http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/ SHARE repository nl_NL A case of a serious poisoning with the calcium entry blocker amlodipine is described, which was treated effectively with 4-aminopyridine. Calcium is suggested as general treatment of poisoning with calcium entry blockers in many guidelines. The use of intravenous 4-aminopyridine is theoretically useful to treat poisoning from calcium entry blockers and was demonstrated in this case report http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/4_Am_feft/ OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in direct costs and in working status over 2 yrs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In both 1999 and 2000, RA patients (n = 461) filled out a questionnaire retrospectively regarding utilization of health care, other RA-related direct costs and working status. Patients were categorized into four disease duration groups: 0-2 yrs, 2-6 yrs, 6-10 yrs and >10 yrs. At the same time points, disease activity was assessed. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify a possible association between disease activity (high >66th percentile) measured at start of the second year and high direct costs (high >66th percentile) in the second year. RESULTS: Compared with the first year, a significant decrease in the costs for contacts with health care workers and for costs for laboratory tests was observed in the second year for the <2 yrs group. In the 2-6 yrs group and the >10 yrs group, we found a significant decrease in costs for devices and adaptations, but medication costs increased in the <2 yrs and the >10 yrs group in the second year. In the >10 yrs group, this was mainly due to an increasing number of patients who started to use biological agents during the second year. In all four disease duration groups, worse Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) disease activity and VAS general well-being were significantly associated with high direct costs. Of 97 patients working without disability at time of the first assessment, 12 (12%) patients became (partial) work disabled during follow-up. CONCLUSION: In particular, costs for devices/adaptations and for medication changed during follow-up. The latter was probably due to an increase in the use of biological agents. Hopefully a decrease in direct costs and a reduced percentage of patients getting work disabled by better disease control will outweigh the high costs of biological drugs in the future http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Treninecc/ Residency training in the Netherlands is to be restructured over the coming years. To this end a general competence profile for medical specialists has been introduced. This profile is nearly the same as the Canadian CanMEDS 2000 model, which describes seven general areas of medical specialist competence, one of which is professionalism. In order to establish a training programme for residents and their instructors based on this competence, it is necessary to develop a vision that does justice to everyday medical practice. The two most prevailing views of professionalism - as personal, or as a behavioural characteristic - fall short of this. Only when professionalism is understood as reflective professionalism does it encompass the fundamental contextuality of medical treatment. This means that the focus of training and assessment must be shifted to accountability for treatment http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/ReflprInC/ BACKGROUND: The results of treatment for depression are frequently disappointing. The main reasons for this are inadequate treatment and non-compliance. AIM: This article attempts to deal with the question of how patient compliance and the results of treatment for depression can be improved. METHOD: We performed a critical analysis of the literature. We searched Medline (1966- January 2002), psycinfo (1984-January 2002), Embase (1980-January 20002) and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (1966-Janaury 2002) for reports of randomised controlled trials. In our search we used the terms 'patient compliance', 'adherence', patient dropout', 'depression', 'depressive disorder', and 'affective disorder'. On the basis of the results of our search we compared two interventions that could be applied in Dutch practices. results We found 11 articles, all relating to treatment in primary care settings. Usual care proved to be inadequate. The quality of the usual care currently provided can be improved by extra interventions. So far there are no indications that complex interventions benefit the patient more than simple interventions, such as regular follow-up procedures. Therefore, for the time being, simple interventions are to be preferred. CONCLUSION: Treatment for depression can be improved by means of relatively simple interventions. http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Hoekuder/ Objective: In depression treatment, switching treatment after lack of initial improvement, e.g., after 6 weeks, may result in a better outcome. The extent of the lack of initial improvement, as well as the timing of its assessment on the basis of which treatment change may be considered, remains unclear. This study compared the relationships of several grades of symptom improvement after 2 and 6 weeks with remission after 10 weeks in depressed patients treated with antidepressants in primary care.Method: This was a prospective cohort study, conducted between January 1999 and September 2001 in primary care practices in the Netherlands, of 172 patients starting selective serotonin reup-take inhibitor (SSRI) treatment for major depressive disorder, diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria. At weeks 2 and 6, patients were classified as unimproved, partially improved, or improved. For each category, we calculated the proportion of remission at week 10. The primary outcome measure was the Beck Depression Inventory.Results: Of the unimproved or partially improved patients at week 6, 29% (95% CI = 18 to 43) and 27% (95% CI = 17 to 40) attained remission at week 10, respectively.Conclusion: These data suggest that, in primary care, depression treatment with an SSRI should be reconsidered in depressed patients who are unimproved or partially improved by week 6 http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Initraofi/ BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive necrosectomy through a retroperitoneal approach is gaining popularity for the treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis. There is, however, no substantial evidence from comparative studies in favor of this technique over laparotomy. The aim of this case-matched study was to perform the first head-to-head comparison of necrosectomy by the retroperitoneal approach with laparotomy in patients with necrotizing pancreatitis. METHODS: Between 2001 and 2005, there were 15 of 841 consecutive acute pancreatitis patients who underwent necrosectomy by the retroperitoneal approach using a small flank incision. These patients were matched for the presence of preoperative organ failure, status of infection, timing of surgery, age, and computed tomography severity index score with 15 of 46 patients treated with necrosectomy by laparotomy and continuous postoperative lavage (CPL). RESULTS: In addition to all matched preoperative characteristics, there were no significant differences in sex, preoperative intensive care unit (ICU) admission, preoperative ICU stay, preoperative APACHE-II scores, and preoperative multiple organ failure (MOF). Postoperative complications requiring reintervention occurred in six patients in each group (p = 1.000). Postoperative new-onset MOF occurred in 10 patients in the laparotomy/CPL group versus 2 patients in the retroperitoneal approach group (p = 0.008). Six patients died in the laparotomy/CPL group versus 1 patient in the retroperitoneal approach group (p = 0.080). CONCLUSIONS: The less postoperative organ failure and the trend toward lower mortality may point to a benefit of the retroperitoneal approach over laparotomy. A randomized controlled design is, however, still required to answer definitively the question of which operative technique is preferably for patients with (infected) necrotizing pancreatitis http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Casecooft/ The spiritual dimension of illness, health and care may be seen as a unique aspect in addition to the physical, mental and social dimension. This contribution describes experiences of patients, nurses and hospital chaplains in relation to the spiritual aspects of being ill. Qualitative research was performed with the design of a focus group study, consisting of 13 focus groups with a total of 67 participants. A purposive sample was used comprising patients, nurses and hospital chaplains working in oncology, cardiology and neurology in different institutions and regions in the Netherlands. The qualitative analysis consisted of open coding and the determining of topics, followed by the subsequent attachment of substantial dimensions and characteristic fragments. Data were analysed by using the computer program KWALITAN. Spirituality play various roles in patients lives during their illness. There is a wide range of topics that may have an individual effect on patients. Despite differences in emphasis, the topics play a role in different patient categories. Although the spiritual topics seem to manifest themselves more clearly in long-term care relationships, they may also play a role during brief admittance periods (such as treatment decisions). The spiritual topics that arise from this study offer caregivers a framework for signalling the spiritual needs of patients. The question is not whether spirituality is a relevant focus area in care, but how and to what degree it plays a role with individual patients. Follow up research should aim at further exploration of spiritual aspects in care, the relationship between spirituality and health and at effective training of caregivers http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Aspeofspc/ To establish whether asthma affects physical activity levels in children (aged 710 years) we evaluated physical activity levels in children with undiagnosed asthma (UDA), diagnosed asthma (DA), and healthy controls (HCs). A cross-sectional community-based study was performed which included a parental questionnaire on their child's respiratory health, and testing of airway reversibility and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). DA was defined as the parents' confirmation of a physician's diagnosis of asthma in the past 12 months. UDA was defined by asthma symptoms combined' with airway reversibility or BHR in children without a physician's diagnosis of asthma. Physical activity was measured during 5 days with an accelerometer and a diary, and with the habitual activity estimation scale which reviews the physical activity during the past 2 weeks. The final study population comprised 1614 children of whom 81 (5%) had DA, 130 (8%) UDA, and 202 HCs. Baseline FEV1 % was lowest in children with UDA (UDA FEV1 94% predicted, DA FEV1 98% predicted, HCs FEV1 100% predicted). Using the three methods, no differences were found in the physical activity between children with UDA, DA, and HCs. Childhood asthma does not appear to be associated with a decreased level of daily physical activity in our study population http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Nodiinp/ The aim of the present study was to establish the differences in dyspnoea perception between children with undiagnosed and diagnosed asthma. A cross-sectional community-based study was performed, which included a parental questionnaire on the child's respiratory health and testing of airway reversibility and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). "Diagnosed asthma" was defined by a physician's diagnosis of asthma. "Undiagnosed asthma" was defined by the presence of asthma symptoms combined with either airway reversibility or BHR without a physician's diagnosis of asthma. Only children with a positive BHR test were selected for further analysis. Perception of dyspnoea was assessed using the Borg scale and the visual analogue scale (VAS), plotted against the percentage fall in forced expiratory volume in one second and expressed as the slope of the regression line. Of the initial 1,758 participating children, 70 had undiagnosed asthma and 38 had diagnosed asthma. The Borg and VAS slopes in children with undiagnosed asthma were less steep than those of children with diagnosed asthma (Borg: 0.07 and 0.14, respectively; VAS: 0.06 and 0.11, respectively). Among children with bronchial hyperresponsiveness, those without a parent's report of physician's diagnosis of asthma had a worse perception of dyspnoea than children with diagnosed asthma http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Poorpeofd/ The objective of the study was to determine whether insoles with a low Shore A value (15 degrees) as prescribed for patients with a diabetic neuropathy have a negative effect on posture stability because these insoles may reduce somatosensory input under the feet. It was conducted in the Center for Rehabilitation, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands The study was observational and conducted on 30 diabetic patients (aged 37 - 82 years) with a neuropathy. Posture stability (body sway) was assessed in a shoe without insole, on a flat insole with a low Shore A value (15 degrees) and on a flat insole with a higher Shore A value (30 degrees). These assessments were done under four different conditions: (1) eyes open, no dual-task, (2) eyes closed, no dual-task, (3) eyes open, dual-task (mental arithmetic) and (4) eyes closed, dual-task. Additionally 10 healthy controls (aged 27-51 years) were assessed similarly. A significantly higher root-mean-square (rms) value of the anterior-posterior velocity, V-y, was found in patients compared with controls (3.4 cm/s vs. 1.2 cm/s, p < 0.05). Also a significant difference in rms value of the anterior-posterior velocity, V-Y, was found between eyes open and eyes closed (1.9 cm/s vs. 2.7 cm/s, p < 0.05). No significant effects were found for insoles or dual tasks for the total group. In diabetic patients no significant effect was found of insoles on posture stability. The effect of closed eyes on posture stability was significantly larger for diabetic patients compared to controls. It was found that prescribing insoles with a low Shore A value (15 degrees), compared to insoles with a higher Shore A value (30 degrees) has no significant negative effect on posture stability in patients with a diabetic neuropathy http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Effeoffli/ OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic performance of a Bayesian Decision-Support System (BDSS) for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). DESIGN: A previously developed BDSS, automatically obtaining patient data from patient information systems, provides likelihood predictions of VAP. In a prospectively studied cohort of 872 ICU patients, VAP was diagnosed by two infectious-disease specialists using a decision tree (reference diagnosis). After internal validation daily BDSS predictions were compared with the reference diagnosis. For data analysis two approaches were pursued: using BDSS predictions (a) for all 9422 patient days, and (b) only for the 238 days with presumed respiratory tract infections (RTI) according to the responsible physicians. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: 157 (66%) of 238 days with presumed RTI fulfilled criteria for VAP. In approach (a), median daily BDSS likelihood predictions for days with and without VAP were 77% [Interquartile range (IQR) = 56-91%] and 14% [IQR 5-42%, p < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U-test (MWU)], respectively. In receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis, optimal BDSS cut-off point for VAP was 46%, and with this cut-off point positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 6.1 and 99.6%, respectively [AUC = 0.857 (95% CI 0.827-0.888)]. In approach (b), optimal cut-off for VAP was 78%, and with this cut-off point PPV and NPV were 86 and 66%, respectively [AUC = 0.846 (95% CI 0.794-0.899)]. CONCLUSIONS: As compared with the reference diagnosis, the BDSS had good test characteristics for diagnosing VAP, and might become a useful tool for assisting ICU physicians, both for routinely daily assessment and in patients clinically suspected of having VAP. Empirical validation of its performance is now warranted http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Bayedesyf/ BACKGROUND: Pressure ulcers frequently occur in hospitalised patients. The prevalence of pressure ulcers grade 2 or worse varies from 3% to 12% in hospitalised patients. Incidence figures are not frequently reported. While incidence and prevalence are both measures of disease frequency, they provide different perspectives on pressure ulcers. OBJECTIVES: To describe the incidence rate and prevalence of pressure ulcers in hospitalised patients. DESIGN: Prospective inception cohort study. SETTING: Two large hospitals, one general (530-beds) and one teaching (1042-beds), in The Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: A non-selected, though not strictly random, sample of 1536 patients was eligible for inclusion in the study. One thousand four hundred and thirty one patients (93.2%) consented to participate. Eventually, 1229 patients (80%) had a complete follow-up. The sample consisted of patients admitted to the surgical, internal, neurological and geriatric wards for more than 5 days between January 1999 and June 2000. METHODS: Follow-up once a week until pressure ulcer occurrence, discharge or length of stay over 12 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Occurrence of a pressure ulcer grade 2 or worse during admission to hospital, according to the classification of the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty four patients developed 172 pressure ulcers during follow-up. The overall weekly incidence rate was 0.06 per week (95% confidence interval 0.05-0.07 per week). Highest rates were observed for surgical patients and lowest for geriatric and neurologic patients (0.08 and 0.02, respectively). The week specific prevalence varied between 12.8% and 20.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients hospitalised for more than 5 days overall one may expect 6% per week to develop pressure ulcers. It would appear that any preventive measures can only be effective if taken timely. Accordingly, preventive measures should be considered early, because pressure ulcers were observed already within the first week of admission http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/prevanino/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/contofthp/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/UitdeklV/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/simpmefoq0/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Biocefofa0/ Background: Two randomized trials have shown similar mid-term outcomes for survival and quality of life after endovascular and conventional open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). With reduced hospital and intensive care stay, endovascular repair has been hypothesized to be more efficient than open repair. The Dutch Randomized Endovascular Aneurysm Management (DREAM) trial was undertaken to assess the balance of costs and effects of endovascular vs open aneurysm repair. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized trial comparing endovascular repair with open repair in 351 patients with an AAA and studied costs, cost-effectiveness, and clinical outcome 1 year after surgery. In addition to clinical outcome, costs and quality of life were recorded up to 1 year in 170 patients in the endovascular repair group and in 170 in the open repair group. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated for cost per life-year, event-free life-year, and quality adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. Uncertainty regarding these outcomes was assessed using bootstrapping. Results: Patients in the endovascular repair group experienced 0.72 QALY vs 0.73 in the open repair group (absolute difference, 0.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.038 to 0.058). Endovascular repair was associated with additional is an element of 4293 direct costs (is an element of 18,179 vs is an element of 13.886; 95% CI, is an element of 2,770 to is an element of 5,830). Most of the bootstrap estimates indicated that endovascular repair resulted in slightly longer overall and event-free survival associated with respective incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of 76,100 and 171,500 per year gained. Open repair appeared the dominant strategy in costs per QALY. Conclusion: Presently, routine use of endovascular repair in patients also eligible for open repair does not result in a QALY gain at 1 year postoperatively, provides only a marginal overall survival benefit, and is associated with a substantial, if not prohibitive, increase in costs http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Costofcoa/ We examined levels of burnout and relationships between burnout, gender, age, years in training, and medical specialty in 158 medical residents working at the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands. Thirteen percent of the residents met the criteria for burnout, with the highest percentage of burnout cases among medical residents in Psychiatry. Significantly more male residents than female residents suffered from severe burnout. Medical residents reported significantly lower mean scores on personal accomplishment than medical specialists and other health care workers; they also reported lower mean scores on emotional exhaustion than medical specialists. Male residents had significantly higher depersonalization scores than female residents. Positive significant relationships were found between personal accomplishment and age and years in training. Obstetrics & Gynecology residents reported significantly more personal accomplishment than residents in Psychiatry, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Anesthesiology. Residents in Psychiatry had significantly lower scores on personal accomplishment than residents in Internal Medicine. Our findings show that burnout is present in a small but significant number of medical residents http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/BurnamDum/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Begrvohe_/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Rich_Crep/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root/2007/TeamcoinD/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Dosecoopf/ BACKGROUND: Previous research indicated a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms among students from Eastern European countries than students from Western European countries. This difference was thought to be linked to political and economic instabilities resulting from political changes in the early 1990s. We investigated whether these differences persist 15 years later. METHODS: Using data from a general health survey among first year students (N = 2,651) from two Western (Germany and Denmark) and two Eastern European countries (Poland and Bulgaria), our analysis was restricted to 2,146 students below 23 years of age. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Modified Beck Depression Inventory (M-BDI). The recommended cut-off point of the M-BDI for depression screening in the general population is a score of >/=35. Perceived income sufficiency was measured on a four-point scale from "totally sufficient" to "not sufficient at all". Analysis of variance and logistic regression were performed to assess the differences in depressive symptoms between countries adjusting for income sufficiency. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms were more prevalent in Eastern European than Western European countries (M-BDI scores of >/=35 in Germany 26.7%/22.8%, in Denmark 24.9%/12.1%, in Poland 45.5%/27.3%, in Bulgaria 42.9%/33.8% for female and male students, respectively). There was an association between income perceived as insufficient and higher levels of depressive symptoms, but it did not differ across the countries. Adjusting for perceived income sufficiency had little effect on differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms across countries. CONCLUSIONS: The difference in prevalence of depressive symptoms in university students from Eastern and Western European countries persists 15 years after political changes have taken place and cannot be explained by differences in perceived sufficiency of income http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2008/Prevofdes/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Anuncao/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Publheeti/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/langscinS/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Consvaden/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root/2007/Qualoflia/ AIM: To compare levels of self-efficacy among the general working population and employees with sickness absence from work, and to examine if general self-efficacy measured before occurrence of sickness absence predicted subsequent onset of sickness absence and Return-to-Work. METHODS: The study follows a cohort of 5357 working employees and 106 long-term sickness absent employees in Denmark. They were interviewed in 2000 regarding self-efficacy and various co-variates, and followed for 78 weeks in a national sickness absence register. Cox regression analysis was performed in order to assess the effect of self-efficacy on Return-to-Work after sickness absence. RESULTS: General self-efficacy was significantly lower among those with sickness absence compared to the general working population. Self-efficacy showed no statistically significant association with later onset of sickness absence or with Return-to-Work. CONCLUSION: The results may suggest that lower self-efficacy among employees with sickness absence is a result of the sickness absence itself rather than a precursor of it. This indicates a need to investigate the potential change in self-efficacy in relation to the employee's change in labor market status; this will help to focus Return-to-Work interventions where planning has to be attentive towards the change in self-efficacy that can occur after onset of disease and sickness absence http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Doesseprr/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root/2007/Unicknar/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Mast_pab/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Pharofquf/ ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The standard care in patients with a painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (VCF) is conservative therapy. Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV), a minimally invasive technique, is gaining popularity as a new treatment option. Many prospective and retrospective studies have reported on the effectiveness and safety of PV, but no large randomized controlled trial (RCT) has been published. OBJECTIVE: To estimate cost-effectiveness of PV compared to conservative therapy in terms of: pain reduction, quality of life, complications, secondary fractures and mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The VERTOS II study is designed as a prospective, multicenter RCT. Patients with a painful VCF with bone edema on MR imaging, local back pain for 6 weeks or less, osteopenia and aged 50 years or older, after obtaining informed consent are included and randomized for PV or conservative therapy. In total 200 patients will be enrolled. Follow-up is at regular intervals during a 1-year period with standard questionnaires, addressing: clinical symptoms, pain medication, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, quality of life and cost-effectiveness. Secondary fractures, necessary additional therapies and complications are recorded. CONCLUSION: The VERTOS II study is the first methodologically sound RCT designed to assess the cost-effectiveness of PV compared to conservative therapy in patients with an acute osteoporotic VCF. TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00232466 http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/VERTIIPev/ BACKGROUND: About 10 years ago, it was estimated that half of all people with diabetes were unrecognized. Since then, according to the national guidelines, case finding for diabetes in general practice has become common in the Netherlands, resulting in a substantial increase of the prevalence of known diabetes. Nevertheless, the need for population-based screening is advocated, especially by the national federation of diabetes patients. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficiency of population-based screening for Type 2 diabetes. METHODS: From 2002 to 2004, we performed a four-step screening procedure [questionnaire, random glucose measurement, fasting glucose measurement and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)] and a three-step procedure (without random glucose measurement) in 79 general practices in the southwestern region of the Netherlands. RESULTS: A total of 56 978 non-diabetic subjects, aged 50-70 years, were asked to complete the questionnaire. Those with a score above threshold underwent further glucose testing. Eventually, 586 participants (1.0%) were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (in four-step procedure 285 subjects and in three-step procedure 301). Impaired glucose regulation was assessed in 1011 participants (1.8%). Dropout rate in the screening programme among participants who should undergo an OGTT was 23.4%. The risk score was higher if glucose metabolism was more disturbed. CONCLUSION: In the Netherlands, the yield of population-based screening is low. The dropout among high-risk individuals was high. Given the decreasing prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes and the possibility of opportunistic screening on a continuous basis, opportunistic screening for diabetes might be more appropriate than population-based screening. Further research on this topic is needed http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Lowyiofp/ OBJECTIVE: To explore the relation of changes in measures of bone turnover and changes in bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and total hip over 18 months in a double-blinded, randomized trial, comparing the effect of alfacalcidol (101 patients) versus alendronate (100 patients) on BMD in patients who recently started treatment with glucocorticoids for various rheumatic diseases. METHODS: Associations between changes in serum procollagen type I C-propeptide (P1CP), fasting urine N-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (NTx), serum calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), osteocalcin, and change from baseline in BMD over 18 months were explored with regression and correlation analyses. RESULTS: In both treatment groups, there was a statistically significant decrease in NTx. In the alfacalcidol group there was also a significant increase in P1CP and osteocalcin, in contrast to the alendronate group, but BMD in the alfacalcidol decreased versus an increase in the alendronate group (p < 0.001). In neither treatment group were changes in biochemical measures correlated with the change in BMD, with the exception of a negative correlation in the alendronate group between changes in total hip BMD and NTx. Use of alendronate resulted in an increased PTH in 27 patients, but the increase in BMD of these patients was not statistically significantly different compared to patients taking alendronate with normal PTH levels. CONCLUSION: Changes in BMD were not associated with changes in bone measures, with the exception of NTx in the alendronate group. For the patient taking glucocorticoids in clinical practice, the value of serial assessment of bone markers is low; changes in markers are no substitute for changes in BMD. ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT00138983 http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Prevofgli/ Background: Heart failure (HF) disease management programs are widely implemented, but data about their effect on outcome have been inconsistent. METHODS: The Coordinating Study Evaluating Outcomes of Advising and Counseling in Heart Failure (COACH) was a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial in which 1023 patients were enrolled after hospitalization because of HF. Patients were assigned to 1 of 3 groups: a control group (follow-up by a cardiologist) and 2 intervention groups with additional basic or intensive support by a nurse specializing in management of patients with HF. Patients were studied for 18 months. Primary end points were time to death or rehospitalization because of HF and the number of days lost to death or hospitalization. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 71 years; 38% were women; and 50% of patients had mild HF and 50% had moderate to severe HF. During the study, 411 patients (40%) were readmitted because of HF or died from any cause: 42% in the control group, and 41% and 38% in the basic and intensive support groups, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.96 and 0.93, respectively; P = .73 and P = .52, respectively). The number of days lost to death or hospitalization was 39 960 in the control group, 33 731 days for the basic intervention group (P = .81), and 34 268 for the intensive support group (P = .49). All-cause mortality occurred in 29% of patients in the control group, and there was a trend toward lower mortality in the intervention groups combined (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-1.08; P = .18). There were slightly more hospitalizations in the 2 intervention groups (basic intervention group, P = .89; and intensive support group, P = .60). CONCLUSIONS: Neither moderate nor intensive disease management by a nurse specializing in management of patients with HF reduced the combined end points of death and hospitalization because of HF compared with standard follow-up. There was a nonsignificant, potentially relevant reduction in mortality, accompanied by a slight increase in the number of short hospitalizations in both intervention groups. Clinical Trial Registry http://trialregister.nl Identifier: NCT 98675639 http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2008/Effeofmoo/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Throintoh/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root/2007/Distansps/ Research concerning distress in couples coping with cancer was integrated using meta-analysis and narrative critical appraisal. Individual levels of distress were determined more by gender than by the role of being the person with cancer versus that person's partner. That is, women reported consistently more distress than men regardless of their role (standardized mean difference = 0.31). The association between patient and partner distress within couples was only moderate (r = .29) but is sufficient to warrant further consideration of the notion that these couples react as an emotional system rather than as individuals. It is noteworthy that this association is not moderated by gender. With a general lack of comparison groups, the question of how much distress can be ascribed to the cancer experience cannot be answered decisively; elevations in distress are probably modest. We critically discuss these results, identify important unanswered questions, and indicate directions for future research. Attention needs to be directed toward factors other than cancer as direct influences of distress in these couples and to mediators and moderators of the cancer experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved) http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2008/Distincoc/ OBJECTIVE: To investigate the test-retest, inter-, and intraobserver reliability of the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST) in young children with cerebral palsy (CP). DESIGN: For test-retest reliability, a test-retest design was used; for the intra- and interobserver reliability, the videotaped test was scored on 2 occasions by 1 observer and by various observers. SETTING: Groups of preschool-age children in 2 general rehabilitation centers. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one children with CP (12 boys, 9 girls) aged 2 to 4.5 years (mean, 39 mo). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The data indicated that test-retest reliability was strong (rho range, .85-.94). Intraobserver agreement (rho range, .63-.95) and agreement between various observers (rho range, .72-.90) were moderate to strong. CONCLUSIONS: Test-retest and inter- and intraobserver reliability of the QUEST in preschool-age children with CP is good http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Testanina/ BACKGROUND: Topical corticosteroids are used extensively to treat inflammatory skin disorders including atopic dermatitis (AD). Several studies have described temporary reversible suppression of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function. However, sound evidence of permanent disturbance of adrenal gland function is lacking. OBJECTIVES: To relate basal cortisol levels to prior use of topical corticosteroids and disease activity in patients with moderate to severe AD and to investigate the effect on basal serum cortisol levels of topical corticosteroid treatment during hospitalization. METHODS: Two groups of patients with AD were evaluated: 25 inpatients with severe AD who required hospitalization (group 1) and 28 outpatients with moderate to severe AD (group 2). In group 1, morning basal serum cortisol levels were measured twice, at admission and at discharge; in group 2, morning basal serum cortisol levels were measured once. Use of topical corticosteroids in the 3 months prior to the cortisol measurement was recorded and disease activity was monitored using the Six Area, Six Sign Atopic Dermatitis (SASSAD) score and serum thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) levels. RESULTS: On admission, basal cortisol levels in group 1 were significantly (P < 0.001) decreased in 80% of the patients. In group 2, the basal cortisol levels were normal in all but three patients. Comparing the two groups, group 1 on admission had a significantly lower cortisol level than that of group 2 (P < 0.001). Disease activity in group 1 on admission was significantly higher than that of group 2 (P < 0.001). There was no difference in use of topical corticosteroids in the 3 months before cortisol measurement. At discharge in group 1 there was a significant increase (P < 0.0001) of basal cortisol levels and a significant (P < 0.001) decrease in disease activity reflected by the decrease in serum TARC levels and SASSAD score. CONCLUSIONS: Disease activity, rather than the use of topical corticosteroids, is responsible for the low basal cortisol values in patients with severe AD http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Lowbasec/ BACKGROUND: Lack of treatment initiation or intensification might explain why some patients with type 2 diabetes do not reach target goals. The objective is to assess trends in risk factor treatment, and identify determinants for medication adjustments in patients with uncontrolled hypertension and/or hyperlipidemia. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study using data from the Zwolle Outpatient Diabetes project Integrated Available Care (ZODIAC)-study in The Netherlands. Management of hypertension and hyperlipidemia was assessed yearly from 1998-2004 by measuring the percentage of patients receiving a treatment initiation or intensification among all patients with elevated risk factor levels. Generalized estimating equation analyses were performed. RESULTS: During the study period, the percentage of patients with an elevated total cholesterol/high-density lipoproteins ratio (>6) decreased considerably (from 29% to 4%) whereas the percentage of hypertensive patients decreased only slightly (>or= 150/85 mmHg; from 58% to 51%). Initiation of lipid-lowering therapy and intensification of antihypertensive therapy was higher in more recent years. However, still two-third of patients with insufficiently controlled blood pressure in 2003 did not receive an initiation or intensification of antihypertensive treatment in the following year. Treatment changes were mainly determined by elevated levels of the corresponding risk factor. We did not observe increased initiation rates for lipid-lowering therapy in patients with both hypertension and hyperlipidemia. CONCLUSION: Hypertension and hyperlipidemia management in type 2 diabetes patients has improved in the past decade but further improvement is possible. Greater effort is needed to stimulate medication adjustments in patients with insufficiently controlled hypertension and combined risk factors http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Treninhya/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Discinece/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root/2007/Deveanvao/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Gast/ Aim and objective To evaluate the validity of study outcomes of published papers that report the effects of clinical pathways (CP). Method Systematic review based on two search strategies, including searching Medline, CINAHL, Embase, Psychinfo and Picarta from 1995 till 2005 and ISI Web of Knowledge (SM). We included randomized controlled or quasi-experimental studies evaluating the efficacy of clinical pathway application. Assessment of the methodological quality of the studies included randomization, power analysis, selection bias, validity of outcome indicators, appropriateness of statistical tests, direct (matching) and indirect (statistical) control for confounders. Outcomes included length of stay, costs, readmission rate and complications. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of the selected papers and recorded the findings with an evaluation tool developed from a set of items for quality assessment derived from the Cochrane Library and other publications. Results The study sample comprised of 115 publications. A total of 91.3% of the studies comprised of retrospective studies and 8.7% were randomized controlled studies. Using a quality-scoring assessment tool, 33% of the papers were classified as of good quality, whereas 67% were classified as of low quality. Of the studies, 10.4% controlled for confounding by matching and 59.1% adopted parametric statistical tests without testing variables on normal distribution. Differences in outcomes were not always statistically tested. Conclusion Readers should be cautious when interpreting the results of clinical pathway evaluation studies because of the confounding factors and sources of contamination affecting the evidence-based validity of the outcomes http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Arethouo/ This study describes the activities and interventions carried out by an at-home palliative care team treating cancer patients who died within two years of being enrolled in a palliative care program. It analyzes which changes in symptoms and pain occurred and which sociodemographic and medical characteristics were related to these changes. The analysis is based on 102 cancer patients. Data were collected through systematic registration during the palliative care process. At enrollment, patients were interviewed by the coordinating general practitioner concerning their sociodemographic background, medical history, psychological status, and symptoms. During the palliative care process, symptoms and functioning of the patients were recorded by the physician and nurses. The results show that cancer patients enrolled in palliative care at home have many symptoms, often associated with metastatic disease and comorbidities. The palliative care teams delivered frequent and various interventions. The number of symptoms decreased considerably, as did pain intensity and the intensity of other symptoms. Patients living in urban areas and with low income particularly benefited from a reduction in the number of symptoms they displayed. Cancer patients who needed palliative care benefited significantly from this at-home palliative care service http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Chaninsya/ No description abstract http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Whatisthr/ Heart failure (HF) is a major public health problem among the elderly. The syndrome of HF may arise in the presence of either a depressed or apparently normal left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The latter entity is more common in the elderly. In elderly patients with HF, prescription of a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist may raise concerns regarding efficacy and tolerability. Because of these concerns, but also as a result of a paucity of published data, beta-adrenoceptor antagonists are under-prescribed to elderly patients with HF in general practice.We review the evidence regarding the efficacy and tolerability of beta-adrenoceptor antagonist therapy in elderly patients with HF. We found three major sources of evidence: one prospective, randomised controlled trial (RCT), SENIORS (Study of the Effects of Nebivolol Intervention on Outcomes and Rehospitalisation in Seniors with Heart Failure); a subgroup meta-analysis of elderly patients included in systolic HF trials; and a large number of observational studies. SENIORS showed that the third-generation beta-adrenoceptor antagonist nebivolol reduces the risk of all-cause mortality or cardiovascular admission in elderly patients (aged >/=70 years) with HF and a broad range of LVEF. The subgroup meta-analysis of RCTs showed that beta-adrenoceptor antagonists reduce mortality in elderly patients (aged 60-80 years) with systolic HF, and that the benefit is similar to that observed in non-elderly patients (aged <60 years). The observational studies showed a beneficial effect of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists in elderly populations in daily practice, including those with depressed and preserved LVEF. However, the effect of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists on all-cause mortality may be lower in very elderly patients (aged >75 years). Approximately two-thirds of elderly patients with HF tolerate a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist, but only 40-70% of the target doses recommended in RCTs are achieved. Some clinical variables may predict low beta-adrenoceptor antagonist tolerability, such as low systolic blood pressure, higher New York Heart Association HF severity class, advanced age and ischaemic cause of HF. Furthermore, prescription of a high diuretic dose and calcium channel antagonists may also decrease beta-adrenoceptor antagonist tolerability. However, it is difficult to identify on clinical grounds patients intolerant to any beta-adrenoceptor antagonist dose. Low-dose therapy (<50% target dose) may be effective in an elderly population with HF, but prescription of at least a medium dose (>/=50% target dose) may achieve a higher benefit.In conclusion, although elderly patients with HF take lower doses of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists, these agents are still effective and overall well tolerated in this population. Elderly patients with HF should therefore not be denied beta-adrenoceptor antagonist therapy. The dilemma relies on dose-benefit balance, as higher doses would be more effective but may raise tolerability concerns. The beneficial effects of use of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists in elderly patients with HF and preserved LVEF need to be further confirmed in large RCTs http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Betaanine/ AIM: To evaluate the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of systemic antibiotic prophylaxis in severe acute pancreatitis in relation to outcome. METHODS: The MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched for RCTs that studied the effectiveness of systemic antibiotic prophylaxis in severe acute pancreatitis. A meta-analysis was performed with a random effects model. Methodological quality was quantified by a previously published scoring system (range 0-17 points). RESULTS: Six studies, with a total of 397 participants, obtained a methodological score of at least 5 points and were included. Systemic antibiotic prophylaxis had no significant effect on infection of pancreatic necrosis (absolute risk reduction (ARR) 0.055; 95% CI -0.084 to 0.194) and mortality (ARR 0.058, 95% CI -0.017 to 0.134). Spearman correlation showed an inverse association between methodological quality and ARR for mortality (correlation coefficient -0.841, p = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS: The inverse relationship between methodological quality and impact of antibiotic prophylaxis on mortality emphasizes the importance of high-quality RCTs. At present, adequate evidence for the routine use of antibiotic prophylaxis in severe acute pancreatitis is lacking http://share.eldoc.ub.rug.nl/root2/2007/Randcotro0/