Objective assessment of alcohol consumption in early pregnancy using phosphatidylethanol: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is associated with major birth defects and developmental disabilities. Questionnaires concerning alcohol consumption during pregnancy underestimate alcohol use while the use of a reliable and objective biomarker for alcohol consumption enables more accurate screening. Phosphatidylethanol can detect low levels of alcohol consumption in the previous two weeks.

[Tests for alcohol consumption during pregnancy: what biomarkers are suitable?].

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy may lead to severe foetal damage, such as foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. It is known that pregnant women under-report to questionnaires about alcohol consumption. It is therefore necessary to determine alcohol consumption during pregnancy objectively.

Prognostic factors for the feasibility of chemotherapy and the Geriatric Prognostic Index (GPI) as risk profile for mortality before chemotherapy in the elderly.

Background: Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidimensional method to detect frailty in elderly patients. Time saving could be accomplished by identifying those individual items that classify elderly cancer patients at risk for feasibility of chemotherapy and for mortality.

Material And Methods: Patients older than 70 years of age were assessed before the first chemotherapy administration.

Prognostic factors for the feasibility of chemotherapy and the Geriatric Prognostic Index (GPI) as risk profile for mortality before chemotherapy in the elderly.

Background: Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidimensional method to detect frailty in elderly patients. Time saving could be accomplished by identifying those individual items that classify elderly cancer patients at risk for feasibility of chemotherapy and for mortality.

Material And Methods: Patients older than 70 years of age were assessed before the first chemotherapy administration.

Prognostic significance of geriatric assessment in combination with laboratory parameters in elderly patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The age-adjusted International Prognostic Index (IPI) is an important prognostic factor for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). We investigated whether a geriatric assessment (GA) is of additional prognostic value in NHL. In this prospective cohort study of 44 patients aged 70 years or older with NHL receiving rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP), a GA was administered before the start of chemotherapy.

Frailty and malnutrition predictive of mortality risk in older patients with advanced colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy.

Introduction: In general, geriatric assessment (GA) provides the combined information on comorbidity and functional, nutritional and psychosocial status and may be predictive for mortality outcome of cancer patients. The impact of geriatric assessment on the outcome of older patients with colorectal cancer treated with chemotherapy is largely unknown.

Methods: In a prospective study, 143 patients with colorectal cancer who were 70years and older were assessed before chemotherapy by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE), Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI) and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Prognostic value of geriatric assessment in older patients with advanced breast cancer receiving chemotherapy.

Introduction: The prognostic value of geriatric assessment in older patients with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy is largely unknown.

Methods: Fifty-five patients with advanced breast cancer aged 70 years or older were assessed by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE), Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI) and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Levels of albumin, hemoglobin, creatinine and lactate dehydrogenase were measured.

Predictive value of geriatric assessment for patients older than 70 years, treated with chemotherapy.

Introduction: Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) gives useful information on the functional status of older cancer patients. However, its meaning for a proper selection of elderly patients before chemotherapy and, even more important, the influence of chemotherapy on the outcome of geriatric assessment is unknown.

Methods: 202 cancer patients, for whom an indication for chemotherapy was made by the medical oncologist, underwent a GA before start of chemotherapy by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE), Groningen Frailty Index (GFI) and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).

[Sub-standard factors in primary obstetric care].

Objective: Investigating the frequency and nature of sub-standard care factors in non-complicated pregnancies in primary obstetric care.

Design: Retrospective investigation of medical files.

Method: Data concerning obstetric care in 3 midwifery practices in the Delft area (Pijnacker, Nootdorp, Den Hoorn and Schipluiden), the Netherlands, from 1989-1999 were gathered from the primary National Obstetrics Register.