[Unintentional weight loss].

In this article we describe the causes and diagnostic work-up of unintentional weight loss. It is defined as loss of weight of at least 5% in 6 months. There is both attention to somatic and functional causes of weight loss, as well as iatrogenic causes like side-effects of medication.

Antibiotic treatment for 6 days versus 12 days in patients with severe cellulitis: a multicentre randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, non-inferiority trial.

Objectives: To investigate whether antibiotic treatment of 6 days' duration is non-inferior to treatment for 12 days in patients hospitalized for cellulitis.

Methods: This multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, non-inferiority trial enrolled adult patients hospitalized for severe cellulitis who were treated with intravenous flucloxacillin. At day 6 participants with symptom improvement who were afebrile were randomized between an additional 6 days of oral flucloxacillin or placebo in a 1:1 ratio, stratified for diabetes and hospital.

[Hypoglycaemia with low insulin levels: what insulin tests do not measure].

Insulin can be measured by immunochemical methods using polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies are specific in the detection of pure human insulin, and may show little to no cross reactivity with pro-insulin or recombinant insulin. Polyclonal antibodies, however, do show such cross reactivity.

Evaluation of cholesterol lowering treatment of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: a large cross-sectional study in The Netherlands.

Background: Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (heFH) is a common autosomal dominant hereditary disorder caused by mutations in the LDL-receptor gene that lead to elevated plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c). Robust lowering of LDL-c levels is essential for risk reduction of premature cardiovascular diseases and early death. European and Dutch guidelines recommend to treat LDL-c to plasma levels <2.