Improved quality control of allergen products: Assessing the molecular allergen composition by mass spectrometry.

Background: Natural allergen sources contain a variety of allergens, against which allergic subjects have developed individual sensitization profiles. Ideal allergen products for skin prick testing (SPT) and allergen immunotherapy (AIT) should contain the complete set of allergens of the respective allergen sources to cover all sensitization profiles. However, commercially available allergen products were shown to vary regarding their allergen composition.

An automated pipeline for computation and analysis of functional ventilation and perfusion lung MRI with matrix pencil decomposition: TrueLung.

Purpose: To introduce and evaluate TrueLung, an automated pipeline for computation and analysis of free-breathing and contrast-agent free pulmonary functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Materials And Methods: Two-dimensional time-resolved ultra-fast balanced steady-state free precession acquisitions were transferred to TrueLung, which included image quality checks, image registration, and computation of perfusion and ventilation maps with matrix pencil decomposition. Neural network whole-lung and lobar segmentations allowed quantification of impaired relative perfusion (R) and fractional ventilation (R).

Are Primary Health Care Visits Associated With Reduced Risk of Hospital Readmissions After Discharge From Geriatric Inpatient Departments? Evidence From Stockholm County.

Introduction/objectives: Primary health care visits post-discharge could potentially play an important role in efforts of reducing hospital readmission. Focusing on a single or a particular type of visit obscures nuances in types of primary care contacts over time and fails to quantify the intensity of primary health care visits during the follow-up period. The aim of this study was to explore associations between the number and type of primary health care visits post-discharge and the risk of hospital readmission within 30 days.

Lung structural and functional impairments in young children with cystic fibrosis diagnosed following newborn screening - A nationwide observational study.

Background: Non-invasive and sensitive clinical endpoints are needed to monitor onset and progression of early lung disease in children with cystic fibrosis (CF). We compared lung clearance index (LCI), FEV, functional and structural lung magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes in Swiss children with CF diagnosed following newborn screening.

Methods: Lung function (LCI, FEV) and unsedated functional and structural lung MRI was performed in 79 clinically stable children with CF (3 - 8 years) and 75 age-matched healthy controls.

Utilization and related harms of systemic glucocorticosteroids for atopic dermatitis: claims data analysis.

Background: Systemic glucocorticosteroids (SGCs) are used in the short-term treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), but are not recommended for long-term use because they are associated with severe side-effects.

Objectives: This study aimed to characterize the utilization and potentially negative effects of SGC use for AD in German statutory health insurance (SHI) claims data.

Methods: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of a large nationwide SHI dataset.