Early diagnosis of coeliac disease in the Preventive Youth Health Care Centres in the Netherlands: study protocol of a case finding study (GLUTENSCREEN).

Introduction: Coeliac disease (CD) occurs in 1% of the population, develops early in life and is severely underdiagnosed. Undiagnosed and untreated disease is associated with short-term and long-term complications. The current healthcare approach is unable to solve the underdiagnosis of CD and timely diagnosis and treatment is only achieved by active case finding.

Study design of the Fasting In diabetes Treatment (FIT) trial: a randomised, controlled, assessor blinded intervention trial which examines the effect of intermittent use of a fasting mimicking diet in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Caloric restriction is an effective way to treat type 2 diabetes (DM2). However, chronic restriction of food intake is difficult to sustain. Intermittent total fasting exerts similar metabolic effects, but may be even more challenging for most patients.

Preventive child health care at elementary school age: The costs of routine assessments with a triage approach.

Background: Triage in Preventive Child Health Care (PCH) assessments could further the efficient use of human resources and budgets and therefore make extra care possible for children with specific needs. We assessed the costs of routine PCH assessments with and without triage for children aged 5/6 years and 10/11 years. In a triage approach, PCH assistants conduct pre-assessments to identify children requiring follow-up assessments by a physician or nurse.

Costs of different follow-up strategies in early breast cancer: a review of the literature.

We reviewed the literature between January 1985 and June 2011 on the costs of different follow-up strategies for patients treated for early breast cancer. A total of 186 abstracts were retrieved of which eleven publications were considered relevant; 6 randomised clinical trials, 4 retrospective cohort studies and 1 'minisymposium'. The follow-up strategies, outcome measures and methods of analysis used in these studies vary widely, so no general conclusions can be drawn.

A proactive approach to migraine in primary care: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

Background: Migraine is a common, disabling headache disorder that leads to lost quality of life and productivity. We investigated whether a proactive approach to patients with migraine, including an educational intervention for general practitioners, led to a decrease in headache and associated costs.

Methods: We conducted a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

Tubular diskectomy vs conventional microdiskectomy for the treatment of lumbar disk herniation: 2-year results of a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Background: Transmuscular tubular diskectomy has been introduced to increase the rate of recovery, although evidence is lacking.

Objective: To evaluate the 2-year results of tubular diskectomy compared with conventional microdiskectomy.

Methods: Three hundred twenty-eight patients with persistent leg pain caused by lumbar disk herniation were randomly assigned to undergo tubular diskectomy (167 patients) or conventional microdiskectomy (161 patients).

Tubular diskectomy vs conventional microdiskectomy for the treatment of lumbar disk-related sciatica: cost utility analysis alongside a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Background: Conventional microdiskectomy is the most frequently performed surgery for patients with sciatica caused by lumbar disk herniation. Transmuscular tubular diskectomy has been introduced to increase the rate of recovery, although evidence of its efficacy is lacking.

Objective: To determine whether a favorable cost-effectiveness for tubular diskectomy compared with conventional microdiskectomy is attained.

Implementation of a shared care guideline for back pain: effect on unnecessary referrals.

Objective: To determine the effect of the implementation of a shared care guideline for the lumbosacral radicular syndrome (LRS) on unnecessary early referrals and the duration of the total diagnostic procedure.

Design: Introduction of shared care guideline in November 2005. Pre-test in 2005 (April to October), a first post-test in 2006 (April to October) and a second post-test in 2007 (April to October).

The NEtherlands Cervical Kinematics (NECK) trial. Cost-effectiveness of anterior cervical discectomy with or without interbody fusion and arthroplasty in the treatment of cervical disc herniation; a double-blind randomised multicenter study.

Background: Patients with cervical radicular syndrome due to disc herniation refractory to conservative treatment are offered surgical treatment. Anterior cervical discectomy is the standard procedure, often in combination with interbody fusion. Accelerated adjacent disc degeneration is a known entity on the long term.

Tubular diskectomy vs conventional microdiskectomy for sciatica: a randomized controlled trial.

Context: Conventional microdiskectomy is the most frequently performed surgery for patients with sciatica due to lumbar disk herniation. Transmuscular tubular diskectomy has been introduced to increase the rate of recovery, although evidence is lacking of its efficacy.

Objective: To determine outcomes and time to recovery in patients treated with tubular diskectomy compared with conventional microdiskectomy.

Cost-effectiveness of decompression according to Gill versus instrumented spondylodesis in the treatment of sciatica due to low grade spondylolytic spondylolisthesis: a prospective randomised controlled trial [NTR1300].

Background: Nerve root decompression with instrumented spondylodesis is the most frequently performed surgical procedure in the treatment of patients with symptomatic low-grade spondylolytic spondylolisthesis. Nerve root decompression without instrumented fusion, i.e.