Projects
In-depth study towards the role of neuromedine U in the stress response and in stress-related CNS disorders Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Exploration of pharmaceutical care services to support adequate medication use in older polymedicated patients in primary care and post-discharge. KU Leuven
Healthcare systems worldwide are struggling to accommodate to the healthcare needs of older patients with polypharmacy, a population that is at high risk for medication misadventures. Drug-related problems and drug-related (re)hospitalizations frequently occur in primary care and are very common post-discharge. Any transition of care puts patients at risk for medication discrepancies, medication errors and drug-related problems.
The ...
Optimization of the counseling on emergency contraception using ‘audit-feedback’ and ‘serious gaming’ implementation strategies KU Leuven
Hormonal emergency contraception is commonly used, as shown by the large number of packages that are dispensed annually in Belgian community pharmacies. From a societal perspective, it is essential that emergency contraception is used correctly and with the necessary professional guidance. As the emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) can be dispensed and reimbursed ‘over-the-counter’, community pharmacists have a crucial role in ensuring its ...
Development and evaluation of advanced clinical decision support systems: a pharmacoepidemiological approach Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Gastrointestinal physiology and drug disposition in geriatric patients KU Leuven
Gastrointestinal factors such as pH and transit times are important determinants for drug absorption. Age-related motility and pH changes, but also malnutrition and the use of specific drug classes are assumed to influence these GI factors. These factors are highly prevalent in geriatric patients. Hence, we will investigate the influence of the former on pH and transit times by means of clinical studies using the Smartpill or salivary tracer ...
Beyond optimising drug exposure: Pharmacodynamic models to bridge the gap between exposure and response to antimicrobial treatments KU Leuven
Dosage regimens are based on randomised controlled trials that usually do not represent the heterogeneity of the final intended real-world treatment population well. Real-world variability in drug exposure is common and can result in suboptimal treatment. To hit a predefined exposure target in each patient, pharmacokinetic (PK) monitoring can be implemented. PK monitoring facilitates the attainment of a desired exposure target by guiding ...
Pharmacometric models for improved therapeutic drug monitoring of ceftriaxone, posaconazole and infliximab KU Leuven
In clinical drug development, “one dose fits all” is a key objective. However, variability in exposure (E) and response (R) is common and can result in suboptimal treatment of individual patients. To hit a predefined E/R target in each patient, “therapeutic drug monitoring” or TDM is often implemented. TDM helps improving attainment of a desired E/R target by guiding individualised drug dosing based upon drug concentrations. “Population ...
Leverage of a non-invasive clinical decision support tool for antibiotic allergy label delabeling and refinement beyond hospital use. KU Leuven
Antibiotic allergy labels (AAL) are observed in 7% of inpatient's charts (Gilissen et al., Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 2021). Although they are often incorrect, they are associated with increased length of hospital stay, and use of second-line and broad-spectrum antibiotics (Gilissen et al., submitted). We recently prospectively evaluated, for the first time in Europe, a non-invasive delabeling protocol in adult ...
I am so tired of existing: Clarifying the complex and multilayered Experience of ToL by a multi-informant interdisciplinary approach KU Leuven
A phenomenon that receives increasing interest in society is that of older adults who experience their life as completed and of no value anymore. This phenomenon is labeled ‘tiredness of life’ (ToL) but very little empirical knowledge of what ToL is, seems currently available and no insight seems present for nursing home residents (NHRs), a growing population in western societies. Therefore, the IDN project ‘ClarEToL’ aims to provide a full ...