Results: Ten patients received MMF for >6 months. MMF PR-171 supplier was introduced due to side effects (5/10 patients) and due to an inadequate response to prior therapy (5/10 patients). Median duration of treatment with MMF was 31

months (range 8-66). Therapeutic MMF plasma trough levels of 1-3 mg/l were reached with daily doses of 1,722 +/- 440 mg MMF. Daily corticosteroid dose could be significantly reduced from 14.3 +/- 13.3 to 6.5 +/- 2.3 mg prednisolone during treatment. During follow-up, pulmonary function, symptoms and radiological signs improved in 4 patients, while 6 patients remained stable. Median change in FVC was +8.5 % (range -2 to 16). No severe adverse events that were related to combined immunosuppressive therapy occurred. Conclusion: This

study indicates that the addition of MMF to corticosteroids is a viable and safe treatment option in CPS. MMF allows a significant reduction of maintenance Small molecule library mouse corticosteroids to levels < 10 mg/day while preserving a stable or improved clinical condition. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel”
“Objectives: Alcohol screening and brief interventions in medical settings can significantly reduce alcohol use. Corresponding data for illicit drug use is sparse. A Federally funded screening, brief interventions. referral to treatment (SBIRT) service program, the largest of its kind to date, was initiated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in a wide variety of medical settings. We compared illicit drug use at intake P505-15 and 6 months after drug screening and interventions were administered.

Design: SBIRT services were implemented in a range of medical settings across six states. A diverse patient population (Alaska Natives, American Indians, African-Americans. Caucasians, Hispanics), was screened and offered score-based progressive levels of intervention (brief intervention, brief treatment, referral to specialty treatment). In this secondary analysis of the SBIRT service program, drug use data was compared at intake and at a 6-month follow-up, in a sample of a randomly selected population (10%) that screened

positive at baseline.

Results: Of 459,599 patients screened, 22.7% screened positive for a spectrum of use (risky/problematic, abuse/addiction). The majority were recommended for a brief intervention (15.9%), with a smaller percentage recommended for brief treatment (3.2%) or referral to specialty treatment (3.7%). Among those reporting baseline illicit drug use, rates of drug use at 6-month follow-up (4 of 6 sites), were 67.7% lower (p < 0.001) and heavy alcohol use was 38.6% lower (p < 0.001), with comparable findings across sites, gender, race/ethnic, age subgroups. Among persons recommended for brief treatment or referral to specialty treatment, self-reported improvements in general health (p < 0.001), mental health (p < 0.001), employment (p < 0.