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Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the «gold» standard for the surgical treatment of patients with calculous cholecystitis. It is believed that laparoscopic cholecystectomy is not only safe, but also is painless in the postoperative period. At the same time the pain syndrome after laparoscopic cholecystectomy may be very serious. The article discusses the formation and localization of the pain syndrome, diagnostics and pharmacotherapy of the pain syndrome after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

s / Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 20 (2012) S54–S296 S178 JSN scores, medially or laterally. Progression was compartment specific for the various clusters. Medial progression occurred only in clusters 1, 2 and 4, most dramatically so in cluster 4 (48%). Cluster 3 again only showed lateral progression (61%). Conclusions: We found clear differences between the various clusters. Cluster 1 could be described as amild type of OA,with nodenuded bone and limited OA progression. Cluster 3 and 4weremore severe and erosive types of OA, showing strong increases in area of denudedbonewith increasingOA severity, and a high prevalence of progression. Interestingly, cluster 3 was purely a lateral type of OA, while cluster 4was purelymedial in all respects. The causes that led to differences between the clusters remain speculative. The higher prevalence of reported trauma in cluster 3 and 4, the more aggressive OA types might suggest a difference in OA initiation. Wekept the complexityof themodels lowtoreduce the riskofoverfittingand increase the likelihood that our findings are generalizable to other cohorts. The fact that clusters also differed on data not included in cluster finding (trauma and progression) indicates that the found clusters are meaningful. In conclusion, latent class cluster analysis confirmed the suspected existence of distinct subtypes of knee OA.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of etoricoxib, lumiracoxib, celecoxib, non-selective (ns) NSAIDs and acetaminophen in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) Methods: Randomized placebo controlled trials investigating the effects of acetaminophen 4000mg, diclofenac 150mg, naproxen 1000mg, ibuprofen 2400mg, celecoxib 100-400mg, lumiracoxib 100-400mg, and etoricoxib 30-60mg with treatment duration of at least two weeks were identified with a systematic literature search. The endpoints of interest were pain, physical function and patient global assessment of disease status (PGADS). Pain and physical function reported on different scales (VAS or LIKERT) were translated into effect sizes (ES). An ES 0.2 - 0.5 was defined as a “small” treatment effect, whereas ES of 0.5 – 0.8 and > 0.8 were defined as “moderate” and “large”, respectively. A negative effect indicated superior effects of the treatment group compared to the control group. Results of all trials were analyzed simultaneously with a Bayesian mixed treatment comparison. Results: There is a >95% probability that etoricoxib (30 or 60mg) shows the greatest improvement in pain and physical function of all interventions compared. ESs of etoricoxib 30mg relative to placebo, celecoxib 200mg, ibuprofen 2400mg, and diclofenac 150mg were -0.66 (95% Credible Interval -0.83; -0.49), -0.32 (-0.50; -0.14), -0.25 (-0.53; 0.03), and -0.17 (-0.41; 0.08), respectively. Regarding physical functioning, ESs of etoricoxib 30mg relative to placebo, celecoxib 200mg, ibuprofen 2400mg, and diclofenac 150mg were -0.61 (-0.76; -0.46), -0.27 (-0.43; -0.10), -0.20 (-0.47; 0.07), and -0.09 (- 0.33; 0.14) respectively. The greatest improvements in PGADS were expected with either etoricoxib or diclofenac. Conclusion: The current study estimated the efficacy of acetaminophen, nsNSAIDs, and COX-2 selective NSAIDs in OA and found that etoricoxib 30 mg is likely to result in the greatest improvements in pain and physical function. Differences in PGADS between interventions were smaller.

In 2003 the English labour government placed a mandatory responsibility on local authorities to offer direct payments to all eligible people and are continuing to actively promote this service option. This paper explores some of the key reasons why the take-up of direct payments for mental health service users has been particularly slow compared to other user groups. The main themes of this article have been drawn from a large, detailed review of literature and research published between 2000 and 2006 and will provide practitioners and students with an overview of the key current implementation issues concerning direct payments in mental health services. Several major obstacles and dilemmas have contributed to low uptake including the legislation itself as well as local authority guidance. This paper discusses the documented confusion surrounding eligibility for mental health service users as well as the detrimental impact of fluctuating needs set in the context of a dual service provision of health and s...

Montelukast, a potent leukotriene receptor antagonist, is approved for treatment of both asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR). No studies to date have examined whether montelukast can improve asthma control over a long period of time in patients with seasonal AR and asthma.To evaluate asthma control and use of asthma-related medical resources by patients with inadequately controlled mild to moderate persistent asthma and seasonal AR who required addition of montelukast as part of routine care.This multicenter, 24-month, pre-post retrospective observational study included patients receiving current inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy (alone or in combination with long-acting beta-agonist [LABA]), who received add-on treatment with montelukast for 12 consecutive months. The incidence of asthma attacks, defined as emergency department visit, hospitalization, or oral corticosteroid use for asthma, was compared for the year before and the year after addition of montelukast to therapy.For the 696 patients from Italy, Poland, and Spain who were included in the analyses, the proportion of patients experiencing an asthma attack declined from 31.5% in the year before to 10.1% (p0.001) the year after addition of montelukast to therapy. Proportions of patients with an asthma-related emergency room visit, hospitalization, and oral corticosteroid use declined from 18.7% to 3.9%, from 5.2% to 1.4%, and from 17.5% to 5.9% (all p0.01), respectively. The incidence of these outcomes declined in all three countries, regardless of baseline asthma severity or asthma therapy (ICS alone or ICS + LABA). Important study limitations include the possibility of selection bias or missing medical chart data in this retrospective study design. Also noteworthy is the inclusion of only those patients who remained persistent with montelukast therapy. Therefore, the results of the study are relevant for patients who remain persistent with montelukast therapy.Addition of montelukast to current ICS therapy improved long-term asthma control and resulted in substantial reductions in asthma-related resource use by patients with mild or moderate persistent asthma and concomitant seasonal AR who were persistent with montelukast therapy in this retrospective observational study.

Background Although bivariate relationships between depressive symptoms, health beliefs, and medication adherence have been identified, the complex relationship among these 3 constructs has not been explicated. Objective This study examines the mediating role of patients' beliefs about diabetes and diabetes medications in relation to depressive symptoms and diabetes medication adherence. Methods A survey was sent to 1700 persons with type 2 diabetes who were enrolled in a managed care organization in the United States. The bivariate relationships between depressive symptoms, diabetes-related health beliefs, and diabetes medication adherence were assessed. A structural equation model was developed to determine if health beliefs mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and medication adherence. Results Usable responses were received from 445 subjects. Greater depressive symptoms were associated with lower adherence to diabetes medications. The structural equation model indicated that the effect of depressive symptoms on medication adherence was mediated through perceived side effect barriers, perceived general barriers, and self-efficacy. Patients with severe depressive symptoms perceived more barriers to treatment adherence and were less confident in their ability to adhere to medication. In turn, reduced self-efficacy and heightened perceived barriers had a negative association with patients' adherence to diabetes medication regimens. Conclusions Decreased adherence to diabetes medications in patients with both diabetes and depressive symptoms may be partly explained by the association of depression with patients' beliefs about diabetes medications and their self-efficacy for medication use.

Antibody fragments have been shown to penetrate into the anterior chamber when applied to the cornea. The aim of this study was to investigate whether such fragments could penetrate into the vitreous cavity after topical administration to the ocular surface of rabbits.An engineered single-chain variable-domain antibody fragment with specificity for an irrelevant rat determinant was applied as a 50 microl eye drop to the eyes of live rabbits at 20-min intervals over 12 h. Eye drops contained 0.8-1.1 mg/ml protein in a buffered salt solution supplemented with penetration and viscosity enhancers. Samples were collected by paracentesis from the vitreous cavity immediately postmortem. Antibody fragments in these samples were quantified by measuring the binding activity to specific antigen, using flow cytometry.Topically applied antibody fragments were detectable in the vitreous of rabbit eyes after 4-12 h but had cleared at 12 h following the final eye drop. Concentrations of the antibody fragment in the vitreous samples were estimated to be 50-150 ng/ml at 12 h. Penetration of the parental whole antibody into the vitreous was not observed.Antibody fragments penetrate into the vitreous chamber of the rabbit eye after topical administration to the ocular surface. Such fragments may have therapeutic potential for diseases affecting the posterior segment.

s / Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 22 (2014) S57–S489 S224 397 LONGITUDINAL ASSESSMENT OF PAIN IN PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA): USING DATA FROM THE STUDY OF REAL WORLD THERAPIES (SORT) F. Rannou y, P.M. Peloso z, S. Rajagopalan x, P. Mavros z, S.V. Everett z, N. Arden k, P. Conaghan{, C.J. Phillips #, R.A. Moore yy, M. van de Laar zz, S.D. Taylor z. yUniv. of Paris, Paris, France; zMerck Sharp & Dohme, Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA; xMedData Analytics, Inc., East Brunswick, NJ, USA; kUniv. of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; {Univ. of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom; # Swansea Univ., Swansea, United Kingdom; yyOxford Univ., Oxford, United Kingdom; zzUniv. of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands Pain is a key concern for patients suffering with osteoarthritis (OA) and is one of the most common reasons for seeking care from a general practitioner. In this analysis, inadequate pain relief (IPR) was defined as a score of >4 on the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) average pain question. Characterizing the variability of knee OA pain is critical in providing clinical insight and initiating effective treatment plans. Purpose: The objective was to examine variability of average pain scores, pain severity and WOMAC pain subscale scores over 12 months in knee OA patients who reported IPR at baseline as compared to those who reported non-IPR using data from SORT Methods: OA knee patients > 50 years who required medicinal therapies were recruited from physicians’ practices at 53 centres in 6 European countries. Pain was assessed by the (BPI) using average pain score and pain severity and the WOMAC Pain subscale. Descriptive statistics were used to describe and contrast IPR and non-IPR cohorts over 12 months. Results: A total of 1284 patients were enrolled with 1187 eligible for evaluation and 53.8% met the definition of IPR at baseline. Fluctuations in average pain score, pain severity, and WOMAC pain were minimal. When contrasting IPR vs. non-IPR cohorts, the magnitude of the variability was similar overtime based on group level standard deviations. Additionally, statistically significant differences between the cohorts remained regardless of the pain measures (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Patients with IPR appear to have stable disease and remain in IPR over time. Pain levels were relatively stable in this population suggesting the importance of initially treating OA pain with alternative therapies to avoid IPR. 398 SERVICE PROVISION FOR PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PAIN AFTER KNEE REPLACEMENT: AN EVALUATION OF CURRENT PRACTICE IN HIGH VOLUME ORTHOPAEDIC CENTRES V. Wylde, F. MacKichan, S. Dixon, R. Gooberman-Hill. Univ. of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom Background: Total knee replacement is one of the most commonly performed elective surgical procedures. The operation is usually conducted to relieve pain and improve function, but recent studies indicate that up to 20% of patients experience chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) after total knee replacement; this equates to around 16,000 new cases of CPSP in the UK each year. The wider literature on chronic pain indicates that people with chronic pain encounter patchy service provision. People with CPSP after knee replacement have already undergone major surgery for pain, and follow-up after surgery may have a role in care and pain management. However, we do not know what services are on offer to this group, nor whether there is consistency in service provision including identification of need and any associated referral processes. We therefore conducted a survey to scope current UK service provision for patients with CPSP after total knee replacement. Methods: This ongoing project is funded through a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Programme Development Grant on the treatment and management of chronic pain after total knee replacement (the STAR programme). The project was conducted as a service evaluation of services at high volume NHS orthopaedic centres across the UK. The 23 NHS orthopaedic centres that conduct 500 or more primary total knee replacements per year were identified from the National Joint Registry. Contact was made with a key health professional at each centre who was familiar with the processes of postoperative assessment and follow-up. A structured telephone interview was conducted to obtain information about usual patient pathways at the different centres. Questions focused on identification, triage, treatment, management, and referral of patients with CPSP after total knee replacement. Information was recorded on a standardised proforma and entered into an Access database. Information was then collated and summarised in Excel. Results: The survey has been completed by 14/23 NHS orthopaedic centres. Data collection is ongoing, with completion by February 2014. All centres routinely follow-up patients at 6 weeks after total knee replacement, although the provision and timing of subsequent appointments vary. The majority of centres do not have a specific time point at which patients are diagnosed with CPSP; in those that do, time points range from 4.5–18 months post-operative. When assessing pain levels, most centres use patient narrative, and there is some use of a standardised tool, most frequently a visual analogue scale. Four centres reported using a standardised protocol for assessment of patients with CPSP, and two centres reported use of a standardised protocol for management and treatment. Treatment and management options offered to patients vary between and within centres, and include further orthopaedic interventions, referral to pain management services, analgesia review, and referral for physiotherapy. Conclusion: This survey of current service provision for patients with CPSP after total knee replacement identified national variation in the identification, assessment and management of these patients. Although some centres have developed a care pathway for patients with CPSP, the majority of centres lack standardised protocols to guide care provision. This highlights the potential to develop and evaluate standardised referral pathways and integrated service provision for patients with CPSP after total knee replacement. 399 KNEE ARTHRITIS: A CONFIRMED BURDEN C. Taieb y, P. Bruel z, M. Auges x. y PFSA, Boulogne Billancourt, France; z PFS, Castres, France; x PFSA, Paris, France Purpose: Arthritis is a joint disease characterised by progressive degradation of the cartilage. Arthritis can cause suffering in an acute manner called “inflammatory flare-up”, or in a more chronic manner leading to sometimes severe disability, which affects the everyday life of patients. Among the different locations of arthritis, arthritis of the knee

Objective.To quantify the relative importance that UK physicians attach to the benefits and risks of current drugs when making treatment decisions for patients with osteoarthritis (OA).Methods.Physicians treating at least 10 patients with OA per month completed an online discrete-choice experiment survey and answered 12 treatment-choice questions comparing medication profiles. Medication profiles were defined by 4 benefits (reduction in ambulatory pain, resting pain, stiffness, and difficulty doing daily activities) and 3 treatment-related risks [bleeding ulcer, stroke, and myocardial infarction (MI)]. Each physician made medication choices for 3 of 9 hypothetical patients (varied by age, history of MI, hypertension, and history of gastrointestinal bleeding). Importance weights were estimated using a random-parameters logit model. Treatment-related risks physicians were willing to accept in exchange for various reductions in ambulatory and resting pain also were calculated.Results.The final sample was 475. A reduction in ambulatory pain from 75 mm to 25 mm (1.6 units) was 1.1 times as important as an increase in MI risk from 0% to 1.5% (1.5 units). The greatest importance was for eliminating a 3% treatment-related risk of MI or stroke. On average, physicians were willing to accept an increase in bleeding ulcer risk of 0.7% (95% CI 0.4%–1.7%) for a reduction in ambulatory pain of 75 mm to 50 mm.Conclusion.When presented with well-known benefits and risks of OA treatments, physicians placed greater importance on the risks than on the analgesic properties of the drug. This has implications for the reporting of the results of clinical research to physicians.

Our objective was to develop a working definition of nonresponse to analgesic treatment of arthritis, focusing on the measurement of pain on the 0–100 mm pain visual analog scale (VAS). We reviewed the literature to assess the smallest detectable difference (SDD), the minimal detectable change (MDC), and the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). The SDD for improvement reported in three studies of rheumatoid arthritis was 18.6, 19.0, and 20.0. The median MDC was 25.4 for 7 studies of osteoarthritis and 5 studies of rheumatoid arthritis (calculated for a reliability coefficient of 0.85). The MCID increased with increasing baseline pain score. For baseline VAS tertiles defined by scores of 30–49, 50–65, and >65, the MCID for improvement was, respectively, 7–11 units, 19–27 units, and 29–37 units. Nonresponse can thus be defined in terms of the MDC for low baseline pain scores and in terms of the MCID for high baseline scores.

Objectives. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of etoricoxib (90 mg) relative to celecoxib (200/400 mg), and the nonselective NSAIDs naproxen (1000 mg) and diclofenac (150 mg) in the initial treatment of ankylosing spondylitis in Norway.Methods. A previously developed Markov state-transition model was used to estimate costs and benefits associated with initiating treatment with the different competing NSAIDs. Efficacy, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular safety, and resource use data were obtained from the literature. Data from different studies were synthesized and translated into direct costs and quality adjusted life years by means of a Bayesian comprehensive decision modeling approach.Results. Over a 30-year time horizon, etoricoxib is associated with about 0.4 more quality adjusted life years than the other interventions. At 1 year, naproxen is the most cost-saving strategy. However, etoricoxib is cost and quality adjusted life year saving relative to celecoxib, as well as diclofenac and naproxen after 5 years of follow-up. For a willingness-to-pay ceiling ratio of 200,000 Norwegian krones per quality adjusted life year, there is a >95% probability that etoricoxib is the most-cost-effective treatment when a time horizon of 5 or more years is considered.Conclusions. Etoricoxib is the most cost-effective NSAID for initiating treatment of ankylosing spondylitis in Norway.

BACKGROUND: Long-term studies indicate that adherence to asthma controller therapy decreases over time, and persistence with therapy may be poor. METHODS: This primary care database study assessed persistence with therapy over one year after first prescription of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) for children aged 2–14 years with a diagnosis of asthma. Children with intermittent asthma were excluded. Discontinuation was defined as no ICS prescription during the last three months of the follow-up year. RESULTS: 2220 of 7375 children receiving a first prescription for ICS had persistent asthma. Mean (±SD) age was 7.3 (±3.8) years; 59.5% were male. A total of 745 (33.6%) continued initial ICS, 133 (6.0%) received add-on therapy, 150 (6.8%) switched to another asthma therapy, and 1192 (53.7%) discontinued therapy. These percentages were similar for children aged 2–5 or 6–14 years. CONCLUSION: Persistence with first-time ICS monotherapy is poor among children with persistent asthma.

Concomitant allergic rhinitis (AR) adds to the symptomatic burden of asthma.To determine the proportion of adults with concomitant asthma and AR whose AR is diagnosed and/or treated, data were derived from a cross-sectional, stratified, random sample of 26,468 adults from France, Germany and the UK, participants in the 2004 web-based National Health and Wellness Survey. Patients were drawn from the database if they reported (1) experiencing asthma in the prior 12 months, (2) a physician diagnosis of asthma, and (3) ever experiencing 'nasal allergies/hay fever' (physician diagnosed or self-reported symptoms).Of 1139 patients with asthma who reported AR, 203 (18%) did not have a diagnosis of AR. Of these, 86 (42%) pursued over-the-counter self-treatment for AR, and 117 (58%) remained untreated. Of 936 patients who reported diagnosed AR, 471 (50%) received AR prescriptions, 200 (21%) pursued over-the-counter self-treatment, and 265 (28%) remained untreated. Overall, 34% of patients with asthma and diagnosed or self-reported AR were not treated for AR. There were no significant differences in QoL over the prior 4 weeks, nor healthcare resource use over the prior 6 months between patients treated and those not treated for AR.Based on self-reported data, despite global treatment guidelines recommending evaluation and treatment of AR among patients with asthma, AR was not diagnosed for 1 in 5 patients, and AR was not treated for 1 in 3 patients with asthma.

Background Differences could exist in the likelihood of asthma attacks in patients treated with inhaled corticosteroid (ICS), long-acting beta-agonist (LABA), and montelukast (MON) (ICS/LABA/MON) and patients treated with an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and montelukast (MON) (ICS/MON). Methods This was a post-hoc analysis of a pretest-posttest retrospective cohort study. Patients with mild persistent asthma and allergic rhinitis, who were taking an ICS either alone or in combination with a LABA, started concomitant MON treatment as part of their routine care. Rates of asthma- and allergic rhinitis-related medical resource use in the 12-months after the initial (index) MON prescription were compared in the ICS/MON and ICS/LABA/MON groups. An asthma attack was defined as an asthma-related hospitalization, ER visit, or use of an oral corticosteroid. Results Of the total of 344 patients, 181 (53%) received ICS/MON and 163 (47%) received ICS/LABA/MON in the post-index period for means of 10.5 and 11.4 months, respectively, (P < 0.05). Short-acting beta-agonists were used by 74.6% in the ICS/MON and 71.8% in the ICS/LABA/MON groups (P > 0.05). An asthma attack occurred in 4.4% of the ICS/MON group and 6.8% of the ICS/LABA/MON group (P > 0.05). The adjusted odds of an asthma attack in the post-index period in the ICS/LABA/MON group relative to the ICS/MON group was 1.24, 95% confidence interval 0.35–4.44. Conclusion In this observational study of combination drug treatment of mild persistent asthma and allergic rhinitis, no difference was observed between LABA/ICS/MON combination therapy and the ICS/MON combination without LABA use, for the rate of asthma attacks over one year.

Smoking habits of asthmatics are similar to those of the general population. However, little attention has been paid to the associations between smoking and asthma-related outcomes.To evaluate relationships between cigarette smoking, asthma symptoms, and asthma-related resource utilization in subjects with persistent asthma.A stratified, random sample of adults from France, Germany, and the UK with persistent asthma were surveyed in 2001 through 2004. Statistical analyses compared asthma symptoms and healthcare resource utilization for cigarette smokers compared with those for non-smokers.Analyses included 1109 subjects with persistent asthma symptoms in 2001-2003 and 852 subjects with persistent asthma symptoms in 2004. Using multivariate analysis of data from eligible subjects in 2004 that did not have concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and adjusting for subjects' baseline and demographic characteristics, cigarette smokers were more likely to experience nighttime symptoms (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.07, 1.97 P = 0.015) and were more likely to use healthcare resources than were non-smokers (Por = 0.004). Findings were similar in a secondary analysis of subjectsor =55 years of age.Cigarette smoking appears to be associated with more asthma symptoms and more ED visits and hospitalizations in adults with persistent asthma.

To examine the association between medication expectations and subsequent experience on treatment satisfaction and intention to continue using the medication. A longitudinal study with two surveys administered to each patient. Patients prescribed a new medication were recruited in pharmacies within Michigan. Medication-related expectations were evaluated at baseline. Experiences, satisfaction and intent to continue were evaluated a month later. Analyses used included factorial ANOVA models, multiple linear regressions and structural equation modeling (SEM). Impact of satisfaction on intention to continue was evaluated using correlation analysis and SEM. A total of 344 usable responses were obtained. SEM showed that expectation scores were not associated with both experience (path coefficient = 0.10) and satisfaction (path coefficient = 0.02, NS). On the other hand, experience was strongly associated with satisfaction (path coefficient = 0.89) and satisfaction was strongly associated with intent to continue using the new medication (path coefficient = 0.81). This study empirically supports the value of the patient’s experience and its contribution to satisfaction, which in turn is associated with intended continued use mainly due to greater effectiveness of the newly prescribed medication. Satisfied consumers should be more adherent, thus enhancing the probability of positive therapeutic outcomes.

Stephanie D Taylor,1 Sharlette V Everett,1 Thomas N Taylor,2 Douglas J Watson,3 Gavin Taylor-Stokes4 1Global Health Outcomes, Merck Sharp and Dohme Corp, Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA; 2Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; 3Epidemiology, Merck Sharp and Dohme Corp, Upper Gwynedd, PA, USA; 4Adelphi Real World, Macclesfield, UK Purpose: The clinical response to traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (tNSAIDs) varies substantially. The objective of this study was to describe physicians’ and patients’ perceptions of response to tNSAIDs as measured by satisfaction with control of patients’ osteoarthritis (OA). Patients and methods: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in 2009 in Germany, Spain, and the UK. Linked physician and patient questionnaires collected data on OA management, degree of pain and disability, and satisfaction with OA control. Results: The study included 363 treating physicians and 713 patients receiving tNSAIDs. Patient mean (standard deviation) age was 65.5 (11.0) years (range 36–94 years); 60% were women; 86% were white; and one-quarter were obese. Dissatisfaction with control of patients’ OA was expressed by physicians or their patients, or both, for 51% of patients, including 208 patients (31%) with mild OA and 478 patients (60%) with moderate or severe OA. Overall, 37% of patients reported dissatisfaction and 34% had a physician who reported dissatisfaction. Patient and physician assessments were the same in 70% of cases; Cohen’s κ coefficient was 0.34 (95% confidence interval 0.26–0.41), indicating fair agreement. Of those reporting dissatisfaction, most physicians (79%) and patients (64%) believed that the current control was the best that could be achieved. The most common reasons for which physicians reported dissatisfaction were inadequate response (56%), side effects (11.1%), and poor tolerance (7.8%). Conclusion: One-half of patients or their treating physicians were dissatisfied with the control of OA provided by tNSAID therapy; moreover, most believed it was the best control that could be achieved. Keywords: cross-sectional, dissatisfaction, pain, survey

“You have a very large parcel”, Zeinab, my secretary said breathlessly as she struggled up from the post room with a copy of this enormous book. It seemed all the heavier as I lugged it around the London bus network from the wilds of East Acton on my way home and then back to work several times. Contained in a reinforced Harrod’s bag, which was the only thing I could find that was strong enough to hold it while I elbowed my way through the myriads of commuters that were forced to travel by bus in lieu of the non-existent Central line, I felt my back pain had returned with a vengeance and did not know whether to take up weight training (where the book would come in handy) or admit defeat and …

On the face of it, this hardback does not sound like a very good bedtime read and splashing out £195 might seem a little extravagant for what might appear to be some dry tome that would readily gather dust on a shelf. It was therefore with some trepidation that I received this ostensibly uninviting 773 page beige and green covered book, and turning the pages quickly, the casual reader might still be deceived into casting it into the nether regions of a desk drawer or the dimmer corners of an office. However, I am pleased to say that these were all poorly grounded misapprehensions, because this is an …

Background: Despite the widespread treatments for osteoarthritis (OA), data on treatment patterns, adequacy of pain relief, and quality of life are limited. The prospective multinational Survey of Osteoarthritis Real World Therapies (SORT) was designed to investigate these aspects. Objectives: To analyze the characteristics and the patient reported outcomes of the Portuguese dataset of SORT at the start of observation. Methods: Patients ≥50 years with primary knee OA who were receiving oral or topical analgesics were eligible. Patients were enrolled from seven healthcare centers in Portugal between January and December 2011. Pain and function were evaluated using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and WOMAC. Quality of life was assessed using the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Inadequate pain relief (IPR) was defined as a score >4/10 on item 5 of the BPI. Results: Overall, 197 patients were analyzed. The median age was 67.0 years and 78.2% were female. Mean duration of knee OA was 6.2 years. IPR was reported by 51.3% of patients. Female gender (adjusted odds ratio - OR 2.15 [95%CI 1.1, 4.5]), diabetes (OR 3.1 [95%CI 1.3, 7.7]) and depression (OR 2.24 [95%CI 1.2, 4.3]) were associated with higher risk of IPR. Patients with IPR reported worst outcomes in all dimensions of WOMAC (p < 0.001) and in all eight domains and summary components of SF-12 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that improvements are needed in the management of pain in knee OA in order to achieve better outcomes in terms of pain relief, function and quality of life. RESUMO Antecedentes: Apesar dos tratamentos muito difundidos para a osteoartrite (OA), dados sobre os padrões de tratamento, a adequação do alívio da dor e a qualidade de vida são limitados. O estudo multinacional prospectivo Survey of Osteoarthritis Real World Therapies (SORT) foi projetado para investigar esses aspectos. Objetivos: Analisar as características e os desfechos relatados pelo paciente do conjunto de dados português do Sort no início da observação. Métodos: Consideraram-se elegíveis os pacientes com 50 anos ou mais com OA de joelho primária que recebiam analgésicos orais ou tópicos. Os pacientes foram recrutados de sete centros de saúde de Portugal entre janeiro e dezembro de 2011. A dor e a função foram avaliadas pelo Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) e pelo WOMAC. A qualidade de vida foi avaliada com o 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). O alívio inadequado da dor (AID) foi definido como uma pontuação > 4/10 no item 5 do BPI. Resultados: Foram analisados 197 pacientes. A idade média foi de 67 anos e 78,2% eram do sexo feminino. A duração média da OA de joelho foi de 6,2 anos. O AID foi relatado por 51,3% dos pacientes. O sexo feminino (odds ratio ajustado - OR 2,15 [IC 95% 1,1-4,5]), o diabetes (OR = 3,1 [IC 95% 1,3-7,7]) e a depressão (OR 2,24 [IC 95% 1,2-4,3]) estiveram associados a um maior risco de AID. Os pacientes com AID relataram piores desfechos em todas as dimensões do Womac (p < 0,001) e em todos os oito domínios e nos dois componentes sumários do SF-12 (p < 0,001). Conclusões: Os resultados do presente estudo indicam que é necessário melhorar o manejo da dor na OA de joelho a fim de alcançar melhores desfechos em termos de alívio da dor, função e qualidade de vida.

Background Asthma management guidelines recommend a stepwise approach to instituting and adjusting anti-inflammatory controller therapy for children with asthma. The objective of this retrospective observational study was to describe prescribing patterns of asthma controller therapies for children in a primary care setting. Methods Data from the UK General Practice Research Database were examined for children with recorded asthma or recurrent wheezing who, from September 2006 through February 2007, were ≤ 14 years old at the time of a first asthma controller prescription after ≥ 6 months without a controller prescription. We evaluated demographic characteristics, asthma duration, comorbidities, asthma-related health care resource use, and prescribed daily dose of controller medication. In addition, physicians for 635 randomly selected patients completed a survey retrospectively classifying asthma severity at the prescription date and describing therapy and health care utilization for 6 prior months. Results We identified 10,004 children, 5942 (59.4%) of them boys, of mean (SD) age of 8.0 (3.8) years. Asthma controller prescriptions were for inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) monotherapy for 9059 (90.6%) children; ICS plus long-acting β2-agonist (LABA) for 698 (7.0%); leukotriene antagonist monotherapy for 91 (0.9%); ICS plus leukotriene antagonist for 55 (0.6%); and other therapy for 101 (1.0%), including 45 (0.45%) children who were prescribed LABA as monotherapy. High doses of ICS (> 400 μg) were prescribed for 44/2140 (2.1%) children < 5 years old and for 420/7452 (5.6%) children ≥ 5 years. Physicians reported asthma severity as intermittent for 346/635 (55%) patients and as mild, moderate, and severe persistent for 159 (25%), 71 (11%), and 11 (2%), respectively (severity data missing for 48 [8%]). The baseline characteristics and controller therapy prescriptions of the survey cohort were similar to those of the full cohort. Conclusions Physician classifications of asthma severity did not always correspond to guideline recommendations, as leukotriene receptor antagonists were rarely used and high-dose ICS or add-on LABA was prescribed even in intermittent and mild disease. In UK primary care, monotherapy with ICS is the most common controller therapy at all levels of asthma severity.

ResumoAntecedentesApesar dos tratamentos muito difundidos para a osteoartrite (OA), dados sobre os padrões de tratamento, a adequação do alívio da dor e a qualidade de vida são limitados. O estudo multinacional prospectivo Survey of Osteoarthritis Real World Therapies (SORT) foi projetado para investigar esses aspectos.ObjetivosAnalisar as características e os desfechos relatados pelo paciente do conjunto de dados português do Sort no início da observação.MétodosConsideraram‐se elegíveis os pacientes com 50 anos ou mais com OA de joelho primária que recebiam analgésicos orais ou tópicos. Os pacientes foram recrutados de sete centros de saúde de Portugal entre janeiro e dezembro de 2011. A dor e a função foram avaliadas pelo Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) e pelo WOMAC. A qualidade de vida foi avaliada com o 12‐item Short Form Health Survey (SF‐12). O alívio inadequado da dor (AID) foi definido como uma pontuação>4/10 no item 5 do BPI.ResultadosForam analisados 197 pacientes. A idade média foi de 67 anos e 78,2% eram do sexo feminino. A duração média da OA de joelho foi de 6,2 anos. O AID foi relatado por 51,3% dos pacientes. O sexo feminino (odds ratio ajustado ‐ OR 2,15 [IC 95% 1,1‐4,5]), o diabetes (OR=3,1 [IC 95% 1,3‐7,7]) e a depressão (OR 2,24 [IC 95% 1,2‐4,3]) estiveram associados a um maior risco de AID. Os pacientes com AID relataram piores desfechos em todas as dimensões do Womac (p4/10 on item 5 of the BPI.ResultsOverall, 197 patients were analyzed. The median age was 67.0 years and 78.2% were female. Mean duration of knee OA was 6.2 years. IPR was reported by 51.3% of patients. Female gender (adjusted odds ratio ‐ OR 2.15 [95%CI 1.1, 4.5]), diabetes (OR 3.1 [95%CI 1.3, 7.7]) and depression (OR 2.24 [95%CI 1.2, 4.3]) were associated with higher risk of IPR. Patients with IPR reported worst outcomes in all dimensions of WOMAC (p

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy is used to measure the temperature-dependent refractive index of heavy oils down to 80 K. Evidence for a glass transition is observed, providing insight into the viscosity-temperature behavior of heavy oils.