Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use in patients with chronic kidney disease

The prevalence and contributing factors of NSAIDs prescription among chronic kidney disease patients in primary care: a mixed methods study from Kingdom of Bahrain

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) prescription and its contributory factors among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are unknown in the Kingdom of Bahrain - though NSAIDs are known to cause significant renal impairment. This study will determine the prevalence of NSAIDs prescription among CKD patients and the contributory factors to this behavior from the perspective of primary care physicians in Bahrain.

METHODOLOGY

A sequential mixed-method design study comprising of a retrospective cross-sectional survey drawn from patients' electronic medical records (EMR) and qualitative in-depth interviews with primary care physicians (PCPs) was conducted between December 2022 and January 2023 - with an EMR data lookback from 1 st June 2021 to 1 st June 2022 Quantitative descriptive analysis was conducted to estimate the prevalence of NSAIDs and their associations with sociodemographic and service delivery indicators. An Ishikawa diagram was used to describe contributory factors to NSAID prescription among CKD patients drawing from the literature and was used to guide a deductive thematic analysis of the qualitative data.

RESULT

Of the enrolled CKD patient population (4,380 patients), 17.4% had at least one inappropriate NSAID prescription. 80% of these patients had moderate renal impairment, while 19.3% had severe impairment. Most of the prescriptions were in 24-h health centers (48.5%). A Bivariate relationship between the prescription and the sociodemographic factors showed a significant P value regarding age (P-value 0.008*) and the severity of the renal impairment (P-value < 0.001*). The contributory factors were divided into five themes: patient factors, physician factors, health team factors, I SEHA factors and system factors. Of these themes, patients and PCPs were identified by the primary care physicians as some of the most important reasons for NSAIDs prescription among CKD patients.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of NSAIDs prescription among CKD patients is relatively high in the kingdom of Bahrain - largely due to patient and physician factors as identified by primary care physicians. Possible solutions for addressing these factors include raising awareness among patients, PCPs, and other healthcare workers and activating the Swiss Cheese Model that involves patients, PCPs, and other health team members to ensure appropriate medication practice and patients' safety.

Regular Use of Oral Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs in a Population of Polish Seniors: Findings from the PolSenior2 Cross-Sectional Survey

INTRODUCTION

Older adults represent a growing proportion of the general population. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) constitute a group of medicines that are both necessary, owing to their anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and cardioprotective abilities, and potentially harmful, owing to their side effects.

OBJECTIVES

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of NSAID usage patterns among Polish adults aged 60 years and older. It focused on the regular use (≥ three times per week) of two types of NSAIDs: acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and non-ASA NSAIDs, examining consumption on the basis of age, sex, educational level, and place of residence.

METHODS

Data were collected from the PolSenior2 study, a national cross-sectional survey of 5987 Polish individuals aged 60-106 years, conducted from 2018 to 2019.

RESULTS

The study found that 30.7% [95% confidence interval (CI) 28.8-32.7)]of Polish seniors regularly used NSAIDs, with 26.2% (95% CI 24.5-28.0) regularly using ASA, 6.3% (95% CI 5.3-7.2) regularly using non-ASA NSAIDs, and 1.9% (95% CI 1.4-2.3) reporting regular use of both. An age-related increase in regular NSAID use, including ASA, was observed. Women were more likely than men to use non-ASA NSAIDs regularly, whereas men in the 70-79 age group were more likely to use ASA. A lower level of education was associated with more frequent NSAID use.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings have implications for healthcare practitioners and policymakers, emphasizing the need for careful management of NSAID use. The study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of NSAID usage and underscores the necessity for tailored healthcare strategies to ensure safe and effective medication use among older adults.

Persistent Post-COVID-19 Syndrome in Hemodialyzed Patients-A Longitudinal Cohort Study from the North of Poland

Background: After recovery from COVID-19, patients frequently face so-called “Post-COVID-19 Syndrome” defined by clusters of persistent symptoms lasting for >12 weeks which may arise from any system in the body. The long-term health consequences of COVID-19 in maintenance hemodialyzed (HD) patients remain to be investigated. Methods: In this longitudinal cohort study we described the health consequences in HD patients requiring hospitalization due to COVID-19. They were interviewed three and six months (M3 and M6) after discharge with a series of standardized questionnaires. Results: Of 144 HD patients discharged from the 7th Naval Hospital in Gdansk, 79 participants were enrolled, 39 m (49.4%) and 40 f (50.6%) with a median age of 70.0 (64.0–76.5) and an HD vintage of 40 months (17.5–88). After discharge, 93.7% and 81% reported at least one persistent symptom at M3 and M6, respectively. The most common symptoms were fatigue or muscle weakness (60.76% and 47.04%) and palpitations (40.51% and 30.14%). Dyspnea with an mMRC scale grade of at least 1 was reported by 21.5% before infection, and by 43.03% and 34.25% at M3 and M6, respectively. A decrease in the quality of life was reported in all domains of the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire but mainly in the pain/discomfort and anxiety dimensions. Mean EQ-VAS scores were 69.05, 61.58 and 64.38, respectively. Conclusion: Our study showed that HD patients may still experience persistent symptoms six months after recovery from COVID-19, which can further reduce their already poor health-related quality of life. This study highlights the need for long-term follow-up on these patients for diagnostic and rehabilitation programs.

NSAID prescriptions in kidney transplant recipients

BACKGROUND

Guidelines recommend that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) be avoided in kidney transplant recipients due to potential nephrotoxicity. It is unclear whether physicians are following these recommendations.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult kidney transplant recipients from 2008 to 2017 in Alberta, Canada. We determined the frequency and prescriber of NSAID prescriptions, the proportion with serum creatinine and potassium testing post-fill, and the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI, serum creatinine increase of ≥ 50% or ≥ 26.5 μmol/L from baseline) and hyperkalemia (potassium ≥ 5.5 mmol/L) within 14 and 30 days.

RESULTS

Of the 1730 kidney transplant recipients, 189 (11%) had at least one NSAID prescription over a median follow-up of 5 years (IQR 2-9) (280 unique prescriptions). The majority were prescribed by family physicians (67%). Approximately 25% and 50% of prescriptions had serum creatinine and potassium testing within 14 and 30 days, respectively. Of those with lab measurements within 14 days, 13% of prescriptions were associated with AKI and 5% had hyperkalemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Contrary to guidelines, one in 10 kidney transplant recipients are prescribed an NSAID, and most do not get follow-up testing of graft function and hyperkalemia. These findings call for improved education of patients and primary care providers.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in end-stage kidney disease: dangerous or underutilized?

Introduction: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a popular class of analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications, but their use is often avoided in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients due to their reputation for nephrotoxic side effects. This removes a useful agent from the analgesic arsenal, even as ESKD patients suffer from proportionally more severe chronic pain than the general population as well as from a large reliance on opioid medications. Areas Covered: This paper reviews the current literature to comprehensively define the pharmacologic mechanisms and adverse effects of NSAIDs and reassesses the viability of their use in ESKD patients. Expert opinion: The evidence directly examining the impact of NSAIDs on long-term outcomes in ESKD is limited. Further study quantifying the risk of NSAID use - especially in dialysis-dependent patients - is warranted. Given the difficulty in achieving adequate pain control in ESKD patients, limited use of NSAIDs in these patients may yet be justified.

Association between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with end-stage renal disease: a population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) despite clinical guideline recommendations that the use of NSAIDs be avoided in this population. However, the relationship between NSAID use and adverse cardiovascular events remains unclear. Thus, this study investigated the association between NSAID use and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with ESRD.

METHODS

We used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to conduct this population-based cohort study of patients with newly diagnosed ESRD requiring long-term dialysis between 1998 and 2012. Clinical outcomes were evaluated until the end of 2013. Time-dependent Cox regression models were used to investigate the association between NSAID use and MACEs in patients with ESRD.

RESULTS

Among 2349 patients with ESRD receiving dialysis, 1923 (82%) patients used NSAIDs during the follow-up period. Multivariable analysis revealed that compared with nonusers, NSAID users exhibited an increased risk of MACEs with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1.70 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22-2.36). Further analysis demonstrated a significant dose-response relationship between the cumulative use of NSAIDs and MACEs. Adjusted HRs for MACEs were 1.63 (95% CI 1.16-2.30), 1.86 (95% CI 1.22-2.83), and 1.99 (95% CI 1.24-3.20) for cumulative NSAID use of 1-30 defined daily doses (DDDs), 31-90 DDDs, and > 90 DDDs, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that NSAID use may increase the risk of MACEs in patients with ESRD. Clinicians and patients with ESRD should be aware of the potential cardiovascular risks associated with NSAIDs.

Long-term Assessment of NSAID Prescriptions and Potential Nephrotoxicity Risk in Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients

BACKGROUND

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use is recommended to be avoided in kidney transplantation, with a paucity of studies assessing their safety within this population. This study aims to use a large cohort of Veterans Affairs (VA) kidney transplantation recipients to assess the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) with NSAID use.

METHODS

This is a 10-year longitudinal cohort study of adult kidney transplant recipients retrospectively followed in the VA system from 2001 to 2010 that assessed for risk of AKI with NSAID prescriptions. NSAID prescriptions, patient characteristics, and estimated glomerular filtration rates were abstracted from the VA comprehensive electronic health record. NSAID exposure was assessed by duration, dosage, and type. AKI events were defined by ≥50% decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate. Risk was estimated using longitudinal multivariable generalized logistic regression model.

RESULTS

About 5100 patients were included with a total of 29 980 years of follow-up; 671 NSAID prescriptions in 273 (5.4%) patients (2.24 per 100 patient-y) with 472 (70%) high dose were identified. High-dose NSAID prescriptions were associated with 2.83 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.55-5.19; P < 0.001) higher odds of AKI events within a given year; low dose was not associated with AKI (odds ratio, 1.93; 95 % CI, 0.95-6.02; P = 0.256). One 7-day NSAID course was associated with 5% higher odds of increasing AKI events, whereas chronic use (≥180 d) was associated with 3.25 (95% CI, 1.78-5.97; P < 0.001) higher odds of AKI.

CONCLUSIONS

Prescriptions for NSAIDs were uncommon in this cohort but were associated with a significant increase in the risk of AKI, which was impacted by higher NSAID dose and longer NSAID durations.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use in patients with chronic kidney disease are often prescribed from different clinicians than those who diagnosed them

PURPOSE

When prescribing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for chronic kidney disease (CKD), patients' pathology and concomitant medications should be considered. In our pharmaceutical experience, NSAIDs are often prescribed by departments that are different from those that diagnosed CKD. That is, NSAIDs may be prescribed for patients without the advice of the clinicians who diagnosed them. In this study, we aimed to elucidate how frequently such cases occur.

METHODS

We used the large health insurance claims database constructed by JMDC Inc., Tokyo. We evaluated the proportions of CKD diagnosis and NSAID prescription by different clinical departments and institutions.

RESULTS

A total of 224 014 out-patients were included in the analysis; they were divided into CKD (n = 1501) and non-CKD groups (n = 222 513). The internal medicine departments diagnosed CKD most frequently (74.8% of the patients) and surgical departments rarely diagnosed CKD. However, the proportion of prescribed NSAIDs was high in other departments, especially surgical departments. In the CKD group, 50.4% of the patients received CKD diagnosis and NSAID prescription from different clinical departments; 72.8% of the patients received a diagnosis and prescription from different medical institutions.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed that NSAIDs are often prescribed to patients with CKD from different clinicians than those who diagnosed them.

Dialysis timing may be deferred toward very late initiation: An observational study

The optimal timing to initiate dialysis among patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of <5 mL/min/1.73 m2 is unknown. We hypothesized that dialysis initiation time can be deferred in this population even with high uremic burden. A case-crossover study with case (0-30 days before dialysis initiation [DI]) and control (90-120 days before DI) periods was conducted in 1,079 hemodialysis patients aged 18-90 years at China Medical University Hospital between 2006 and 2015. The uremic burden was quantified based on 7 uremic indicators that reached the predefined threshold in case period, namely hemoglobin, serum albumin, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, potassium, phosphorus, and bicarbonate. Dialysis timing was classified as standard (met 0-2 uremic indicators), late (3-5 indicators), and very late (6-7 indicators). Median eGFR-DI of the 1,079 patients was 3.4 mL/min/1.73 m2 and was 2.7 mL/min/1.73 m2 in patients with very late initiation. The median follow-up duration was 2.42 years. Antibiotics, diuretics, antihypertensive medications, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were more prevalently used during the case period. The fully adjusted hazards ratios of all-cause mortality for the late and very late groups were 0.97 (95% confidence interval 0.76-1.24) and 0.83 (0.61-1.15) compared with the standard group. It is safe to defer dialysis initiation among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) having an eGFR of <5 mL/min/1.73 m2 even when patients having multiple biochemical uremic burdens. Coordinated efforts in acute infection prevention, optimal fluid management, and prevention of accidental exposure to NSAIDs are crucial to prolong the dialysis-free survival.

Analgesic Use in Patients With Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Pain is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Analgesics may be appropriate for some CKD patients.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of overall analgesic use and the use of different types of analgesics including acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), adjuvants, and opioids in patients with CKD.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

SETTING

Interventional and observational studies presenting data from 2000 or later. Exclusion criteria included acute kidney injury or studies that limited the study population to a specific cause, symptom, and/or comorbidity.

PATIENTS

Adults with stage 3-5 CKD including dialysis patients and those managed conservatively without dialysis.

MEASUREMENTS

Data extracted included title, first author, design, country, year of data collection, publication year, mean age, stage of CKD, prevalence of analgesic use, and the types of analgesics prescribed.

METHODS

Databases searched included MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. Two reviewers independently screened all titles and abstracts, assessed potentially relevant articles, and extracted data. We estimated pooled prevalence of analgesic use and the I 2 statistic was computed to measure heterogeneity. Random-effects models were used to account for variations in study design and sample populations, and a double arcsine transformation of the prevalence variables was used to accommodate potential overweighting of studies with very large or very small prevalence measurements. Sensitivity analyses were performed to determine the magnitude of publication bias and assess possible sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Forty studies were included in the analysis. The prevalence of overall analgesic use in the random-effects model was 50.8%. The prevalence of acetaminophen, NSAIDs, and adjuvant use was 27.5%, 17.2%, and 23.4%, respectively, while the prevalence of opioid use was 23.8%. Due to the possibility of publication bias, the actual prevalence of acetaminophen use in patients with advanced CKD may be substantially lower than this meta-analysis indicates. A trim-and-fill analysis decreased the pooled prevalence estimate of acetaminophen use to 5.4%. The prevalence rate for opioid use was highly influenced by 2 large US studies. When these were removed, the estimated prevalence decreased to 17.3%.

LIMITATIONS

There was a lack of detailed information regarding the analgesic regimen (such as specific analgesics used within each class and inconsistent accounting for patients on multiple drugs and the use of over-the-counter analgesics such as acetaminophen and NSAIDs), patient characteristics, type of pain being treated, and the outcomes of treatment. Data on adjuvant use were very limited. These results, therefore, must be interpreted with caution.

CONCLUSIONS

There was tremendous variability in the prescribing patterns of both nonopioid and opioid analgesics within and between countries suggesting widespread uncertainty about the optimal pharmacological approach to treating pain. Further research that incorporates robust reporting of analgesic regimens and links prescribing patterns to clinical outcomes is needed to guide optimal clinical practice.

Risk factors of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury: development and validation of a perioperative predictive nomogram

OBJECTIVE

Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI), one of the most severe complications in patients with cardiac surgery, is associated with considerable morbidity, mortality and high costs thus placing a heavy burden to society. Therefore, we aimed to build a predictive model based on preoperative features in order to early recognize and intervene for patients with high risk of CSA-AKI.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, baseline perioperative hospitalization information of patients who underwent cardiac surgery from October 2012 to October 2017 were screened. After multivariate logistic regression, identified independent predictive factors associated with CSA-AKI were incorporated into the nomogram and the discriminative ability and predictive accuracy of the model was assessed by concordance index (C-Index). Additionally, internal validation was performed by using bootstrapping technology with 1000 resamples to reduce the over-fit bias.

RESULTS

In all 4395 patients with cardiac surgery October 2012-October 2017, no patients were excluded for the continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) before surgery while 2495 patients were excluded due to only one or less than one Scr assay post-surgery. In the end, a total of 1900 patients were enrolled in the study, of which 698 patients (74.89%) developed AKI stage 1, 158 (16.96%) AKI stage 2 and 76 (8.15%) AKI stage 3. After multivariate logistic regression, age, perioperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), prothrombin time (PT), with a history of surgery, transfusion, cardiac arrhythmia, coronary heart disease (CHD), or chronic kidney disease (CKD), using calcium channel blocker (CCB), proton pump inhibitors (PPI), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), antibiotic or statin before surgery were predictive factors of CSA-AKI. In addition, the nomogram demonstrated a good accuracy in estimating CSA-AKI, with an C-Index and a bootstrap-corrected one of 0.796 (SD = 0.018, 95% CI 0.795-0.797) and 0.789 (SD = 0.015, 95% CI 0.788-0.790), respectively. Moreover, calibration plots showed an optimal consistency with the actual presence of CSA-AKI.

CONCLUSION

The novel predictive nomogram achieved a good preoperative prediction of CSA-AKI within the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Though the model, the risk of an individual patient with "subclinical AKI" undergoing cardiac surgery could be determined earlier and such application was helpful for timely intervention in order to improve patient's prognosis.

Cyclooxygenase 2 inhibition slows disease progression and improves the altered renal lipid mediator profile in the Pkd2WS25/- mouse model of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Increased levels of cyclooxygenase (COX) derived oxylipins is the earliest and most consistent alteration in the renal oxylipin profile in diverse models of cystic kidney diseases. Therefore, we examined whether a COX2 inhibitor would reduce disease progression in the Pkd2WS25/- mouse model of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD).

METHODS

Weanling normal and diseased male Pkd2 mice were provided diets that provided 0 or 50 mg celecoxib/kg body weight/day, for 13 weeks. Renal disease and function were assessed by histomorphometric analysis of renal cysts and measurement of serum creatinine and urea nitrogen (SUN) levels. Targeted lipidomic analysis of renal oxylipins was performed by HPLC-MS/MS.

RESULTS

Diseased mice had significant cyst involvement and reduced renal function as indicated by elevated serum creatinine and SUN. Celecoxib reduced cyst area by 48%, cyst volume by 70%, and serum creatinine and SUN by 20% and 16%, respectively. Consistent with our previous studies, 8 of the 11 COX derived oxylipins were higher in diseased kidneys. In addition, 24 of 33 lipoxygenase (LOX) derived oxylipins and 7 of 16 cytochrome P450 (CYP) derived oxylipins were lower in diseased kidneys. Celecoxib reduced total and five of the eight individual elevated COX oxylipins and increased 5 of 24 LOX and 5 of 7 CYP oxylipins that were reduced by disease.

CONCLUSIONS

COX2 inhibition ameliorates disease progression, improves renal function and improves the altered oxylipins in Pkd2 mice. This represents a potential new approach for treatment of ADPKD, a disorder for which no effective treatment currently exists.

Association between NSAID use and mortality risk in patients with end-stage renal disease: a population-based cohort study

Background: Pain is one of the most common symptoms experienced by patients with end-stage renal disease. Although NSAIDs may lead to adverse events, NSAID use appears to be considerably high in patients with end-stage renal disease. However, whether NSAID use is associated with an increased risk of mortality in this population remains unknown.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between the use of NSAIDs and the risk of mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Patients and methods: We used the population-based Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to investigate the association between the use of NSAIDs and the risk of mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease receiving dialysis. A total of 3,383 patients with newly diagnosed end-stage renal disease requiring long-term dialysis between 1998 and 2012 were included in the current study, and the study outcome was evaluated until December 31, 2013. Time-dependent Cox regression models were applied to examine the association between NSAID use and mortality risk.

Results: In the study cohort, 2,623 (78%) patients used NSAIDs during the follow-up period. The median follow-up period was 4.0 years, during which 1,515 patients died. The results of multivariable analysis demonstrated that compared with NSAID nonuse, the use of any NSAIDs, nonselective NSAIDs, and selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors was associated with a significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality with an adjusted HR (95% CI) of 1.39 (1.21–1.60), 1.36 (1.19–1.55), and 1.61 (1.42–1.83), respectively.

Conclusion: The results suggest that NSAID use was associated with an increased risk of mortality in the patients with end-stage renal disease. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to validate these observational findings.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs among chronic kidney disease patients: an epidemiological study

BACKGROUND

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be avoided among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Till now, limited data are available on NSAID use in Egypt, and we aimed to study the prevalence and pattern of NSAID use among CKD patients.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was done among 350 CKD adult patients presented to the Main Alexandria University Hospital. Those with end-stage renal disease and diagnosed with acute renal injury and pregnant women were excluded. Demographic and clinical data were collected by interviewing eligible patients. Data about the pattern, history of drug-drug interactions, and knowledge about the NSAID side effects were also gathered.

RESULTS

Of the enrolled patients, 57.1% were hypertensive, 46% were diabetics, 28% had osteoarthritis, and 18.3% had cardiovascular disease. CKD stages were 3.7%, 40.3%, and 56% in stages 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Almost two thirds (65.7%) were NSAID users. Among them, 82.6% were regular users. Headache was the most reported (68.7%) reason of use. The use of drugs which may have drug-drug interaction with the NSAIDs (as diuretics or renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors) was reported in 36%. In multiple logistic regression, the odds of NSAID use decreased by 4% (odds ratio (OR) = 0.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93-0.99, p = 0.01) for every year increase in the patient's age and decreased by 3% (OR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.99, p = 0.01) for every 1 ml/min/1.73 m2 increase in glomerular filtration rate.

CONCLUSION

Despite the hazards of NSAID use on the kidney, still high proportion of CKD patients are using them for a long period and they are simultaneously using other drugs with possible drug-drug interactions. This study provided important information that would decrease the gap in knowledge about the use of NSAID in Egypt. It is recommended that NSAIDs should be used with caution among CKD patients and patients should be advised about its adverse health consequences.

Assessing and Treating Chronic Pain in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease

Pain is one of the most common symptoms among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and is often under recognized and not adequately managed in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Barriers to adequate pain management include poor awareness of the problem, insufficient medical education, fears of possible drug-related side effects, and common misconceptions about the inevitability of pain in elderly and HD patients. Caregivers working in HD should be aware of the possible consequences of inadequate pain assessment and management. Common pain syndromes in HD patients include musculoskeletal diseases and metabolic neuropathies, associated with typical intradialytic pain. Evaluating the etiology, nature, and intensity of pain is crucial for choosing the correct analgesic. A mechanism-based approach to pain management may result in a better outcome. Pharmacokinetic considerations on clearance alterations and possible toxicity in patients with ESRD should drive the right analgesic prescription. Comorbidities and polymedications may increase the risk of drug-drug interactions, therefore drug metabolism should be taken into account when selecting analgesic drugs. Automedication is common among HD patients but should be avoided to reduce the risk of hazardous drug administration. Further research is warranted to define the efficacy and safety of analgesic drugs and techniques in the context of patients with ESRD as generalizing information from studies conducted in the general population could be inappropriate and potentially dangerous. A multidisciplinary approach is recommended for the management of complex pain syndromes in frail patients, such as those suffering from ESRD.

Beliefs influencing community pharmacists' interventions with chronic kidney disease patients: A theory-based qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Drug-related problems (DRPs) are highly prevalent in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Community pharmacists are ideally positioned to manage these DRPs. However, little is known about the factors influencing their interventions with CKD patients.

OBJECTIVES

Using the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this qualitative study sought to: (1) explore the behavioral beliefs (perceived advantages and disadvantages), normative beliefs (perceived expectations of significant others) and control beliefs (perceived barriers and facilitators) influencing community pharmacists' interventions related to identifying and managing DRPs in CKD; and (2) compare these beliefs among three DRPs prevalent in CKD patients.

METHODS

Community pharmacists in Quebec, Canada participated in face-to-face individual semi-structured interviews. The topic guide was based on the TPB. Three vignettes were presented to stimulate community pharmacists' thoughts about their interventions regarding: (1) the use of an inappropriate over-the-counter laxative; (2) prescriptions of anti-inflammatory medications; and (3) non-adherence to antihypertensive medication. Integral transcripts of audio recordings were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings on each of the three DRPs were systematically compared.

RESULTS

Fifteen community pharmacists participated in the study. All expressed a positive attitude toward DRP management, mentioning advantages such as gaining the patient's loyalty as a client and avoiding CKD complications. Participants mentioned that patients and physicians generally approve their interventions, but the dynamics of these relationships may vary depending on the DRP. Common barriers in the management of the three DRPs were the pharmacists' limited time and heavy workloads. The pharmacists felt that the main disadvantage is that these interventions interrupt the workflow in the pharmacy.

CONCLUSION

Community pharmacists hold positive views of their interventions in CKD. However, enhancing community pharmacists' involvement in CKD care may require measures to facilitate pharmacists' proactivity, inter-professional collaboration and a work organization adapted to clinical activities.