Development of an Early Warning System to Prevent Crises in the Palliative Home Care Setting of Patients and Their Informal Caregivers: Protocol for a Mixed Method Study.

Background: Most people wish to die at home, but most people in Switzerland die in hospitals or nursing homes. Family caregivers often offer support so patients with palliative care needs can stay at home for as long as possible. However, crises and unplanned hospital admissions often occur in this setting because of family caregiver strain and symptom severity in patients.

[The dynamic model of care by relatives].

Background: The dynamics of care arrangements depend on a complex interplay of many factors. To explicitly analyze these interrelationships the "dynamic model of care by relatives" was developed. The starting points are two transition phases: role acquisition and relief.

Efficacy of cerebrospinal fluid fistula repair: sensitive quality control using the beta-trace protein test.

Background: After cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula repair, the goal of watertight sealing may not always be achieved, causing postoperative CSF leakage. The aim of this study was to assess the novel application of the beta-trace protein (betaTP) test for postoperative screening and confirmation of dura repair success.

Methods: Prospectively, we investigated 32 consecutive patients who underwent dura repair.

Beta-trace protein test: new guidelines for the reliable diagnosis of cerebrospinal fluid fistula.

Objective: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistulas need to be reliably diagnosed for the optimal management. Recently, in preference to beta2-transferrin, another CSF protein, beta-trace protein (betaTP), is similarly used with a new method for CSF diagnosis. This study evaluates the sensitive interpretation and limits of this new betaTP test for use in routine CSF fistula diagnosis.