Project rebuild the evidence base (REB): A method to interpret randomised clinical trials and their meta-analysis to present solid benefit-risk assessments to patients

The evidence base of the 10 most prescribed drugs in England, France, and the United States: a scoping review

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether there is evidence of efficacy of the most commonly used medications in their primary indications.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

This scoping review was executed using the Cochrane Library and MEDLINE databases up to May 2023. The 10 most prescribed medications in England, France, and the United States were identified using country-specific public databases. Up to 3 common indications in primary care were defined for each medication, based on a survey of general practitioners. The outcomes were determined by the authors to be patient-important outcomes, with placebo as the comparator. Two investigators independently conducted searches, following a predefined algorithm, to identify randomized controlled trials or meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of these medications for each indication. The risk of bias was assessed using the ROBIS or ROB 2.0 tools.

RESULTS

We identified 21 drugs, covering 56 indications and 114 outcomes. Sixty-seven percent of the evaluated medications demonstrated efficacy for at least one outcome in at least one of the sought indications. Overall, evidence of efficacy was found for 48% of the indications. There was no study evaluating the efficacy of amoxicillin and salbutamol. For other drugs such as phloroglucinol or cholecalciferol, available studies suggested an absence of efficacy in the most common indications.

CONCLUSION

This study underscores the lack of data regarding the level of evidence for the most prescribed medications. Limitations include the choice of outcomes, and the understanding that the absence of evidence is not synonymous with the absence of efficacy.

No evidence of clinical efficacy of oxomemazine in cough, according to a systematic review

PURPOSE

Cough is a prevalent symptom driving patients to seek medical attention in general practice. Despite its widespread use, the clinical efficacy of oxomemazine, the second most reimbursed molecule in France for symptomatic cough treatment, remains uncertain. This study aims to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of oxomemazine in cough.

METHODS

A systematic literature review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted according to the Rebuild the Evidence Base (REB) protocol. Clinical trials comparing the efficacy of oxomemazine versus placebo or active comparator in cough were searched for. Trials with insufficient data were excluded. Searches were conducted across major databases (Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase) and trial registries (World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov). RCTs comparing oxomemazine versus placebo or active comparators in cough were sought. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's RoB2 tool. The protocol was preregistered on PROSPERO under the number CRD42022345496 (15). This study received no funding.

RESULTS

No RCTs were at low risk of bias. Therefore, no meta-analysis was conducted, in accordance to the pre-specified protocol.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review highlights the lack of evidence regarding the efficacy of oxomemazine in cough treatment and underscores the need for further well-designed clinical trials to inform its clinical utility in primary care settings.

Proposition of a transdiagnostic processual approach of emotion dysregulation based on core triggers and interpersonal styles

Emotion dysregulation (ED) has primarily been described in patients suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD) and is an integral part of this diagnosis, but it is also a transdiagnostic construct that can be found in several other psychiatric disorders. The strong relationships between ED and BPD may lead clinicians to underestimate ED associated to other clinical contexts. This can lead to difficulties in diagnostic and treatment orientation, especially in the context of comorbidities. In this article, after reviewing the literature on the development and functioning of emotion dysregulation, and on the evidence for emotion dysregulation in eight disorders (borderline personality disorder, pathological narcissism with/without narcissistic personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorder, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), we present a transdiagnostic processual model of emotion dysregulation based on core triggers and interpersonal styles to try to address this issue and to provide a simple but technical tool to help clinicians in their diagnostic assessment and treatment orientation. By focusing more on typical patterns and interpersonal dynamics than only on categories, we believe that this model may contribute to the actual need for improvement of our current psychiatric classifications, alongside other well-studied and under-used dimensional models of psychopathology (e.g., HiTOP, AMPD), and may be useful to build more specific treatment frameworks for patients suffering from ED.