Prevalence differences of patients in vegetative state in The Netherlands and Vienna, Austria: a comparison of values and ethics.

Objective: Little is known about prevalence of persistent vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome and comparisons between countries. The aim of this column was to explore reasons for the comparable count of patients in vegetative state found in prevalence studies in nursing homes in 1 European country (Netherlands) compared with a single European city (Vienna, Austria).

Design: The column is based on a literature review of vegetative state in The Netherlands and Vienna in the period 2007-2008, in the context of professional interactions with families and physicians of patients in vegetative state.

Mild traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is among the most frequent neurological disorders. Of all TBIs 90% are considered mild with an annual incidence of 100–300/100.000.

Treatment strategies for recurrent and refractory Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea.

Clostridium difficile, the most common nosocomial infection of the GI tract, has become a bigger threat with the emergence of a hypervirulent strain. C. difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) is usually a consequence of antibiotic therapy or chemotherapy, but sporadic cases occur, and an increase in severe sporadic cases is of great concern.

Treatment strategies for C. difficile associated diarrhea.

Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea usually occurs as a complication of antibiotic treatment. Recent data shows an increase in incidence rate of CDAD and higher rates of morbidity, colectomy and death. The management of CDAD involves discontinuing the inciting antibiotic agent and treatment with metronidazole or vancomycin.