dapat mempersingkat durasi neutropenia dan lama hari rawat inap pada pasien kanker payudara yang mengalami infeksi setelah kemoterapi mielosupresif. Analisis cost-effectiveness merupakan salah satu metode farmakoekonomi yang penting untuk menentukan obat efektif dengan biaya yang lebih rendah. Penelitian dilakukan untuk membandingkan total biaya medis langsung dan efektivitas yang dilihat dari lama hari rawat penggunaan seftazidim generik A dan B, serta menentukan seftazidim yang lebih cost-effective pada pasien kanker payudara stadium awal dan lanjut di Rumah Sakit Kanker “Dharmais” Jakarta, 2012. Desain penelitian yang digunakan adalah studi komparatif secara retrospektif terhadap data rekam medis dan administrasi tahun 2012. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan secara total sampling. Jumlah pasien yang dilibatkan dalam analisis 9 pasien, yaitu 7 pasien menggunakan seftazidim generik A dan 2 pasien menggunakan seftazidim generik B. Median total biaya medis langsung kelompok generik A pada pasien kanker stadium awal maupun lanjut berturut-turut sebesar Rp 15.930.407,45 dan Rp 15.962.519,25 lebih tinggi dibanding generik B, berturut-turut sebesar Rp 6.716.225,21 dan Rp 7.147.956,92. Median lama hari rawat kelompok generik A pada pasien kanker stadium awal maupun lanjut berturut-turut 7 hari dan 10 hari, lebih panjang dibanding generik B, berturut-turut 3 hari dan 4 hari. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian disimpulkan bahwa seftazidim generik B lebih cost-effective dibanding generik A.

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Pemerintah telah memberikan secara gratis hematinik yang mengandung 200 gram fero sulfat dan 0.25 gram asam folat sejak tahun 1970, namun prevalensi anemia pada pasien hamil di Puskesmas Kecamatan Matraman masih relatif tinggi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor-faktor yang dapat memengaruhi efektivitas dari hematinik yang dikonsumsi oleh pasien hamil di Puskesmas Kecamatan Matraman. Metode penelitian menggunakan rancangan studi cross-sectional dengan teknik pengambilan data purposive sampling.  Data diperoleh dari hasil pemeriksaan kadar hemoglobin pasien dan hasil wawancara pasien dengan menggunakan kuesioner yang telah diuji validitas dan reliabilitasnya. Responden adalah pasien hamil yang mengonsumsi hematinik dari pemerintah dan telah melakukan pemeriksaan kadar hemoglobin minimal 2 kali. Jumlah sampel yang masuk kriteria inklusi pada penelitian sebanyak 85 pasien. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, terdapat hubungan bermakna antara pengaruh kebiasaan konsumsi teh dengan kadar hemoglobin pasien (p=0,000) dan pengaruh keteraturan konsumsi hematinik dengan kadar hemoglobin pasien (p=0,004). Namun tidak ada hubungan yang bermakna antara pengaruh pola makan dengan kadar hemoglobin pasien (p=0,105) dan pengaruh cara mengonsumsi hematinik dengan kadar hemoglobin pasien (p=0,684). Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa faktor-faktor yang memengaruhi efektivitas hematinik adalah kebiasaan konsumsi teh dan keteraturan konsumsi hematinik.

Background Information about how newspapers portray antidiabetic medicines to readers is lacking. This study investigated the reporting on antidiabetic medicines in the most widely circulated newspapers published in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) over a 10-year period. Methods The Nexis UK database was used to identify and select relevant articles. Systematic content analysis of the articles which met the inclusion criteria (articles of any format that contained reference to antidiabetic medicines) within the highest circulated newspapers in the UK and US between 2009 and 2018 was conducted. Inter-rater reliability of coding was established using a 10% sample of the identified articles. Results A total of 560 (369 UK and 191 US) relevant newspaper articles were retrieved. In the UK, the number of relevant articles showed a slightly increasing trend over the study period, while in the US, article numbers declined over the study period. Safety/risk of antidiabetic medicines was the most frequent theme covered by the articles (34.6%). Over one-third of the newspaper articles were written from a clinical perspective (37.7%). Insulin was the most commonly discussed class of antidiabetic medicine (23.1%). Control of blood sugar levels (53.1%) and side effects/toxicity (92.7%) were the most frequently reported benefit and risk of antidiabetic medicines, respectively. The most frequently reported organ systems harmed by antidiabetic medicines were the cardiovascular, endocrine and gastrointestinal systems. The UK newspapers were more likely to report the benefits of antidiabetic medicines (p = 0.005), while the US articles were more likely to report on harms/risks (p = 0.001). The majority of relevant articles (91.8%) were judged as having a balanced judgement, while 8.2% of the articles were rated as exaggerated. Conclusions This study has revealed that antidiabetic medicines are indeed reported on by UK and US newspapers. As media portrayal has the potential to negatively or positively influence patients’ views of their medication for diabetes, healthcare professionals should check on patients’ beliefs and knowledge about their medication and proactively provide objective and balanced information (including promotion of medication adherence).