Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice最新文献

{"title":"Analysis of Opioid Disposal in Hospitalized Patients According to Dosage Form, Dose, Cost, and Admission Type: A Retrospective Study.","authors":"Nanami Ogura, Michio Kimura, Eri Anbe, Kayo Ito, Norio Suzuki, Eiseki Usami","doi":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_33_26","DOIUrl":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_33_26","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Opioids are essential for cancer pain management but often require dose or route adjustments, leading to disposal of unused medications. This study investigated opioid disposal by dosage form, dose, economic impact, and admission type.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective observational study included patients who received oral or transdermal opioids at Ogaki Municipal Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024. Opioid disposal, defined as nonreusable opioids discarded according to narcotics management records, was identified retrospectively. Disposal volume, cost, and reasons for disposal were evaluated. Costs were calculated using official drug prices (April 2025). Associations between admission type and disposal reasons were analyzed using the Chi-square test.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Eighty-eight patients experienced opioid disposal. The total disposal volume was 3022 units, with a total cost of JPY 599,736 (mean: JPY 6815 per patient). Disposal frequently involved low-dose oral opioid formulations, particularly sustained-release oxycodone (5, 10 mg). Pareto analysis showed that the top five drugs accounted for 59.5% of total disposal costs. Disposal reasons differed significantly by admission type (<i>χ</i> ² = 40.8, df = 4, <i>P</i> < 0.001): death-related disposal occurred only in emergency admissions, whereas planned admissions were more frequently associated with drug changes and represcriptions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Opioid disposal in hospitalized patients occurs frequently, including with low-dose oral formulations. Costs are concentrated in a limited number of drugs and vary by admission type. Optimizing opioid selection and early assessment of administration routes may help reduce unnecessary disposal while maintaining adequate pain control.</p>","PeriodicalId":17158,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice","volume":"15 1","pages":"34"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13619100/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149074997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical Outcomes of Adding Topical Cetirizine to Minoxidil Therapy in Patients with Androgenetic Alopeci.","authors":"Fatemeh Mokhtari, Gita Faghihi, Somayeh Maleki, Sayed Mohsen Hosseini, Parvane Sadeghi Dolatabadi","doi":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_22_26","DOIUrl":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_22_26","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The objective is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding 1% topical cetirizine to 5% topical minoxidil compared with topical minoxidil alone in patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this single-blind randomized clinical trial, 62 patients with AGA were allocated to receive either topical minoxidil 5% twice daily (monotherapy group, <i>n</i> = 31) or topical minoxidil 5% twice daily plus topical cetirizine 1% once daily (adjunctive therapy group, <i>n</i> = 31) for 16 weeks. Primary outcomes included changes in hair density and hair diameter scores. Secondary outcomes were global photography score, patient satisfaction, and treatment-related adverse events.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Both groups demonstrated improvement from baseline in hair density and hair diameter scores after 16 weeks of treatment. However, no significant differences were observed between groups in hair density score (0.65 ± 0.61 vs. 0.68 ± 0.60, <i>P</i> = 0.987), hair diameter score (1.29 ± 0.59 vs. 1.39 ± 0.62, <i>P</i> = 0.628), or global photography score (1.00 ± 0.68 vs. 1.06 ± 0.57, <i>P</i> = 0.697). Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the adjunctive therapy group than in the monotherapy group (1.82 ± 1.07 vs. 1.13 ± 0.85, <i>P</i> = 0.004). Two cases of local irritation were reported in the monotherapy group, whereas no adverse events were reported in the adjunctive therapy group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The addition of 1% topical cetirizine to topical minoxidil did not result in superior objective hair-growth outcomes compared with minoxidil alone. Although patient satisfaction was higher among patients receiving adjunctive cetirizine, this finding may be attributable to factors other than a direct pharmacologic effect. Further double-blind, vehicle-controlled studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to clarify the role of topical cetirizine in the management of AGA.</p>","PeriodicalId":17158,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice","volume":"15 1","pages":"32"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13619102/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149074976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pharmacist-led Chemotherapy Counseling: Impact on Hospital Admissions, Patient Satisfaction, and Cost Avoidance - A Prospective Pre-post Quality Improvement Study.","authors":"Abdulmohsen Assiri, Isra Abu Median, Khalid Alshahrani, Mohammed Asiri, Osama Alsaeed, Ali Asiri, Mona Abashar, Majid Ali, Aseel Alsraeya","doi":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_24_26","DOIUrl":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_24_26","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study evaluated the impact of structured clinical pharmacist-led counseling on hospital admissions due to chemotherapy side effects, patient satisfaction, and cost avoidance in patients receiving intravenous chemotherapy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A prospective pre-post quality improvement study was conducted at a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia. The preintervention cohort (October 2024-February 2025, <i>n</i> = 118) received standard care; the postintervention cohort (April-August 2025, <i>n</i> = 135) received structured 30-min pharmacist-led counseling covering regimen-specific education, anticipatory guidance on toxicity, self-management strategies, red-flag symptom recognition, and monitoring protocols. The primary outcome was the hospital admission rate due to chemotherapy-related side effects. Secondary outcomes included side effect-specific admissions, patient satisfaction, and economic impact.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The intervention achieved a 34.4% relative reduction in admission rates (13.56%-8.89%; <i>P</i> = 0.02; number needed to treat = 22). Complete elimination of admissions for gastrointestinal toxicities and 38.8% reduction in febrile neutropenia admissions were observed. Patient satisfaction reached 94.4%, with 97.2% service coverage. Net cost savings totaled $38,850 over 5 months (ROI: 747%), with febrile neutropenia prevention accounting for 76.6% of savings.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Structured pharmacist-led counseling significantly reduced chemotherapy-related hospital admissions, achieved exceptional patient satisfaction, and demonstrated strong economic value, supporting its integration as standard supportive care in oncology practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":17158,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice","volume":"15 1","pages":"33"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13619101/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149074960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prescription Completeness and Selected Prescribing Indicators in Rural Vietnamese Primary Care: An Uncontrolled Before-and-After Study of a Multifaceted E-prescribing Quality Improvement Intervention.","authors":"Hieu Tri Bui, Tu Thi Cam Le, Duyen Thi Nhan Le, Thang Nguyen","doi":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_48_26","DOIUrl":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_48_26","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The objective of this study was to assess whether a district-led multifaceted e-prescribing quality-improvement intervention improved outpatient prescription completeness and selected prescribing indicators in rural Vietnamese primary care.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this uncontrolled before-and-after study, 1000 health-insurance outpatient e-prescriptions were sampled before the intervention (September-November 2022) and 1000 after it (March-May 2023) from nine public primary healthcare facilities using the Health Information System of Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications (HIS-VNPT; locally recorded as VNPT-HIS). The intervention (December 2022-February 2023) combined prescriber education, drug-information support, audit-feedback, pharmacist-prescriber cross-checking, and administrative reminders. The primary outcome was complete key dosing-instruction documentation. Secondary outcomes were other mandatory completeness fields and selected the World Health Organization/International Network for Rational Use of Drugs prescribing indicators.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Full address documentation remained low (31/1000 [3.1%] vs. 29/1000 [2.9%]; <i>P</i> = 0.79). Complete key dosing instructions increased from 956/1000 (95.6%) to 974/1000 (97.4%; <i>P</i> = 0.03). Mean medicines per prescription did not change significantly (4.08 ± 1.535 vs. 4.20 ± 1.348; <i>P</i> = 0.07), and all medicines were prescribed by international nonproprietary name. Antibiotic prescribing increased from 335/1000 (33.5%) to 447/1000 (44.7%; <i>P</i> < 0.001), vitamin prescribing from 136/1000 (13.6%) to 190/1000 (19.0%; <i>P</i> = 0.001), and essential-medicine use changed only slightly (1480/4078 [36.3%] vs. 1568/4197 [37.4%]; <i>P</i> = 0.31).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>E-prescribing may provide an infrastructure for quality improvement but requires clinical decision support and pharmacy review.</p>","PeriodicalId":17158,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice","volume":"15 1","pages":"35"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13619103/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149074955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Navigating Therapeutic Frontiers: A Meta-review and Meta-analysis of COVID-19 Treatment Options.","authors":"Sarah Mousavi, Mohsen Bigharaz Ardekani, Awat Feizi","doi":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_70_25","DOIUrl":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_70_25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To assess the efficacy and safety of each therapeutic options in the treatment of COVID-19 by assessing the evidence from existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and to carry out an umbrella meta-analysis of all meta-analysis studies to assess the efficacy of each drug. A comprehensive search was carried out in electronic databases for systematic reviews and meta-analyses which compared the efficacy and/or safety of therapeutic options in the treatment of COVID-19. Findings from the reviews were synthesized using tables and forest plots and the pooled estimate of effect size using the DerSimonian and Laird method was used for the updated meta-analysis. The main outcome was mortality. 285 reviews with 152 meta-analyses were included, The analysis of systematic reviews contents indicated that most reviewed drugs were as follows: chroquine/hydroxychloroquine (<i>n</i> = 48), tocilizumab (<i>n</i> = 39), remdesivir (<i>n</i> = 25), corticosteroids (<i>n</i> = 25), JAK inhibitors (<i>n</i> = 12), colchicine (<i>n</i> = 11), ivermectin (<i>n</i> = 8), anakinra (<i>n</i> = 7), favipravir (<i>n</i> = 7), lopinavir/ritonavir (<i>n</i> = 6), ACEI/ARB (<i>n</i> = 6), azithromycin (<i>n</i> = 4), sofosbuvir (<i>n</i> = 4), and Vitamin D (<i>n</i> = 4). Findings from the included reviews suggested that tocilizumab, remdesivir, corticosteroids, JAKI, anakinra, colchicine, ivermectin, and sofosbuvir decreased the rate of mortality significantly in those taking the drugs; otherwise hydroxylchroquine increased the risk of mortality significantly, while Lopinavir/Ritonavir had no benefit and ACEI and azithromycin decreased mortality rate not significantly. lower requirement for mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit admission and a shorter hospital length of stay was observed with the tocilizumab, JAKIs, anakinra, corticosteroids and sofosbuvir Only one third of the included reviews had 70% quality based on the AMSTAR scale assessment. The results of this study have the potential to be a useful tool for the translation of health evidence and for designing the decision support systems for evidence synthesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":17158,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice","volume":"15 1","pages":"29"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13570699/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148956036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of an Oral Melatonin Suspension in Idiopathic Nocturnal Irritability among Infants Older than 6 Months: A Randomized, Single-blind, Quasi-experimental Trial.","authors":"Elham Safdarian, Hossein Saneian, Majid Khademian, Erfaneh Ghassami, Farnaz Ebrahimi, Sayed Ahmad Sajjadi-Sureshjaani, Ali Mohammad Sabzghabaee","doi":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_115_25","DOIUrl":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_115_25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Excessive or frequent night waking in infants can cause significant parental distress, maternal fatigue, family dysfunction, and increased risk of depression and anxiety. Melatonin, a hormone secreted in response to darkness, regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Infants with sleep difficulties may have low melatonin levels; therefore, melatonin supplementation may help improve sleep. This study evaluated the efficacy of an oral melatonin suspension in infants with idiopathic nocturnal irritability.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this randomized, single-blind quasi-experimental clinical trial, infants aged 6-24 months with idiopathic nocturnal restlessness were assigned to receive either oral melatonin (0.1 mg/kg nightly) or a matching placebo for 14 days. Sleep parameters were recorded by parents at baseline and reassessed after treatment. Infants with organic causes of restlessness, sedative medication use, hypersensitivity, or poor adherence were excluded. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests with a significance level of <i>P</i> < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Sixty-seven infants were enrolled; 60 completed the study (30 melatonin and 30 placebo). After 14 days, the melatonin group showed significant reductions in nocturnal awakenings, sleep onset latency, and total nocturnal wakefulness, along with significant increases in longest continuous sleep duration and total sleep time. No significant changes occurred in the placebo group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Melatonin at 0.1 mg/kg appears to be effective and safe as an adjunctive therapy for idiopathic nocturnal restlessness in infants. Further studies with larger samples and longer follow-up are recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":17158,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice","volume":"15 1","pages":"26"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13570694/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148956027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Disease Course, Outcomes, and Complications in Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women with Multiple Sclerosis Treated with Rituximab or Ocrelizumab: A Narrative Review.","authors":"Fereshteh Ashtari, Mahnaz Momenzadeh","doi":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_40_26","DOIUrl":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_40_26","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Multiple sclerosis (MS) predominantly affects women of childbearing age, and decision-making regarding disease-modifying therapies during pregnancy and lactation, particularly for highly effective anti-CD20 therapies such as rituximab and ocrelizumab, remains challenging. This review aims to synthesize available evidence on the course of MS, pregnancy, and neonatal outcomes, complications, and safety considerations in pregnant and breastfeeding women with MS exposed to rituximab or ocrelizumab. This structured narrative review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA reporting framework. A systematic search of major scientific databases was performed for studies published between 2000 and 2026. Included study designs comprised cohorts, registries, case series, case reports, and systematic reviews. Data were extracted based on exposure type (preconception, during pregnancy, postpartum, and during breastfeeding) and key outcomes (relapse and disease activity, live birth, miscarriage, preterm delivery, congenital anomalies, infections, and neonatal immune parameters) and were narratively synthesized. The body of evidence indicates that exposure to rituximab or ocrelizumab, particularly when treatment was administered prior to pregnancy and conception occurred at an interval from the last dose, is often associated with better disease stability during pregnancy and a reduced risk of postpartum relapse. Most reports have not identified a consistent pattern of increased major congenital anomalies, and pregnancy outcomes have generally fallen within expected ranges. The most important neonatal consideration is transient B-cell lymphopenia in some exposures occurring close to late pregnancy; this finding has usually been reported as reversible and requires attention to the timing of live vaccinations. During breastfeeding, existing evidence supports minimal drug transfer into breast milk and the absence of clinically meaningful adverse outcomes in infants. Current evidence suggests that rituximab and ocrelizumab may be considered as strategies for disease control around pregnancy and in the postpartum period in women with active MS. However, decision-making should be individualized, based on disease severity, timing of exposure, maternal benefit, and neonatal monitoring considerations. Prospective studies and expanded pregnancy registries are needed to better evaluate long-term maternal and infant outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":17158,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice","volume":"15 1","pages":"31"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13570691/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148955995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effect of Two Different Pharmacist-led Educations Provided to Patients with Colorectal Cancer Receiving an Oral Antineoplastic Agent: A Comparative Interventional Study.","authors":"Raana Amiri, Ava Mansouri, Maryam Taghizadeh-Ghehi, Zahra Jahangard Rafsanjani, Aarefeh Jafarzadeh Kohneloo, Seyed Amirhossein Emami","doi":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_77_25","DOIUrl":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_77_25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To the best of our knowledge, no report on pharmacist-provided education to patients receiving oral chemotherapy agents in Iran has been published. This study was conducted to compare the effect of two education methods on the knowledge of patients with colorectal cancer who received capecitabine as an oral anticancer drug.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eighty-four patients with colorectal cancer who have received capecitabine were included in the study; 42 patients received a booklet, and 42 other patients received the booklet in addition to a pharmacist-led face-to-face (FTF) education, which was designed based on the standard of MASCC Oral Agent Teaching Tool. Patients were assigned to the study groups using a stratified random sampling method. Patients' knowledge was evaluated in four categories (dosing, administration and method of use; common adverse effects; important adverse effects, and interactions; storage and disposal) by a researcher-developed questionnaire designed and standardized before patient enrollment. Patients' knowledge was assessed before and 3-6 weeks after the educational interventions using the questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The mean knowledge score about capecitabine in both the groups has increased significantly through the study, 21.38 ± 2.57 vs. 17.5 ± 4.47 in the booklet-only group and 22.92 ± 1.45 vs. 16.23 ± 3.44 in the FTF-education-plus-booklet group. In the second group, the mean change of total knowledge score after the intervention was significantly higher compared with the booklet-only group (5.69 ± 3.30 vs. 3.88 ± 3.65, <i>P</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Both patient education methods were effective in increasing patients' drug-related knowledge. Although written educational methods like booklets could improve patients' knowledge, FTF education is more effective.</p>","PeriodicalId":17158,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice","volume":"15 1","pages":"27"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13570701/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148956078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effect of Supplementation with <i>Saccharomyces boulardii</i> in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Double-blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.","authors":"Fariba Pourkarim, Elnaz Khani, Kobra Hamdi, Nazila Soroush-Oskoui, Parvin Sarbakhsh, Hamed Mastaneh, Elnaz Shaseb","doi":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_90_25","DOIUrl":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_90_25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder that affects women during their reproductive age, which may cause infertility. Probiotics may be effective in PCOS by affecting the gut microbiota. We aimed to evaluate the effect of probiotic supplementation on metabolic parameters and androgen levels in women with PCOS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This double-blind, randomized clinical trial was performed on 84 patients aged 18-45 years with PCOS. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups and received probiotics (<i>Saccharomyces boulardii</i>) or a matched placebo for 3 months. Anthropometric parameters, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and abdominal circumference, were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks for all patients. Fasting blood samples were collected before and after the intervention to assess fasting blood sugar (FBS), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and testosterone levels.</p><p><strong>Finding: </strong>Probiotic supplementation significantly decreased testosterone hormone level (<i>P</i> = 0.0029) and DHEA-S level (<i>P</i> = 0.0031) compared to the placebo group. The reduction in the BMI and FBS parameters in the intervention group was significant within the group, but the between-groups difference was not significant. Also, intragroup analysis in the placebo group revealed no significant differences in BMI, FBS, testosterone, or DHEA-S levels before and after the intervention.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Overall, probiotic supplementation of <i>S. boulardii</i> in PCOS women did not affect weight, BMI, or FBS but reduced testosterone and DHEA-S levels. Therefore, <i>S. boulardii</i> probiotics might be beneficial in the management of PCOS patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":17158,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice","volume":"15 1","pages":"30"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13570702/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148956042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relationship between Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Achievement Motivation, and Clinical Performance of Pharmacy Students in Iran: A Cross-sectional Study.","authors":"Sara Salarian, Saeed Mohammad Soleymani, Zahra Khoramdel, Hadi Esmaily","doi":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_118_25","DOIUrl":"10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_118_25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The link between Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), achievement motivation, and clinical performance in Iran's pharmacy education, using Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), is understudied. This study examines associations between MBTI, achievement motivation, and OSCE performance in Iranian pharmacy students.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a cross-sectional study, conducted from February 2020 to June 2021 at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. The MBTI and Hermans achievement motivation questionnaire were provided to the participants. The OSCE was used to assess the students' clinical performance. All scores were calculated, and data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>From a total of 253 students, 196 of them agreed to participate in the study, and 180 students completed the survey (response rate 91.8%). 117 participants were female, and 63 participants were male. The mean age of the students was 24 ± 2.06 years. There were significant correlations between achievement motivation and the percentage of extraversion, thinking, and judging. Analysis of the relationship between students' personality type and scores in different aspects of clinical performance showed that there is a significant and positive correlation between the percentage of extraversion and communication skills, and also a significant and positive correlation between the percentage of judgment and discipline.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study shows that the evaluation of different personality types of pharmacy students can help to improve pharmacist education systems, guide them more effectively in choosing their career in the pharmacy system, and this self-awareness and self-improvement can increase the probability of their future career success.</p>","PeriodicalId":17158,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice","volume":"15 1","pages":"25"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13570690/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148956005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}