The importance of including a mental health dimension in a multimorbidity indicator: an analysis of Belgian health survey data.

Background: Multimorbidity is a rising public health concern. Indicators that address these complex health conditions are often exclusively devoted to physical diseases. Because of their high disease burden, mental health disorders ought to be considered as well.

Healthcare bias and health inequalities towards displaced Syrians in Lebanon: a qualitative study.

Introduction: According to Lebanese official data, Lebanon hosts over 1.5 million displaced Syrians (DS). Research shows that migrants encounter barriers when accessing healthcare.

Experiences of Cultural Differences, Discrimination, and Healthcare Access of Displaced Syrians (DS) in Lebanon: A Qualitative Study.

The study aims to examine cultural differences and discrimination as difficulties encountered by DS when using the Lebanese healthcare system, and to evaluate the equity of DS access to health services in Lebanon. This is a qualitative study using in-depth semi-structured interviews with DS and Lebanese healthcare professionals. The participants were selected by visiting two hospitals, one public Primary Healthcare Center, and three PHCs managed by Non-Governmental Organizations.

What ultimately matters in root canal treatment success and tooth preservation: A 25-year cohort study.

Aim: There are currently no prospective studies evaluating the long-term outcomes of non-surgical root canal treatments beyond 5 years, both in terms of treatment success and tooth preservation, and identifying factors predictive of treatment outcome. The aim of the present work was therefore to fill this gap by assessing these outcomes over time and identifying predictive variables based on systematic data collection over a 25-year period.

Methodology: Data concerning the treatments (N = 2500) were systematically collected since 1990.

Factors to improve quality for older patients in the emergency department: a qualitative study of patient trajectory.

Background: Managing older people in the emergency department remains a challenge. We aimed to identify the factors influencing the care quality of older patients in the emergency department, to fine-tune future interventions for older people, considering the naturalistic context of the ED.

Methods: This is a qualitative study of some 450 h of observations performed in three emergency departments selected for their diverse contexts.

Impact of rural versus urban setting on kidney markers: a cross-sectional study in South-Kivu, DRCongo.

Background: Most studies of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have been conducted in urban settings. They relied on GFR estimated from serum creatinine alone and on the inexpensive, convenient urinary dipstick to assess proteinuria. The dipstick for proteinuria has not been directly compared with the gold standard albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) in a large-sized study in SSA.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of CKD in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo: A Large-Scale Population Study.

Background: The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in African American individuals is high but whether this applies to native populations in sub-Saharan Africa is unclear.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we assessed the prevalence and risk factors of CKD in rural and urban adults in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated using the CKD-Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equations based on serum creatinine (eGFRcr), cystatin C (eGFRcys), or both markers (eGFRcr-cys), without ethnic correction factor.

Healthcare professionals' perspective can guide post-marketing surveillance of artemisinin-based combination therapy in Uganda.

Background: Efficient testing to identify poor quality artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is important to optimize efforts to control and eliminate malaria. Healthcare professionals interact with both ACT and malaria patients they treat and hence could observe, first-hand, suspect poor quality artemisinin-based combinations linked to poor malaria treatment outcomes and the factors associated with inappropriate use or treatment failure.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 685 HCP perspectives about the efficacy of ACT between June and July 2018 at selected health facilities in Uganda.

Can we predict functional decline in hospitalized older people admitted through the emergency department? Reanalysis of a predictive tool ten years after its conception.

Background: In the Emergency Department (ED), early and rapid identification of older people at risk of adverse outcomes, who could best benefit from complex geriatric intervention, would avoid wasting time, especially in terms of prevention of adverse outcomes, and ensure optimal orientation of vulnerable patients. We wanted to test the predictive ability of a screening tool assessing risk of functional decline (FD), named SHERPA, 10 years after its conception, and to assess the added value of other clinical or biological factors associated with FD.

Methods: A prospective cohort study of older patients (n = 305, ≥ 75 years) admitted through the emergency department, for at least 48 h in non-geriatric wards (mean age 82.

Johan Mackenbach, awarded an honorary doctorate for his work on health inequalities, in a discussion of burning issues in tackling health inequalities.

On 20 March 2015, Professor Johan Mackenbach of the Erasmus University Medical Centre was awarded a doctorate honoris causa by the Catholic University (Université Catholique) of Louvain, Belgium, for his outstanding contribution to the analysis of health inequalities in Europe and to the development of policies intended to address them. In this context, a debate took place between Professor Mackenbach, Professor Maniquet, a well-being economist, and a representative of the Federal Health Ministry (Mr. Brieuc Vandamme).

Variability of Mouse Left Ventricular Function Assessment by 11.7 Tesla MRI.

We studied intraobserver (n = 24), interobserver (n = 24) and interexperiment (n = 12) reproducibility of left ventricular (LV) mass and volume measurements in mice using an 11.7 T MRI system. The LV systolic function was assessed with a short-axis FLASH-cine sequence in 29 mice, including animals having undergone transverse aortic constriction.

Is the Chronic Care Model Integrated Into Research Examining Culturally Competent Interventions for Ethnically Diverse Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus? A Review.

The chronic care model (CCM) concerns both the medical and the cultural and linguistic needs of patients through the inclusion of cultural competence in the delivery system design. This literature review attempted to@@ identify the domains of the CCM culturally competent (CC) interventions that the adults from ethnic minorities suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus report. We identified the CCM and the CC components in the relevant studies published between 2005 and 2014.

[Attachment and child development in a residential institution in Kinshasa].

Unlabelled: Attachment proves the child's need for a presence as well as physical and psychological protection. It contributes to the development of social and emotional skills. However, the relation between attachment, cognitive development, and physical development remains to be established.

Changes in the clinical features of older patients admitted from the emergency department.

Demographic changes and healthcare reforms may impact the profile of hospitalized older persons. In this study, we sought to compare the characteristics of two prospective cohorts recruited at a ten-year interval (1999, n=253-2009, n=355). They included older patients (≥75 years) admitted through the emergency department for at least 48 h in acute non-geriatric wards in the same university hospital.

Alcohol drinking among college students: college responsibility for personal troubles.

Background: One young adult in two has entered university education in Western countries. Many of these young students will be exposed, during this transitional period, to substantial changes in living arrangements, socialisation groups, and social activities. This kind of transition is often associated with risky behaviour such as excessive alcohol consumption.

Capnography as a diagnostic tool for pulmonary embolism: a meta-analysis.

Study Objective: Multiple studies have evaluated capnography for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism; accordingly, we conduct a meta-analysis of these trials.

Methods: We performed a systematic search from 1990 to 2011, using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library, including studies evaluating capnography as a diagnostic tool alone or in conjunction with other tests. After study quality evaluation, we calculated the pooled sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratios.

Cerebral embolization during percutaneous valve implantation does not occur during balloon inflation valvuloplasty: prospective diffusion-weighted brain MRI study.

Background And Aim Of The Study: The study aim was to define the timing of cerebral embolization events during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), and to determine if events were more closely associated with valve implantation or with balloon inflation.

Methods: Between January 2008 and November 2011, a total of 114 patients underwent TAVI at the author's institution. Of these patients, 44 had previously undergone imaging before and after TAVI, and were included in the study (26 transfemoral (TF); 18 transapical (TA)).

Five-year follow-up of drug-eluting stents implantation vs minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass for left anterior descending artery disease: a propensity score analysis.

Objectives: The spread of drug-eluting stents (DES) has reduced the incidence of early restenosis following percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Meanwhile, development of minimally invasive coronary artery bypass surgery (MIDCAB) has offered a valuable alternative to conventional sternotomy with preservation of the benefit of the internal mammary artery use. Therefore, the revascularization of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery is suitable for both techniques.

Perceived work ability and turnover intentions: a prospective study among Belgian healthcare workers.

Aim: To report a study exploring prospective relations between nurses' perceived work ability and three forms of turnover intentions, respectively, intent to leave the ward, organization and profession.

Background: Turnover of nursing staff is a major challenge for healthcare settings and for healthcare in general, urging the need to improve retention.

Design: Survey.

Survival benefit of multiple arterial grafting in a 25-year single-institutional experience: the importance of the third arterial graft.

Objectives: The long-term advantages of multiple arterial grafts, particularly a third arterial conduit, for coronary artery bypass (CABG) are not clear. This study was designed to test whether multiple arterial grafts would provide better long-term outcomes when compared with approaches using fewer arterial conduits.

Methods: Between 1985 and 1995, prospective data were collected for 588 patients undergoing isolated CABG at our institution.

Angiographic predictors of 3-year patency of bypass grafts implanted on the right coronary artery system: a prospective randomized comparison of gastroepiploic artery, saphenous vein, and right internal thoracic artery grafts.

Objective: Saphenous vein, in situ right gastroepiploic artery, and right internal thoracic artery grafts are routinely used to revascularize the right coronary artery. Little is known about the predictive value of objective preoperative angiographic parameters on midterm graft patency.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 210 consecutive patients undergoing coronary revascularization.

Attracting and retaining GPs: a stakeholder survey of priorities.

Background: Despite being a key player in the healthcare system, training and practising general practice has become less attractive in many countries and is in need of reform.

Aim: To identify political priorities for improving GPs' attraction to the profession and their retention within it.

Design And Setting: Stakeholder face-to-face survey in Belgium, 2008.

Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of cerebral embolization during percutaneous aortic valve implantation: comparison of transfemoral and trans-apical approaches using Edwards Sapiens valve.

Objective: Cerebral embolization during trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has not been assessed clearly in the literature. Therefore, we compared the rate of cerebral embolisms with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) in transfemoral (TF) and trans-apical (TA) approaches.

Method: Eighty patients benefited from TAVI between January 2008 and June 2010.

Beta-5 score to evaluate pig islet graft function in a primate pre-clinical model.

Background: We developed a composite scoring system to accurately assess pig islet function in pre-clinical primate studies.

Methods: Two scoring methods that have been clinically validated in human islet allotransplantation were tested in six non-diabetic and nine streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic primates: (i) SUITO index=[1500 × fasting C-peptide (ng/ml)]/[fasting blood glucose (FBG, mg/dl) - 63] and (ii) CP/G ratio =[fasting C-peptide (ng/ml) × 100]/FBG (mg/dl). Both scores were analysed as a function of the β-cell mass of the native primate pancreas.