Improved influenza vaccination rates in a rural population as a result of a pharmacist-managed immunization campaign

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To increase the rate of influenza vaccinations in high-risk patients by means of a pharmacist-managed immunization campaign.

DESIGN

Unblinded, single intervention.

SETTING

Rural primary care clinic.

PATIENTS

Six hundred fifty-seven patients at high risk for contracting influenza according to criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

INTERVENTION

High-risk patients identified by chart review were mailed an education packet on influenza immunization. Vaccinations were given in specially designated clinics and during routine clinic visits. Campaign success and reasons why patients remained unvaccinated were determined by follow-up surveys.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The influenza vaccination rate increased from 28% at baseline (before program initiation) to 54% after program initiation. Unvaccinated patients were younger and resided in more urban areas than vaccinated patients; vaccinated patients had a higher frequency of cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus. Vaccinated patients consistently identified the education packet and their health care providers as primary motivators for vaccination.

CONCLUSION

Our pharmacist-managed vaccine program increased the influenza immunization rate in high-risk patients.

Home care pharmacy: extending clinical pharmacy services beyond infusion therapy

A clinical pharmacy program was developed at an established home health care (HHC) agency to demonstrate the need for clinical pharmacy services in the HHC population and to explore opportunities for providing pharmaceutical care beyond infusion-related therapies. Initial experiences of this pilot project are described. Patients were found to be primarily elderly (mean age, 70 years) and to use a substantial number of medications. While only 11% of patients referred to the agency required infusion therapy, multiple opportunities for pharmacist involvement in patient care were identified and a variety of projects were undertaken. A drug information service was developed, a retrospective evaluation of patients with congestive heart failure led to an interventional study, a cisapride intervention was implemented, home vancomycin monitoring was assessed, pharmaceutical care services were provided to patients enrolled in a long-term home care program, a pain management initiative was begun, adverse drug reactions were identified and reported, and pharmacists participated in agency policy development. Preliminary data suggest that pharmacist involvement positively affected patient care. Drug information was provided on 232 occasions. Cisapride was discontinued in five patients with contraindications to the agent. Comprehensive pharmacotherapy assessments were performed on 29 long-term-care patients, generating 129 therapy recommendations of which 33% were accepted. Pharmacists working with a home care agency identified numerous opportunities for improving patient care. Many of the patients receiving home care services were elderly, took a substantial number of medications, and were at risk for drug-related problems and suboptimal therapy.

The efficacy of exit site povidone-iodine ointment in the prevention of early peritoneal dialysis-related infections

Infections are the main complications of peritoneal dialysis, and currently there is no established method for prevention. A prospective, randomized, single-blind study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of regular application of povidone-iodine ointment at the catheter site (during the entire time on the study) in peritoneal dialysis. One hundred twenty patients were randomized; three were excluded for not completing the study. Sixty-one patients received application of povidone-iodine and 56 patients received standard care. Povidone-iodine ointment was effective in delaying infectious complications, with a lower proportion of treated patients having infections (exit site and peritonitis) within 140 days of starting dialysis compared with the controls (P = 0.04, Wilcoxon test). This protective benefit was lost after 140 days on dialysis. Staphylococcus aureus infections developed in only two (3.3%) of the treated patients compared with 10 (21.4%) of the controls (P = 0.009), despite the higher rate of S aureus nasal carriage in the treated group (22 of 61 patients [36%] v 14 of 56 patients [25%]).

Successful vaccination with intradermal hepatitis B vaccine in hemodialysis patients previously nonresponsive to intramuscular hepatitis B vaccine

Seventy-seven chronic hemodialysis patients were vaccinated against hepatitis B virus with an intramuscular (im) hepatitis B vaccine (HBV), 40 micrograms at 0, 1, 2, and 6 months. Fifty-seven patients (74%) developed antibodies (anti-HBs). The im-responsive patients were significantly younger than the nonresponsive patients (P < 0.05). Nineteen of the 20 im nonresponders received HBV intradermally (id), 5 micrograms every 2 wk until anti-HBs developed; the 20th patient died before receiving the id vaccine. Three patients were lost to follow-up. Fifteen (94%) of the 16 developed anti-HBs after 5.2 +/- 4.7 months. The peak anti-HBs titers were 726 +/- 426 (im) and 211 +/- 260 (id) IU/L (P < 0.05). Twelve (21%) of the 57 im-responsive patients and 8 (53%) of the 15 id-responsive patients had anti-HBs less than 20 IU/L at 18 and 8 months postvaccination, respectively (P < 0.05). Further preliminary data indicate that more prolonged id vaccination can increase both the titer and the duration of anti-HBs in im-nonresponsive patients.

Influence of subject age on the inhibition of oxidative metabolism by ciprofloxacin

Case reports suggest that the magnitude of inhibition of oxidative metabolism produced by ciprofloxacin may be greater in elderly subjects. We examined the effect of oral ciprofloxacin on antipyrine disposition in 13 young (ages, 23 to 34 years) and 9 elderly (ages, 65 to 82 years) healthy volunteers. Ciprofloxacin decreased antipyrine oral clearance in young and elderly subjects (P less than 0.05), with the average decreases being similar in both groups (23.3% for the young subjects and 27.9% for the elderly subjects). Ciprofloxacin concentrations in serum were significantly higher (mean, 57%) in the elderly. The formation clearance of 4-hydroxyantipyrine and 3-hydroxymethylantipyrine was also significantly decreased in both groups of subjects; however, norantipyrine formation, accounting for 15 to 20% of antipyrine clearance, was reduced only in the elderly. These results suggest that elderly subjects are not more sensitive to the inhibitory effect of ciprofloxacin on antipyrine metabolism. However, careful clinical monitoring is necessary with all patients, irrespective of age, taking ciprofloxacin concomitantly with drugs primarily eliminated by the cytochrome P-450 system.

Effects of ciprofloxacin on testosterone and cortisol concentrations in healthy males

Several inhibitors of oxidative drug metabolism inhibit the synthesis of endogenous compounds such as testosterone and cortisol. Since ciprofloxacin is a potent inhibitor of the metabolism of a number of drugs, we studied its effect on serum testosterone and cortisol concentrations in eight healthy male subjects. Blood samples were collected over a 12-h period under baseline conditions and following the first and final doses of ciprofloxacin (500 mg orally every 12 h for 4 days). No significant differences in concentrations or area under the concentration-time curve were found when baseline values were compared with those observed for either testosterone or cortisol after ciprofloxacin administration. These results suggest that ciprofloxacin is unlikely to have either antiandrogenic side effects or clinical utility in lowering testosterone or cortisol concentration.