Evaluation of Outcomes in Patients Receiving Amantadine to Improve Alertness After Traumatic Brain Injury.

Background: Amantadine has been used off-label to improve alertness after traumatic brain injury (TBI). The goal of this study is to assess the mean change at 72 hours and in course of therapy (COT) Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score after amantadine initiation and to correlate the change in GCS score with participation in physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) among patients with TBI receiving amantadine during the first hospitalization. Methods: This single-center, retrospective, cohort study included patients ≥18 years old hospitalized for a TBI from August 2012 to February 2018 and received ≥1 dose of amantadine to increase alertness. The primary endpoint is the mean change in 72-hour GCS score after amantadine initiation. The secondary endpoint is the mean change in COT GCS score after amantadine initiation and the correlation between the change in GCS score and percent PT and OT participation at 72 hours and during the COT. Results: Seventy-nine patients were included. The mean age of patients was 41 years, and 79.8% of the patients were men. The mean change in 72-hour GCS score was +0.75 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.09-1.42, P = .027), and the mean change in COT GCS score was +2.29 (95% CI = 1.68-2.90, P < .001). There was no significant correlation between the increase in GCS score and percent PT/OT session participation at 72 hours and during the COT, r = -0.15 (P = .24) and r = -0.02 (P = .74), respectively. The percent PT/OT session participation at 72-hour post-amantadine initiation was 61.3% compared with 65.9% during the COT. Conclusion: There were small but statistically significant increases in the mean change at 72 hours and in COT GCS score; however, they were not correlated with percent PT/OT participation. Other studies are needed to determine the appropriate time and GCS score to initiate amantadine along with the optimal dose in the inpatient setting.

Effectiveness of mono antiplatelet therapy vs dual antiplatelet therapy in ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack-Special subgroup consideration for the African-American Population.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of mono antiplatelet therapy vs dual antiplatelet therapy in reducing recurrent stroke and mortality in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). A subgroup analysis was conducted to compare outcomes in African-American patients compared with non-African-American patients. METHODS: This is a single-centre, retrospective, chart review, cohort study conducted at the University Medical Center New Orleans (UMCNO), New Orleans, Louisiana. This study includes all patients who are admitted to UMCNO with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke or TIA. The subjects were divided into two groups, patients who received mono antiplatelet therapy and patients who received dual antiplatelet therapy. RESULTS: A total of 762 stroke patients were included in the study. Of these, 499 (65.5%) received mono antiplatelet therapy and 263 (34.5%) patients received dual antiplatelet therapy. There was no statistical significant difference in the incidence of mortality and recurrent stroke in the mono antiplatelet therapy group compared with the dual antiplatelet therapy group. When comparing primary outcomes between African Americans and non-African Americans, there was no statistical significant difference in mortality rate and recurrent stroke rate between the two groups. CONCLUSION: This study found no statistical significant difference in the incidence of recurrent stroke and mortality between mono antiplatelet therapy and dual antiplatelet therapy among patients who had ischemic stroke or TIA; with similar findings in a subgroup analysis comparing outcomes in African-American patients compared with non-African-American patients.

Is Ciprofloxacin in Combination With Beta-lactam Antibiotics a Recipe for Thrombocytosis?: A Case Report of Thrombocytosis in a Patient Receiving Ciprofloxacin and Ceftriaxone.

Thrombocytosis is defined as a platelet count greater than 400,000/mcL. We report the case of a patient who developed thrombocytosis after receiving ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone therapy. A 73-year-old African-American female presented to the hospital with altered mental status attributed to sepsis and urinary tract infection. Patient was initiated on multiple empiric antibiotic therapy and was subsequently transitioned to ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone at different times as definitive therapy for treatment of Escherichia coli bacteremia and Escherichia coli urinary tract infection. The patient developed thrombocytosis during and/or proximally to the administration of ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone. A myeloproliferative source for the thrombocytosis was ruled out by the hematology/oncology team with a negative Janus kinase 2 V617F mutation assay result. In addition, other nondrug reactive sources of thrombocytosis (infection and anemia) were generally ruled out because the thrombocytosis was proximally linked with ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone administration. The Naranjo Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale assigned a score of 5, indicating ciprofloxacin or ceftriaxone independently or in combination as a probable cause of thrombocytosis. This case report suggests that ciprofloxacin in combination with ceftriaxone (a beta-lactam antibiotic) may be a probable cause of thrombocytosis.

Preadmission Predictors of On-time Graduation in a Doctor of Pharmacy Program.

Objective. To determine which preadmission variables or combination of variables are able to predict on-time graduation in a doctor of pharmacy program. Methods. Transcripts and student files were reviewed for 460 students who entered the college between 2007 and 2009. Results. The preadmission variables with significant correlations to on-time graduation included having a prior degree, student type, the number of unsatisfactory grades (nonscience and math-science courses, and the combination), prepharmacy cumulative grade point average (GPA), and math-science GPA. Of these variables, the significant predictors of on-time graduation were prior degree, the presence of no unsatisfactory grades in nonscience courses, and prepharmacy cumulative GPA. Conclusion. Having a prior degree, lack of unsatisfactory grades in nonscience courses, and prepharmacy GPA were identified as significant predictors of on-time graduation.

Prescribing Patterns of Metformin in High-risk Patients with Prediabetes.

AIMS: The primary objective of this study is to examine the rates of metformin prescribing in patients with prediabetes who are either less than 60 years of age, have a BMI greater than 35 kg/m2, or women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Secondary objectives include: 1) examination of the time from diagnosis of prediabetes to the initiation of metformin and 2) if metformin initiation status and length of time correlates to the patient having any other additional diabetes mellitus (DM) risk factors. METHODS: This was a single center, retrospective cohort study. This study included all patients with prediabetes, defined as having hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 39 through 46 mmol/mol (5.7-6.4 percent), who were patients at the Interim LSU Hospital and Clinics from January 2012-September 2013. RESULTS: There were a total of 13 patients out of 160 patients in the study population who were prescribed metformin for an overall metformin initiation rate of 8.1 percent. The metformin initiation rate for the three individual groups; history of GDM, aged less than 60 years, and BMI greater than 35 kg/m2 were 0 percent, 9.0 percent, and 17.5 percent respectively. CONCLUSION: Metformin initiation rates in patients with prediabetes are not in accordance with current recommendations, and provider education is necessary to increase rates to delay or prevent the progression of prediabetes to type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.