Publications by authors named "Birnie E"
Introduction: Randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses have provided evidence of the positive effects of perioperative music interventions on pain, anxiety, and stress. However, the cost-effectiveness is unknown. The objective of this study was to analyze the cost-effectiveness of the implementation of a music intervention in the perioperative care of patients undergoing colorectal surgery.
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- * The study involved a prospective cohort of 611 participants aged 16 and older with at least 5 years of T1D, plus a second group of 160 participants with a minimum of 35 years of T1D, gathering a range of health data, physical assessments, and biological samples.
- * Preliminary findings indicate that additional C-peptide secretion was noted in 10% of individuals, linking fasting C-peptide levels with reduced hypoglycemia awareness
Background: The immunological determinants of delayed viral clearance and intrahost viral evolution that drive the development of new pathogenic virus strains in immunocompromised individuals are unknown. Therefore, we longitudinally studied severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific immune responses in relation to viral clearance and evolution in immunocompromised individuals.
Methods: Among Omicron-infected immunocompromised individuals, we determined SARS-CoV-2-specific T- and B-cell responses, anti-spike immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgG3 titers, neutralization titers, and monoclonal antibody (mAb) resistance-associated mutations.
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- The study investigates the effectiveness of tranexamic acid (TXA) in reducing postoperative bleeding in patients undergoing gastric bypass surgery, particularly in the context of Enhanced Recovery After Bariatric Surgery protocols.
- This multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial will involve 1,524 participants across six bariatric centers in the Netherlands, comparing the effects of TXA against a placebo.
- Primary and secondary outcomes will assess hemorrhage rates, surgical details, complications, and costs, with the trial being ethically approved and results planned for publication.
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- The study aimed to create a framework based on value-based healthcare principles to assess health outcomes and costs on an institutional level, specifically investigating how these factors are related.
- Conducted as a retrospective cohort study at a teaching hospital in Rotterdam, the research involved two populations: bariatric patients (856 total) and breast cancer patients (663 total), analyzing their health outcomes and associated costs of care.
- Results indicated high quality cost indicators (QCI) for both populations, with the bariatric group maintaining stable costs and the breast cancer group showing more variability, while poor health outcomes were linked to increased hospital costs in both groups.
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- A study examined variations in treatment outcomes and costs of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) across 8 hospitals in the Netherlands, focusing on how these differences can inform quality and cost improvements in care.
- The study included 1010 patients and found that while clinicians reported high remission rates (83%), patient-reported rates were significantly lower (40%), indicating discrepancies in perceived outcomes.
- Most variations in treatment outcomes and costs were linked to individual patient factors rather than the hospitals themselves, suggesting that future efforts should concentrate on enhancing patient-level care rather than evaluating hospitals based on these variations.
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- Sleeve gastrectomy is a common weight loss surgery, but its long-term effectiveness compared to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is unclear, motivating a study to compare their outcomes over five years.
- In a trial involving 628 patients, those receiving RYGB lost more excess BMI (67.1%) compared to sleeve gastrectomy (58.8%), although both procedures showed significant weight loss and improvement in obesity-related health issues.
- Patients who underwent RYGB also experienced greater improvement in certain conditions like dyslipidaemia, while the overall health benefits were notable in both surgical groups after the five years of follow-up.
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- The study aimed to evaluate a personalized diagnostic pathway for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or Asthma in a real-world outpatient setting.
- The results revealed that only 35% of patients attended all scheduled appointments after the pathway's implementation, with factors like logistical complexity and low socioeconomic status contributing to dropouts.
- Despite the challenges, the study showed a significant increase in the creation of personalized care plans and diagnostic documentation, indicating that holistic care planning can be effectively implemented, but improvements are needed to increase patient participation.
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- Intraoperative digital specimen mammography (IDSM) is a newer method for evaluating breast tumor specimens, potentially leading to reduced surgery times and lower re-excision rates compared to conventional specimen radiography (CSR).
- A study compared two groups of patients who underwent breast conserving surgery—one using IDSM and the other CSR—focusing on operation time and margin status.
- Results showed that IDSM reduced surgery time by about 8 minutes and increased cavity shaves performed, but there was no significant difference in negative margin rates between the two methods.
Background: Melioidosis, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium , has a major global health impact and a wide range of different disease manifestations. Histopathological descriptions of melioidosis remain limited. Granulomatous inflammation with multinucleated giant cells are considered classic features.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImportance: Pre-exposure prophylaxis with neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs PrEP) prevents infection and reduces hospitalizations and the duration thereof for COVID-19 and death among high-risk individuals. However, reduced effectiveness due to a changing SARS-CoV-2 viral landscape and high drug prices remain substantial implementation barriers.
Objective: To assess the cost-effectiveness of mAbs PrEP as COVID-19 PrEP.
Introduction: In metabolic surgery, hemorrhage is the most common major complication. This study investigated whether peroperative administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) reduced the risk of hemorrhage in patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG).
Methods: In this double-blind randomized controlled trial, patients undergoing primary SG in a high-volume bariatric hospital were randomized (1:1) to receive 1500-mg TXA or placebo peroperatively.
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- Previous studies indicate that vacuum-assisted excision (VAE) is a safe alternative to surgical excision (SE) for benign breast lesions, although its use for high-risk lesions is still debated and lacks clear guidelines.
- This study compared two groups of patients, one treated before the introduction of VAE and the other after, analyzing excision, complication, and recurrence rates.
- Results showed that VAE was increasingly used for benign lesions, with comparable low rates of re-excision, recurrence, and complications, suggesting a significant potential to replace SE in many cases while reducing the need for surgery and anesthesia.
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- * An 8-year follow-up study involved 15 of 78 patients from an initial trial, showing stable asthma control and lung function over time, despite weight regain in those who had surgery.
- * The study highlights that while some weight regain was noted, it had a clinically insignificant impact on asthma control and quality of life, underscoring bariatric surgery's effectiveness for obesity-related asthma.
Melioidosis, caused by the soil-dwelling bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, is predicted to be endemic in Nigeria but is only occasionally reported. This report documents the systematic identification of the presence of B. pseudomallei and B.
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- The introduction of insulin pumps has improved glycemic control and quality of life for many type 1 diabetes patients, but some still switch back to multiple daily injections (MDI).
- A systematic review analyzed 826 studies, ultimately including 67, revealing discontinuation rates of insulin pumps ranging from 0% to 30%, with a median of 7%.
- Key reasons for discontinuation included device discomfort, impact on daily activities, and personal factors such as HbA1c levels, treatment adherence issues, and demographic variables like age and gender.
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- Optimal diabetes care is crucial for preventing complications in individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D), which involves evaluating target achievement and understanding risk factors.
- A study collected data from 1,737 adults with T1D in the Netherlands, comparing target achievement for glycemic, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels among those with and without cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- Results showed lower target achievement rates for those with CVD, while factors like gender and insulin pump use positively influenced success in those without CVD, indicating a need for tailored management strategies.
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- The study evaluates a quality control system for first-trimester anatomical screening (FTAS) ultrasound exams and the learning curves of sonographers involved in these screenings.
- Conducted between 2012 and 2015 in North-Netherlands, researchers analyzed logbook images from six sonographers, focusing on their ability to visualize 12 specific anatomical planes.
- Results showed that only 57% of logbooks met the sufficient score criteria, with the highest visualization success for the fetal skull and brain, while the lowest scores were for the face and spine, indicating areas where sonographers need improvement.
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- - The study explored the perspectives of primary care professionals in the Netherlands regarding population-based expanded carrier screening (ECS) for recessive diseases, which is offered to couples considering pregnancy.
- - Participants acknowledged the potential benefits of ECS for reproductive autonomy but expressed concerns about ethical implications, societal pressure for a "perfect" society, and access disparities.
- - Most general practitioners felt less equipped to provide ECS compared to midwives, yet there was a consensus that ECS should be offered in primary care settings to enhance accessibility, indicating a need for further studies on its desirability and implementation.
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- The study aims to understand the variety, timing, and long-term effects of persistent COVID-19 symptoms (long COVID) in individuals who experienced different severities of acute COVID-19 infection.
- Researchers will analyze data from seven cohort studies to determine the prevalence of long COVID symptoms and their impact on health-related quality of life, while also developing a prediction model for future patients.
- The study involves ongoing follow-up of participants for up to 24 months post-infection, measuring various health outcomes and complications, and is ethically approved and supported by relevant research foundations.
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- The study evaluated how stable C-peptide levels are over time in individuals with long-standing type 1 diabetes, focusing on both fasting C-peptide and responses after a mixed-meal tolerance test (MMTT).
- Among 607 participants, only 25% showed detectable fasting C-peptide, with levels significantly decreasing over one year, and patients with higher levels were generally diagnosed at an older age and had shorter disease duration.
- The findings indicated that stimulated C-peptide was found in 10% more participants during MMTT compared to fasting tests, and results from MMTT at 90 and 120 minutes closely matched overall C-peptide area under the curve measurements.
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- - The study investigates why some obese patients don't show improvement in subclinical cardiac dysfunction one year after bariatric surgery, despite overall benefits seen in many.
- - Researchers analyzed 99 patients with obesity, excluding those with known cardiovascular issues, and found that 20 continued to experience cardiac dysfunction post-surgery, even though many improved in weight and cardiac function.
- - Key predictors for ongoing cardiac dysfunction included reduced heart rate variability and low vitamin D levels before surgery, indicating these factors may hinder recovery.
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- Carrier screening identifies couples at risk of having children with recessive conditions, transitioning from ancestry-based to expanded universal carrier screening (EUCS) due to technological advances.
- A scoping review analyzed 40 articles, revealing three main societal implications: unwanted medicalization, stigmatization and discrimination, and challenges to equitable access.
- While there are potential positive effects, such as reducing ethnic stigmatization, there are also negative consequences, including reinforcing disability-based stigmatization; further empirical research is required to understand these implications in practice.
This study investigates whether resistance-associated mutations develop after treatment with sotrovimab in high-risk patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.
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- Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death for individuals with type 1 diabetes, highlighting the importance of managing cardiovascular risks as part of their treatment.
- The study assessed how well lipid and blood pressure management were implemented among individuals with type 1 diabetes, following guidelines from Dutch, ADA, and NICE over a one-year period.
- Results showed low prescription rates for lipid-lowering and antihypertensive medications, especially in younger patients, with many failing to meet recommended treatment targets.