BackgroundLong-term therapies such as disease modifying therapy for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) demand high levels of medication adherence in order to reach acceptable outcomes. The objective of this study was to describe adherence to four disease modifying drugs (DMDs) among statutorily insured patients within two years following treatment initiation. These drugs were interferon beta-1a i.m. (Avonex), interferon beta-1a s.c. (Rebif), interferon beta-1b s.c. (Betaferon) and glatiramer acetate s.c. (Copaxone).MethodsThis retrospective cohort study used pharmacy claims data from the data warehouse of the German Institute for Drug Use Evaluation (DAPI) from 2001 through 2009. New or renewed DMD prescriptions in the years 2002 to 2006 were identified and adherence was estimated during 730 days of follow-up by analyzing the medication possession ratio (MPR) as proxy for compliance and persistence defined as number of days from initiation of DMD therapy until discontinuation or interruption.FindingsA total of 52,516 medication profiles or therapy cycles (11,891 Avonex, 14,060 Betaferon, 12,353 Copaxone and 14,212 Rebif) from 50,057 patients were included into the analysis. Among the 4 cohorts, no clinically relevant differences were found in available covariates. The Medication Possession Ratio (MPR) measured overall compliance, which was 39.9% with a threshold MPR≥0.8. There were small differences in the proportion of therapy cycles during which a patient was compliant for the following medications: Avonex (42.8%), Betaferon (40.6%), Rebif (39.2%), and Copaxone (37%). Overall persistence was 32.3% at the end of the 24 months observation period, i.e. during only one third of all included therapy cycles patients did not discontinue or interrupt DMD therapy. There were also small differences in the proportion of therapy cycles during which a patient was persistent as follows: Avonex (34.2%), Betaferon (33.4%), Rebif (31.7%) and Copaxone (29.8%).ConclusionsTwo years after initiating MS-modifying therapy, only 30–40% of patients were adherent to DMDs.

BackgroundThe aim of this study is to analyse the prevalence of transmitted drug resistance, TDR, and the impact of TDR on treatment success in the German HIV-1 Seroconverter Cohort.MethodsGenotypic resistance analysis was performed in treatment-naïve study patients whose sample was available 1,312/1,564 (83.9% October 2008). A genotypic resistance result was obtained for 1,276/1,312 (97.3%). The resistance associated mutations were identified according to the surveillance drug resistance mutations list recommended for drug-naïve patients. Treatment success was determined as viral suppression below 500 copies/ml.ResultsPrevalence of TDR was stable at a high level between 1996 and 2007 in the German HIV-1 Seroconverter Cohort (N = 158/1,276; 12.4%; CIwilson 10.7–14.3; p for trend = 0.25). NRTI resistance was predominant (7.5%) but decreased significantly over time (CIWilson: 6.2–9.1, p for trend = 0.02). NNRTI resistance tended to increase over time (NNRTI: 3.5%; CIWilson: 2.6–4.6; p for trend  = 0.07), whereas PI resistance remained stable (PI: 3.0%; CIWilson: 2.1–4.0; p for trend  = 0.24). Resistance to all drug classes was frequently caused by singleton resistance mutations (NRTI 55.6%, PI 68.4%, NNRTI 99.1%). The majority of NRTI-resistant strains (79.8%) carried resistance-associated mutations selected by the thymidine analogues zidovudine and stavudine. Preferably 2NRTI/1PIr combinations were prescribed as first line regimen in patients with resistant HIV as well as in patients with susceptible strains (susceptible 45.3%; 173/382 vs. resistant 65.5%; 40/61). The majority of patients in both groups were treated successfully within the first year after ART-initiation (susceptible: 89.9%; 62/69; resistant: 7/9; 77.8%).ConclusionOverall prevalence of TDR remained stable at a high level but trends of resistance against drug classes differed over time. The significant decrease of NRTI-resistance in patients newly infected with HIV might be related to the introduction of novel antiretroviral drugs and a wider use of genotypic resistance analysis prior to treatment initiation.

Data on the clinical course of infection in patients with transmitted drug-resistant HIV before and after initiation of treatment are scarce. Patients and methodsGenotypic resistance was analysed in 504 therapy-naïve individuals with a known date of infection. Resistance was predicted using the Stanford algorithm. Clinical parameters for 80 individuals with transmitted drug-resistant HIV and for 424 patients with susceptible virus were analysed. Results

Purpose Overuse of antibiotics is of concern, but may differ between European countries. This study compares outpatient use of oral antibiotics between Germany (DE) and the Netherlands (NL). Methods For DE, we used the DAPI database with information on dispensings at the expense of the Statutory Health Insurance Funds from > 80% of community pharmacies. For NL, data were obtained from the Dutch Foundation for Pharmaceutical Statistics. Use of oral antibiotics was estimated as defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID), except for age comparisons as packages per 1000 inhabitants annually. National time trends were assessed with linear regression, stratified for the major antibiotic classes, and individual substances. Results From 2012 to 2016, outpatient antibiotic use was lower in NL than in DE (9.64 vs 14.14 DID in 2016) and non‐significantly decreased slightly over time in both countries. In DE, dispensings of oral antibiotics to children were higher compared with NL for the age groups 2 to 5 (2.0‐fold in 2016) and 6 to 14 years (2.7‐fold in 2016). Use of cephalosporins was very low in NL (0.02 DID in 2016), but the second most frequently dispensed class in DE (2.95 DID in 2016). Conclusion From 2012 to 2016, outpatient use of oral antibiotics was lower in NL than in DE. Differences were primarily observed in the age groups 2 to 5 and 6 to 14 years, although the recommendations of evidence‐based guidelines in both countries were in agreement.

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