The incidence and aetiology of acute pancreatitis across Europe.

Background: Acute pancreatitis is increasingly one of the most important acute gastrointestinal conditions throughout much of the world, although incidence and aetiology varies across countries and regions. This study investigated regional and national patterns in the incidence and aetiology of acute pancreatitis, demographic patterns in incidence and trends over time in incidence across Europe.

Methods: A structured review of acute pancreatitis incidence and aetiology from studies of hospitalised patient case series, cohort studies or other population based studies from 1989 to 2015 and a review of trends in incidence from 1970 to 2015 across all 51 European states.

Colectomy rates in patients with ulcerative colitis following treatment with infliximab or ciclosporin: a systematic literature review.

This review aimed to compile all available published data on colectomy rates following treatment using infliximab or ciclosporin in adult ulcerative colitis patients and to analyse colectomy rates, timing to colectomy and postcolectomy mortality for each treatment. We systematically reviewed the literature after 1990 reporting colectomy rates in ulcerative colitis patients treated with infliximab or ciclosporin, excluding articles on paediatric patients, patients with indeterminate colitis or Crohn's disease and bowel surgery not related to ulcerative colitis. We presented weighted mean colectomy rates and mortality rates.

Mortality following Stroke, the Weekend Effect and Related Factors: Record Linkage Study.

Background: Increased mortality following hospitalisation for stroke has been reported from many but not all studies that have investigated a 'weekend effect' for stroke. However, it is not known whether the weekend effect is affected by factors including hospital size, season and patient distance from hospital.

Objective: To assess changes over time in mortality following hospitalisation for stroke and how any increased mortality for admissions on weekends is related to factors including the size of the hospital, seasonal factors and distance from hospital.

Mortality following acute pancreatitis: social deprivation, hospital size and time of admission: record linkage study.

Background: Very little is known about whether mortality following acute pancreatitis may be influenced by the following five factors: social deprivation, week day of admission, recruitment of junior doctors in August each year, European Working Time Directives (EWTDs) for junior doctors' working hours and hospital size. The aim of this study was to establish how mortality following acute pancreatitis may be influenced by these five factors in a large cohort study.

Methods: Systematic record linkage of inpatient, mortality and primary care data for 10 589 cases of acute pancreatitis in Wales, UK (population 3.

Extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an infectious disease that often remains asymptotic and unrecognised until complications of the virus arise. These often include extrahepatic manifestations of the virus, which first bring patients into contact with the medical profession. First recognised in the 1990s several syndromes and conditions have now been linked to hepatitis C, while others are still emerging.

The prognostic value of tumor mitotic rate and other clinicopathologic factors in patients with locoregional recurrences of melanoma.

Background: Tumor mitotic rate (MRP) is an independent prognostic factor in clinically localized primary cutaneous melanoma, but the prognostic importance of mitotic rate in melanoma recurrences (MRR) is not known. In this study, we sought to determine the prognostic value of MRR and other clinicopathologic factors in recurrent melanoma.

Methods: Patients with primary cutaneous melanoma diagnosed between 1979 and 2006, who subsequently developed recurrence(s), were studied.

Bianchi high scrotal approach revisited.

Cryptorchidism is a common paediatric complaint and is traditionally managed surgically by orchidopexy. We aimed to prospectively review the success of the Bianchi high scrotal incision technique for performing orchidopexy in boys with palpable non-descended testis. A total of 206 orchidopexies were performed in 85 patients during a 5-year period.