Prevalence and incidence rate of hospital admissions related to medication between 2008 and 2013 in The Netherlands.

Purpose: In 2009 a Dutch guideline was published containing recommendations to reduce Hospital Admissions Related to Medications (HARMs). This study aims to examine time-trends of HARMs and their potential preventability between 2008 and 2013 in The Netherlands.

Methods: A retrospective prevalence study was conducted using the Dutch PHARMO Database Network.

The need to scale up HIV indicator condition-guided testing for early case-finding: a case-control study in primary care.

Background: European guidelines recommend offering an HIV test to individuals who display HIV indicator conditions (ICs). We aimed to investigate the incidence of ICs in primary care reported in medical records prior to HIV diagnosis.

Methods: We did a cross-sectional search in an electronic general practice database using a matched case-control design to identify which predefined ICs registered by Dutch GPs were most associated with an HIV-positive status prior to the time of diagnosis.

Are proton-pump inhibitors harmful for the semen quality of men in couples who are planning pregnancy?

Objective: To determine associations between proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) use and semen parameters in young men of couples who are planning pregnancy.

Design: Case-control study of a population-based registry.

Setting: Not applicable.

Hospital Admissions, Transfers and Costs of Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

Background: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has a highly variable clinical course, leading to frequent transfers within and between hospitals and high associated costs. We defined the current admissions, transfers and costs in relation to disease severity of GBS.

Methods: Dutch neurologists were requested to report patients diagnosed with GBS between November 2009 and November 2010.

Coverage of the 2011 Q fever vaccination campaign in the Netherlands, using retrospective population-based prevalence estimation of cardiovascular risk-conditions for chronic Q fever.

Background: In 2011, a unique Q fever vaccination campaign targeted people at risk for chronic Q fever in the southeast of the Netherlands. General practitioners referred patients with defined cardiovascular risk-conditions (age >15 years). Prevalence rates of those risk-conditions were lacking, standing in the way of adequate planning and coverage estimation.

Usefulness of primary care electronic networks to assess the incidence of chlamydia, diagnosed by general practitioners.

Background: Chlamydia is the most common curable sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the Netherlands. The majority of chlamydia diagnoses are made by general practitioners (GPs). Baseline data from primary care will facilitate the future evaluation of the ongoing large population-based screening in the Netherlands.