<p><i>Background</i>: We aimed to investigate the extent of the agreement on practices around brain death and postmortem organ donation.</p> <p><i>Methods</i>: Investigators from 67 Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study centers completed several questionnaires (response rate: 99%).</p> <p><i>Results</i>: Regarding practices around ...

The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients who survive the first years after a cancer diagnosis after the acute effects of disease and treatment in comparison to a similar background population has been sparsely investigated. The aim of the study was to investigate if incidence rates (IRs) of VTE differed in patients who were alive at least 2 years after a cancer diagnosis without VTE ...

<i>Introduction</i>: A minimal increase in the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) predicts cardiovascular disease and mortality, but whether it predicts kidney function loss in nondiabetic persons is unclear. We investigated the association between ACR in the optimal or high-normal range and the rate of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decline in a cohort from the general population without diabetes, ...

<i>Objectives</i>: The objectives of this study were to assess the interexaminer agreement between one “reference” (gold standard) and each of two examiners, using the DC/TMD examination method, Axis I and to evaluate whether a recalibration changed reliability values. <p> <p><i>Methods</i>: Participants (4 healthy and 12 TMD patients) in 2013 underwent a clinical examination according to ...

Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response (HiSCR), is a validated tool that has been used to assess the efficacy of adalimumab among patients with hidradenitis suppurativa. We evaluated the clinical meaning of HiSCR by relating it to patient-reported outcomes to give further context to its achievement in a post hoc analysis of integrated data from two phase 3 clinical trials (PIONEER I and II). ...

<i>Background</i>: More than 17.000 Palestinians were injured during different Israeli military incursions on the Gaza Strip from 2006 to 2014. Many suffered traumatic extremity amputations. We describe the injuries, complications, living conditions and health among a selection of traumatic amputees in the Gaza Strip.<p> <p><i>Methods</i>: We included 254 civilian Palestinians who had survived, ...

<p><i>Background</i>: eHealth has an enormous potential to improve healthcare cost, effectiveness, and quality of care. However, there seems to be a gap between the foreseen benefits of research and clinical reality.</p> <p><i>Objective</i>: Our objective was to systematically review the factors influencing the outcome of eHealth interventions in terms of success and failure.</p> <p><i>Methods</i>: ...

<i>Background</i>: Length of hospital stay (LOS) may serve as a surrogate measure of healthcare quality and resource use, particularly when transfers of care and readmissions are accounted for. This study aimed to benchmark true hospital stay by measuring index, transfer and readmission stays across the range of digestive cancer surgery.<p> <p><i>Methods</i>: A cohort study of all patients ...

<p><i>Background</i>: Sexual dimorphism in placental size and function has been described. Whether this influences the clinically important umbilical artery (UA) waveform remains controversial, although a few cross-sectional studies have shown sex differences in UA pulsatility index (PI). Therefore, we tested whether fetal sex influences the UA Doppler indices during the entire second half of pregnancy ...

<p><i>Background</i>: Earlier work has described videoconferencing technologies, peripheral equipment, organizational models, human relations, purposes, goals and roles as versatile, multifaceted, and those used differently in different clinical practices. Knowledge about benefits and challenges connected to specific characteristics of services are lacking. A 2005 systematic review of published ...