Health information given by Swiss travel agencies.

Background: Many of the 1 million Swiss traveling to tropical or subtropical countries book their trip through travel agencies every year. These agencies are thus an important source of information about malaria and other important health risks and little is known about the appropriate health information provided by these.

Method: A study was conducted to assess health-related information in members of the Swiss Federation of Travel Agencies in the metropolitan area of Zurich, Switzerland.

Facial appearance after operations for oral and oropharyngeal cancer: a comparison of casenotes and patient-completed questionnaire.

Disfigurement after operations for oral and oropharyngeal cancer is an important issue. Our aim was to review the casenotes of patients who reported distress in the appearance domain of the University of Washington Quality of Life Scale (UWQOL) and to find out what help they were given. Of 278 patients with previously untreated oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated between 1995 and 1999, 114 (41%) were concerned about their appearance.

A clinical and histologic comparison of electrosurgical and carbon dioxide laser peels.

Background: A radiofrequency-controlled electrosurgical device (ESD) has been adapted for skin peeling. A high-voltage, low-amperage current converts an irrigant into an ionized vapor, causing molecular dissociation and superficial damage in adjacent tissue.

Objective: We compared the clinical and histologic effects of a scanning carbon dioxide (CO(2)) laser (ESC/Sharplan 40C) and the ESD (Visage Cosmetic Surgery System, Arthrocare).

Reevaluation of some double-blind, randomized studies of dexibuprofen (Seractil): a state-of-the-art overview. Studies in patients with lumbar vertebral column syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, distortion of the ankle joint, gonarthrosis, ankylosing spondylitis, and activated coxarthrosis.

This article presents a reevaluation of studies previously performed regarding the efficacy and safety of dexibuprofen (Seractil; S(+)-ibuprofen) for use in patients with inflammatory or degenerative diseases. Using appropriate standardized measures (univariate and multivariate analysis with the Mann-Whitney statistic with confidence intervals), the authors were able to compare the effects of treatment in different diseases. For the primary criterion and for the combined analysis of all efficacy criteria, one-sided equivalence was proved in all six studies reviewed.