Lay People's Ethical Attitudes To Placebo Treatment: A Q-Methodology Study.

Background: Placebo-treatment acceptability is debated among ethicists, mostly due to conflict between respect-to-autonomy and beneficence principles. It is not clear how lay people balance these and other ethical principles.

Methods: One hundred and eighty-seven respondents rank-ordered 42 opinion statements covering various ethical aspects of placebo-treatment, according to a 9-category symmetrical distribution.

Superfluous amylase/lipase testing at a tertiary care hospital: a retrospective study.

Background: Measuring both serum amylase and lipase in the setting of acute pancreatitis is not recommended and monitoring changes in amylase and lipase levels after diagnostic results is of little added value. The extent of the two types of superfluous amylase/lipase testing at our institution is unknown.

Objective: Explore the extent of superfluous amylase/lipase testing.

Circumferential Negative Intermittent Pressure to the Midarm Does Not Impair Digital O2 Saturation: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Background: Circumferential negative pressure wound therapy is commonly used to manage wounds and enhance the healing process. A theoretical concern was recently raised that circumferential negative pressure wound therapy may have a negative effect on perfusion distally.

Methods: In a randomized study, we applied circumferential negative pressure (125 mm Hg) to the midarm of 13 healthy volunteers through InfoV.