NPC Archive Item: High-concentration capsaicin patch for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia – more data needed

NOTE – This is an archive post from the NPC and has not been updated since first publication. Therefore, some hyperlinks may no longer be working. In patients who had had postherpetic neuralgia for at least 6 months, a single 60-minute application of an 8% capsaicin patch proved more effective at providing pain relief than […]

NPC Archive Item: Does adding in tocilizumab to DMARDs help in rheumatoid arthritis (TOWARD study)?

NOTE – This is an archive post from the NPC and has not been updated since first publication. Therefore, some hyperlinks may no longer be working. Tocilizumab plus DMARDs was more effective than DMARDs alone at increasing ACR20 response rates in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis who had experienced an inadequate response to […]

NPC Archive Item: Tocilizumab plus methotrexate studied in refractory RA (RADIATE)

NOTE – This is an archive post from the NPC and has not been updated since first publication. Therefore, some hyperlinks may no longer be working. Emery P et al. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2008;67:1516–1523 Tocilizumab with methotrexate was more effective than placebo and methotrexate at increasing ACR20 response rates in patients with moderate […]

NPC Archive Item: Concomitant use of an SSRI and NSAID increases the risk of an upper GI bleed six times

NOTE – This is an archive post from the NPC and has not been updated since first publication. Therefore, some hyperlinks may no longer be working. Loke YK, Trivedi AN, Singh S. Meta-analysis: gastrointestinal bleeding due to interaction between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2008;27:31–40 The relative risk of […]

NPC Archive Item: No reason to stop using paracetamol in children

NOTE – This is an archive post from the NPC and has not been updated since first publication. Therefore, some hyperlinks may no longer be working. Beasley R et al. Association between paracetamol use in infancy and childhood, and risk of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in children aged 6-7 years: analysis from Phase Three of […]

NPC Archive Item: No good evidence for combination antipyretics in children

NOTE – This is an archive post from the NPC and has not been updated since first publication. Therefore, some hyperlinks may no longer be working. Hay AD, Costelloe C, Redmond NM, et al. Paracetamol plus ibuprofen for the treatment of fever in children (PITCH): randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2008;337:a1302 A combination of paracetamol plus […]

NPC Archive Item: Withdrawal of co-proxamol linked to reduced suicides in Scotland

NOTE – This is an archive post from the NPC and has not been updated since first publication. Therefore, some hyperlinks may no longer be working. Sandilands EA & Bateman DN. Co-proxamol withdrawal has reduced suicides from drugs in Scotland. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2008;66:290–3 The withdrawal of co-proxamol has been accompanied by a significant […]

NPC Archive Item: EMEA issues new warning for etoricoxib▼, epoetins and ergot-derived dopamine agonists

NOTE – This is an archive post from the NPC and has not been updated since first publication. Therefore, some hyperlinks may no longer be working. Following reviews of the risks and benefits of several drugs, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has recommended that: warnings and contraindications should be strengthened for etoricoxib▼ for the treatment […]

NPC Archive Item: NICE rejects abatacept for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

NOTE – This is an archive post from the NPC and has not been updated since first publication. Therefore, some hyperlinks may no longer be working. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published guidance on abatacept for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The guidance states that: Abatacept is not recommended for […]

NPC Archive Item: NICE publishes clinical guidance on management of osteoarthritis

NOTE – This is an archive post from the NPC and has not been updated since first publication. Therefore, some hyperlinks may no longer be working. NICE has published its guidance on management of osteoarthritis. ‘Osteoarthritis: the care and management of osteoarthritis in adults’ (NICE CG 59) offers best practice advice on the care of […]