Topical nitroglycerin ointment as salvage therapy for peripheral tissue ischemia in newborns: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Topical nitroglycerin (TNG) ointment has been used for almost 3 decades to treat neonatal peripheral tissue ischemia, but this product is now no longer being produced by its Canadian manufacturer. Our aim was to investigate the efficacy and safety of TNG products in newborns in neonatal intensive care units. METHODS: In this systematic review we searched Embase, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed and Web of Science from inception to April 2020 for studies on the use of TNG products (TNG ointment, TNG spray, glyceryl trinitrate [GTN] patch) for the treatment of neonatal tissue ischemia. We did not apply language or study design limitations. Animal studies and duplicate records were excluded. Two reviewers screened and extracted data. The Tool for Evaluating the Methodological Quality of Case Reports and Case Series was used to assess the risk of bias of individual studies. RESULTS: We included 23 articles (20 case reports, 2 case series and 1 retrospective audit) describing the use of TNG ointment, TNG spray or GTN patch in the treatment of 39 tissue ischemia events in 37 newborns. Twenty-three (62.2%), 12 (32.4%), 1 (2.7%) and 1 (2.7%) infants received TNG ointment, GTN patch, both TNG ointment and GTN patch, and TNG spray, respectively. Nineteen (76.0%) and 7 (53.8%) injuries treated with TNG ointment and GTN patch showed complete recovery, respectively. Two (16.7%) infants treated with GTN patch experienced adverse events (i.e., methemoglobinemia) requiring treatment discontinuation. INTERPRETATION: TNG ointment presents a safe therapeutic modality for salvage therapy of neonatal tissue ischemia. Engagement of stakeholders is essential to address its recent commercial inaccessibility in Canada.

Prostaglandin Availability and Association with Outcomes for Infants with Congenital Heart Disease.

Data regarding availability of prostaglandin E1 (PGE) and its impact on the stabilization, transport, critical care course, and surgical outcome of infants with ductal-dependent congenital heart disease in the current pediatric healthcare environment are unknown. We sought to determine the proportion of hospitals in Texas that stock PGE and to investigate associations between PGE availability and clinical outcomes. All birth institutions listed with the Texas Department of Health and Human Services were contacted to determine PGE availability as of 2011. Outcomes of all infants admitted to our institution from 2007 to 2012 who received PGE for ductal-dependent lesions were evaluated. PGE was stocked in 50 % (n = 139) of hospitals that performed deliveries in Texas in 2011 representing 79.1 % (303, 481) of births. Hospitals that did not stock PGE had less annual births and were located a further distance from a center that provided pediatric cardiac surgical services. Patients born at a hospital that did not stock PGE had significantly greater serum lactate and creatinine (p = 0.002) and serum lactate on admission (p < 0.001). The PGE availability was not associated with hospital length of stay, postoperative length of stay, or mortality. When stratifying in TGA and HLHS subgroups, lack of PGE availability remained associated with higher creatinine, higher lactate, lower glucose, and lower pH. PGE is not universally available in all healthcare institutions providing obstetrical services. Lack of availability of PGE at an outlying hospital was associated with increased morbidity, but was not associated with mortality or length of stay.

Classification, location and legitimacy of web-based suppliers of Viagra to the UK.

OBJECTIVES: to categorise online suppliers of Viagra based on their legal status, and to quantify the suppliers within each category. METHODS: Google was used to search for websites offering to sell or supply either proprietary Viagra tablets or generic versions containing sildenafil citrate. Relevant websites were classified as falling into one of three categories, which were further subclassified. Simple descriptive statistics were calculated. KEY FINDINGS: the number of relevant sites found within the first 100 Google hits, following the removal of mirror and affiliate sites, was 44. Only 6.8% of sites identified were legitimate online pharmacies. Some 34.1% of sites offered to sell Viagra to patients in the UK without any form of medical consultation. Whether or not the online consultation offered by 59.1% of sites had to be completed in order to make a purchase could not be confirmed. The location of only three pharmacies could be ascertained; the remainder made various claims as to their location, which could not be verified. CONCLUSIONS: we have been unable to verify that the questionnaires used for online consultations are scrutinised by any healthcare practitioners to determine the appropriateness of the treatment sought. This represents a serious safety concern for UK residents who procure drugs for erectile dysfunction on the internet.

Challenges in the assessment of erectile dysfunction and treatment with oral therapies: review with case examples.

PURPOSE: To review the clinical dimensions, etiology, assessment, and treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) and to increase awareness of oral therapies for this condition. DATA SOURCES: Scientific literature, consensus guidelines, and manufacturers' product information and guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: A prevalent condition, particularly in middle-aged and elderly men, ED is vastly underreported and undertreated. Oral therapies, including phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, are effective and well tolerated in many patients and represent potential first-line treatments for ED. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: ED has been associated with both life-threatening illnesses and reduced quality of life. Improving recognition and treatment of this condition and counseling patients about ED represent important clinical opportunities. A broad and expanding array of ED treatments enable therapy to be individualized to the needs of patients and their partners.

What to learn about sildenafil in the treatment of erectile dysfunction from 3-year clinical experience.

We retrospectively assessed the clinical uses and results of sildenafil in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in daily clinical practice from a cohort of 1658 subjects at a multispecialty medical center from 1999 to 2001 through a chart review, mailed questionnaire and telephone interview. The overall follow-up rate was 77.8% (1290/1658). The mean age was 63.8 y and ED duration was 3.4 y, and 44.6% of them had one or more concomitant conditions. The mean score of the International Index of Erectile Function erectile function domain was 12.7 in 314 nonselective subjects, and 75% of them had moderate to severe ED. The average number of purchase-visits and tablets of sildenafil purchased was 2.27 and 10.8 per person, respectively, and the prescription refill rate was 58.6%. Urology accounts for 91.4% of the specialties of prescribers. The response rate was 72.0%, which was significantly lower in subjects with diabetes, ischemic heart disease and following radical pelvic surgery than those without. Subjects with psychogenic etiology had the highest response rate, while those following radical pelvic surgery the lowest. Of the nonresponders, 67% did not try the maximum dose of 100 mg and 71.1% bought no more than four tablets. Adverse events were reported in 20.1% of the subjects. No one discontinued the treatment because of the adverse events. Mortality occurred in 17 subjects and none was considered related to sildenafil use. In conclusion, sildenafil was effective and safe in the treatment of ED in clinical practice. Compared with clinical trials or prospective clinical practice based studies, lack of dose titration, less follow-up visits and inadequate attempts before giving up were the main shortfalls in daily practice.

Viagra on the internet: unsafe sexual practice.

The vast majority of men who experience some form of erectile dysfunction (ED) do not seek medical advice, mainly due to embarrassment and social stigma. They often prefer to seek unorthodox and covert methods of treatment. Unprescribed medication for ED is dangerous because of the strong association between ED and coronary heart disease. Published guidelines already exist for the management of patients presenting with sexual dysfunction and cardiovascular risks. In this case report we highlight that ED itself is a risk factor for occult CHD and illustrate the need for careful medical assessment and adherence to published guidelines for the management of ED.