from the repository of Utrecht University: "OBJECTIVES: Antipsychotic drugs are frequently prescribed to elderly patients, but they are associated with serious adverse effects. The objective of the current study was to investigate the association between use of antipsychotics by elderly women and the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs). COHORT STUDY SETTING: Dispensing data were obtained from the PHARMO Database Network for the period 1998-2008. PARTICIPANTS: Ambulatory Dutch women (≥65 years) with current and past use of antipsychotics. MEASUREMENTS: Incidence rates of UTIs, as defined by use of nitrofurantoin, was calculated within and outside the period of exposure to antipsychotic drugs. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis with Andersen-Gill extension for recurrent events was used to calculate crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs). RESULTS: During the study period, 18,541 women with a first prescription of an antipsychotic were identified. Current use of antipsychotics was associated with an increased risk of UTI compared to past use: HR, adjusted for age and history of UTIs, 1.33, 95% CI 1.27-1.39. A strong temporal relationship was found: the risk of being treated for a UTI was higher in the first week after the start of the treatment (adjusted HR 3.03, 95% CI 2.63-3.50) and decreased after 3 months (adjusted HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.17-1.28). Cumulative exposure was not associated with an increased risk of UTIs. There was no difference in effect between conventional and atypical antipsychotics. CONCLUSION: Our results show an increased risk of uncomplicated UTIs during antipsychotic use in older female patients, especially in the first week of treatment."
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The aim of the study was to evaluate whether multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with risk of cataract or glaucoma. We conducted a population-based cohort study utilizing the UK General Practice Research Database (1987–2009) linked to the national hospital registry of England (1997–2008). Incident MS patients (5576 cases) were identified and each was matched to six patients without MS (controls) by age, gender, and practice. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of incident cataract and glaucoma in MS. Time-dependent adjustments were made for age, history of diseases and drug use.
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Background—Self-management interventions are widely implemented in care for patients with heart failure (HF). Trials however show inconsistent results and whether specific patient groups respond differently is unknown. This individual patient data meta-analysis assessed the effectiveness of self-management interventions in HF patients and whether subgroups of patients respond differently. Methods and Results—Systematic literature search identified randomized trials of selfmanagement interventions. Data of twenty studies, representing 5624 patients, were included and analyzed using mixed effects models and Cox proportional-hazard models including interaction terms. Self-management interventions reduced risk of time to the combined endpoint HF-related all-0.71- in Conclusions—This study shows that self-management interventions had a beneficial effect on time to HF-related hospitalization or all-cause death, HF-related hospitalization alone, and elicited a small increase in HF-related quality of life. The findings do not endorse limiting selfmanagement interventions to subgroups of HF patients, but increased mortality in depressed patients warrants caution in applying self-management strategies in these patients.
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