Treatment of upper respiratory tract infections--a comparative study of dispensing and non-dispensing doctors.

BACKGROUND: The reported results are part of an overall evaluation of drug management by dispensing (DDs) and non-dispensing doctors (NDDs). This study focuses on appropriate prescription. Other studies assess good pharmacy practice. Whereas rationality of prescription has been studied based on simple indicators, appropriate prescription in relation to diagnoses and symptoms has not been assessed. OBJECTIVE: To analyse prescriptions by DDs and NDDs for patients diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infection. METHODS: Cohort study of 28 private sector DDs and 28 NDDs, using retrospective registry data from a mean of 14.5 and 16.0 patient records per practice, respectively. OUTCOME MEASURES: Drug choice, frequency of the drugs being used, use of antibiotics and dosages for respiratory infections where antibiotics are/are not justified. RESULTS: DDs were associated with a greater number of drugs per encounter (P < = 0.001), a greater number of injections (P = < 0.002), more use of analgesic drugs (P = < 0.001), cough and cold preparations (P < 0.001) and psycholeptics (P = < 0.03). The choice of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) was assessed as rational, although different for the two practices, but both practices over-prescribe antibiotics frequently. Dispensing doctors frequently prescribe sub-curative dosages and fewer curative dosages (P = < 0.001), compared with NDDs. CONCLUSION: Irrational prescription for URTI is widespread by both dispensing doctors and to a lesser extent, by NDDs. Symptomatic treatments with 'a drug for each symptom' was common, particularly by the DDs. There was also over-prescription of antibiotics and use of sub-therapetitic dosages. This poly-pharmacy, poses a safety risk, a risk of development of resistance and, unnecessarily costly treatment.

The impact of supervision on stock management and adherence to treatment guidelines: a randomized controlled trial.

Ensuring the availability of essential drugs and using them appropriately are crucial if limited resources for health care are to be used optimally. While training of health workers throughout Zimbabwe in drug management (including stock management and rational drug use) resulted in significant improvements in a variety of drug use indicators, these achievements could not be sustained, and a new strategy was introduced based on the supervision of primary health care providers. This was launched in 1995 with a training course in supervisory skills for district pharmacy staff. In order to evaluate the impact of the supervision and the effectiveness of the training programme, adherence to standard treatment guidelines (STG) and stock management protocols was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. The study compared three different groups of health facilities: those that received supervision for either use of STG (n = 23) or stock management (n = 21) - each facility acting as control for the other area of supervision - and a comparison group of facilities which received no supervision (n = 18). On-the-spot supervision by a specially trained pharmacy staff, based around identified deficiencies, took place at the start of the study and 3 months later. The evaluation compared performance on a variety of drug management indicators at baseline and 6-8 months after the second supervisory visit. The results of the study showed that, following supervision, overall stock management improved significantly when compared with the control and comparison groups. Similar improvements were demonstrated for adherence to STG, although the effect was confounded by other interventions. The study also showed that supervision has a positive effect on improving performance in areas other than those supervised, and demonstrated that pharmacy technicians with limited clinical skills can be trained to influence primary health care workers to positively improve prescribing practices. Allocating resources to supervision is likely to result in improved performance of health workers with regard to the rational use of essential drugs, resulting in improved efficiency and effectiveness.

Genotoxicity of acrylic bone cements.

The genotoxicity of conventional polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and a new formulation of bone cement: methylmethacrylate/n-decylmethacrylate/isobornylmethacrylate (MMA/DMA/IBMA) were tested by micronucleus test and reverse mutation assays of Salmonella typhimurium (Ames test). In extracts from cement pellets (37 degrees, 72 hr) with water and water/ethanol the concentration of MMA was reduced by 13-19 times with the new formulation and the concentrations of accelerators were reduced by 4-5 times. New chemical constituents (DMA, IBMA, dihydroxy-propyl-p-toluidine) were found in negligible concentrations. In the micronucleus test all three cement brands were found non-mutagenic and in the Ames test scattered increased revertant ratios were found without differences between the three brands. The new formulation does not possess any increased risk of genotoxicity.

Delayed contact hypersensitivity and surgical glove penetration with acrylic bone cements.

Skin hypersensitivity was investigated in guinea-pig maximization tests with extracts from pellets of conventional polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) bone cements (Palacos R, Simplex RO) and a new methylmethacrylate/n-decylmethacrylate/isobornylmethacrylate (MMA/DMA/IBMA) mixture (Boneloc), but none of the three cements produced evidence of delayed contact hypersensitivity. Testings of the pure monomer compounds showed MMA to be an extreme sensitizer, whereas DMA and IBMA were only mild sensitizers. Fingers from three brands of surgical rubber gloves and a polystyrene-butadiene glove were immersed in water and filled with conventional MMA monomer, MMA/DMA/IBMA monomer or bone cements in the dough state, allowing cure inside the glove. In the surrounding water, no DMA or IBMA could be detected. The MMA concentrations were lower with MMA/DMA/IBMA monomer and curing Boneloc cement. The most resistant to conventional PMMA cement was one of the rubber gloves, whereas the polystyrene-butadiene glove allowed the highest penetration, and even dissolved in MMA monomer. The potential occupational hazard of skin sensitization is reduced with MMA/DMA/IBMA bone cement, preferably in combination with rubber gloves; but also polystyrene-butadiene gloves provide adequate protection.

[The nonoxynol content in condoms is insufficient to inhibit the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)]. / Nonoxynol-indholdet i kondomer er utilstraekkeligt til haemning af. Human immundefekt virus (HIV).

The seven makes of condom which are marketed in Denmark were examined for the nonoxynol content with the object of assessing whether the content of nonoxynol in the condoms is sufficient to present HIV spread in connection with use of the condom and assessed in relation to the defects in effectivity (tearing, holes, overflow of semen, sliding off). Compared with the declared content of nonoxynol of 40 mg (100%) per condom, the following nonoxynol quantities could be demonstrated by methanol/water extraction and subsequent high-performance liquid chromatography: One make of condom contained 65%, two 50-55% and four 25-33%. The nonoxynol content was found to be evenly distributed between the outer and inner surface of the condoms. With a theoretical distribution volume of 6 ml (tearing during vaginal coitus), it was found that three of the makes of condoms examined did not achieve the HIV-inhibiting nonoxynol concentration of 0.05%, by means of measuring the quantity of nonoxynol on the distal 5 cm of the condoms. In anal sex, the distribution volume is greater resulting in lower nonoxynol concentrations and thus increased risk for HIV infection. It is concluded that the nonoxynol content in the condoms marketed in Denmark should be increased in order to inactivate HIV in case of condom failure.

PIP: The brands of condom which are marketed in Denmark were examined for nonoxynol content with the object of assessing whether such content is sufficient to prevent HIV spread and in relation to defects in its potential effectiveness. Using the methods of methanol/water extraction and subsequent high performance liquid chromatography (with the standard nonoxynol content being 40 mg [100%] per condom), 1 brand of condom contained 65%, 2 contained 50-55%, and 4 between 25-33%. The nonoxynol content was found to be evenly distributed between the outer and inner surfaces of the condom. With a theoretical distribution volume of 6 ml (tearing during vaginal coitus), it was found that 3 brands of condom did not achieve the HIV-inhibiting nonoxynol concentration of 0.05%. This was ascertained by measuring the quantity of nonoxynol on the distal 5 cm of the condoms. During anal sex, the distribution volume is greater which results in lower nonoxynol concentrations and thus increased risk for HIV infection. It is concluded that nonoxynol content in the condoms marketed in Denmark should be increased in order to inactivate HIV in the event of condom failure. (author's modified)

Evaluation of the amount of nonoxynol available in condoms for the inhibition of HIV using a method based on HPLC.

A method is described for detection of nonoxynol in condoms, based on methanol-water extraction followed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Using this method, we found that approximately 50% of the nonionic surfactant lubricant nonoxynol migrated into elastomers (rubber latex), resulting in a concentration of nonoxynol insufficient to inhibit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (less than 0.05%). In order to minimize the risk of sexual transmission of HIV, and to ensure spermicidal effect and optimal rubber properties, the concentration of nonoxynol in condoms, therefore, should either be increased, or nonoxynol should be packed separately. Further studies are needed to clarify and determine the solubility and migration of nonoxynols into elastomers.

Intellectual development and brain size in 13 shunted hydrocephalic children.

A group of 13 successfully treated hydrocephalic children living a normal social life according to their ages has been examined to evaluate the possible correlation between their brain size, intellectual development and physical disability. The brain size was assesed by ventriculography prior to initial surgery and by computer tomography (CT-scanning) at the time of investigation 6--11 years after operation. The intellectural development was evaluated by psychological investigation of the children and by evaluation of their social adaptation. The physical disability was investigated by neurological examination. Significant improvement in ventricular size was demonstrated from pneumoencephalographic examinations prior to surgery and to the CT investigations. No prediction of the intellectual development could be based on the ventriculographies prior to initial surgery. In spite of positive trends, correlation trends, correlation between the ventricular size as determined by CT-scans and the IQ was not significant, possibly due to the small number of cases available for study.