Recent publications - Department of Pharmacy

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Johnson, Hannah; Dolk, Helen; Loane, Maria; Damase-Michel, Christine; Given, Joanne & Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland [Show all 23 contributors for this article] (2026). Case-malformed signal detection and prioritisation using EUROmediCAT data for pharmacovigilance in pregnancy. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. ISSN 0306-5251. 92(10), p. 3586–3597. doi: 10.1002/bcp.70645. Full text in Research Archive
Alcalde-Herraiz, Marta; Du, Mike; Sanchez-Parada, Aina; Duarte-Salles, Talita; Palomar-Cros, Anna & Giuliodori, Agustina [Show all 13 contributors for this article] (2026). The effectiveness of HPV vaccination against invasive cervical cancer and related precancerous lesions: a multinational target trial emulation study. The Lancet Primary Care. 2(3). doi: 10.1016/j.lanprc.2026.100114. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines prevent HPV infection and related disease. 15 years after the first HPV vaccination programmes were launched in Europe, their long-term effectiveness can now start to be assessed. We designed a target trial emulation study to estimate the effectiveness of HPV vaccination in preventing invasive cervical cancer and high-grade precancerous lesions using three primary care databases. Methods In this target trial emulation study, we analysed primary care records from the UK (Clinical Practice Research Datalink; data from Sept 9, 1987 to Dec 15, 2023), primary care records linked to hospital records from Catalonia, Spain (Sistema d’Informació per al Desenvolupament de la Investigació en Atenció Primària; Jan 1, 2006 to June 30, 2023), and nationwide linked health registry (including primary care, secondary care, and other health data) in Norway (Norwegian Linked Health Registry; Jan 1, 2018 to Dec 31, 2023), all standardised to the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership common data model. We included women aged 15 years or younger in 2008, coinciding with the start of public vaccination programmes. Exposure was defined as receiving one or more HPV vaccine doses by age 15 years. The main outcomes included high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+), invasive cervical cancer, and conisation (as a proxy for CIN2+ diagnosis). Vaccinated and unvaccinated cohorts were sequentially matched on an annual basis by year of birth, location, and propensity scores, with up to five vaccinated people matched to an unvaccinated individual. Vaccine effectiveness, based on incidence rate ratios after 15 years of follow-up, were calculated using Poisson regression. Results across databases were meta-analysed using fixed-effects. The specified primary analysis in the original protocol was designed to assess exposure by HPV brand versus unvaccinated populations; however, due to the low number of events by brand, the study was underpowered and the primary analysis was amended to assess HPV vaccination exposure overall (any brand) versus unvaccinated. Findings After two-step matching, our analysis included 81 863 vaccinated and 46 357 unvaccinated women from the UK; 148 214 vaccinated and 39 952 unvaccinated from Spain; and 14 885 vaccinated and 4073 unvaccinated from Norway. Fewer than five cervical cancers were observed per cohort, precluding vaccine effectiveness estimation for this outcome. Meta-analytic vaccine effectiveness at 15 years was 42% (95% CI 6–64) against CIN2+ and 58% (6–82) against conisation. Interpretation Our estimates of vaccine effectiveness against CIN2+ and conisation in Europe align with estimates from previous systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials. We also observed an increased health-seeking behaviour among vaccinated individuals, suggesting that our study might have underestimated vaccine effectiveness. Further studies with longer follow-up are needed to estimate vaccine effectiveness against cervical cancer.
Bøyum, Ingvild Reinseth; Grønlien, Krister Gjestvang; Oftedal, Thomas; Kjos, Morten; Carlsen, Harald & Tønnesen, Hanne Hjorth (2026). The bacteriocin enterocin EJ97s retains its antibacterial effect upon interaction with human serum albumin. Journal of Applied Microbiology. ISSN 1364-5072. 137(8). doi: 10.1093/jambio/lxag193. Full text in Research Archive
Carson, Alexis Christine; Zidan, Mahmoud; Olstad, Emilie Willoch; Gervin, Kristina; Galesloot, Tessel E. & Scholte, Iris [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2026). Genetically Informed Research Designs in Perinatal Pharmacoepidemiology: A Methodological Overview. Drug Safety. ISSN 0114-5916. 49(7), p. 761–773. doi: 10.1007/s40264-026-01647-9. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Despite the widespread use of medications during pregnancy, ethical and methodological barriers to clinical trials make observational studies necessary for evaluating medication safety in this population. Observational studies are prone to biases that often limit their validity due to the lack of randomization; integrating genetic information through discordant sibling designs, polygenic scores, and Mendelian randomization can address several confounding issues. However, application of these three approaches in perinatal pharmacoepidemiology has been limited. Complementing traditional designs with these genetically informed research designs can tackle common biases and strengthen causal inference. This paper focuses on applying genetically informed research designs to child outcomes in perinatal pharmacoepidemiology by reviewing various methods, discussing their strengths and limitations, and examining their application to date, as well as considerations for implementing them in future research. Such considerations include the availability of genetic data, the complexity of integrating genetic data with existing epidemiological data, and selection of appropriate genetic instruments for analyses. Incorporating causal inference in perinatal pharmacoepidemiology can ultimately contribute to enhancing safe medication use during pregnancy.
Cuk, Ana; Vingen, Hans Vangsnes; Sande, Sverre Arne & Hiorth, Marianne (2026). Development of an injectable, in situ formed hydrogel for controlled delivery of local anesthetics by exploiting synergism between thermoresponsive block copolymers and alginate, chitosan, or hyaluronate. Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications. 14. doi: 10.1016/j.carpta.2026.101158. Full text in Research Archive
Mrsa, Ago; Larsen, Bjarke Strøm; Halvorsen, Trine Grønhaug & Reubsaet, Leon (2026). Dual Functionality in Whole Blood Microsampling: Combining Plasma Separation and Immunoaffinity Cleanup for LC-MS Based Targeted Protein Analysis. Journal of Proteome Research. ISSN 1535-3893. 25(9), p. 4665–4675. doi: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.6c00092. Full text in Research Archive
Vingen, Hans Vangsnes; Ćuk, Ana; Sauter, Axel Rudolf; Spigset, Olav; Andersen, Finn Husøy & Skedsmo, Fredrik [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2026). Prolonging peripheral ropivacaine nerve block with an in situ-formed hydrogel carrier: randomized controlled trial in an ovine model. Regional anesthesia and pain medicine. ISSN 1098-7339. doi: 10.1136/rapm-2026-108092. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background Local anesthetics are effective for regional anesthesia but have a relatively short duration of action. This motivates the development of sustained-release delivery systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether an in situ-forming hydrogel composed of poloxamers and alginate could prolong the duration of ropivacaine-induced sensory and motor blockade. Methods In this randomized and blinded two-period cross-over study, 10 female sheep received ultrasound-guided sciatic nerve injections of either 200 mg ropivacaine poloxamer-alginate hydrogel (Rop-HG) or 200 mg, as a control, plain ropivacaine solution (Rop-C). Sensory and motor functions were assessed repeatedly using a standardized clinical scoring system. Plasma ropivacaine concentrations were measured over time, and postmortem histopathological evaluation of the sciatic nerve and surrounding tissues was performed. Results Rop-HG markedly prolonged block duration compared with Rop-C, increasing the median (IQR) sensory block from 24 hours (IQR 16–36) to 60 hours (IQR 60–72) and the median motor block from 16 hours (IQR 16–18) to 60 hours (IQR 36–72). Pharmacokinetic analysis showed a sharp early peak for Rop-C (median C max 5101 nmol/L and median T max 0.33 hours), whereas Rop-HG produced a lower and delayed profile (median C max 558 nmol/L and median T max 8 hours). Histopathology revealed more pronounced and persistent local tissue reactions in Rop-HG-treated limbs, characterized by degeneration, necrosis, and inflammation. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided perineural injections of 200 mg Rop-HG substantially prolonged the clinical duration of sciatic nerve block and reduced early systemic exposure compared with a 200 mg plain ropivacaine solution. However, the formulation was associated with severe local tissue degeneration, necrosis, and inflammation. Consequently, it remains unclear whether the prolonged clinical effect resulted from a sustained pharmacological release of ropivacaine or from the local tissue toxicity. Further optimization of the formulation is required before clinical translation.
Limoncella, Giorgio; Girardi, Anna; Bartolini, Claudia; Hyeraci, Giulia; Roberto, Giuseppe & Paoletti, Olga [Show all 48 contributors for this article] (2026). Identifying Pregnancies in Population-Based Data Sources: Development and Application of the ConcePTION Pregnancy Algorithm. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. ISSN 1053-8569. 35(8). doi: 10.1002/pds.70438. Full text in Research Archive
Phan, Tuan Anh; Palm, Pia; Stiphout, Anita van Haaren-van; Graav, Gretchen de; Lea, Marianne & Wøien, Hilde [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2026). Serious gaming as a platform for interprofessional education about the medication process: A curricular resource for students of medicine, pharmacy, and nursing. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice. 45, p. 1–6. doi: 10.1016/j.xjep.2026.100846. Full text in Research Archive
MacSweeney, Niamh; Dumoulin, Taleah Nanon; Aksnes, Eira Ranheim; Barth, Claudia; Crestol, Arielle & Heller, Carina [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2026). Adolescent Hormonal Contraceptive Use in the Context of Brain Development and Depression Risk: A Review and Considerations for Future Research. Biological Psychiatry: Global Open Science. 6(5), p. 100758–100758. doi: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2026.100758. Full text in Research Archive
Zielke, Claudia; Rad, Behzad; Nielsen, Josefine Eilsø; Li, Jiaxin; Pimcharoen, Sopida & Sawant, Manasi [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2026). Human cathelicidin peptide LL-37 compacts nucleic acids and alters neutrophil extracellular trap structure. Scientific Reports. 16(1). doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-48091-4. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
The human cathelicidin host defense peptide LL-37 is expressed by many cell types, including neutrophils, macrophages, and epithelial cells, and forms complexes with nucleic acids that can have either beneficial or detrimental health effects. We suggest that these differential impacts are directly connected to the extent of nucleic acid binding by LL-37. Here, we use phage λ DNA and techniques such as high-resolution video microscopy, gel electrophoresis, circular dichroism, and displacement assays to show that LL-37 binds non-specifically to dsDNA, condensing it, followed by formation of progressively larger complexes from smaller domains, until “complete” complexation is attained at a (w/w) ratio of DNA/LL-37 of 1:1.7. The morphology of these complexes is concentration-dependent, with relatively low LL-37 amounts yielding loosely aggregated DNA structures and higher LL-37 concentrations leading to well-defined, disc-like complexes of about 150 nm in diameter. The condensation of nucleic acids, which causes a loss of the characteristic B-DNA features, results from interactions of the phosphodiester backbone with cationic amino acid side chains of the peptide at physiological pH, most likely in A-T rich sequences of the nucleic acid. Our results show that the α-helical structure of the peptide with its amphipathic and hydrophobic surfaces is essential. Finally, we show that LL-37 complexation alters the structure of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), causing a significant reduction in projected NET area at high LL-37 concentrations. Our data suggest that LL-37 helps prevent nucleic acid dispersal and condenses dsDNA, which may impact the biophysics of NET clearance.
Kadir, Lavin; Bjørknes, Marthe Rambøl; Waaseth, Marit; Holst, Lone; Nilsen, Marianne Kollerøs & Granås, Anne Gerd [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2026). Pharmacy Stories: Creating a digital learning platform on pharmacy history. Pharmacy Education. ISSN 1560-2214. 26(1), p. 330–338. doi: 10.46542/pe.2026.261.330338. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background: Norwegian pharmacy students seem to be taught less pharmacy history than other European students. Historical insight is essential for understanding our current professional challenges. However, there is a lack of appropriate educational tools to give students vital insights into pharmacists' experiences of their professional role and function in society over time. The aim of this study is to establish a digital learning platform on pharmacy history accessible to all pharmacy departments in Norway. Methods: Video- and audio recordings and images from interviews with 33 elderly pharmacists were analysed. The emerging themes were categorised and further developed into learning modules on a digital learning platform (Canvas), accompanied by suitable video/audio clippings from the interviews. Additional learning resources and assignments were incorporated. Results: Six learning modules with associated subthemes were developed. The modules were: 1) Pharmacy and the pharmacist, 2) Medicines and medicine use, 3) The medication user, 4) Legislation, 5) Global health and emergency preparedness, and 6) Pharmaceutical research. The subthemes include, e.g. Drug shortage, Ethics in pharmacy, Pharmaceutical information and Pharmacy legislations. Conclusion: A digital learning platform which accommodates the dissemination of real-world stories from pharmacists to today’s pharmacy students and academic staff is established. This work is done in collaboration between five Departments of pharmacy in Norway.
Trinh, Nhung; Fukasawa, Toshiki; Yanai, Takanori; Okura, Takayuki; Takayama, Atsushi & Sakai, Takamasa [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2026). Paediatric outpatient antibiotic utilization patterns and use of healthcare services before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: interrupted time series analysis using data from Norway and Japan. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. ISSN 0305-7453. 81(7). doi: 10.1093/jac/dkag217. Full text in Research Archive
Dolk, Helen; Damase-Michel, Christine; Morris, Joan; Neville, Amanda; Garne, Ester & Jordan, Sue [Show all 28 contributors for this article] (2026). The EUROmediCAT Network and Databases: A Resource for Pharmacovigilance in Pregnancy. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. ISSN 1053-8569. 35(5). doi: 10.1002/pds.70360. Full text in Research Archive
Damkier, Per; Gelder, Marleen van; Huybrechts, Krista F.; Meng, Lin Chieh; Hernandez-Diaz, Sonia & Nielsen, Jan [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). Paternal use of metformin and risk of major congenital malformations: A meta-analysis of 4 studies. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. ISSN 0306-5251. 92(6), p. 1940–1943. doi: 10.1002/bcp.70547. Full text in Research Archive
Baklouti, Sarah; Rigourd, Virginie; Panchaud, Alice; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland; Allegaert, Karel & Annaert, Pieter [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2026). Population pharmacokinetic modelling of amoxicillin in human breast milk—A contribution from the ConcePTION project. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. ISSN 0306-5251. doi: 10.1002/bcp.70434. Full text in Research Archive
Christensen, Jakob; Trabjerg, Betina B.; Gelder, Marleen van; Meng, Lin Chieh; Lai, Hsi Yu & Igland, Jannicke [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2026). Risk of neurodevelopmental disorders associated with paternal use of valproate during spermatogenesis: a living meta-analysis—version 1. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. ISSN 0022-3050. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2026-338454. Full text in Research Archive
Svendsen, Randi Maria Hamre; Hagesæther, Ellen; Fischer, Sarah Maud; Bjerknes, Kathrin; Brustugun, Jørgen & Tho, Ingunn (2026). Manipulating prednisolone tablets for paediatric adjustments – dose accuracy and precision. European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy (EJHP). ISSN 2047-9956. doi: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2025-004873. Full text in Research Archive
Chatha, Zeenat Fatima; Trinh, Nhung; Rostami, Sina; Bergink, Veerle; Carson, Alexis Christine & Magnus, Per [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2026). Timing of antidepressant initiation postpartum and maternal mental health outcomes up to 18 months after childbirth. The European Journal of Psychiatry. ISSN 0213-6163. 40(2). doi: 10.1016/j.ejpsy.2026.100352. Full text in Research Archive
Korelc, Karin; Arumughan, Vishnu; Henrik-Klemens, Åke; Larsson, Anette & Tho, Ingunn (2026). Early-stage pharmaceutical development of bilayer buccal films with a chitosan backing layer for local pain management in oral mucositis. European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. ISSN 0928-0987. 221. doi: 10.1016/j.ejps.2026.107530. Full text in Research Archive
Jøsendal, Anette Vik; Sobakk, Ole Martin; Granås, Anne Gerd & Eek, Anne Katrine (2026). The Use of Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) in Older Adults Receiving Multidose Drug Dispensing; Interactions, Anticholinergic and Fall-Risk Increasing Drugs. Geriatrics (Basel). 11(2). doi: 10.3390/geriatrics11020030. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Objectives: To examine the prescribing of non-vitamin K-dependent oral anticoagulants (DOACs) among multidose drug dispensing (MDD) users aged ≥65 years, and to describe associated drug–drug interactions (DDIs), concomitant use of fall-risk increasing drugs (FRIDs) and anticholinergic drugs (AC). Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of anonymized MDD medication lists from 87,519 patients in 2018. DDIs were identified using The Norwegian Medical Products Agency interaction tool, FRIDs were defined using the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare list, and the CRIDECO Anticholinergic Load Scale assessed anticholinergic burden. Results: Among the 13,215 patients aged 65 and older the mean number of prescribed medications was 10.3. At least one DDI involving the prescribed DOACs was present in 26.8% of patients, whereas severe DDIs were rare (0.2%). Almost all (96.7%) used at least one FRID, and nearly half (46.8%) had an anticholinergic score ≥ 3. Conclusions: DOACs are frequently prescribed together with medications that increase the risk of falls and bleeding. These findings highlight the need for individualized risk–benefit evaluations and deprescribing or substituting high impact FRIDS and ACs when clinically appropriate.
Gervin, Kristina; Kverneland, Magnhild; Nakken, Karl Otto; Rudi, Knut; Iversen, Per Ole & Landmark, Cecilie Johannessen [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2026). DNA methylation of antiseizure medication metabolism genes and pharmacokinetic changes in adult epilepsy patients treated with the modified Atkins diet. Genes & Nutrition. ISSN 1555-8932. 21. doi: 10.1186/s12263-026-00796-x. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background The modified Atkins diet is increasingly used as an adjunctive therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy. Recent evidence suggests that such dietary interventions may affect the pharmacokinetics of antiseizure medications and induce DNA methylation changes. However, it remains unclear whether epigenetic regulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes contributes to variability in medication serum levels. Results We analyzed 58 adults with drug-resistant epilepsy treated with a modified Atkins diet for 12 weeks. DNA methylation was profiled in peripheral blood before diet initiation (baseline) and after 4 weeks and 12 weeks using a genome-wide array. A total of 131 cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites mapped to 13 candidate genes involved in antiseizure medication metabolism were assessed. One CpG in the CES1 gene showed significant methylation changes from baseline to 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and across all timepoints (FDR = 0.0018), indicating consistent longitudinal effects. Repeated measures correlation analyses were used to evaluate within-individual associations between DNA methylation and antiseizure medication serum concentrations. Two CpG–drug associations showed strong positive intra-individual correlations: CYP3A5 methylation was significantly associated with carbamazepine serum levels (repeated measures correlation coefficient = 0.81, FDR = 0.023), whereas CYP3A4 methylation showed a similarly strong but borderline association with topiramate (correlation coefficient = 0.76, FDR = 0.051). Conclusions This study finds that a modified Atkins diet may be associated with DNA methylation variation at genes involved in drug metabolism. Furthermore, DNA methylation levels were strongly associated with individual serum concentrations of certain antiseizure medications. These findings are consistent with the concept of a diet–epigenome–drug metabolism axis and warrant further investigation in larger studies to assess clinical implications for personalized dietary and pharmacological management in epilepsy.
Glatkauskas, Mikas; Syversen, Malin Olsen; Mathiesen, Liv; Scott, Michael; Svensberg, Karin & Denstad, Berit Gallefoss [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2026). Perspectives on shared decision making related to medications from patients with multiple long-term conditions transitioning from hospital to home: a qualitative study. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy. ISSN 2210-7703. doi: 10.1007/s11096-026-02143-x. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Introduction Shared decision making is particularly important for patients with multiple long-term conditions due to the nature of long-term treatments and frequent changes in medication regimens. However, the complexity of the medication regimens could exclude these vulnerable patients from shared decision making. There is little knowledge about how patients with multiple long-term conditions experience and perceive shared decision making. Aim The aim was to explore the perspectives and experiences of patients with multiple long-term conditions regarding shared decision making related to medications before, during and after a hospital stay. Method Semi-structured interviews with 21 patients and three next of kin were conducted. Patients ≥ 18 years, usually living at home, on at least four medications for at least two separate conditions were included. These patients were purposively sampled from two geriatric wards and one internal medicine ward at a university hospital in Norway and interviewed approximately 14 days post hospital discharge. The inclusion and interviews lasted from December 2022 to February 2024. A semi-structured interview guide was used, and the qualitative data were analyzed using directed content analysis guided by the three-talk model developed by Elwyn et al. from 2017. Results Patients reported not being invited to be part of the shared decision-making process and perceived their limited medical knowledge as a barrier to being invited to participate. They reflected on themselves being primarily focused on single details regarding one medication option they had received. Furthermore, they were not encouraged by the healthcare professionals to discuss and compare different medication options. Both patients and next of kin described an expectation that decisions being made by healthcare professionals would be accepted although the patient did not necessarily understand the treatment plan adequately. Several patients reported that healthcare professional led decisions left little to no room for further discussion and that medication decisions and patient health goals were almost solely in the hands of the healthcare professional. Although most patients trusted the healthcare professional to act in their best interests, this reliance resulted in further disengagement from their own treatment. Conclusion Patients with multiple long-term conditions were in general unfamiliar with and uninvolved in shared decision making related to medications. Additionally, the patients reflected on a lack of invitation to team talk which resulted in limited patient involvement both in option and decision talk.
Johnsen, Hennie Marie; Nguyen, Maria Tuyet Nhi; Larsen, Tove; Filtvedt, Werner Olav; Hiorth, Marianne & Klaveness, Jo (2026). Innovative oral formulations with silicon nanoparticles for co-delivery of poorly soluble drugs and hydrogen gas. International Journal of Pharmaceutics. ISSN 0378-5173. 697. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2026.126845. Full text in Research Archive
Christensen, Sofie; Björnsdottir, Ingunn; Lauritzen, Fredrik & Gjelstad, Astrid (2026). Anti-doping awareness among community pharmacists in Norway: a study using a simulated patient. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice (IJPP). ISSN 0961-7671. 34(2), p. 140–146. doi: 10.1093/ijpp/riaf128. Full text in Research Archive
Svendsen, Randi Maria Hamre; Andersen, Jennifer Kathleen Neily; Sporrong, Sofia Kälvemark; Andersson, Yvonne & Tho, Ingunn (2026). Off-Label Manipulation of Paediatric Medication Remains a Challenge in Clinical Practice: An Observational Study. Acta Paediatrica. ISSN 0803-5253. doi: 10.1111/apa.70523. Full text in Research Archive
Kinge-Rasmussen, Mathilde; Olstad, Emilie Willoch; Bjørk, Marte-Helene; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland; Tan, Manuela & Gervin, Kristina [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2026). Genetic susceptibility for neurodevelopmental disorders in children born to women with epilepsy. Brain Communications. 8(2). doi: 10.1093/braincomms/fcag078. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Children of women with epilepsy have higher rates of neurodevelopmental disorders including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), than the general population. This likely reflects a complex gene-environment interplay, but the specific contribution of genetic susceptibility, independent of in utero antiseizure medication exposure, remains unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for ADHD and ASD are elevated in these children compared to the general population and to assess associations with childhood neurodevelopmental traits. We analysed genetic and questionnaire data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). We included children born to women with epilepsy (n = 422) and children of mothers without epilepsy (n = 73 300). The parent-reported neurodevelopmental traits hyperactivity, inattention, social difficulties, language difficulties, repetitive behaviour and motor difficulties were measured using z scores at ages 0.5, 1.5, 3, 5 and 8 years. The genetic susceptibility was calculated as PRSs for ADHD and ASD. Children born to women with epilepsy had higher PRSs for ADHD (mean difference = 0.09, P = 0.07), not ASD (mean difference = 0.014, P = 0.78), compared to those without epilepsy. In these children, we observed stronger associations between the ADHD PRSs and neurodevelopmental traits closely linked to ADHD, specifically hyperactivity and inattention for all ages examined with the strongest association at 8 years. For the ASD PRSs, we observed stronger associations with motor development and language difficulties particularly at 5 years in children born to women with epilepsy. Although these associations were in the same direction and statistically significant for all ages in the general population, they did not reach statistical significance in children born to women with epilepsy. Findings from this study show that the ADHD and ASD PRSs were more strongly associated with hyperactivity/inattention, and with language/motor difficulties respectively in children born to women with epilepsy, compared to the general population. However, statistical significance was not reached likely due to limited sample size. These findings underscore the importance of considering genetic predisposition when assessing neurodevelopmental risks in this population.
Jøsendal, Anette Vik; Bergmo, Trine Strand; Clausen, Stine S.; Hammar, Tora; Lind, Karianne Fredenfeldt & Manskow, Unn Sollid [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). Digitally shared medication lists – A scoping review. International Journal of Medical Informatics. ISSN 1386-5056. 215, p. 106443–106443. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2026.106443. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background Access to accurate information about prescribed medications is crucial for effective patient care, particularly during care transitions, as discrepancies in medication records can lead to inappropriate prescribing and adverse drug reactions. In response, several countries are developing systems for digitally shared medication lists (SMLs) to improve medication management. This scoping review synthesizes existing evidence on SMLs, defined as systems that electronically transfer and aggregate real-time information about patients’ current medications across provider organizations, excluding systems limited to one-to-one transfers. Methods A Preferred Reporting Items for Scoping Review (PRISMA) guided approach was followed. We searched CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science in January 2025. Pairs of reviewers independently screened and extracted data on characteristics, aims, types of systems, and outcomes related to SMLs. Results A total of 24 studies were included examining 11 distinct SML systems across eight countries, categorizing them into three main types: 1) National, centralized medication lists/databases; 2) Shared electronic health record (EHR) systems; and 3) Complementary or temporary solutions. The findings indicate that SMLs can enhance patient safety by providing healthcare professionals with more accurate medication information, enabling automated safety checks, and reducing discrepancies. However, challenges related to data quality, usability, and unclear responsibilities for maintaining SML accuracy remain. Conclusions SML systems have been implemented in only a few countries and need better integration with clinical workflows to achieve desired effects. Future research should focus on the impact of patient engagement on medication safety, and the long-term effects of SMLs on clinical outcomes. Highlights • Scoping review of 24 studies on digitally shared medication lists (SMLs). • Identified 11 SML systems implemented across eight countries. • SMLs improve availability and completeness of medication information. • Persistent discrepancies and data quality issues limit safety gains. • Evidence on hard clinical outcomes of SMLs remains scarce and mixed.
Trinh, Nhung; Rostami, Sina; Pedroncelli, Michele; Cheesman, Rosa Catherine Gillespie; Magnus, Per Minor & Johansson, Stefan [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). Prenatal antidepressant use and longitudinal differences in BMI up to 8 years of age in the offspring born to mothers with depression/anxiety in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study. Journal of Affective Disorders. ISSN 0165-0327. 405. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.121552. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background: No study has explored how prenatal antidepressant exposure affects offspring body mass index (BMI) throughout childhood. Methods: We used data from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) linked to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway and the MoBa Genetics. We included 6084 pregnancy-child dyads (singleton, liveborn) with child BMI data up to 8 years, born to women with pre-pregnancy depression/anxiety. Prenatal antidepressant exposure groups include continued antidepressants in pregnancy (n = 626), discontinued antidepressants proximal to pregnancy (n = 412), or unexposed to antidepressants (n = 5046). Mean BMI differences over time between groups were calculated using multilevel mixed-effect linear models. Results: Children born to continuers had comparable childhood BMIs with those born to unexposed mothers or mothers who discontinued antidepressant, in overall and in both sexes. However, higher BMI was observed up to 3 years among male offspring of continued mothers compared to discontinuers in those exposed to selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitor before pregnancy (β = 0.334; 95% CI: 0.081 to 0.588 at baseline). Lower BMI was seen among female offspring born to continued vs. discontinued mothers with larger gap over time, especially between low-moderate use of antidepressant vs. discontinuation during pregnancy. Analyses integrating parental genetic liability for depression, BMI, and antidepressant response using polygenic risk scores in (n = 1913) suggests potential influence of the genetic component on the longitudinal differences in BMI in some strata. Conclusion: The childhood BMI of children born to mothers with pre-pregnancy depression/anxiety did not differ across prenatal antidepressant trajectories. Exploratory analyses revealed differences at specific timeframes which are sex-specific and potentially influenced by genetic liability profiles.
Kozlíková, Magdaléna; Aukrust, Inger Kristine Fjeldskaar; Rohlíčková, Monika; Macháček, Miloslav; Berg, Alf Kristian & Weyergang, Anette [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2026). Photochemical enhancement of PD-L1-SAP immunotoxin efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines. Frontiers in Immunology. 17. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1750003. Full text in Research Archive
Zugic, Milica; Pejic, Natasa; Hayati, Saeed; Gelder, Marleen van & Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland (2026). Development of a novel adherence scale for antidepressants in pregnancy: Results from a cross-sectional study. Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy (ERCSP). 21. doi: 10.1016/j.rcsop.2026.100704. Full text in Research Archive
Arumughan, Vishnu; Korelc, Karin; Tho, Ingunn & Larsson, Anette (2026). The influence of substituents of cellulose ethers on their interaction with chitosan surfaces. Colloid and Interface Science Communications. 70. doi: 10.1016/j.colcom.2025.100867. Full text in Research Archive
Maccarronello, Anna; Cardullo, Nunzio; Pinto, Diana; Francesco, Antonella Di; Pittalà, Maria Gaetana Giovanna & Rodrigues, Francisca [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). Exploring the metabolic fate of antioxidant and hypoglycemic compounds from Pistacia vera shells through in vitro simulated digestion and untargeted metabolomics. Food Chemistry. ISSN 0308-8146. 485. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.144514. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Pistacia vera L. shells (PS) are a sustainable source of health-promoting ingredients. The metabolic fate of a PS extract with antioxidant/antiradical and hypoglycemic properties prepared by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was investigated through in vitro gastrointestinal digestion to consider its potential value as nutraceutical ingredient. The results revealed significant changes in the phytochemical profile, bioactivity, and bioaccessibility of the extract during digestion. According to LC-ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS analysis, compounds were mainly preserved in the oral (40.48 μg/mg DW) and gastric (73.67 μg/mg DW) phases, and less in the intestinal phase (13.24 μg/mg DW). α-Amylase inhibitory properties of PS extract remained consistent during digestion, whereas α-glucosidase inhibition and antioxidant/antiradical effects gradually decreased. Multivariate data analysis confirmed the interdependency between phytochemical composition and bioactivity of undigested extract and its digests. This study represents a step forward for developing PS-based functional foods, providing unique insights into the metabolism of PS bioactive constituents under simulated gastrointestinal conditions.
Zwiers, Laura C.; Grobbee, Diederick E.; Schneijdenberg, Rob; Baljé, Corine; Laurent, Samantha St. & Esposito, Daina B. [Show all 24 contributors for this article] (2025). Clinical Course, Outcomes, and Risk Factors of Myocarditis and Pericarditis Following Administration of mRNA-1273 Vaccination: A Protocol for a Federated Real-World Evidence Vaccine Safety Study Using Data from Five European Data Sources. Vaccines. 13(7). doi: 10.3390/vaccines13070755. Full text in Research Archive
Pham, Aina Kristin; Hiorth, Marianne & Rongved, Pål (2025). A novel and stable formulation of powdered high-assay calcium hypochlorite as a solid precursor of the antimicrobial compound hypochlorous acid: a preformulation study. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology. ISSN 1773-2247. 113. doi: 10.1016/j.jddst.2025.107292. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) has been strongly recognized in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a well-known antimicrobial compound with a broad-spectrum effect that demonstrates excellent clinical safety results in wounds. However, stable HOCl products remain unavailable due to challenges in maintaining storage stability, particularly at higher concentrations (≥200 μg g−1) at room temperature. To address this limitation, we investigated calcium hypochlorite (Ca[OCl]2) as a stable solid precursor for in-situ HOCl generation. This paper presents comprehensive preformulation characterization data, including powder stability analysis and release kinetics, establishing the foundational parameters necessary for future product development. We have demonstrated that commercial Ca(OCl)2 granules dissolves in a buffered medium and converts to HOCl at the time of use. However, the granules convert too slowly and may jeopardize user-friendliness. Through a mixed multivariate experimental design, we found that grinding the granules into a powder (particle sizes between 45 and 500 μm) significantly improved the conversion rates, achieving ≥99.4 % conversion within 10 s of shaking in acetic acid buffer pH 4.3 for samples equivalent to 2000 μg g−1 HOCl. Particles sized 125–150 and 180–250 μm showed rapid dissolution, with ≥98.4 % conversion within just 1 s of shaking. Powdered Ca(OCl)2 was stable for at least 24 months at 23 °C ± 2 when stored dry (≤5 % degradation), though higher temperatures and moisture negatively affected the storage stability. Flow behavior of powdered Ca(OCl)2 was also studied by the angle of repose, Hausner's ratio and compressibility index for future production purposes of the novel formulation. Good flow was observed for powders above 250 μm in particle size, whereas the tests failed for particle size below 150 μm. In summary, these findings demonstrate that powdered Ca(OCl)2 is highly stable under the proper storage conditions, making it a promising and novel HOCl precursor formulation for combating bacterial biofilm and other topical microbial infections.
Cuk, Ana; Sande, Sverre Arne & Hiorth, Marianne (2025). Development of an injectable, in situ formed hydrogel for controlled release of local anesthetics. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology. ISSN 1773-2247. 112. doi: 10.1016/j.jddst.2025.107242. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Injectable hydrogels are recognized as interesting delivery systems for local anesthetics. Calcium-alginate is expected to have particularly high potential due to the well-documented biocompatibility and the assumed beneficial effect on neural tissue. Formulating an injectable calcium-alginate hydrogel is complex since the phase transition and the mechanical properties may be changed by specific drug molecules. The purpose of this study was to investigate possibilities for encapsulating lidocaine, with the focus on tuning the gelling kinetics and the viscoelastic properties to achieve gelling time between 1 and 2 min followed by controlled drug release. Rheological analysis identified the [Ca2+]/[COO−] ratio as the key factor that could be manipulated to fine-tune both the gelling time and the crosslinking density. By lowering the ratio from 15 to 10, the gelling time was prolonged from 1.61 to 2.63, and from 1.57 to 2.78 min, for 1 % (w/v) and 1.5 % (w/v) alginate, respectively. In the presence of lidocaine, the gelling times were reduced, resulting in <0.75–0.95 min for 1 % (w/v), and 1.02–1.68 min for 1.5 % (w/v) alginate. The accompanying decreases in storage moduli by lowering the ratio from 15 to 10 were almost 90 % in the drug-free formulations, and about 60 % in the presence of drug. Lidocaine affected the storage moduli in formulations with high ratio by reducing them by about 50 %. Despite the apparently reduced crosslinking density, the investigated gels displayed favorable mechanical properties and drug retention capacity, with about 80 % of lidocaine being released by Fickian diffusion during 8 h.
López-Güell, Kim; Català, Martí; Dedman, Daniel; Duarte-Salles, Talita; Kolde, Raivo & López-Blasco, Raúl [Show all 38 contributors for this article] (2025). Clusters of post-acute COVID-19 symptoms: a latent class analysis across 9 databases and 7 countries. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. ISSN 0895-4356. 185. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2025.111867. Full text in Research Archive
Mølgaard-Nielsen, Ditte; Mitter, Vera; Lupattelli, Angela; Hoxhaj, Vjola; Navarro, Constanza L. Andaur & Hayati, Saeed [Show all 23 contributors for this article] (2025). Identification of gestational diabetes mellitus in European electronic healthcare databases: insights from the ConcePTION project. BMJ Open. 15(10). doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-102343. Full text in Research Archive
Paulsson, M.; Svendsen, Randi Maria Hamre; Andersen, Jennifer Kathleen Neily; Sporrong, S. Kälvemark; Andersson, Yvonne & Tho, Ingunn (2025). Challenges and Considerations in Manipulating Oral Dosage Forms in Paediatric Healthcare Settings: A Narrative Review. Acta Paediatrica. ISSN 0803-5253. 114(10), p. 2480–2489. doi: 10.1111/apa.70199. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Aim To explore the challenges and risks associated with the manipulation of solid oral dosage forms in paediatric healthcare. To compile recommendations to support the safety, efficacy and patient outcomes in paediatric patients. Methods A narrative review was conducted based on literature searches in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science (2000–2024), including regulatory guidelines and clinical case reports. Selection focused on studies involving oral drug manipulation in children, particularly dose extraction, dispersing tablets, and administration via enteral tubes. Results Between 15%–37% of paediatric oral drug administrations require manipulation due to lack of age-appropriate formulations. Common manipulations include tablet splitting, crushing or dispersing, often resulting in dose inaccuracies, variable solubility and inconsistent pharmacokinetics. Risks are elevated in children using enteral feeding tubes or when manipulating poorly soluble drugs. Studies show manipulation can lead to dosing errors with potential harm. Conclusion Oral drug manipulation in paediatrics is widespread but often unsupported by evidence. Safer practices require improved access to licensed formulations, better training and clinical support tools. Pharmacy compounding, personalised manufacturing and technologies like 3D printing may reduce risks. Regulatory alignment and interdisciplinary collaboration are critical to improving drug safety and outcomes for paediatric patients.
Vallejo-Yagüe, Enriqueta; Vries, Sieta T. de; Parra-Casado, Daniel La; Gardarsdottir, Helga; Faquetti, Maria Luisa & Valkengoed, Irene van [Show all 27 contributors for this article] (2025). Advancing Health Equity in Europe: Explore, Tailor, Implement, and Evaluate (ETIE)—A Framework of Diversity and Fairness in Pharmacoepidemiologic Research. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. ISSN 1053-8569. 34(7). doi: 10.1002/pds.70175. Full text in Research Archive
Beslay, Marie; Geissbühler, Yvonne; Beau, Anna Belle; Messina, Davide; Benevent, Justine & Ballardini, Elisa [Show all 25 contributors for this article] (2025). Identifying multiple sclerosis in women of childbearing age in six European countries: a contribution from the ConcePTION project. European Journal of Epidemiology (EJE). ISSN 0393-2990. 40(8), p. 891–904. doi: 10.1007/s10654-025-01264-3. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has increased over the last decades, primarily among women of childbearing age. Several algorithms for identifying MS have been described in the literature, providing heterogeneous prevalence estimates. We compared five algorithms to identify MS in women of childbearing age and estimated MS prevalence by time period and age-group. The study population included women aged 15 to 49 years-old between 2005 and 2019, from three data sources including all women (from Italy, Norway, and Wales), and three including pregnant women only (from France, Finland, and Spain; data collected around pregnancy). Five algorithms were tested: MS1 to MS3 combined MS diagnoses and MS-medicine prescriptions/dispensations, requiring 1, 2, or 3 occurrences, respectively; MS4 and MS5 used only MS diagnoses, requiring at least 2 occurrences (MS4 allowed just 1 if diagnosis was from inpatient care). In 2015–2019, MS prevalence based on MS1 ranged from 109 to 359 per 100,000 women: 109 in France, 121 in Spain, 195 in Wales, 232 in Finland, 264 in Italy, and 359 in Norway. More restrictive algorithms led to greater disparity, with MS3 ranging from 53 in Spain to 325 in Norway, and MS5 from 21 in France to 345 in Norway. All algorithms showed expected prevalence trends by time and age among women of childbearing age, though lower than in the literature. Overall, MS1 provided prevalence estimates most closely aligned with existing literature. This study offers key insights into choosing algorithms for identifying MS in women of childbearing age and in pregnant women.
Beau, Anna Belle; Paoletti, Olga; Bénévent, Justine; Beslay, Marie; Moisset, Xavier & Ballardini, Elisa [Show all 24 contributors for this article] (2025). Identifying Maternal Conditions Leading to Gabapentinoid Prescriptions in Pregnancy Using Electronic Health Records from Six European Countries: A Contribution from the IMI ConcePTION Project. Drug Safety. ISSN 0114-5916. 48(11), p. 1189–1204. doi: 10.1007/s40264-025-01565-2. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Introduction and Objective Given the recent increase in the prescription and dispensation of gabapentinoids (gabapentin and pregabalin) and the importance of controlling for underlying maternal illnesses in drug safety studies, we aimed to develop algorithms for identifying maternal conditions leading to gabapentinoid prescribing among pregnant women using data from six electronic healthcare data sources across Europe. Methods The study was conducted in Finland, France (Haute-Garonne), Italy (Emilia Romagna), Norway, Spain (Valencian region), and Wales (UK), covering three million pregnancies from 2006 to 2020. Algorithms were developed to detect epilepsy, neuropathic pain, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (approved indications for gabapentinoids by the European Medicines Agency, with the exception of gabapentin for GAD) using data ± 1 year around the gabapentinoid prescription date. Data included prescriber specialty, primary and specialized health care diagnoses, and co-prescription/dispensation data. Additional analyses investigated potential unlicensed indications (such as fibromyalgia, restless legs syndrome, bipolar disorder) and potential for abuse (using codes for substance use disorders and alcohol withdrawal). Results Gabapentinoids were prescribed/dispensed in 1770 pregnancies (7.7 per 1000) in Spain, 2912 pregnancies (6.6 per 1000) in Wales, 3163 pregnancies (3.6 per 1000) in Norway, 2406 pregnancies (3.0 per 1000) in Finland, 908 pregnancies (2.2 per 1000) in Italy, and 269 pregnancies (1.9 per 1000) in France. A maternal condition related to gabapentinoid prescriptions was identified by the algorithm in 2797 (88.4%) in Norway, 2180 (74.9%) in Wales, 1269 (71.7%) in Spain, 1534 (63.8%) in Finland, 163 (60.6%) in France, and 396 (43.6%) pregnancies in Italy. Anxiety (licensed or unlicensed) was the most commonly captured condition in Wales (70.5%), Spain (51.5%), Finland (42.0%), and Italy (26.2%), whereas neuropathic pain prevailed in Norway (76.9%) and France (49.8%). Epilepsy was the least frequent maternal condition leading to gabapentinoid prescriptions across all data sources (below 15% of all pregnancies). The relative preponderance of these conditions differed between pregabalin and gabapentin. Additionally, unlicensed indications were captured in 0% to 13% of pregnancies, depending on the data source. The analyses of potential for abuse showed that records of alcohol withdrawal and/or substance use disorders (within 1 year before and after the gabapentinoids prescription/dispensation date) were present in 3% of pregnancies in Italy and up to 23% in Wales. Conclusions Our study provides valuable insights into gabapentinoid use during pregnancy, with anxiety being the most common condition among pregnant women with gabapentinoid prescriptions in Finland, Italy, Spain, and Wales, whereas neuropathic pain predominated in France and Norway. Moreover, we found that between 3 and 23% of these pregnancies were associated with substance abuse, underscoring the need for careful prescribing of commonly abused medicines. The proposed methods for detecting maternal conditions leading to prescribing will facilitate accurate assessment of medication use and safety during pregnancy, whilst addressing confounding by indication.
Given, Joanne; Paoletti, Olga; Bromley, Rebecca; Ballardini, Elisa; Beau, Anna Belle & Bartolini, Claudia [Show all 20 contributors for this article] (2025). The Effect of Different Algorithms on Prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Secondary Healthcare Data in Five European Countries: A Contribution from the ConcePTION Project. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. ISSN 0162-3257. doi: 10.1007/s10803-025-06997-4. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
To assess the effect on prevalence estimates of using different algorithms to identify children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in healthcare data. Three algorithms were developed and run on administrative/research data in Finland, France (Haute Garonne), Italy (Emilia Romagna), Norway and Wales: (1) ≥ 1 ADHD or ASD diagnoses recorded in specialist settings, (2) ≥ 2 ADHD or ASD diagnoses recorded in primary care and (3) ≥ 1 prescription for medication to manage ADHD. Prevalence rates per 1000 children for each algorithm were calculated. 3,130,162 children (born 1996–2020) with 29,291,204 years of follow-up were included. ADHD prevalence per 1000 children in specialist settings ranged from 3.9 (Emilia Romagna) to 24.1 (Finland); and was 7.0 in primary care (Finland). Based on prescriptions, ADHD prevalence ranged from 0.1 (Emilia Romagna) to 9.9 (Haute Garonne). ASD prevalence in specialist settings ranged from 5.6 (Wales) to 9.7 (Finland), and in primary care from 1.0 (Finland) to 2.0 (Wales). Prevalence of ADHD and ASD was greater among children with longer follow-up. In Finland and Wales, 1.7% and 19.4% of children were diagnosed with ASD in primary care only respectively. The male:female ratio was 3–4:1. Whilst there was considerable geographical variation in the length of follow-up available, and prevalence of ADHD and ASD, specialist diagnoses recorded in healthcare data were key to identifying children with these disorders. These data sources can be complemented by using primary care diagnoses and prescription data to identify affected children more comprehensively.
Zidan, Mahmoud; Trinh, Nhung; Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa; Smith, Louisa H.; Gelder, Marleen van & Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in pregnancy: Emulating trial NCT04754594 using observational data from Norwegian health registries. Vaccine. ISSN 0264-410X. 68. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127908. Full text in Research Archive
Beslay, Marie; Beau, Anna Belle; Messina, Davide; Benevent, Justine; Ballardini, Elisa & Barrachina-Bonet, Laia [Show all 25 contributors for this article] (2025). Methods of estimating prevalence of multiple sclerosis in six European healthcare data sources: a contribution from the ConcePTION project. European Journal of Epidemiology (EJE). ISSN 0393-2990. doi: 10.1007/s10654-025-01243-8. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune condition primarily affecting women and often diagnosed during childbearing years. This study assessed the impact of the lookback period and calculation method on MS prevalence in three healthcare data sources including women of childbearing age (from Italy, Norway and Wales) and three data sources including pregnant women (from France, Finland and Spain). Women aged 15 to 49 years from 2005 to 2019 were included, data from pregnant women were collected around the pregnancy period. MS cases were identified based on at least one MS diagnosis or one dispensation for an MS-specific medication. All data sources provided inpatient diagnoses and medication data; outpatient diagnoses were available in Norway and Finland, and primary care diagnoses in Norway, Finland and Wales. We assessed MS case detection rate by lookback period, and compared three methods for estimating yearly MS prevalence: period prevalence (PP), average point prevalence (APP) and person-time prevalence (PTP). The estimated lookback periods to identify 95% of MS cases ranged from 6 to 9 years. APP and PTP provided lower prevalence estimates than PP, especially when the lookback to identify MS was short. In women of childbearing age, MS prevalence increased over time with all calculation methods and the highest MS prevalence was observed in Norway (PP of 402 per 100,000 in 2019). Finland showed the highest MS prevalence in pregnant women (PP of 218 per 100,000 in 2018). This study highlights the importance of sufficient lookback and available data to accurately estimate MS prevalence.
Liu, Xiaoqin; Madsen, Kathrine Bang; Zhu, Jin Liang; Munk-Olsen, Trine; Damkier, Per & Lupattelli, Angela [Show all 13 contributors for this article] (2025). Psychotropic Medication Exposure via Breast Milk: A Population-Based Descriptive Study in Denmark. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology. ISSN 0269-5022. 39(7), p. 612–625. doi: 10.1111/ppe.70074. Full text in Research Archive
Macente, Julia; Nauwelaerts, Nina; Badée, Justine Marine; Bonan, Rodolfo Hernandes; Huang, Miao Chan & Neste, Martje Van [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2025). Predicting Drug Transfer Into Human Milk With the Simcyp Simulator: A Contribution From the ConcePTION Project. CPT: Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology (PSP). 14(9), p. 1470–1484. doi: 10.1002/psp4.70066. Full text in Research Archive
Medhus, Astrid; Schink, Kay Oliver; Longva, Ane Sager; Engebråten, Olav; Berg, Kristian & Weyergang, Anette (2025). The mechanisms of HER2 targeted ADCs are dependent on Rab GTPases. Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology. ISSN 1758-8340. 17. doi: 10.1177/17588359251332473. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Introduction: In the era of personalized cancer therapy, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have become one of the fastest-emerging groups of anticancer drugs. ADCs consist of an antibody coupled to a cytotoxic payload by a chemical linker, designed to be cleaved off intracellularly. Understanding the intracellular trafficking and processing of ADCs is crucial for elucidating their mechanism of action. Objective: This study aimed to compare trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) to ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) with emphasis on Rab GTPase-regulated intracellular trafficking and its impact on ADC efficacy. Methods: The efficacy of T-DXd and T-DM1 was assessed in a panel of HER2-positive cell lines. Correlations between ADC efficacy and the expression of HER2 and Rab GTPases were evaluated. Functional studies, including knockdown (KD), overexpression, and microscopy, were performed to evaluate the impact of Rab GTPases on ADC cytotoxicity. Results: In contrast to T-DM1, T-DXd efficacy was found not to correlate to HER2 expression in a panel of HER2-positive cell lines. However, a correlation to RAB5A expression was found for T-DXd efficacy, although not as strong as for T-DM1. Altering the expression of RAB5 in our model system confirmed RAB5 to have an impact on both T-DXd and T-DM1 cytotoxicity, but more on T-DM1. In addition, RAB4a was found to influence T-DXd sensitivity, but not T-DM1, indicating differences in intracellular processing between T-DXd and T-DM1. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that ADC design significantly influences intracellular trafficking and processing. The linker design, in particular, plays a major role in determining the intracellular fate of an ADC.
Alampi, Manuela Maria; Kozlíková, Magdaléna; Mariangeli, Matteo; Civita, Simone; Delcanale, Pietro & Mussini, Andrea [Show all 14 contributors for this article] (2025). Light-enhanced cytotoxicity and intracellular trafficking of the PD-L1-targeting photoimmunoconjugate EITC-atezolizumab. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. ISSN 0753-3322. 191, p. 118550–118550. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2025.118550. Full text in Research Archive
Guntschnig, Sonja; Barbosa, Renata; Jenzer, Helena; Greening, Matthew; Hayde, Jennifer & Heery, Helen [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2025). Tackling medication errors: How a systems approach improves patient safety. European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy (EJHP). ISSN 2047-9956. doi: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2025-004533. Full text in Research Archive
Olstad, Emilie Willoch; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland; Bjørk, Marte-Helene; Selmer, Kaja Kristine & Gervin, Kristina (2025). Paternal valproate use and impact of shared genetic susceptibility on child neurodevelopment. Scientific Reports. 15(1). doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-23377-1. Full text in Research Archive
Sakai, Takamasa; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland & Gelder, Marleen van (2025). Longitudinal Methods Versus Multiple Imputation to Infer Missing Maternal Data in Registry-Based Pregnancy Studies. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology. ISSN 0269-5022. doi: 10.1111/ppe.70011. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background: In birth registries, incomplete recording of information leads to missing values. Multiple imputation (MI) by chained equations is a widely used method for analysing datasets with missing data. It is unknown whether using registry records from multiple pregnancies contributed by the same woman could potentially give more accurate values when resolving missing data. Objectives: To investigate the relative performance of five methods to infer missing data on maternal characteristics using data from a medical birth registry, comparing longitudinal methods and MI with data from previous and future pregnancies. Methods: We used data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN), selecting records among mothers with more than one pregnancy between 2004 and 2018. Longitudinal methods used reference pregnancies in three time directions: past, future and closest pregnancy record. MI was conducted with only index pregnancy records (single-pregnancy MI) and with both index and closest reference pregnancy records (multiple-pregnancy MI). Validity was assessed by comparing the actual values with inferred/imputed values. For continuous variables, we calculated the proportion of inferred values within predefined increments. For binary variables, we calculated five parameters: agreement rate, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. Results: We included 578,670 pregnancies among 256,658 women. For continuous variables, the longitudinal methods showed the highest proportion within predefined increments, followed by multiple-pregnancy MI, and single-pregnancy MI showed the lowest value. For binary variables, longitudinal methods generally showed higher values among the five validity parameters than MI. Single-pregnancy MI had substantially lower agreement, while multiple-pregnancy MI performed similarly to longitudinal methods. Conclusions: The longitudinal method outperformed MI in inferring missing data on maternal characteristics in a medical birth registry.
Wijk, Emma van; Zugic, Milica; Rostami, Sina; Gelder, Marleen van; Ahmad, Ashi Sarfraz & Sitras, Vasilis [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2025). Gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention: What is the role of perinatal antidepressant use? Journal of Affective Disorders. ISSN 0165-0327. 394(A). doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120521. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background: Little is known about the association between perinatal antidepressant use and gestational weight gain (GWG) and postpartum weight retention (PPWR). Methods: We used data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), linked to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN) and the Norwegian Prescribed Drug Registry (LMR). We included singleton, live birth pregnancies with pre-pregnancy depression/anxiety. Prenatal and perinatal antidepressant use trajectories were constructed using longitudinal k-means clustering. GWG and PPWR at 6/18 months postpartum were calculated using self-reported data. We estimated weighted relative risks (wRR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) using modified Poisson regression with robust variance estimators and overlap weights. For a sub- population with available genetics data, we used polygenic risk scores (PRSs) to partially account for confounding by genetic component. Results: Among 3365 pregnancies included, we observed six prenatal and perinatal antidepressant use trajectories: non-users, pre-pregnancy discontinuers, early pregnancy discontinuers, late pregnancy discontinuers, continuers, and post-pregnancy initiators. Pre-pregnancy discontinuers had increased risk of inadequate GWG compared to non-users (wRR 1.34, 95 % CI 1.03–1.73). Early pregnancy discontinuers (wRR 0.89, 95 % CI 0.78–1.02), late pregnancy discontinuers (wRR 0.88, 95 % CI 0.76–1.01), and continuers (wRR 0.86, 95 % CI 0.71–1.05) had a borderline decreased risk of excessive PPWR at 6 months postpartum compared to non-users. We observed no other associations between antidepressant use trajectories and GWG or PPWR. Conclusion: These results enhance knowledge on weight-related safety concerns of antidepressant use in the prenatal and perinatal period, specifically regarding GWG and PPWR.
Carson, Alexis Christine; Trinh, Nhung; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland; Liu, Xiaoqin; Munk-Olsen, Trine & Eberhard-Gran, Malin [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2025). Initiating antidepressant treatment in pregnancy: Timing, intensity, and influential maternal and familial factors. Journal of Affective Disorders. ISSN 0165-0327. 388. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119726. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Objective: To describe the timing and intensity of antidepressant initiation in pregnancy using longitudinal trajectories of antidepressant prescription fills to identify associated sociodemographic, lifestyle, somatic, mental health, pregnancy, and paternal factors. Methods: This population-based cohort within the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort study linked to MoBa Genetics and the Prescribed Drug Registry included 1879 women with a new episode of self-reported depression/anxiety during pregnancy. Antidepressants were measured by week and average daily dose. Results: There were 87 initiators, from which we identified three prescription fill trajectories: Early-pregnancy initiators with rapid discontinuation (n = 41, 47.1 %), Early-pregnancy initiators with mid-pregnancy discontinuation (n = 30, 34.5 %), and Early-mid pregnancy initiators with continuation (n = 16, 18.4 %) and three dose trajectories: Low dose with discontinuation (n = 45, 51.7 %), High dose with discontinuation (n = 26, 29.9 %), and Medium dose with continuation (n = 16, 18.4 %). Thyroid disorder was associated with Early initiators with rapid discontinuation (adjusted relative risk ratios (aRRR): 4.15, 95 % CI: 1.56–11.03) compared to Unmedicated. Other psychotropics pre-pregnancy increased the likelihood of being Early initiators with mid-pregnancy discontinuation and High dose discontinuers compared to Unmedicated. Higher maternal genetic liability for depression was strongly associated with Early initiators with mid-pregnancy discontinuation (aRRR = 8.57, 95 % CI: 3.09–23.74), High dose discontinuers and Medium dose continuers across comparisons. Adverse reproductive history, immigration and alcohol pre-pregnancy emerged as important factors. Conclusions: Approximately 5 out of 100 women with a new episode of depression/anxiety initiated an antidepressant during pregnancy, predominantly in early pregnancy, with most discontinuing early to mid-pregnancy. Identified factors can be utilized by clinicians to provide personalized treatment guidance.
Hemmingsen, Caroline H.; Kjaer, Susanne K.; Andersen, Sarah Hjorth; Nörby, Ulrika; Pottegård, Anton & Mathiasen, René [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2025). Maternal hormonal contraceptive use and childhood central nervous system tumor risk in a large Scandinavian cohort. International Journal of Cancer. ISSN 0020-7136. 157(8), p. 1557–1565. doi: 10.1002/ijc.35509. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
An association between maternal hormonal contraception use and childhood central nervous system (CNS) tumors has been suggested, but findings are inconclusive. This population-based cohort study includes Scandinavian nationwide registry data on liveborn children (1996–2018). Children were followed from birth until CNS tumor (<20 years) or censoring (other cancer, emigration, death, 20th birthday, or end of follow-up in 2017–2020). Cox proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association between maternal hormonal contraception use (any type, type-specific) and CNS tumor risk (any, any malignant, type-specific). Maternal use was categorized as “recent use” (0–3 months before or during pregnancy, except for non-oral progestin-only types), “previous use” (before recent use), and “no use”. A total of 3,183,316 children were followed for 29,455,528 person-years, during which time 1384 children developed a CNS tumor (610 malignant). Compared with no use, maternal previous or recent use of any hormonal contraception (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.82–1.05; HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.83–1.19), combined and progestin-only types (oral, non-oral), were not associated with childhood CNS tumor risk. However, maternal recent progestin-only injection use was associated with malignant childhood CNS tumors (HR 3.95, 95CI % 1.46–10.68), compared with no use (number needed to harm: 1 per 14,577 person-years). In conclusion, no association was found between maternal use of common types of hormonal contraception and CNS tumors in children. The rarely used progestin-only injections (medroxyprogesterone acetate) were associated with malignant CNS tumor risk in children, though based on few children.
Bernhardsen, Guro Pauck; Pesonen, Maiju; Keski-Nisula, Leea; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland & Lehto, Soili Marianne (2025). Trajectories of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Use in Pregnancy and Perinatal Outcomes: A Longitudinal Register Study. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. ISSN 1470-0328. 133(1), p. 83–94. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.18337. Full text in Research Archive
Teimori, Kaveh; Larsen, Bjarke Strøm; Austli, Mathias Buaas; Nilsson, Carl Niklas; Tho, Ingunn & Nezvalova-Henriksen, Katerina (2025). Strategies for Assessing Physical Compatibility of Calcium Folinate with Bicarbonate During Methotrexate Rescue Therapy in Pediatric Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Pharmaceutics. 17(9). doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics17091155. Full text in Research Archive
Hagesæther, Ellen; Karbø, Ingeborg; Tho, Ingunn; Teimori, Kaveh & Nilsson, Carl Niklas (2025). Using Raman spectroscopy to analyse in situ a precipitate appearing in a catheter line after drug co-administration. European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy (EJHP). ISSN 2047-9956. 0, p. 1–5. doi: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2025-004664. Full text in Research Archive
Reddy, Akhila Srinivas; Gelder, Marleen van; Olstad, Emilie Willoch; Gervin, Kristina; Torkildsen, Janne von Koss & Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland (2025). Prevalence of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Families of Women Taking Psychotropic Medication During Pregnancy. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology. ISSN 0269-5022. 40(1), p. 97–108. doi: 10.1111/ppe.70075. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background Familial and environmental factors contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Prenatal psychotropic exposure may influence the risk of NDDs in children. As these medications are prescribed to women with mental disorders, which are genetically and environmentally linked to NDDs, accounting for familial confounding is essential when studying medication safety in pregnancy. Objectives To compare the prevalence of NDDs in pregnant women using psychotropics, their partners, and their previous children, with those not using these medications. Methods We included data from the most recent pregnancy of Norwegian women with mental disorders who gave birth between 2010 and 2018, using Norwegian registries. Maternal psychotropic use included antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, hypnotics, and sedatives, as recorded in the Norwegian Prescription Database. NDDs were identified using ICD-10 codes for intellectual disabilities, language/scholastic disorders, pervasive developmental disorders, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) from the Norwegian Patient Registry. Modified Poisson regression estimated crude and adjusted relative risks (aRRs) for the association between psychotropic use and family history of NDDs. Results The study included 27,638 women. Among psychotropic users, NDDs prevalence was 9.6% in women, 5.4% in partners, and 10.0% in previous children, compared to 5.7%, 4.6%, and 8.0% in non-users, respectively. ADHD was the most prevalent NDD. Psychotropic use in pregnancy was associated with any NDD, particularly ADHD, in the women [any NDD aRR 1.77 (95% CI 1.60, 1.95); ADHD aRR 1.79 (95% CI 1.61, 1.98)], previous children [any NDD aRR 1.25 (95% CI 1.07, 1.47); ADHD aRR 1.26 (95% CI 1.02, 1.54)], and partners [any NDD aRR 1.21 (95% CI 1.06, 1.37); ADHD aRR 1.22 (95% CI 1.07, 1.39)]. Conclusions Prenatal psychotropic use was associated with a higher prevalence of NDDs in mothers and their previous children, highlighting the need to account for familial neurodevelopmental patterns to distinguish the effects of psychotropics from underlying genetic or familial factors.
Bruin, Odette de; Maisonneuve, Emeline; Hurley, Eimir; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland; Bérard, Anick & Sheehy, Odile [Show all 73 contributors for this article] (2025). Adverse outcomes among pregnant women with COVID‐19 according to hospitalization status: A prospective individual participant data meta‐analysis in Europe and North America. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics. ISSN 0020-7292. p. 1–10. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.70694. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Abstract Background Understanding the varied impact of COVID‐19 severity on pregnancy outcomes is crucial for informed clinical management and targeted interventions. Objective To evaluate the impact of COVID‐19 on pregnancy outcomes, distinguishing between pregnant women managed in primary care and those requiring hospitalization. Search Strategy Regulatory authorities actively promoted global cooperation on COVID‐19's impact during pregnancy. Data were obtained through these regulatory bodies and direct researcher communication rather than through systematic searches. Selection Criteria Data sources required secondary population‐based data to identify pregnancies with COVID‐19, along with hospitalization, diagnostic and medication codes. Eligibility for the meta‐analysis was determined through protocol evaluation and researcher consultations. Data Collection and Analysis PRISMA‐IPD and Cochrane guidelines for prospective meta‐analysis were followed. Protocols and definitions were standardized across sources, and a common R script was developed. Initially, crude and adjusted relative risks (aRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to assess adverse outcomes in pregnant women with and without COVID‐19 in each data source. Estimates were stratified by trimester at infection and hospitalization status. Subsequently, data were pooled using a random‐effects meta‐analysis. Main Results Data from 10 sources across seven countries contributed to the meta‐analysis, including 86 210 pregnant women diagnosed with COVID‐19, of whom 4.4% were hospitalized. Non‐hospitalized pregnant women with COVID‐19 had no increased risks of adverse outcomes compared to pregnant women without COVID‐19. However, hospitalized women with COVID‐19 in each trimester had higher risks of cesarean section, preterm birth, and LBW compared to pregnant women without COVID‐19. Hospitalization due to COVID‐19 in the third trimester was associated with increased risk of stillbirth (aRR 5.90, 95% CI: 2.22–15.71, I 2 = 0%). First‐trimester hospitalizations due to COVID‐19 did not show heightened risks of GDM (aRR 2.08, 95% CI: 0.93–4.64, I 2 = 65%), pre‐eclampsia (aRR 1.79, 95% CI: 0.48–6.66, I 2 = 71%), or major congenital anomalies (aRR 1.30, 95% CI: 0.55–3.06, I 2 = 0%). Conclusions and Relevance COVID‐19 requiring hospitalization is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, emphasizing the need to prevent severe illness during pregnancy. This study also highlights the importance of international collaboration for gathering pregnancy data and shows that building global research networks is essential for responding to future health crises.
Bruin, Odette de; Maisonneuve, Emeline; Hurley, Eimir; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland; Bérard, Anick & Sheehy, Odile [Show all 75 contributors for this article] (2025). Medications Used Among Nonhospitalized Pregnant Women With COVID‐19: A Prospective Individual Patient Data Meta‐Analysis in Europe and North America. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. ISSN 1053-8569. 35(1). doi: 10.1002/pds.70303. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
ABSTRACT Aim To estimate the prevalence of medication use in nonhospitalized pregnant women with COVID‐19. Methods A prospective two‐stage individual patient meta‐analysis across 10 data sources in Europe and North America studied medication use among nonhospitalized pregnant women with COVID‐19 between January 2020 and December 2022. Comparisons were made between medication use within 30 days pre‐ and post‐COVID‐19 diagnosis in this cohort and two comparator groups: pregnant women without COVID‐19 and nonpregnant women with COVID‐19. Prevalence estimates were pooled using a random‐effects model stratified by trimester. Results 50 335 nonhospitalized pregnant women with COVID‐19 were identified. The pooled prevalence of antibacterial use in the third trimester was higher post‐COVID‐19 diagnosis (6.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.5–8.4, I 2 = 94%) compared with the same women pre‐COVID‐19 (3.9%, 95% CI = 3.1–4.9, I 2 = 89%). Overall, pregnant women with COVID‐19 had higher medication use compared to pregnant women without COVID‐19, although the CIs of the prevalence overlapped. Post‐COVID‐19, antithrombotic prevalence was 4.5% (95% CI = 1.1–16.5, I 2 = 100%) among pregnant women with COVID‐19 in the third trimester, compared to 2.1% (95% CI = 1.2–3.6, I 2 = 99%) among those without COVID‐19 in the third trimester. Compared to nonpregnant women with COVID‐19, pregnant women with COVID‐19 were less likely to be prescribed analgesics, antiprotozoals, corticosteroids, psychoanaleptics and psycholeptics, and more likely to be prescribed antithrombotics, cough and cold and nasal preparations, and drugs used in diabetes across all trimesters. High heterogeneity existed in nearly all analyses. Conclusion This international meta‐analysis reveals low medication use and country‐specific variations, enhancing insight into the management of COVID‐19 in nonhospitalized pregnant women. Higher antithrombotic use post‐COVID‐19 suggests prophylactic treatment in this population, but variation between countries emphasizes the challenges of combining multinational data.
Haeuser, Emily; Byrne, Sam; Nguyen, Jason; Raggi, Catalina; McLaughlin, Susan A & Bisignano, Catherine [Show all 1,331 contributors for this article] (2025). Global, regional, and national trends in routine childhood vaccination coverage from 1980 to 2023 with forecasts to 2030: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023. The Lancet. ISSN 0140-6736. 406(10500), p. 260–260. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(25)01037-2. Full text in Research Archive
Krogsrud, Stine Kleppe; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland; Roe, James Michael; Torkildsen, Janne von Koss; Wood, Mollie Elizabeth & Ystrøm, Eivind (2025). Associations between prenatal paracetamol exposure and brain development from ages 4–16: A longitudinal MRI study. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. ISSN 1878-9293. 78. doi: 10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101667. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Research has raised concerns regarding the potential impact of prenatal paracetamol exposure on fetal neurodevelopment. This is the first longitudinal study to investigate whether such exposure is related to structural brain development and cognitive abilities during childhood and adolescence. The sample includes 447 children aged 4.1–16.2 years with 905 MRI scans. The study is based on The Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Study (MoBa), and uses data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. The exposure variable is mothers’ self-reported use of paracetamol from prenatal and postnatal questionnaires. Among 447 children (229 girls; mean age 8.38 years), 193 (43.2 %) were prenatally exposed. Days of exposure range from 1 to 128 (mean 8.2). Vertex-wise linear mixed effect models showed that exposed children (n = 193; 393 scans) had slightly smaller cortical surface area and volume in some regions compared to non-exposed children. These results were seemingly driven by long-term exposed children (≥14 days in utero; n = 35; 72 scans, and exposed in all three trimesters, n = 21; 44 scans). However, group differences in brain structure were small with largely overlapping distributions, and the observational design and risk of unmeasured confounding preclude causal inference. Thus, the clinical significance remains uncertain. For cognitive abilities, results were reassuring showing no significant effect of prenatal paracetamol exposure on working memory capacity or IQ scores.
Zugic, Milica; Trinh, Nhung; Rostami, Sina; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland; Ystrøm, Eivind & Bulik, Cynthia M [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2025). Antenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms in women with eating disorders who continue or discontinue antidepressant treatment in pregnancy. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports. 22, p. 1–10. doi: 10.1016/j.jadr.2025.100985. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background Limited evidence on antidepressant effectiveness in pregnant women with eating disorders (ED) challenges pharmacotherapy management. We examined antenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms with continued antidepressant use in women with ED. Methods We used data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) linked to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway and MoBa Genetics. MoBa questionnaires at weeks 17 (early) and 30 (mid-late pregnancy) measured antidepressant exposure and symptoms of depression and anxiety using the 5-item Hopkins Symptom Checklist. We fitted generalised linear models and adjusted for confounding. In a subsample, we stratified analyses by polygenic-score tertiles for antidepressant response. Results We identified 5920 pregnancies in women with ED, mainly binge-eating disorder (BED) (84.0 %) and bulimia nervosa (BN) (12.4 %). Of these, 48 (0.8 %) continued antidepressants into early pregnancy, 93 (1.6 %) discontinued during, and 85 (1.4 %) discontinued before pregnancy. At early pregnancy only, continued antidepressant was associated with lower severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms relative to discontinuation. Among women with BED, this was specific to lower anxiety symptoms (β:-0.43, 95 %CI:-0.84, -0.02). This association was not observed in women with BN. In women with higher antidepressant-response polygenic-score continued antidepressant was associated with lower symptom severity relative to discontinued (range of β:-0.86 to -1.35). Conclusions Continuing antidepressants in early but not mid-late pregnancy is associated with lower severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms in women with BED. The association observed in women with higher antidepressant-response polygenic-score calls for larger studies on personalized treatment in perinatal ED.
Christensen, Jacob J; Holven, Kirsten Bjørklund; Bogsrud, Martin Prøven; Retterstøl, Kjetil; Lennep, Jeanine E Roeters van & Michelsen, Trond Melbye [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2025). Statin use in pregnancy and risk of congenital malformations: a Norwegian nationwide study. European Heart Journal. ISSN 0195-668X. 47(3), p. 318–327. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf592. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background and Aims Statins and other lipid-modifying agents (LMAs) have traditionally been contraindicated during pregnancy due to concerns about harmful fetal effects; however, the risks associated with exposure to statins and other LMAs in human pregnancies remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the associations between statin and LMA exposure in pregnancy and congenital malformations in offspring, while updating a 2022 meta-analysis with the results from the present study. Methods National registry data were linked for all pregnant women in Norway in 2005–18. Associations between first-trimester statin prescription fills and congenital malformations were estimated with mixed-effects logistic regression, adjusting for age, parity, pre-pregnancy folate use, smoking in early pregnancy, comorbidity, and co-medication. Meta-analyses were performed with the generic inverse–variance method and random-effects model. Results Congenital malformations occurred among 34 755 out of 803 830 (4.3%) statin non-exposed pregnancies, 74 out of 1255 (5.9%) statin-discontinuer pregnancies, and 19 out of 283 (6.7%) statin-exposed pregnancies. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for exposed vs non-exposed pregnancies were 1.30 [95% confidence interval (CI) .81–2.09] for any, 1.15 (.61–2.19) for major, and 1.47 (.75–2.89) for minor malformations. In analyses of exposed vs discontinuer pregnancies, there were no associations between statin exposure and any (adjusted OR 1.01, 95% CI .59–1.72), major (1.08, .52–2.25), or minor malformations (.94, .44–2.00). Results were similar across sensitivity analyses. There was also no association between any LMA exposure and heart malformations (adjusted OR 1.22, 95% CI .50–3.01). The updated meta-analysis suggested no increased risk of major (adjusted OR 1.06, 95% CI .86–1.31) or heart malformations (1.24, 95% CI .94–1.64). Conclusions In this large, nationwide study and updated meta-analysis, no significant association was observed between first-trimester exposure to statins or other LMAs and congenital malformations. Although limited power may have prevented detection of weak but clinically relevant associations, the findings do not support a strong or independent association between statin exposure in pregnancy and congenital malformations.
Kanduri, Chakravarthi; Mamica, Maria Anna; Olstad, Emilie Willoch; Zucknick, Manuela; Jessica, Li, Jingyi & Sandve, Geir Kjetil Ferkingstad (2025). Beware of counter-intuitive levels of false discoveries in datasets with strong intra-correlations. Genome Biology. ISSN 1465-6906. 26. doi: 10.1186/s13059-025-03734-z. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
The false discovery rate (FDR) controlling method by Benjamini and Hochberg (BH) is a popular choice in the omics fields. Here, we demonstrate that in datasets with a large degree of dependencies between features, FDR correction methods like BH can sometimes counter-intuitively report very high numbers of false positives, potentially misleading researchers. We call the attention of researchers to use suited multiple testing strategies and approaches like synthetic null data (negative control) to identify and minimize caveats related to false discoveries, as in the cases where false findings do occur, they may be numerous.
Jøsendal, Anette Vik & Bergmo, Trine Strand (2025). Impact of electronic prescribing on medication changes in users of multidose drug dispensing. Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy (ERCSP). 20, p. 100667–100667. doi: 10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100667. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Purpose To investigate the number and type of prescription modifications after introducing e-prescribing for multidose drug dispensing (MDD) users. Methods A longitudinal study using dispensing records from the main MDD supplier in Norway from June 2012 to August 2023. The study included 1522 MDD users with complete data from 24 weeks before and 24 weeks after the implementation. The main outcome measures were the number and type of prescription modifications. Results In total, there was a 175 % increase in the frequency of prescription modifications, with 15.9 % of patients experiencing prescription alterations every two weeks, compared to 5.7 % before the intervention. Modifications were categorized into administrative and treatment changes. Administrative changes increased by 300 %, while treatment changes (including newly prescribed medications, discontinued medications, and dose adjustments) increased by 60 %. The proportion of patients with no prescription modifications throughout the 24 weeks decreased from 58.1 % to 26.2 % following the implementation of e-prescribing. Conclusion Transitioning to an e-prescribing system is associated with more frequent modifications to patients' prescriptions. More frequent treatment changes can potentially improve medication safety and accuracy of the medication lists, but the major increase in administrative changes can also increase the workload of involved health care personnel.
Neill, Thomas Boissiere-O; Gelder, Marleen van; Engjom, Hilde Marie & Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland (2025). Exposure to Systemic Antimicrobials During Pregnancy and Risk of Miscarriage: A Population-Based Registry Study. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. ISSN 1470-0328. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.18155. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Objective To estimate miscarriage risk following gestational antimicrobial exposure while addressing biases that have affected previous studies. Design Population-based cohort study. Setting Linkage of four nationwide registries: Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN), Norwegian Prescribed Drug Registry (NorPD), Norwegian Patient Registry (NPR) and Norwegian Control and Payment of Health Reimbursements Database (KUHR). Population or Sample A total of 704 082 pregnancies (2009–2018), with 91 836 (13.0%) exposed to systemic antimicrobials in early pregnancy. Methods Time-stratified Cox regression models with overlap weights were used, considering time-varying exposures and a 14-day lag to prevent reverse causation. Elective terminations were right-censored to address competing risks, with adjustment for common infections and probabilistic bias analysis for confounding by indication. Main Outcome Measures Miscarriage and gestational age at miscarriage, captured from NPR, KUHR and MBRN, using the UiO pregnancy algorithm. Results Nitrofurantoin, pivmecillinam and amoxicillin were not associated with increased miscarriage risk. Metronidazole (HR = 2.00; 95% CI: 1.82–2.21), ciprofloxacin (HR = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.62–2.20), cephalexin (HR = 1.87; 95% CI: 1.57–2.22), fluconazole (HR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.45–1.78), trimethoprim-sulfas (HR = 1.49; 95% CI: 1.36–1.63) and others showed associations with miscarriage. Probabilistic bias analysis indicated that associations for common antimicrobials may be driven by the underlying infections. Conclusions Nitrofurantoin, pivmecillinam and amoxicillin did not increase miscarriage risk, but other less commonly used antimicrobials may carry higher risks. By addressing key biases, this study provided a more reliable assessment of miscarriage risks associated with antimicrobial use in early pregnancy.
Korelc, Karin; Tzanova, Martina Martin; Larsson, Anette; Grassi, Mario; Cagno, Massimiliano Pio Di & Tho, Ingunn (2025). A simplified method to interpret the mechanism of drug release from thin polymeric films by drug diffusivity measurements. International Journal of Pharmaceutics. ISSN 0378-5173. 675. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2025.125491. Full text in Research Archive
Rata, Delia Mihaela; Cadinoiu, Anca Niculina; Atanase, Leonard Ionut; Vochita, Gabriela; Sande, Sverre Arne & Popa, Marcel (2025). Peptide-functionalized magnetic microcapsules loaded with dexamethasone for dual active targeted treatment of inner ear inflammation. Polymer. ISSN 0032-3861. 316. doi: 10.1016/j.polymer.2024.127864. Full text in Research Archive
Carvalho, Mariana Mazetto de; Ellefsen, Christiane Færestrand; Eltvik, Andrea Angelov; Hiorth, Marianne & Samuelsen, Anne Berit C. (2025). Chemical structure characterization of polysaccharides using diffusion ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY). Carbohydrate Polymers. ISSN 0144-8617. 349(Part B). doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.123021. Full text in Research Archive
Sundbakk, Lene Maria; Wood, Mollie; Gran, Jon Michael & Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland (2025). Prenatal exposure to benzodiazepine and z-hypnotics and fifth-grade scholastic skills—emulating target trials using data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study. American Journal of Epidemiology. ISSN 0002-9262. 194(1), p. 73–84. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwae159. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Evidence is limited regarding the effect of prenatal benzodiazepine and z-hypnotic exposure and long-term neurodevelopment in childhood. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of initiating benzodiazepine or z-hypnotic treatment in early, mid, and late pregnancy on fifth-grade numeracy and literacy scholastic skills in children by emulating 3 target trials. The trials are identical except for the timing of enrollment and the number of eligible individuals. Eligibility to the trials required a history of anxiety and/or depression prior to pregnancy. We used data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study, linked to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway, to emulate the trials. We adjusted for baseline covariates that were available at time 0 for each trial by inverse probability of treatment weighting using the propensity score. The findings of this study did not show any effect of mothers’ initiation of treatment with benzodiazepines or z-hypnotics in early, mid, or late pregnancy on the children’s fifth-grade test scores in numeracy and literacy. The study results provide reassurance for patients in need of benzodiazepines and z-hypnotics during pregnancy; however, these findings need to be interpreted with caution due to low study power in some of the analyses.
Hallberg, Adam; Aakjaer, Mia; Aaltonen, Katri; Andersen, Morten; Pedersen, Elisabeth & Hajiebrahimi, Mohammadhossein [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2025). Epidemiological outcomes and policy implementation in the Nordic countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Archives of Public Health. ISSN 0778-7367. 83(1). doi: 10.1186/s13690-025-01531-5. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an intensive debate on which strategies would be most effective to minimize the negative societal impact of the pandemic. This study aimed to provide an overview of key epidemiological outcome measures of the disease in the Nordic countries and the subsequent policy implementation that were undertaken to curb the outbreak. Methods Time trends in test-positive infections, hospitalizations, and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions due to COVID-19 as well as COVID-19 mortality and excess mortality were compared between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The epidemiological patterns were presented in relation to 13 different policies implemented to a different degree in the countries, eight of which were related to containment and five to health systems policy. A stringency index summarized the intensity of the policies. Data were collected from Our World in Data, the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker and Eurostat. The investigated time period was 1 January 2020 to 30 April 2022. Results Overall, Sweden had more infections, deaths, hospitalizations, and ICU admissions than the other Nordic countries during the first three waves of the pandemic. However, in the fourth wave, Denmark exceeded Sweden in all outcomes. The overall stringency among the Nordic countries varied broadly. The lowest average stringency index was observed in Iceland and the highest in Sweden. Excess mortality over the whole study period was lowest in Iceland while Norway had very few ICU admissions. Conclusions The Nordic countries took vastly different approaches to contain the spread of the pandemic, but the long-term impact on excess mortality was similar. The variety in policy responses and epidemiological measures bring many opportunities for learning across the countries.
Reddy, Akhila Srinivas; Fawad, Fatima; Leite, Mila Apostolova; Olstad, Emilie Willoch; Gervin, Kristina & Kanduri, Chakravarthi [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2025). Prenatal exposure to psychotropics and analgesics on cognitive, linguistic and educational outcomes – a scoping review with focus on validity and reliability of outcome measures. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 25. doi: 10.1186/s12884-025-07235-6. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Objective To provide an overview of the observational studies on child’s cognitive, linguistic, and educational outcomes following prenatal exposure to psychotropics and analgesics, including reporting of outcome measure validity and reliability. Study design We searched four databases, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and PubMed from inception to September 2023. We included all original studies involving participants less than 18 years old, who were prenatally exposed to psychotropics and/or analgesics with cognitive, linguistic, and/or educational outcomes and excluded those lacking comparison groups. Results 80 studies were identified. Most studies (47%) focused on the effects of prenatal exposure to antiepileptics on child cognition. Valproate was consistently associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, whereas the results for other medications were sparse and conflicting. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were measured by psychometric assessments in 71 studies and by diagnostic codes in health care registries in nine studies. Only 33 of the 71 studies (46.5%) using psychometric measures mentioned the psychometric properties of the instruments used. In studies using diagnostic outcome measures, only one study reported positive predictive values and performed a sensitivity analysis to address outcome misclassification. Conclusion Except for valproate, there is a concerning lack of studies on the impact of prenatal exposure to psychotropics and analgesics on cognitive, linguistic, and educational outcomes with existing studies yielding inconsistent findings. Regardless of whether psychometric measures or diagnostic codes were used, most studies lacked a robust assessment of outcome measures, which threatens their validity and interpretability. Future studies on long-term prenatal medication safety need to focus on the accuracy of neurodevelopmental outcome measures.
Johnson, Hannah; Andersen, Sarah Hjorth; Morris, Joan; Pottegård, Anton; Leinonen, Maarit & Norby, Ulrika [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). Use of signal detection methods to identify associations between prenatal medication exposure and subsequent childhood cancers: a Nordic hypothesis-generating registry-based study. Expert Opinion on Drug Safety. ISSN 1474-0338. p. 1–12. doi: 10.1080/14740338.2025.2461204. Full text in Research Archive
Serri, Carla; Piccioni, Miriam; Guarino, Vincenzo; Santonicola, Pamela; Cruz-Maya, Iriczalli & Crispi, Stefania [Show all 13 contributors for this article] (2025). Hyaluronic Acid-Based Hybrid Nanoparticles as Promising Carriers for the Intranasal Administration of Dimethyl Fumarate. International Journal of Nanomedicine. ISSN 1176-9114. 20, p. 71–89. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S481917. Full text in Research Archive
Sguizzato, Maddalena; Agosta, Federica; Ciancetta, Antonella; Grassi, Mario; Cortesi, Rita & Cagno, Massimiliano Pio Di (2025). Supramolecular delivery systems for polyphenols: A green approach to predict in vivo permeability through an in vitro setup. International Journal of Pharmaceutics. ISSN 0378-5173. 670. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2025.125170. Full text in Research Archive
Durán, Carlos E.; Riefolo, Fabio; Gini, Rosa; Barbieri, Elisa; Messina, Davide & Garcia, Patricia [Show all 16 contributors for this article] (2025). Incidence of severe and non-severe SARS-CoV-2 infections in children and adolescents: a population-based cohort study using six healthcare databases from Italy, Spain, and Norway. European Journal of Pediatrics. ISSN 0340-6199. 184. doi: 10.1007/s00431-024-05864-1. Full text in Research Archive
Asgari, Fatemeh; Alamatsaz, Mohammad H.; Hayati, Saeed & Vitelli, Valeria (2025). Likelihood analysis of latent functional response regression models for sequences of correlated binary data. Scandinavian Journal of Statistics. ISSN 0303-6898. doi: 10.1111/sjos.12773. Full text in Research Archive
Azumah, Joseph; Vasilic, Danijela; Smistad, Gro & Hiorth, Marianne (2025). Preparation of sodium hyaluronate coated liposomes: effect of polymer molecular weight, coating concentration, amount of charged lipids and type of hydration medium on the stability. Journal of liposome research. ISSN 0898-2104. 35(2), p. 159–172. doi: 10.1080/08982104.2025.2456194. Full text in Research Archive
Olstad, Emilie Willoch; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland; Bjørk, Marte-Helene; Selmer, Kaja Kristine & Gervin, Kristina (2025). Agreement Between Parental Self-Reported Antiseizure Medication Use and Dispensed Prescription Records From a National Prescription Database. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. ISSN 1053-8569. 34(4). doi: 10.1002/pds.70139. Full text in Research Archive
Abellan, Alicia; Burn, Edward; Trinh, Nhung; Burkard, Theresa; Callahan, Alison & Fernández-Bertolín, Sergio [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2025). Expanding the OMOP Common Data Model to Support Perinatal Research in Network Studies. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. ISSN 1053-8569. 34(2). doi: 10.1002/pds.70106. Full text in Research Archive
Carvalho, Mariana Mazetto de; Meyer, Julia; Abahra, Wafa Subhi; Tomic, Ivana; Hiorth, Marianne & Samuelsen, Anne Berit C. (2025). Chemical structure of β-glucans from the mushrooms of Lactarius spp. for development of polysaccharide-coated liposomes. Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications. 11. doi: 10.1016/j.carpta.2025.100902. Full text in Research Archive
Camanni, Margherita; Gelder, Marleen van; Cantarutti, Anna; Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland & Lupattelli, Angela (2025). Association of Prenatal Exposure to Triptans, Alone or Combined With Other Migraine Medications, and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Offspring. Neurology. ISSN 0028-3878. 104(12). doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000213678. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background and Objectives: The long-term reproductive safety of migraine medications remains uncertain. This study sought to examine the effect of different intensities and durations of prenatal exposure to triptans, alone and combined with other preventive migraine medications, on neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in children. Methods: This nationwide health registry study in Norway included pregnancies of women with migraine before pregnancy and followed up their children up to 14 years of age. Single and multiple group-based trajectory models and group-based multitrajectory models were applied to cluster triptan exposure alone and combined with preventive antimigraine medications. Child outcomes, based on specialist outpatient and inpatient diagnoses, included autism spectrum and behavioral disorders, learning and intellectual disabilities, speech/language and developmental coordination disorders, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHDs). We fit adjusted and weighted pooled logistic regression models and standardized risk curves using propensity score–based overlap weighting. Results: We included 26,210 pregnancies of women with migraine; 4,929 and 21,281 were, respectively, nonmedicated and medicated with triptans in the year of prepregnancy. In the latter group, we identified 4 group-based trajectories of triptans alone and combined with preventive medications: discontinuers before (low use) (41.5%, 47.0%), early discontinuers (short-term low use) (31.3%, 28.8%), late discontinuers (moderate use) (21.3%, 9.1%), and late discontinuers (high use) (5.9%, 15.2%). Overall, 1,140 children (4.3%) had a NDD (mean follow-up time: 8 years). Children born to women with any triptan trajectory had a slightly higher risk of NDD compared with children of nonmedicated women (magnitude range of the weighted hazard ratio [wHR]: 1.05–1.16). These risks decreased to the null when discontinuers before (low use) acted as a comparator (magnitude of wHR: 0.94–1.01) or when analyzing speech/language disorders or ADHD (magnitude of wHR: 0.82–1.14). There was a slightly elevated risk of autism disorders with both triptan late discontinuation trajectories (wHR 1.24, 95% CI [0.78–1.97]; wHR 1.30, 95% CI [0.66–2.56]), but the 95% CI crossed the null and the weighted risk difference remained low. Discussion: Our findings indicate that prenatal exposure to triptans, alone or combined with other migraine medications, does not substantially increase the risk of a broad range of neurodevelopmental outcomes in children up to adolescence.
Hemmingsen, Caroline H.; Kjaer, Susanne K.; Andersen, Sarah Hjorth; Nörby, Ulrika; Broe, Anne & Pottegård, Anton [Show all 13 contributors for this article] (2025). Maternal use of hormonal contraception and risk of childhood leukemia: A Scandinavian population-based cohort study. European Journal of Cancer. ISSN 0959-8049. 215. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2024.115168. Full text in Research Archive
Cardullo, Nunzio; Calcagno, Damiano; Pulvirenti, Luana; Sciacca, Claudia; Pittalà, Maria Gaetana Giovanna & Maccarronello, Anna Elisabetta [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2024). Flavonoids with lipase inhibitory activity from lemon squeezing waste: isolation, multispectroscopic and in silico studies. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. ISSN 0022-5142. 104(12), p. 7639–7648. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.13600. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
BACKGROUND Obesity is recognized as a lifestyle‐related disease and the main risk factor for a series of pathological conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Citrus limon is an important medicinal plant, and its fruits are rich in flavonoids investigated for their potential in managing obesity. In the present work, a green extraction applied to lemon squeezing waste (LSW) was optimized to recover pancreatic lipase (PL) inhibitors. RESULTS The microwave‐assisted procedure yielded an extract with higher lipase inhibitory activity than those obtained by maceration and ultrasound. The main compounds present in the extract were identified by high‐performance liquid chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis, and hesperidin, eriocitrin and 4′‐methyllucenin II were isolated. The three compounds were evaluated for in vitro PL inhibitory activity, and 4′‐methyllucenin II resulted in the most promising inhibitor (IC 50 = 12.1 μmol L −1 ; K i = 62.2 μmol L −1 ). Multispectroscopic approaches suggested the three flavonoids act as competitive inhibitors and the binding studies indicated a greater interaction between PL and 4′‐methyllucenin II. Docking analysis indicated the significant interactions of the three flavonoids with the PL catalytic site. CONCLUSION The present work highlights flavonoid glycosides as promising PL inhibitors and proposes LSW as a safe ingredient for the preparation of food supplements for managing obesity. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Maccarronello, Anna; Cardullo, Nunzio; Silva, Ana Margarida; Francesco, Antonella Di; Costa, Paulo C. & Rodrigues, Francisca [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). Unlocking the nutraceutical potential of Corylus avellana L. shells: microwave‐assisted extraction of phytochemicals with antiradical and anti‐diabetic properties. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. ISSN 0022-5142. 104(15), p. 9472–9485. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.13770. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
BACKGROUND In recent years, the demand for high‐quality natural extracts to be included in nutraceutical formulations has increased sharply. Hazelnut ( Corylus avellana L.) shells (HZS) are underrated agricultural by‐products that could be exploited as a source of active ingredients with pro‐healthy properties. In the present study, a fully green microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE) method was established for the first time aiming to recover bioactive constituents from HZS with significant nutraceutical value. Key MAE parameters, including ethanol in water concentration, microwave power, irradiation time and solvent‐to‐powder ratio, were optimized through response surface methodology utilizing a Box–Behnken design to achieve the highest total phenolic content and antioxidant/antiradical activities in the final extract. RESULTS The optimal MAE conditions (28% v/v ethanol/water, 270 s , 670 W , and 37 mL g −1 ) yielded an extract with significant scavenging capacity against reactive oxygen species and remarkable inhibitory activity towards both α‐amylase (IC 50 = 7.73 μg mL −1 ) and α‐glucosidase (IC 50 = 49.44 μg mL −1 ), demonstrating stronger hypoglycaemic properties than the anti‐diabetic drug acarbose. Additionally, fluorescence spectroscopy results highlighted the ability of the optimized extract from HZS (OHS‐E) to counteract advanced glycation end‐product formation throughout the glycation cascade in a dose‐dependent manner. Liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization‐tandem mass spectrometry profiling unveiled the presence of fatty acids and phenolic compounds, including lignans, flavonoids, gallic acid derivatives and diarylheptanoids. Lastly, the biocompatibility of OHS‐E was attested on HT29‐MTX and Caco‐2 intestinal cells. CONCLUSION Altogether, these findings encourage the potential application of OHS‐E as an effective nutraceutical component against type 2 diabetes mellitus and oxidative stress. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Maccarronello, Anna; Cardullo, Nunzio; Silva, Ana Margarida; Francesco, Antonella Di; Costa, Paulo C. & Rodrigues, Francisca [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). From waste to bioactive compounds: A response surface methodology approach to extract antioxidants from Pistacia vera shells for postprandial hyperglycaemia management. Food Chemistry. ISSN 0308-8146. 443. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.138504. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Pistacia vera shells, an abundant agricultural by-product, are a rich source of undiscovered bioactive compounds. This study employed a response surface methodology (RSM) approach to optimize the microwave-assisted extraction of antioxidants. The highest total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity were achieved under the optimized extraction conditions (20 % ethanol, 1000 W, 135 s, and solvent-to-solid ratio of 27 mL/g). The resulting extract (OPVS-E) included gallic acid derivatives, hydrolysable tannins, flavonoids, fatty acids, and anacardic acids. Remarkably, OPVS-E displayed potent inhibitory activity against α-amylase (IC50 = 2.05 μg/mL) and α-glucosidase (IC50 = 41.07 μg/mL), by far more powerful than the anti-diabetic drug acarbose, OPVS-E exhibited a strong antiradical capacity against reactive oxygen species (ROS) without causing toxicity in intestinal cells (HT29-MTX and Caco-2). These findings introduce OPVS-E as a potential novel dual-action nutraceutical ingredient, able to mitigate postprandial hyperglycemia and counteract the ROS overproduction occurring in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Muccilli, Vera; Maccarronello, Anna E.; Rasoanandrasana, Carolle; Cardullo, Nunzio; Luna, Martina S. de & Pittalà, Maria G.G. [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2024). Green3: A green extraction of green additives for green plastics. Heliyon. 10(2). doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24469. Show summary
PLA/PBAT bioplastic is a commercial biodegradable plastic employed for packaging and several food and agriculture applications. In this regard, properties such as the antioxidant ability to extend food shelf life and light resistance, are of great interest in the production of packaging and mulching films, respectively. These features are obtained by developing blends with pure chemicals and/or natural products as additives. In the present work blend formulations of PLA/PBAT with a walnut shell extract rich in antioxidants were developed and evaluated for their properties in comparison with classic PLA/PBAT. Specifically, natural additives, and most importantly the production process were purposely selected to i) be green and cost-effective; ii) confer antioxidant properties; and iii) improve material performance. To this aim, a walnut shell extract (EWS) with high antioxidant activity was obtained thanks to a novel green and cost-effective microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) procedure. A response surface methodology was utilized to explore how the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity are influenced by varying aqueous ethanol concentration, extraction time, and microwave power. The highest predicted TPC and antioxidant activity were achieved when employing the ideal conditions for Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE): using a mixture of 30 % ethanol in water, an irradiation time of 120 s, and a microwave power of 670 W. The optimized EWS was characterized by HPLC-MS determining qualitative and quantitative data with the identification of flavonoids, fatty acids, and anacardic acids among the main components, responsible for antioxidant activity. The resulting EWS powder was melt-mixed at 140C° and 20 RPM with the bio-based PLA/PBAT bioplastic at two different concentrations (0.5 and 1.5 w/w) by forming film specimens. All EWS-based bioplastic films showed increased antioxidant features determined by the DPPH bleaching test, TEAC, and ORAC assays. The films keep the antioxidant capacity even after 7 days of UV-accelerated aging. Remarkably, adding 1.5 % EWS boosted the bioplastic UV light resistance, reducing the abatement of molecular masses by more than 60 % without affecting mechanical properties.

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Granås, Anne Gerd; Kadir, Lavin; Bjørknes, Marthe Rambøl; Nilsen, Marianne Kollerøs; Foss, Camilla & Heimdal, Mia Catharina Nikolaisen [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2026). Pharmacy Stories - Using Historical Narratives to Shape Future Pharmacy Education in a Digital Era. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Abstract Background: Pharmacy practice is undergoing rapid transformation driven by digital technologies, new models of care, and evolving professional roles. Preparing students for these changes requires educational approaches that connect professional development over time with emerging competence needs. This study explores how pharmacists’ professional stories can be used to link past developments with future-oriented competencies in pharmacy education. Methods: A total of 49 pharmacists were interviewed across Norway. Undergraduate students conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 pharmacists, while an academic team conducted 33 additional video and audio interviews. Data were transcribed and analyzed thematically by both students and academics. Selected material was integrated into a digital learning platform used in pharmacy education in Norway. Results: Interviewees described major developments in pharmaceutical production, digitalization of logistics and dispensing, early adoption of automation, IT systems for safe medicine distribution, the emergence of clinical pharmacy, and strengthened emergency preparedness. The stories highlighted increasing competence needs in digital tools, decision support, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Students involved reported increased engagement and a deeper understanding of professional roles, career pathways, and future competence needs. The narratives also supported reflection on the societal and humanistic dimensions of pharmacy. Conclusions: Integrating professional stories into pharmacy education represents an innovative and transferable approach to linking past developments with future competencies. This method supports curriculum design by embedding authentic professional experiences and promoting competencies in digital literacy, clinical practice, and professional judgment. The approach is adaptable across educational contexts and may contribute to developing a future-oriented and resilient pharmacy workforce.
Lehnbom, Elin C.; Bøe, Mathilde Abrahamsen; Mohammadi, Ali; Forsdahl, Guro; Garcia, Beate Hennie & Granås, Anne Gerd [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2025). Supporting Safe Medication Management for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, oral presentation. Full text in Research Archive
Lehnbom, Elin C.; Bøe, Mathilde; Nilofar, Ali Mohammedi; Forsdahl, Guro; Garcia, Beate Hennie & Granås, Anne Gerd [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2025). Supporting Safe Medication Management for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, oral presentation. [Journal]. Interview. Full text in Research Archive
Ystrøm, Eivind & Nordeng, Hedvig Marie Egeland (2025). Paracetamol i svangerskapet. Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening (Tidsskriftet). ISSN 0029-2001. 145(14), p. 1164–1164. doi: 10.4045/tidsskr.25.0645. Full text in Research Archive
Granås, Anne Gerd; Mohanachandran, Arthii & Flaten, Gøril Eide (2025). Legemiddelform. Store Norske Leksikon (Nettutgaven). Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Legemiddelform er den formen et legemiddel foreligger i. Noen eksempler på former er tablett, brusetablett, smeltetablett, stikkpille, mikstur, dosegranulat, medisinsk plaster og infusjon. Samme virkestoff kan finnes i ulike legemiddelformer. Fagfeltet for forskning og utvikling av nye legemiddelformer kalles galenisk farmasi.
Ruths, Sabine; Granås, Anne Gerd; Spigset, Olav; Ranhoff, Anette Hylen & Bakken, Marit Stordal (2025). Verktøy for bedre legemiddelbehandling hos eldre. Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening (Tidsskriftet). ISSN 0029-2001. 145(3). doi: 10.4045/tidsskr.25.0017. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Verktøyet STOPP og START anbefales for enklere legemiddelgjennomgang og bedre behandling hos eldre. Den nyeste versjonen er nå oversatt til norsk.
Grønlien, Krister Gjestvang; Pedersen, Mona Elisabeth; Sanden, Karen Wahlstrøm; Høst, Vibeke; Karlsen, Jan & Tønnesen, Hanne Hjorth (2025). Corrigendum to “Collagen from Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) tendon: A promising sustainable biomaterial for pharmaceutical use” [Sustainable Chem. Pharm. 13 (2019) 100166] (Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy (2019) 13, (S2352554119300798), (10.1016/j.scp.2019.100166)). Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy. 44. doi: 10.1016/j.scp.2025.101939. Full text in Research Archive
Grønlien, Krister Gjestvang; Pedersen, Mona Elisabeth & Tønnesen, Hanne Hjorth (2025). Corrigendum to “A natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) as potential excipient in collagen-based products” [Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 156 (2020) 394–402, (S0141813020328804), (10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.04.026)]. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. ISSN 0141-8130. 302. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.140393. Full text in Research Archive
MacLaren, Nora & Granås, Anne Gerd (2025). Objektiv formidling eller forkledd reklame? Full text in Research Archive
Sande, Sverre Arne & Flaten, Gøril Eide (2025). Galenisk farmasi. Store Norske Leksikon (Nettutgaven). Full text in Research Archive
Mohammadi, Nilofar A; Bøe, Oda; Forsdahl, Guro; Garcia, Beate Hennie; Granås, Anne Gerd & Halvorsen, Kjell H. [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2024). Utfordringer med legemiddelhåndtering til personer med utviklingshemming i Vestvågøy kommune, Full text in Research Archive

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