Patient Characteristics and General Practitioners’ Advice to Stop Statins in Oldest-Old Patients: a Survey Study Across 30 Countries

BACKGROUND: Statins are widely used to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). With advancing age, the risks of statins might outweigh the potential benefits. It is unclear which factors influence general practitioners' (GPs) advice to stop statins in oldest-old patients. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of a history of CVD, statin-related side effects, frailty and short life expectancy, on GPs' advice to stop statins in oldest-old patients. DESIGN: We invited GPs to participate in this case-based survey. GPs were presented with 8 case vignettes describing patients > 80 years using a statin, and asked whether they would advise stopping statin treatment. MAIN MEASURES: Cases varied in history of CVD, statin-related side effects and frailty, with and without shortened life expectancy (< 1 year) in the context of metastatic, non-curable cancer. Odds ratios adjusted for GP characteristics (ORadj) were calculated for GPs' advice to stop. KEY RESULTS: Two thousand two hundred fifty GPs from 30 countries participated (median response rate 36%). Overall, GPs advised stopping statin treatment in 46% (95%CI 45-47) of the case vignettes; with shortened life expectancy, this proportion increased to 90% (95CI% 89-90). Advice to stop was more frequent in case vignettes without CVD compared to those with CVD (ORadj 13.8, 95%CI 12.6-15.1), with side effects compared to without ORadj 1.62 (95%CI 1.5-1.7) and with frailty (ORadj 4.1, 95%CI 3.8-4.4) compared to without. Shortened life expectancy increased advice to stop (ORadj 50.7, 95%CI 45.5-56.4) and was the strongest predictor for GP advice to stop, ranging across countries from 30% (95%CI 19-42) to 98% (95% CI 96-99). CONCLUSIONS: The absence of CVD, the presence of statin-related side effects, and frailty were all independently associated with GPs' advice to stop statins in patients aged > 80 years. Overall, and within all countries, cancer-related short life expectancy was the strongest independent predictor of GPs' advice to stop statins

Vergleich zwei verschiedener Antibiotika als Adjuvans in der Therapie rasch fortschreitender Parodontitis

Hintergrund: Zahlreiche Studien haben den therapeutischen Nutzen von systemischem Antibiotika in der Behandlung schwerer Parodontitis gezeigt. Bisher ist allerdings noch nicht geklärt, welches antibiotische Behandlungkonzept das Geeignetste ist. Daher sollen in einer randomisierten, klinischen Blindstudie zwei verschiedene, systemische Antibiotika adjuvant zur konventionellen, instrumentellen Behandlung von Patienten mit rapid progressiver Parodontitis (RPP) miteinander verglichen werden. Material und Methode: 33 Patienten mit klinisch und radiologisch gesicherter RPP-Diagnose wurden auf 2 Gruppen verteilt: (1) AM-Gruppe (n=17): 500 mg Amoxicillin und 250 mg Metronidazol (3*/ Tag - 10 Tage), (2) D-Gruppe (=16) 200mg Doxycyclin am 1.Tag und 100mg Doxycyclin 13 Tage. Zu Beginn erhielten alle Patienten 3* eine professionelle Zahnreinigung, und anschlie§end Scaling und Wurzelglättung unter Lokalanästhesie in 2 Sitzungen. 3 Monate später wurde ein Recall und die Antibiose durchgeführt. Im Abstand von jeweils 3 Monaten erfolgten 2 weitere Recallsitzungen. Nach erfolgreicher Mundhygieneinstruktion und zu allen Recallsitzungen wurden alle klinischen Parameter wie Taschentiefe, relatives Attachmentlevel und das Bluten bzw. Pus nach Sondieren mit der Florida probe eruiert. Die Bestimmung 8 verschiedener Parodontalpathogene wurde mit dem DNS-Sondentest von Meridol durchgeführt. Die mikrobiologischen Proben wurden mit sterilen Papierspitzen an den vier tiefsten Taschen vor der Antibiose und zu den anschlie§enden Recalls entnommen und mit der Gensondentechnik im Labor der Wybert GmbH elmex Forschung, Lörrach, analysiert. Zur Bestimmung des IL-1-Genpolymorphismus wurde venöses Blut in der 1. Sitzung abgenommen. Die Auswertung erfolgte mit dem GenoType(R) PRTest (Hain Diagnostika GmbH). Ergebnisse: Die klinischen Parameter zeigen sowohl durch die konservative als auch durch die antibiotisch adjuvante Therapie eine signifikante klinische Verbesserung (pBackground: Several studies have shown a therapeutical benefit from systemic antibiotics in the treatment of severe periodontitis. However, it has not yet been layed down which concept of antibiotic treatment is the best. Therefore the purpose of this study is to compare two different systemic antibiotics adjunctive to a conventional, mechanical treatment of patients with rapidly progressive periodontitis (RPP) in a randomised, blinded, clinical trial. Material and methods: 33 patients with a clinically and radiographically confirmed diagnosis of RPP were distributed in two groups: (1) AM-group (n=17): 500 mg amoxicillin and 250 mg metronidazole (3*/ d - 10days), (2) D-group (=16) 200mg doxycyclin on the 1st day and 100mg doxycyclin for 13days. In the beginning the patients received 3* professional tooth cleaning, and subsequently scaling and root planning under local anaesthesia in two sessions. 3 months later a recall visit and the antibiotic regimen were carried out. In 3 months-intervals another 2 recall visits were performed. After successfull oral hygiene instructions and during all recall visits all clinical parameters like pocket depths, relative attachment level, and bleeding and pus on probing were evaluated with the Florida probe. The determination of 8 different periodontal pathogens was performed with the DNS-Sondentest of Meridol. Before the antibiotic treatment and during the following recall visits the microbiological samples were taken from the 4 deepest pockets with sterile paper points and analysed by PCR-technique in the laboratory of Wybert GmbH elmex Forschung, Lörrach. To determine the IL-1 genetic polymorphism venous blood samples were taken in the first session. The analysis was done by GenoType(R), PRTest (Hain Diagnostika GmbH). Results: The clinical parameters show a significant clinical improve by the conservative as well as by the adjunctive antibiotic treatment (

Org 214007-0: a novel non-steroidal selective glucocorticoid receptor modulator with full anti-inflammatory properties and improved therapeutic index

Contains fulltext : 103595.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Glucocorticoids (GCs) such as prednisolone are potent immunosuppressive drugs but suffer from severe adverse effects, including the induction of insulin resistance. Therefore, development of so-called Selective Glucocorticoid Receptor Modulators (SGRM) is highly desirable. Here we describe a non-steroidal Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR)-selective compound (Org 214007-0) with a binding affinity to GR similar to that of prednisolone. Structural modelling of the GR-Org 214007-0 binding site shows disturbance of the loop between helix 11 and helix 12 of GR, confirmed by partial recruitment of the TIF2-3 peptide. Using various cell lines and primary human cells, we show here that Org 214007-0 acts as a partial GC agonist, since it repressed inflammatory genes and was less effective in induction of metabolic genes. More importantly, in vivo studies in mice indicated that Org 214007-0 retained full efficacy in acute inflammation models as well as in a chronic collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model. Gene expression profiling of muscle tissue derived from arthritic mice showed a partial activity of Org 214007-0 at an equi-efficacious dosage of prednisolone, with an increased ratio in repression versus induction of genes. Finally, in mice Org 214007-0 did not induce elevated fasting glucose nor the shift in glucose/glycogen balance in the liver seen with an equi-efficacious dose of prednisolone. All together, our data demonstrate that Org 214007-0 is a novel SGRMs with an improved therapeutic index compared to prednisolone. This class of SGRMs can contribute to effective anti-inflammatory therapy with a lower risk for metabolic side effects

Org 214007-0 has a relatively lower impact on induction than on respression of genes.

<p>Fold changes for the top 25 genes either induced (A) or repressed (B) by 1 μM prednisolone and 1 μM Org 214007-0 in THP-1 cells. NB. Scales are in 2log. Example of an induced gene, FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP51) (C) and a repressed gene, interleukin 6 (IL-6) (D) in comparison to the vehicle control under either non-stimulated or stimulated (IFNγ/TNFα) condition. Fold changes for the top 25 genes either induced (E) or repressed (F) by 1.5 mg/kg prednisolone and 0.3 mg/kg Org 214007-0 in muscle tissue from arthritic mice. NB. Scales are in 2log. Example of an induced gene (Per-2) (G) and a repressed gene (Ccl8) (H) in comparison to vehicle treated arthritic mice and vehicle treated healthy mice.</p

Org 214007-0 does not effect rates of hepatic enzyme fluxes.

<p>Mass Isotopomer Distribution Analysis (MIDA), as described in detail in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0048385#s4" target="_blank">Materials and Methods</a>, was performed in mice treated p.o., once daily, for 7 days with either vehicle, prednisolone (10 mg/kg) or Org 214007-0 (1.5 mg/kg). These doses of each compound are equi-efficacious in suppression of CIA. Neither the glucose-6-phosphatase flux (A) nor the glycogen phosphorylase flux (B) were affected by treatment with prednisolone or Org 214007-0. The glucokinase flux rate (C) was not changed by Org 214007-0, but significantly differed from the effect by prednisolone (##: p = 0.01 <i>vs</i> prednisolone). The glycogen synthase flux rate (D) was significantly decreased by prednisolone (**: p = 0.005 <i>vs</i> vehicle), whereas Org 214007-0 had no significant effect on this flux, but differed significantly from prednisolone (##: p = 0.002 <i>vs</i> prednisolone). Neither Org 214007-0 nor prednisolone, at equi-efficacious dosages, effects the gluconeogenic flux (<i>de novo</i> synthesis of glucose-6-phophate) (E).</p

Org 214007-0 is equally effective as prednisolone in the mouse CIA model.

<p>A) Inhibition of arthritis in the CIA model. Mean clinical score of each group (n = 12), shown as area under the curve (AUC) of the arthritis score monitored every other day during 3 weeks, corrected for baseline, is indicated (± SEM). **  =  significantly different from placebo (p<0.01; ANOVA-test). B) Reduction of bone destruction in the CIA model as measured by X-ray. Mean radiological score (sum of the X-ray scores of left and right hindpaws and knees) of each group of mice (n = 12) at the end of the CIA experiment is indicated (± SEM). **  =  significantly different from placebo (p<0.01; ANOVA-test).</p