1.Rapid health technology assessment of brivaracetam as adjunctive therapy for drug-resistant focal epilepsy
Xiaohua CHOU ; Qian ZHANG ; Xinran QIU ; Bo ZHANG ; Daoli JIANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(17):2320-2326
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of brivaracetam (BRV) as adjunctive therapy in patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy.METHODS PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and official health technology assessment (HTA) agency websites were searched from inception to January 31, 2026 for HTA reports, systematic reviews/meta-analyses, and pharmacoeconomic studies on BRV. After literature screening and quality assessment, a descriptive analysis was performed.RESULTS A total of 21 publications were included: 13 systematic reviews/meta-analyses, 7 pharmacoeconomic studies (including one study that simultaneously conducted a systematic review/meta-analysis), and 2 HTA reports. Regarding efficacy, BRV significantly improved the 50% responder rate [risk ratio (RR)=1.81] and seizure-freedom rate (RR=5.89) versus placebo. Among third-generation anti-seizure medications (ASMs), BRV ranked 1st-2nd for seizure freedom, while its 50% responder rate was at a moderate level. The optimal adult dose for seizure freedom was 100 mg/d. Regarding safety, BRV was well tolerated, overall adverse event rates did not differ from placebo, though withdrawal due to adverse event rates were higher than with placebo. Tolerability ranked 1st-2nd among the third-generation ASMs. Psychiatric/behavioral adverse event rates were lower with BRV (6.4%) than with levetiracetam (14.1%). Regarding cost-effectiveness, BRV showed pharmacoeconomic advantages in countries with lower drug pricing (Australia, Finland) and only in high-risk subgroups in Japan, but did not show such advantages at current prices in the US or Italy. BRV has been included in China’s national reimbursement drug list in 2025, and the economic conclusions drawn during its initial market launch are outdated and require re-evaluation.CONCLUSIONS BRV has proven efficacy and good safety, especially suitable for patients intolerant to levetiracetam. However, due to pricing and medical insurance policies, the cost-effectiveness of BRV after its inclusion in China’s national reimbursement drug list still needs to be re-evaluated.
2.Effects of biapenem on the blood concentration of sodium valproate in patients with severe infections:a re-trospective study
Xiaohua CHOU ; Qian ZHANG ; Zhidong LIU ; Daoli JIANG
China Pharmacy 2025;36(24):3079-3083
OBJECTIVE To analyze the effects of biapenem on the blood concentration of sodium valproate (VPA) in patients with severe infections. METHODS A retrospective collection of patient data was conducted, encompassing individuals admitted to our hospital from January 2021 to May 2024 who were treated with biapenem for severe infections and concurrently or sequentially administered VPA for the prevention or treatment of epilepsy. The effects of various factors on the blood concentration of VPA, including the combination of biapenem, the sequence of biapenem administration, the number of days of biapenem combination, the dosage of biapenem, and the time after biapenem discontinuation. RESULTS A total of 70 patients with 117 VPA blood concentration results were included in this study. When VPA was used alone, no statistically significant difference was observed in the steady-state blood concentrations of VPA between patients who received biapenem first and those who received it later (P> 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the steady-state concentration of VPA in patients who received biapenem in combination for 1 to 3 days and those who did not receive the combination therapy (P>0.05). The steady-state concentration of VPA in patients not receiving biapenem combination therapy was significantly higher than that of the patients who received combination therapy for 4 to 7 days and more than 7 days (P<0.001). With the prolonged duration of combination therapy, the blood concentration of VPA gradually decreased (P<0.001). However, no statistically significant difference was observed between the group receiving combination therapy for more than 7 days and the group receiving it for 4 to 7 days (P> 0.05). After 1 to 3 days of combination therapy, no statistically significant differences in VPA blood concentrations were observed among patients with different discontinuation times of biapenem (P>0.05). The blood concentration of VPA in patients who received combination therapy for more than 3 days was significantly lower than those who discontinued biapenem 4 to 7 days or more than 7 days after more than 3 days of combination therapy(P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in VPA blood concentrations between patients receiving a daily biapenem dose >1.0 g and those receiving a daily dose <1.0 g (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS The concomitant administration of biapenem for 1-3 days has a minimal impact on the blood concentration of VPA. In patients receiving combination therapy for longer than 3 days, VPA blood concentrations return to baseline levels chouxiaoh@163.com within 4-7 days after biapenem discontinuation.
3.Current treatment strategies for ovarian cancer in the East Asian Gynecologic Oncology Trial Group (EAGOT)
Yusuke KOBAYASHI ; Muneaki SHIMADA ; Masato TAMATE ; Hyun Woong CHO ; Jun ZHU ; Hung-Hsueh CHOU ; Hiroaki KAJIYAMA ; Aikou OKAMOTO ; Daisuke AOKI ; Sokbom KANG ; Jeong-Won LEE ; Jae-Weon KIM ; Jae-Hoon KIM ; Zhongqiu LIN ; Jihong LIN ; Xiaohua WU ; Hung-Cheng LAI ; Ting-Chang CHANG ; Chyong-Huey LAI ; Yong Man KIM ; Takayuki ENOMOTO
Journal of Gynecologic Oncology 2024;35(3):e87-
Ovarian cancer, notable for its severe prognosis among gynecologic cancers, has seen substantial progress in treatment approaches recently. Enhanced protocols in chemotherapy and the introduction of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors for maintenance therapy have markedly improved outcomes for patients with specific genetic profiles, such as those positive for BRCA mutations or exhibiting homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). Additionally, the method of intraperitoneal chemotherapy administration has emerged as a valuable alternative to traditional transvenous routes, showing promise for wider clinical adoption. The field of surgery has also evolved, with increasing exploration into the benefits and feasibility of laparoscopic methods over more invasive traditional surgeries, aiming for complete tumor removal but with reduced patient impact. The hereditary nature of ovarian cancer underscores the importance of genetic testing, which has become integral in tailoring treatment strategies, particularly in determining suitability for PARP inhibitors.The formation of the East Asian Gynecologic Oncology Trial Group (EAGOT) aims to optimize treatment across Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan. The ovarian cancer committee of EAGOT shared the current policies, focusing on 5 topics: 1) strategies for maintenance therapy after initial surgery and chemotherapy, 2) drug regimens for platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant recurrence, 3) intraperitoneal chemotherapy, 4) laparoscopic surgery as an alternative to laparotomy, and 5) current status of genetic testing (BRCA, HRD, and panel tests) for ovarian cancer and its prospects. EAGOT’s multi-national trials aim to harmonize these evolving treatment strategies, ensuring that the latest and most effective protocols are accessible across the region, thereby significantly impacting patient outcomes in East Asia.
4.Current treatment strategies for ovarian cancer in the East Asian Gynecologic Oncology Trial Group (EAGOT)
Yusuke KOBAYASHI ; Muneaki SHIMADA ; Masato TAMATE ; Hyun Woong CHO ; Jun ZHU ; Hung-Hsueh CHOU ; Hiroaki KAJIYAMA ; Aikou OKAMOTO ; Daisuke AOKI ; Sokbom KANG ; Jeong-Won LEE ; Jae-Weon KIM ; Jae-Hoon KIM ; Zhongqiu LIN ; Jihong LIN ; Xiaohua WU ; Hung-Cheng LAI ; Ting-Chang CHANG ; Chyong-Huey LAI ; Yong Man KIM ; Takayuki ENOMOTO
Journal of Gynecologic Oncology 2024;35(3):e87-
Ovarian cancer, notable for its severe prognosis among gynecologic cancers, has seen substantial progress in treatment approaches recently. Enhanced protocols in chemotherapy and the introduction of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors for maintenance therapy have markedly improved outcomes for patients with specific genetic profiles, such as those positive for BRCA mutations or exhibiting homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). Additionally, the method of intraperitoneal chemotherapy administration has emerged as a valuable alternative to traditional transvenous routes, showing promise for wider clinical adoption. The field of surgery has also evolved, with increasing exploration into the benefits and feasibility of laparoscopic methods over more invasive traditional surgeries, aiming for complete tumor removal but with reduced patient impact. The hereditary nature of ovarian cancer underscores the importance of genetic testing, which has become integral in tailoring treatment strategies, particularly in determining suitability for PARP inhibitors.The formation of the East Asian Gynecologic Oncology Trial Group (EAGOT) aims to optimize treatment across Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan. The ovarian cancer committee of EAGOT shared the current policies, focusing on 5 topics: 1) strategies for maintenance therapy after initial surgery and chemotherapy, 2) drug regimens for platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant recurrence, 3) intraperitoneal chemotherapy, 4) laparoscopic surgery as an alternative to laparotomy, and 5) current status of genetic testing (BRCA, HRD, and panel tests) for ovarian cancer and its prospects. EAGOT’s multi-national trials aim to harmonize these evolving treatment strategies, ensuring that the latest and most effective protocols are accessible across the region, thereby significantly impacting patient outcomes in East Asia.
5.Current treatment strategies for ovarian cancer in the East Asian Gynecologic Oncology Trial Group (EAGOT)
Yusuke KOBAYASHI ; Muneaki SHIMADA ; Masato TAMATE ; Hyun Woong CHO ; Jun ZHU ; Hung-Hsueh CHOU ; Hiroaki KAJIYAMA ; Aikou OKAMOTO ; Daisuke AOKI ; Sokbom KANG ; Jeong-Won LEE ; Jae-Weon KIM ; Jae-Hoon KIM ; Zhongqiu LIN ; Jihong LIN ; Xiaohua WU ; Hung-Cheng LAI ; Ting-Chang CHANG ; Chyong-Huey LAI ; Yong Man KIM ; Takayuki ENOMOTO
Journal of Gynecologic Oncology 2024;35(3):e87-
Ovarian cancer, notable for its severe prognosis among gynecologic cancers, has seen substantial progress in treatment approaches recently. Enhanced protocols in chemotherapy and the introduction of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors for maintenance therapy have markedly improved outcomes for patients with specific genetic profiles, such as those positive for BRCA mutations or exhibiting homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). Additionally, the method of intraperitoneal chemotherapy administration has emerged as a valuable alternative to traditional transvenous routes, showing promise for wider clinical adoption. The field of surgery has also evolved, with increasing exploration into the benefits and feasibility of laparoscopic methods over more invasive traditional surgeries, aiming for complete tumor removal but with reduced patient impact. The hereditary nature of ovarian cancer underscores the importance of genetic testing, which has become integral in tailoring treatment strategies, particularly in determining suitability for PARP inhibitors.The formation of the East Asian Gynecologic Oncology Trial Group (EAGOT) aims to optimize treatment across Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan. The ovarian cancer committee of EAGOT shared the current policies, focusing on 5 topics: 1) strategies for maintenance therapy after initial surgery and chemotherapy, 2) drug regimens for platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant recurrence, 3) intraperitoneal chemotherapy, 4) laparoscopic surgery as an alternative to laparotomy, and 5) current status of genetic testing (BRCA, HRD, and panel tests) for ovarian cancer and its prospects. EAGOT’s multi-national trials aim to harmonize these evolving treatment strategies, ensuring that the latest and most effective protocols are accessible across the region, thereby significantly impacting patient outcomes in East Asia.
6. Real-world study of ceftazidime-avibactam in the treatment of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacterial infections
Daoli JIANG ; Xiaohua CHOU ; Zhidong LIU ; Wei LI ; Bo ZHANG ; Dongmei LV ; Tao WANG ; Sang XU ; Defei TAN ; Yi FANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2023;28(9):1008-1017
AIM: To describe and evaluate the clinical characteristics, treatment management and clinical outcomes of ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA) in the treatment of patients with multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacterial (MDR-GNB) infections. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed on patients hospitalized in the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from September 2019 to December 2021. Adult patients who received CZA for ≥ 72 hours consecutively were eligible for inclusion. The primary outcome was clinical failure, defined as a composite of 30-day all-cause mortality, microbiological failure and / or failure to resolve or improve signs and symptoms of infection during treatment with CZA. RESULTS: A total of 198 patients with MDR-GNB infections were described and evaluated, including 132 in the carbapenem-resistant Enterobatceriaceae (CRE) cohort and 66 in the Pseudomonas spp. cohort. The main infection sites were lung infection (92.42%), abdominal infection (10.61%), and intracranial infection (10.61%), among which 63 patients (31.82%) were positive for blood culture. Clinical failure, 30-day all-cause mortality and microbiological failure occurred in 61 (30.81%), 33(16.67%) and 11(5.56%) patients, respectively. Body mass index (BMI), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation scoring system (APACHE Ⅱ) and polymicrobial infections were positively associated with clinical outcome failureadjusted OR 1.109, 95%CI 1.017, 1.209; adjusted OR 1.071, 95%CI 1.015, 1.129; adjusted OR 2.844, 95%CI 1.391, 5.814, however, initiation of CZA within 48 hours of admission was protective (adjusted OR 0.424, 95%CI 0.205, 0.879). A total of 15 patients had adverse reactions possibly related to CZA, including 2 cases of rash, 6 cases of nausea and vomiting, and 7 cases of antibiotic-related diarrhea. CONCLUSION: CZA can be used to treat infections caused by a range of MDR-GNB, including Pseudomonas spp. and CRE.
7.Interference Detection and Signal Quality Assessment of Pulse Signals
Aihua ZHANG ; Fangyuan WEI ; Yongxin CHOU ; Xiaohua YANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Instrumentation 2015;(4):235-239
Pulse signal contains a wealth of biological and pathological information. However, it is susceptible to the influence of various factors which results in poor signal quality, and causes the device to generate false alarms. First the pulse signals are processing into discrete symbols, and then compare the test signal with the pulse template by using Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) to get the threshold for which can be used to find the interference segment of the test signal. By analyzing the DTW distance of the pulse signal, we can get the interference degree of the signal, then the quality level of the plus signal can be defined by the relationship between the interference degree and quality of the signal. The 1 055 group pulse signals provided by MIMICⅡphysiological database are used to train and test the signal quality assessment algorithms, and compared with other existing algorithms. The results show that the algorithms can accurately detect interference segments in pulse signal and reflect the quality of it.
8.Interference Detection and Signal Quality Assessment of Pulse Signals.
Aihua ZHANG ; Fangyuan WEI ; Yongxin CHOU ; Xiaohua YANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Instrumentation 2015;39(4):235-239
Pulse signal contains a wealth of biological and pathological information. However, it is susceptible to the influence of various factors which results in poor signal quality, and causes the device to generate false alarms. First the pulse signals are processing into discrete symbols, and then compare the test signal with the pulse template by using Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) to get the threshold for which can be used to find the interference segment of the test signal. By analyzing the DTW distance of the pulse signal, we can get the interference degree of the signal, then the quality level of the plus signal can be defined by the relationship between the interference degree and quality of the signal. The 1 055 group pulse signals provided by MIMIC II physiological database are used to train and test the signal quality assessment algorithms, and compared with other existing algorithms. The results show that the algorithms can accurately detect interference segments in pulse signal and reflect the quality of it.
Algorithms
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Heart Rate
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Humans
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Pulse
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Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

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