[The Trend in Places of Death Over Two Decades in the City of Muenster - an Observational Study Based on evaluated Death Certificates].

Aim of the study The study examined the distribution of places of death in the Westphalian city of Muenster over an observation period of 20 years.Methods All death certificates issued in the city of Muenster from 2001, 2011, 2017, 2021 were evaluated by places of death (home (HO), hospital (HT), hospice (HP), nursing home (NH), other place (OP)). For hospital patients, deaths on intensive care units (ICU) and palliative care units (PAL) were also considered separately.

[Places of death of COVID-19 patients: an observational study based on evaluated death certificates from the city of Muenster, Germany (2021)].

Introduction: The places of death of COVID-19 patients have so far hardly been investigated in Germany.

Methods: In a places of death study in Westphalia (Germany), statistical evaluations were carried out in the city of Muenster on the basis of all death certificates from 2021. Persons who had died with or from a COVID-19 infection were identified by medical information on cause of death and analyzed with descriptive statistical methods using SPSS.

Virtual reality reduces pain in palliative care-A feasibility trial.

Background: Effective symptom control is a stated goal of palliative care (PC) to improve quality of life for terminally ill patients. Virtual reality (VR) provides temporary escapes from pharmacologically resistant pain and allows for experiences and journeys patients may not access in any other way. Enabling wishes through virtual worlds may also offer additional benefits such as controlling psychological and physical symptoms.

Frequency of discharge of hospitalized patients with stroke to free-standing hospice facilities-a register study from Germany.

Background: Due to a lack of data, it is unknown if and how frequently in-patients with severe stroke are discharged to free-standing hospice facilities in Germany.

Methods: Patients aged 18 or over who had been hospitalized for ischemic stroke (IS) (International Statistical Classification of Diseases, ICD-10: I63), intracerebral bleeding (ICB) (ICD-10: I61), or subarachnoid bleeding (SAB) (ICD-10: I60) were investigated. The analysis was based on data from the Northwest-German Stroke Registry from 2017 to 2020.

[The Place of Death of Neurological Patients with Selected Disease Entities: Data from an Observational Study on Places of Death from Germany].

Background: So far, there are only few data on places where neurological patients die in Germany.

Methods: In the context of the most comprehensive study on the place of death in Germany to date, the present investigation examined the place of death of neurological patients with selected disease entities (ALS (ALS), malignant neoplasm of the brain (BNG), brain metastasis(es) (HM), hypoxic brain damage after resuscitation (HHS), non-traumatic SAB (SAB), dementia (≥65 years) (DEM)). All death certificates issued in the city of Münster of 2017 were evaluated.

[Place of death of older people with dementia : Epidemiological data from an observational study of places of death in Germany (2001, 2011, 2017)].

Background: Dementia is increasingly perceived as a terminal illness due to disease progression with a shortened life expectancy and often a lack of therapeutic options. In the context of palliative care, the preferred place of death is considered a quality indicator for needs-based patient care. The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of places of death of older patients with dementia.

Place of Death Trends and Utilization of Outpatient Palliative Care at the End of Life—Analysis of Death Certificates (2001, 2011, 2017) and Pseudonymized Data From Selected Palliative Medicine Consultation Services (2017) in Westphalia, Germany.

Background: The largest German study on place of death was performed for deaths in selected regions of Westphalia in the years 2001 and 2011. In the period thereafter, provision of palliative care was regionally expanded. This upgrade included the establishment of palliative medicine consultation services (PMCS), combining general and specialized palliative care on an outpatient basis.

Prevalence of therapeutic and diagnostic procedures in the last 14 days of life in hospital patients: a single-center observational study from Germany.

Background: The opportunities available for maintaining and prolonging life in modern medicine give rise to medical-ethical dilemmas in patients at the end of life, raising the question of whether intensified treatment and diagnosis is appropriate in these patients. This affects hospital patients in particular.

Methods: This single-center cross-sectional study from Germany analyzed hospital records of all deceased patients of a university hospital who died between October 2016 and September 2017.

Prevalence of resuscitation in cancer patients at the end of life-a population-based observational study from Germany.

Background: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a medical emergency intervention aimed at ending a life-threatening cardiovascular arrest as quickly as possible. However, the medical ethics of starting CPR in patients who have incurable and terminal disease is a matter of controversy. This ethical dilemma affects cancer patients in particular, as they are often suffering from advanced disease in a palliative situation.

The prevalence of bereavement rooms at German hospitals: a cross-sectional observational study from 2016.

Background: Hospitals represent the most frequent place of death in Germany. Therefore, these health institutions should be adequately prepared for post-death caring for deceased patients and their bereaved relatives. To enable the next of kin a dignified farewell to the deceased in a private atmosphere, some hospitals have established a bereavement room.

Place of death in patients with dementia and the association with comorbidities: a retrospective population-based observational study in Germany.

Background: Due to increasing life expectancy, more and more older people are suffering from dementia and comorbidities. To date, little information is available on place of death for dementia patients in Germany. In addition, the association of place of death and comorbidities is unknown.

Care of cancer patients at the end of life in a German university hospital: A retrospective observational study from 2014.

Background: Cancer care including aggressive treatment procedures during the last phase of life in patients with incurable cancer has increasingly come under scrutiny, while integrating specialist palliative care at an early stage is regarded as indication for high quality end-of-life patient care.

Aim: To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics and the medical care provided at the end of life of cancer patients who died in a German university hospital.

Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study on the basis of anonymized hospital data for cancer patients who died in the Munich University Hospital in 2014.

Place of Death: Trends Over the Course of a Decade: A Population-Based Study of Death Certificates From the Years 2001 and 2011.

Background: In Germany, data on place of death is recorded from death certificates, but not further analyzed. Consequently, hardly any information is available at the population level regarding the distribution of place of death (e.g.

Survival after long-term isoflurane sedation as opposed to intravenous sedation in critically ill surgical patients: Retrospective analysis.

Background: Isoflurane has shown better control of intensive care sedation than propofol or midazolam and seems to be a useful alternative. However, its effect on survival remains unclear.

Objective: The objective of this study is to compare mortality after sedation with either isoflurane or propofol/midazolam.

Effects of liberal vs. conventional volume regimen on pulmonary function in posterior scoliosis surgery.

Background: We observed an increased rate of pulmonary complications (hypoxemia, pulmonary edema, re-intubation) in some patients after posterior spinal fusion, though standardized intraoperative volume regimens for major surgery were used. Therefore, we focused on the effects of two different standardized fluid regimens (liberal vs. conventional) as well as on two different types of postoperative pain management (thoracic epidural catheter vs.

The effect of time-to-surgery on outcome in elderly patients with proximal femoral fractures.

Background: Whether reducing time-to-surgery for elderly patients suffering from hip fracture results in better outcomes remains subject to controversial debates.

Methods: As part of a prospective observational study conducted between January 2002 and September 2003 on hip-fracture patients from 268 acute-care hospitals all over Germany, we investigated the relationship of time-to-surgery with frequency of post-operative complications and one-year mortality in elderly patients (age > or =65) with isolated proximal femoral fracture (femoral neck fracture or pertrochanteric femoral fracture). Patients with short (< or =12 h), medium (> 12 h to < or =36 h) and long (> 36 h) times-to-surgery, counting from the time of the fracture event, were compared for patient characteristics, operative procedures, post-operative complications and one-year mortality.

LOC387715, smoking and their prognostic impact on visual functional status in age-related macular degeneration-The Muenster Aging and Retina Study (MARS) cohort.

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the impact of homozygosity in the A69S-SNP of the LOC387715-gene, smoking history, and their interaction on visual functional status (v-FS) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: The Muenster Aging and Retina Study (MARS) cohort (n = 656; 58.8% women, mean age 70.

Diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women with distal radius fracture in Germany.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment on the basis of medical history, at hospital discharge, and 6-12 months after discharge, as well as to assess the frequency of subsequent fractures in postmenopausal women with distal radius fracture.

Research Design And Methods: A prospective, observational study of hospitalized women aged 55 years and older with an isolated distal radius fracture from minimal trauma. Subjects were recruited in 242 acute care hospitals in Germany.

Modeling smoking history: a comparison of different approaches in the MARS study on age-related maculopathy.

Purpose: Smoking is an established risk factor for the development of age-related maculopathy (ARM), and its end stage, age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We evaluated the benefit of various smoking-related variables in modeling the association of smoking with ARM and AMD in a mixed sample of current, former, and never smokers.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in participants of the Muensteraner Altern- und Retina-Studie (MARS).

Fracture-related hip pain in elderly patients with proximal femoral fracture after discharge from stationary treatment.

Background: Proximal femoral fracture is a common condition in the elderly but very little is known about fracture-related hip pain in these patients after discharge from stationary treatment.

Aims: To identify risk factors associated with persistent hip pain in elderly hip-fracture patients.

Methods: We analysed data from a large observational study, evaluating the health care situation of hip-fracture patients between January 2002 and September 2003 in Germany.

Association of low ankle brachial index with high mortality in primary care.

Aims: We aimed to assess the increased risk of death and severe vascular events in elderly individuals with subclinical or manifest peripheral arterial disease (PAD), evidenced by low ankle brachial index (ABI < 0.9) in primary care.

Methods And Results: In this monitored prospective observational study, 6880 representative unselected patients aged >or=65 years were followed up over 3 years by 344 primary care physicians.

Patients with femoral or distal forearm fracture in Germany: a prospective observational study on health care situation and outcome.

Background: Distal radius and proximal femoral fractures are typical injuries in later life, predominantly due to simple falls, but modulated by other relevant factors such as osteoporosis. Fracture incidence rates rise with age. Because of the growing proportion of elderly people in Western industrialized societies, the number of these fractures can be expected to increase further in the coming years, and with it the burden on healthcare resources.

Inflammatory markers in age-related maculopathy: cross-sectional analysis from the Muenster Aging and Retina Study.

Objective: To evaluate recent reports indicating that plasma levels of fibrinogen and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) are associated with age-related maculopathy (ARM).

Methods: From the baseline examinations of the Muenster Aging and Retina Study, a cohort of 1060 subjects aged 59 to 82 years was assembled. Of these, 873 persons (82%) with bilateral gradable fundus photographs and complete data on fibrinogen, CRP, and potential confounders were included in a cross-sectional analysis.

Serum levels of macular carotenoids in relation to age-related maculopathy: the Muenster Aging and Retina Study (MARS).

Background: It has been hypothesized that the macular carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, may protect against age-related maculopathy. We evaluated the association between blood concentrations of lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) and age-related maculopathy (ARM) in a case-control analysis of the baseline examination of the Muenster Ageing and Retina Study (MARS).

Methods: Of the 1060 participants aged 59-82 years at baseline, 910 (85.