Pharmacists' involvement in physical activity promotion in community pharmacy: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) promotion in healthcare systems is one of the priority areas highlighted by the World Health Organization, which recognizes that progress has been slow largely due to a lack of awareness and investment while requiring a system-based approach. Community pharmacies are one of the health structures that are more easily accessible to populations, thus constituting an ideal venue for developing health promotion activities. This research aimed to describe PA-enabling interventions developed in community pharmacies by pharmacists. METHODS: An electronic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane and reference lists of the different papers until June 2023. Studies were eligible if performed in community pharmacies by pharmacists, focused on interventions aimed at increasing PA levels and if at least one PA-specific outcome was measured at two different time points. RESULTS: We identified 7076 publications in the initial search, plus 31 records identified through backward citation tracking from relevant studies. After an initial screening, 236 were selected for full-text analysis. Of the 29 selected papers, 10 presented a low risk of bias for the measurement of PA levels. PA outcomes were generally self-reported outcomes where the change in terms of the percentage of individuals considered active or who increased PA because of the intervention. CONCLUSION: Several interventions to improve PA through community pharmacies were found although with a high level of heterogeneity and with only few with a low risk of bias. More targeted research that aims to capture PA levels and support the training of healthcare professionals is needed.

Effectiveness of palbociclib with aromatase inhibitors for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in an exposure retrospective cohort study: implications for clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: New drugs for locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer have led to clinical benefits, aside with increasing costs to healthcare systems. The current financing model for health technology assessment (HTA) privileges real-world data. As part of the ongoing HTA, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of palbociclib with aromatase inhibitors (AI) and compare it with the efficacy reported in PALOMA-2. METHODS: A population-based retrospective exposure cohort study was conducted including all patients initiating treatment in Portugal with palbociclib under early access use and registered in the National Oncology Registry. The primary outcome was progression free survival (PFS). Secondary outcomes considered included time to palbociclib failure (TPF), overall survival (OS), time to next treatment (TTNT), and proportion of patients discontinuing treatment due to  adverse events (AEs). The Kaplan-Meier method was used and median, 1- and 2-year survival rates were computed, with two-sided 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines for reporting observational studies were used. RESULTS: There were 131 patients included. Median follow-up was 28.3 months (IQR: 22.7-35.2) and median duration of treatment was 17.5 months (IQR: 7.8-29.1). Median PFS was 19.5 months (95%CI 14.2-24.2), corresponding to a 1-year PFS rate of 67.9% (95%CI 59.2-75.2) and a 2-year PFS rate of 42.0% (95%CI 33.5-50.3). Sensitivity analysis showed median PFS would increase slightly when excluding those not initiating treatment with the recommended dose, raising to 19.8 months (95%CI 14.4-28.9). By considering only patients meeting PALOMA-2 criteria, we could observe a major difference in treatment outcomes, with a mean PFS of 28.8 months (95%CI 19.4-36.0). TPF was 19.8 months (95%CI 14.2-24.9). Median OS was not reached. Median TTNT was 22.5 months (95%CI 18.0-29.8). A total of 14 patients discontinued palbociclib because of AEs (10.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest palbociclib with AI to have an effectiveness of 28.8 months, when used in patients with overlapping characteristics to those used in PALOMA-2. However, when used outside of these eligibility criteria, namely in patients with less favorable prognosis (e.g., presence of visceral disease), the benefits are inferior, even though still favorable.

International validation of two EORTC questionnaires for assessment of health-related quality of life for patients with high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (QLQ-NHL-HG29) and low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (QLQ-NHL-LG20).

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a critical aspect to consider when making treatment decisions for patients with non-Hodgkin-lymphoma (NHL). This international study by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) tested the psychometric properties of two newly developed measures for patients with high-grade (HG)- and low-grade (LG)-NHL: the EORTC QLQ-NHL-HG29 and the EORTC QLQ-NHL-LG20 to supplement the core questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). METHODS: Overall, 768 patients with HG-NHL (N = 423) and LG-NHL (N = 345) from 12 countries completed the QLQ-C30, QLQ-NHL-HG29/QLQ-NHL-LG20 and a debriefing questionnaire at baseline, and a subset at follow-up for either retest (N = 125/124) or responsiveness to change (RCA; N = 98/49). RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis showed an acceptable to good fit of the 29 items of the QLQ-NHL-HG29 on its five scales (symptom burden [SB], neuropathy, physical condition/fatigue [PF], emotional impact [EI], and worries about health/functioning [WH]), and of the 20 items of the QLQ-NHL-LG20 on its four scales (SB, PF, EI, and WH). Completion took on average 10 minutes. Test-retest reliability, convergent validity, known-group comparisons, and RCA find satisfactory results of both measures. A total of 31%-78% of patients with HG-NHL and 22%-73% of patients with LG-NHL reported symptoms and/or worries (e.g., tingling in hands/feet, lack of energy, and worries about recurrence). Patients reporting symptoms/worries had substantially lower HRQOL compared to those without. DISCUSSION: The use of the EORTC QLQ-NHL-HG29 and QLQ-NHL-LG20 questionnaires in clinical research and practice will provide clinically relevant data to better inform treatment decision-making. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group developed two questionnaires. These questionnaires measure health-related quality of life. The questionnaires are for patients with high-grade or low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma. They are called the EORTC QLQ-NHL-HG29 and QLQ-NHL-LG20. The questionnaires are now internationally validated. This study demonstrates that the questionnaires are reliably and valid, which are important aspects of a questionnaire. The questionnaires can now be used in clinical trials and practice. With the information gathered from the questionnaires, patients and clinicians can better evaluate treatments and discuss the best choice for a patient.

The WHO Prison Health Framework: a framework for assessment of prison health system performance.

BACKGROUND: The Health in Prisons European Database (HIPED) aims to periodically collect data on prison health systems, services and health outcomes to inform equivalence of care for people living in prison. Recognized as the United Nations hub for health data in prisons, HIPED lacked an established framework to define its domains and indicators to measure progress. Therefore, the objectives of developing this framework were to inform surveillance systems at prison, local, regional, national and international level and to use it to guide improvement of prison health systems and cross-country comparison. METHODS: The framework was conceptualized through identification of policy priorities and existing frameworks, notably the WHO Health System Framework. A consultation with a range of WHO stakeholders was conducted evaluating the components of existing frameworks and their relevance to the prison health context, as well as identifying areas needing further emphasis. The final stage identified the structure of the framework. RESULTS: The framework consists of three main building blocks. The first captures the system-level aspects of prison health care (or inputs) whilst the second captures delivery aspects of prison health care (or outputs). These building blocks are in turn modified by two influencing factors. Ultimately, all these elements impact on the third building block, health outcomes. In addition, two cross-cutting principles associated with all these building blocks and influencing factors are included. CONCLUSIONS: A new framework for assessing prison health system performance is now available, crucial to support informed decision-making for policy design and implementation for prisons and other places of detention.

Colorectal cancer incidence, mortality, and stage distribution in European countries in the colorectal cancer screening era: an international population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer screening programmes and uptake vary substantially across Europe. We aimed to compare changes over time in colorectal cancer incidence, mortality, and stage distribution in relation to colorectal cancer screening implementation in European countries. METHODS: Data from nearly 3·1 million patients with colorectal cancer diagnosed from 2000 onwards (up to 2016 for most countries) were obtained from 21 European countries, and were used to analyse changes over time in age-standardised colorectal cancer incidence and stage distribution. The WHO mortality database was used to analyse changes over time in age-standardised colorectal cancer mortality over the same period for the 16 countries with nationwide data. Incidence rates were calculated for all sites of the colon and rectum combined, as well as the subsites proximal colon, distal colon, and rectum. Average annual percentage changes (AAPCs) in incidence and mortality were estimated and relevant patterns were descriptively analysed. FINDINGS: In countries with long-standing programmes of screening colonoscopy and faecal tests (ie, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Germany), colorectal cancer incidence decreased substantially over time, with AAPCs ranging from -2·5% (95% CI -2·8 to -2·2) to -1·6% (-2·0 to -1·2) in men and from -2·4% (-2·7 to -2·1) to -1·3% (-1·7 to -0·9) in women. In countries where screening programmes were implemented during the study period, age-standardised colorectal cancer incidence either remained stable or increased up to the year screening was implemented. AAPCs for these countries ranged from -0·2% (95% CI -1·4 to 1·0) to 1·5% (1·1 to 1·8) in men and from -0·5% (-1·7 to 0·6) to 1·2% (0·8 to 1·5) in women. Where high screening coverage and uptake were rapidly achieved (ie, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Slovenia), age-standardised incidence rates initially increased but then subsequently decreased. Conversely, colorectal cancer incidence increased in most countries where no large-scale screening programmes were available (eg, Bulgaria, Estonia, Norway, and Ukraine), with AAPCs ranging from 0·3% (95% CI 0·1 to 0·5) to 1·9% (1·2 to 2·6) in men and from 0·6% (0·4 to 0·8) to 1·1% (0·8 to 1·4) in women. The largest decreases in colorectal cancer mortality were seen in countries with long-standing screening programmes. INTERPRETATION: We observed divergent trends in colorectal cancer incidence, mortality, and stage distribution across European countries, which appear to be largely explained by different levels of colorectal cancer screening implementation. FUNDING: German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Potentially inappropriate medications with risk of cardiovascular adverse events in the elderly: A systematic review of tools addressing inappropriate prescribing.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: In the last decades, many lists have been developed to screen for inappropriate prescribing. However, information on which potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) could increase the cardiovascular risk in the elderly is not objectively presented. This review aimed to identify and quantify those PIMs by extracting information from published PIM-lists. METHODS: In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement (PRISMA), a systematic review of PIM-lists was conducted. The search strategy was run in PubMed, MEDLINE and Google Scholar (1991-09/2017). All PIMs described in those lists were extracted and stratified by their potential cardiovascular risk (including major adverse cardiovascular events-MACE). The number of times each PIM was reported on those lists was also assessed. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: We identified 724 papers, and 24 were retained. From those, a total of 17 PIMs to be avoided by the elderly and 21 drug-disease interactions were retrieved. The reporting of PIMs with risk of cardiovascular adverse events was 15.3%, whereas the reporting of those with MACE risk was 7.2%. PIMs most frequently described were tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs; 12/24), centrally acting antiadrenergic agents (11/24), NSAIDs (7/24), antiarrhythmics (Class I and III; 6/24), peripherally acting antiadrenergic agents (6/24) and antithrombotic agents (5/24). Most frequently described PIMs with MACE risk were NSAIDs (7/24), antiarrhythmics (Class I and III) (7/24), selective calcium channel blockers with vascular effects (6/24) and antipsychotics (4/24). WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Data suggest that PIM-lists focus mainly on common adverse events and often poorly describe the potential consequence for MACE occurrence. This systematic review could help healthcare professionals in the identification and deprescribing of these medicines in older patients with high cardiovascular risk during medication review.

Impact of harm minimization interventions on reducing blood-borne infection transmission and some injecting behaviors among people who inject drugs: an overview and evidence gap mapping.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to synthetize the evidence on the effectiveness of harm minimization interventions on reducing blood-borne infection transmission and injecting behaviors among people who inject drugs (PWID) through a comprehensive overview of systematic reviews and evidence gap mapping. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted with searches in PubMed and Scopus to identify systematic reviews assessing the impact of interventions aimed at reducing the harms associated with injectable drug use. The overall characteristics of the studies were extracted and their methodological quality was assessed using AMSTAR-2. An evidence gap map was constructed, highlighting the most frequently reported outcomes by intervention (CRD42023387713). RESULTS: Thirty-three systematic reviews were included. Of these, 14 (42.2%) assessed the impact of needle/syringe exchange programs (NSEP) and 11 (33.3%) examined opioid agonist therapy (OAT). These interventions are likely to be associated with reductions of HIV/HCV incidence (10-40% risk reduction for NSEP; 50-60% for OAT) and sharing injecting paraphernalia (50% for NSEP, 25-85% for OAT), particularly when combined (moderate evidence). Behavioral/educational interventions were assessed in 12 reviews (36.4%) with most authors in favor/partially in favor of the use of these approaches (moderate evidence). Take-home naloxone programs and supervised-injection facilities were each assessed in two studies (6.1%), which reported inconclusive results (limited/inconsistent evidence). Most authors reported high levels of heterogeneity and risk of bias. Other interventions and outcomes were inadequately reported. Most systematic reviews presented low or critically low quality. CONCLUSION: The evidence is sufficient to support the effectiveness of OAT, NSEP and their combination in reducing blood-borne infection transmission and certain injecting behaviors among PWID. However, evidence of other harm minimizations interventions in different settings and for some outcomes remain insufficient.

Physical activity promotion in the community pharmacy: An opportunity for an expanded role?

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for the development of chronic diseases, and it is increasingly prevalent in the Portuguese population. Pharmacists' role in promoting physical activity (PA) is still not well established, although health promotion is foreseen by law in Portugal. Competing tasks and location where the pharmacy is embedded can hinder this promotion in their daily practice. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the main barriers and facilitators of physical activity promotion (PAP) in Portuguese community pharmacies and explore possible pathways for future implementation of physical activity promotion. METHODS: In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively enrolled community pharmacists. Participant recruitment was aligned with data saturation. Data analysis comprised a mixed model of a deductive theme mapping strategy using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) for the behaviour of promoting physical activity and an inductive approach for any other relevant themes and which might influence PA promotion. RESULTS: Data saturation was reached at eleven interviews. Barriers and facilitators for the behaviour of promoting PA were identified from 11 out of the 14 TDF domains. Following an inductive approach, other emerging codes were clustered in additional seven major themes. Highlighted barriers focused on domains #1 - Knowledge, #10 - Memory, Attention and Decision Processes and #13 - Environmental Context and Resources. Community mapping, establishment of remuneration models and the use of digital technologies were suggested as additional potential contributors to scale up PAP. CONCLUSION: Community pharmacists are well placed inside their communities to serve as a focal point for signposting, engagement with other healthcare professionals and community resources and activities organized by the pharmacy itself. Pharmacists should be supported in being knowledgeable, aware, and available when promoting PA in their daily counseling.

Use and misuse of psychoactive medicines: a descriptive cross-sectional study in a densely populated region of Portugal.

Introduction: Although psychoactive medicines (PMed) are needed in several psychiatric conditions, their use and misuse bear risks. We aimed at estimating the prevalence of PMed use and misuse. Methods: Data on all PMed prescribed in 2017 and dispensed in community pharmacies of the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region of Portugal (ARSLVT) were extracted from ARSLVT medicines' dispensing database. For 21 PMed among prescription opioids, benzodiazepines and z-drugs (BZDR), antidepressants (AD) and anticonvulsants (AC), we estimated the number of users of each PMed, and assessed PMed misuse by a set of proxy indicators for studying this practice: chronic use (use of ≥180 DDD during the study period) of PMed intended for short-term treatments, concomitant use of several PMed, in particular if involving long-term (≥ 30 days) opioid analgesic (OA) use, and doctor shopping (patients consulting several physicians in order to have access to a quantity higher than intended by each prescriber). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and hypothesis testing, and multivariate logistic regression was used to explore potential factors affecting long-term concomitant treatment of chronic OA with other PMed. Results: PMed use prevalence was 21.7%: 6.6% for OA, 12.7% for benzodiazepines (BZD), 5.3% for AD and 2.8% for AC. BZDR were mainly prescribed in primary care and OA in hospital outpatients. Chronic use of PMed was observed in 25%, especially with sertraline and buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (long-term treatment), and lorazepam (short-term treatment). About 56.6% of OA chronic users were long-term concurrent users with other PMed, mainly BZDR. Risk of abuse was low for BZDR, whilst four opioids had meaningful doctor shopping indicators - fentanyl, opioid use disorder buprenorphine, morphine and hydromorphone. Conclusions: BZD are the main PMed used in ARSLVT, often chronically, especially lorazepam. Prevalence of OA use is low, although with higher risk of misuse than BZDR. Concomitant use of several PMed is frequent.

Effects of inpatient creatinine testing frequency on acute kidney injury identification and staging: a historical cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a multifactorial condition often induced by drugs commonly used in hospitals. Identifying and staging AKI necessitates frequent monitoring of renal function. AIM: To assess the impact of real-world hospital practices regarding serum creatinine (SCr) testing on the identification and staging of AKI, and its implications for adjusting drug doses. METHOD: A historical cohort study utilizing hospital records from all adult patients admitted between 01/06/2018 and 31/12/2020 was conducted. Patients with no SCr assessment during their stay or those with an SCr at admission ≥ 2 mg/dL were excluded. AKI was determined using two criteria, namely AKIN and KDIGO, considering the time intervals between two SCr tests as outlined in the criteria. Additionally, patients with SCr increases exceeding AKI limits, regardless the time interval, were also identified. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and kinetic eGFR (KeGFR) were calculated. RESULTS: During the study period, 17,269 hospitalizations and 62,255 SCr tests were recorded. Among the 17,032 hospitalizations with a length of stay > 48 h, 46.8% experienced periods with no SCr tests performed for more than 48 h. Any stage of AKI was identified in 7.0% of patients and in 9.1% using AKI and KDIGO criteria, respectively. Ignoring time limits in both criteria revealed potential AKI in 1942 patients (11.2%), indicating a potential underdiagnosis of AKI by 37.5% or 19.1%, depending on the criteria used. A total of 76 drugs requiring dose adjustment in patients with eGFR ≤ 50 ml/min were prescribed in 78.5% admissions. These drugs were prescribed in 87.9% of patients potentially underdiagnosed with AKIN and in 88.9% with KDIGO. CONCLUSION: There is a need for changes in the established hospital procedures to ensure more frequent testing of SCr levels. Implementing an advanced scope of practice for clinical pharmacists could support these changes.

Role of Portuguese community pharmacy and pharmacists in self-care.

Portugal recognizes the importance of self-care in its policies and has been actively engaging in health literacy and citizen empowerment. The current National Health Plan for the period 2021-2030 clearly mentions the need to "take greater advantage of the network of community pharmacies throughout the national territory, in favour of the health of the community, from the protection and promotion of health, through health literacy, to the prevention and early detection of disease, and the aggravation of chronic disease, among others". There is recognition of the role of pharmacists and community pharmacies. However, more needs to be done to promote intersectoral collaboration, particularly as community pharmacies are private entities but can nonetheless support the public national health service. Community pharmacies assisted many individuals during the pandemic to test suspect cases free of charge. The fight to end AIDS and viral hepatitis is another example where community pharmacies promote self-testing and ensure efficient screening and referral to diagnosis and treatment. Portugal has already moved to reimburse community pharmacies for services with some of them in areas of self-care including COVID-19 testing. Nevertheless, future challenges include making community pharmacies sustainable. Taking into account that community pharmacies are private entities that can supplement the public health service just as any other provider, it is essential to review payment models, referral mechanisms and access and integration of information from other partners in primary and secondary care.

Epidemiological and clinical characterization of a population-based cohort of cutaneous malignant melanoma patients in the South Region of Portugal.

An historical population-based cohort study was conducted aiming to estimate the incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma in the South Region of Portugal between Jan 2016 and June 2017; to clinically characterize the diagnosed individuals; to describe instituted treatment; and to estimate survival outcomes. Data were extracted from a cancer registry (ROR-Sul) covering 4,800,000 inhabitants (46% of the Portuguese population) and included a total of 789 individuals meeting eligibility criteria. The crude incidence rate (18 months) of melanoma was 13.36/100,000 inhabitants and the Age-Standardized Incidence Rate per 100,000 World population was 9.65/100,000 inhabitants. The most common histological subtypes identified were superficial extension, followed by malignant melanoma and nodular melanoma. Most cases were diagnosed in stage I (50.39%), equally distributed by sex and with a median age of 65 years. During the study period, 174 recurrence events were recorded (23.45%) and recurrence-free survival rate was significantly lower in more advanced stages. Patients had a two-fold risk of recurrence/death when in presence of ulcerated tumors [adjusted hazard ratio (adj HR) = 2.28; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.40-3.70]. Overall survival rate at 3-years was 80.54% (95% CI 77.58-83.15), higher than previous national reports, and considerably higher for individuals diagnosed at earlier stages (p < 0.001). We have also identified differential survival outcomes in stages II-III explained by the uptake of sentinel lymph node biopsy. The epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of malignant melanoma patients studied are consistent with international literature. The incidence and rates observed suggests additional public health campaigns are needed to modify behaviours of the Portuguese population and thus reduce their risk.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the ABC taxonomy for medication adherence into Portuguese - Updating patients into people.

BACKGROUND: The Ascertaining Barriers to Compliance (ABC) taxonomy for describing medication adherence was created in 2012, aiming to standardize terms and definitions in research and practice. The taxonomy comprises seven terms and definitions. Originally developed in English, subsequently translated into French and German, is currently being translated to Portuguese, Spanish, Czech, Romanian and Italian, aiming to promote its global use and overcome cultural barriers. OBJECTIVES: To cross-culturally translate the ABC taxonomy into Portuguese for Portugal and Brazil. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify published taxonomy terms and definitions in Portuguese, and to identify panelists in medication adherence. Initial mapping of terms and definitions retrieved was scrutinized by the research team to build an e-survey. The e-survey was piloted and then sent to panelists in both countries seeking consensus using a three-round Delphi method. Consensus was defined as ≥ 85% for round 1 and ≥ 75% for round 2. Terms with agreement <10% were dropped between rounds. In round 3, terms and definitions reaching agreement between 50 and 75% were classified as moderate consensus,>75-95% as consensus and >95% as strong consensus. RESULTS: A total of 778 studies were identified and 84 included, enabling the extraction of 154 terms and 32 definitions. In round 1, 164 panelists participated, 115 in round 2 and 99 in the round 3. Consensus was achieved in both countries for all seven terms and definitions, although with varying intensity of agreement. The term "Management of adherence" and the definition of "Discontinuation" obtained moderate consensus in both countries. CONCLUSIONS: A unified and unique ABC taxonomy in Portuguese was possible to develop for use in Portugal and in Brazil. Its use will harmonize and standardize the terms and definitions used in clinical practice and research.

Relationship of the SITLESS intervention on medication use in community-dwelling older adults: an exploratory study.

Background: Sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) interventions in older adults can improve health outcomes. Problems related with aging include prevalent comorbidity, multiple non-communicable diseases, complaints, and resulting polypharmacy. This manuscript examines the relationship between an intervention aiming at reducing SB on medication patterns. Method: This manuscript presents a local sub-analysis of the SITLESS trial data on medication use. SITLESS was an exercise referral scheme (ERS) enhanced by self-management strategies (SMS) to reduce SB in community-dwelling older adults. We analyzed data from the ERS + SMS, ERS and usual care (UC) groups. Patient medication records were available at baseline and at the end of the intervention (4-month period) and were analyzed to explore the effect of SITLESS on medication patterns of use. Result: A sample of 75 participants was analyzed, mostly older overweight women with poor body composition scores and mobility limitations. There was a significant reduction of 1.6 medicines (SD = 2.7) in the ERS group (p < 0.01), but not in the UC or ERS + SMS groups. Differences were more evident in medicines used for short periods of time. Conclusion: The findings suggest that an exercise-based program enhanced by SMS to reduce SB might influence medication use for acute conditions but there is a need to further investigate effects on long-term medicine use in older adults.

Healthcare Professionals' Views on the Management of Medication Complexities in the Elderly With Mental Health Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Many challenges in elderly pharmacotherapy are identified, including the use of Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIMs) which may increase the odds of adverse events, especially in elderly patients with mental health disorders (e. g., behavioral, and psychological symptoms of dementia-BPSD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder). However, information on the knowledge and practice of healthcare professionals (HCPs) about this topic is still scarce. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken from July-October 2019. An online questionnaire was specifically designed and validated for this study. We sought HCPs (physicians, pharmacists, and nurses) worldwide, using (a) social media, via Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn; and (b) email contacts of the research team (convenience sample). Either way participants were asked to share on their social media or via e-mail the questionnaires with other HCPs (snowballing sample). The survey assessed two main domains: knowledge and practice. Knowledge was evaluated by self-report (perceived knowledge by a 5-item Likert confidence scale) and using three clinical cases, scored between 0 and 30 points (each one rated from 0 to 10 points; real knowledge). Barriers in clinical practice were evaluated using a 5-item Likert scale judging practitioners' opinion. Results: A total of 165 questionnaires were collected. HCPs were mainly female (n = 114; 69.1%), with a mean age of 35.3 ± 11.3 years old. Seventy-two percent (n = 118) were pharmacists, 21.1% (n = 35) were physicians, and 7.3% (n = 12) nurses. There was a weak correlation, albeit significant, between perceived and real knowledge (r = 0.199; p = 0.001). The mean score of the clinical vignettes regarding elderly patients with dementia and bipolar disorder were 4.59 ± 4.08 and 4.86 ± 2.97 points, respectively. Most HCPs were classified as having an intermediate knowledge (n = 100; 60.6%) about medication complexities in the elderly with mental disorders. Most HCPs agreed that lack of time (81.6%; n = 138), lack of education and training on elderly pharmacotherapy (72.2%; n = 122), and lack of tools adapted to daily practice (61.8%; n = 105) were the main barriers. Conclusions: Most of the HCPs felt confident to manage medication complexities in elder patients with mental disorders, but only a minority obtained a good score in the knowledge assessment test. The main barriers identified included structural barriers (tools unfit for practice) and process barriers (time).

A cross-sectional survey to map Clinical Pharmacy Education and Practice in Europe.

Background Clinical activities provided by pharmacists are increasing worldwide, including in Europe. However, an overview of clinical pharmacy education and practice is needed. Aim To map clinical pharmacy (CP) education and practice among European countries. Method A cross-sectional web-based survey led by the Education Committee of the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy (ESCP) was conducted. The survey comprised three domains focusing on: undergraduate education, postgraduate education, and practice. A multi-phased validation process was undertaken, attributing levels of evidence according to the number of information sources for each country. Triangulation was used to seek within country consensus. Main outcome measures included the number of hours of education in CP; existence of a specialization in CP and activities delivered in practice. Results Data from 40 European countries were included (response rate 95.2%). Most respondents (86.8%) agreed with the ESCP definition of CP. Almost every country (94.9%) reported CP topics at the undergraduate level [median number = 65 h/semester (IQR: 2.0-5.6)], including practical teaching [median = 30.0% (IQR: 17.0-42.0)]. At postgraduate level, 92.5% of countries reported PhD programmes including CP and 65.0% mentioned the existence of specific CP master/diploma degrees. Continuous professional development (CPD) courses were also reported by 63.9% of respondents. More than half the countries (52.5%; n = 21) recognized CP as an area of specialization, which for 60.0% of participants was applied solely in the hospital setting. Conclusion Although CP is embedded in education and practice in European countries, there is wide variability in education and practice patterns.

Real-world effectiveness of palbociclib plus fulvestrant in advanced breast cancer: Results from a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Real-world (RW) data may provide valuable information on the effectiveness and safety of medicines, which is particularly relevant for clinicians, patients and third-party payers. Evidence on the effectiveness of palbociclib plus fulvestrant is scarce, which highlights the need of additional studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of palbociclib plus fulvestrant in advanced breast cancer (ABC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study and cases of interest were identified through the Portuguese National Cancer Registry database and additional data sources. Patients aged≥18 years, diagnosed with ABC and exposed to palbociclib plus fulvestrant between May 31, 2017 and March 31, 2019 were included. Patients were followed-up until death or cut-off date (February 28, 2021). Primary outcome was rw-progression-free survival (rwPFS). Secondary outcomes were rw-overall survival (rwOS), rw-time to palbociclib failure (rwTPF) and rw-time to next treatment (rwTTNT). RESULTS: A total of 210 patients were included. Median age was 58 years (range 29-83) and 99.05% were female. Median follow-up time was 23.22 months and, at cut-off date, treatment had been discontinued in 189 patients, mainly due to disease progression (n = 152). Median rwPFS was 7.43 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.28-9.05) and 2-year rwPFS was 16.65% (95%CI 11.97-22.00). Median rwOS was 24.70 months (95%CI 21.58-29.27), median rwTPF was 7.5 months (95%CI 6.51-9.08) and median rwTTNT was 11.74 months (95%CI 10.33-14.08). CONCLUSION: Palbociclib plus fulvestrant seems an effective treatment for ABC in real-world context. Compared to registrations studies, rwPFS and rwOS were shorter in real-life setting.

Auditing the scope of antithrombotic care in iPACT (International Pharmacists for Anticoagulation Care Taskforce) represented countries.

Countries strive to find suitable solutions to offer health services to their populations. Pharmacist-led services are a possible solution to supplement the care offer with a clear advantage of proximity, with demonstrated expertise in medication use. This paper aims to audit the scope of antithrombotic care services available; and to describe the arrangements adopted for meeting the needs of the population. A multi-stage project involved the development of the list of services, generated during a face-to-face expert meeting; the definition of each service by literature search; and their clustering into three main groups (general, specific and support); resulting in an online audit of each service's availability, the settings where the service was available and the possible providers. The audit was distributed to a taskforce devoted to antithrombotic care representing 22 countries, with response obtained for all. Most reported general services were Transfer of care and Comprehensive Medication Review. Among specific services, Point-of-care testing for INR and renal function and Patient Education on antithrombotic care (antiplatelets and anticoagulants) were the most frequent. Interprofessional Education as a support service was very common, but the use of the Choosing Wisely initiative to inform evidence-based decisions was still limited. There was wide diversity found in arrangements for the provision of services to support patients taking antithrombotic medication, albeit specific services were reported in over half the surveyed countries.

Response measures to COVID-19 in prisons and other detention centers.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to summarize activities being undertaken by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe to prevent and control COVID-19 in and beyond prisons, activities specifically designed to increase information sharing and to support Member States, to comment on potential impacts of these initiatives at country-level responses and to underline the need for a rights-based approach to managing the pandemic, including the right to vaccination. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The Health in Prisons Programme (HIPP) of the WHO Regional Office for Europe worked with partner organizations to review regularly the evidence on best practices in prison health and use it to inform policy recommendations at the global level. HIPP issued overarching guidance and specific tools to support implementation of measures to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and other custodial settings. Moreover, to monitor the emergence of outbreaks, the HIPP developed a minimum data set for countries voluntarily to report COVID-19 cases and identify situations in need of direct support. FINDINGS: Since May 2020, the WHO has periodically received data from Member States, leading to the development of country-specific bulletins to support countries and, whenever appropriate, to organize virtual missions to further support ministries and public health bodies responsible for managing COVID-19 in prisons. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The development of a specific set of indicators for prisons enables exploring data in a disaggregated manner. Monitoring response measures developed in prison enables judging their appropriateness to minimize the spread of SARS-CoV2 in prisons and alignment with guidance issued by the WHO.

The patient pathway in cardiovascular care: A position paper from the International Pharmacists for Anticoagulation Care Taskforce (iPACT).

BACKGROUND: This position paper highlights the opportunistic integral role of the pharmacist across the patient pathway utilizing cardiovascular care as an example. The paper aims to highlight the potential roles that pharmacists worldwide can have (or already have) to provide efficient patient care in the context of interprofessional collaboration. METHODS: It results from a literature review and experts seeking advice to identify existing interventions and potential innovative interventions. We developed a conceptual framework highlighting seven critical phases in the patient pathway and for each of those listed some of the initiatives identified by our experts worldwide. RESULTS: Existing pharmacists' interventions in each of these phases have been identified globally. Various examples in the area of prevention and self-management were found to exist for long; the contribution for early detection and subsequently to timely diagnosis were also quite clear; integration of care was perhaps one of the areas needing greater development, although interventions in secondary care were also quite common. Tertiary care and end of life interventions were found to often be left for other healthcare professionals. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the findings, we can argue that much has been done but globally consider that pharmacists are still an untapped resource potentially useful for improved patient care.