Long-term survival after epilepsy surgery compared with matched epilepsy controls and the general population.

This study evaluates if there was a difference in long-term survival between epilepsy surgery patients, individually matched controls with intractable epilepsy, and controls from the general population. In a cohort study, we compared the survival of patients operated with epilepsy surgery in Norway 1948-1988 with: (1) a control group with prolonged medical treatment for intractable epilepsy individually matched for age, gender, and seizure type (n = 139), and (2) expected mortality for matched individuals in historical cohorts of the general population (n = 196). Survival was compared using Kaplan-Meier curves and stratified proportional hazards analysis.

The Patient Experiences Questionnaire: development, validity and reliability.

Objective: . To describe the development of the Patient Experiences Questionnaire (PEQ) and to evaluate reliability and validity of constructed summed rating scales.

Design: Literature review, focus groups and pilot surveys.

[Should patients with acute stroke routinely receive supplemental oxygen?].

Background: Supplemental oxygen is often given routinely to all patients suffering from an acute stroke, although clinical evidence for its efficacy is not available. The object of this study was to study the impact on mortality, impairment and disability of supplemental oxygen given the first 24 hours after an acute stroke.

Material And Methods: Patients admitted to hospital with acute stroke were randomly allocated to two groups: one group received supplemental oxygen (100% atmospheres, 3 litres/minute) for 24 hours (n = 292); whereas a control group did not receive additional oxygen (n = 258).

The benefit of an acute stroke unit in patients with intracranial haemorrhage: a controlled trial.

Objectives: Patients with stroke receiving organised inpatient (stroke unit) care after stroke are more likely to be alive and independent compared with patients offered conventional care. The objective was to determine the effect of an acute stroke unit on patients with primary intracranial haemorrhage.

Methods: In a prospective controlled study, the effect of an acute stroke unit was examined on 30 day and 1 year mortality in patients with primary intracranial haemorrhage.

The health-related quality of life of patients with epilepsy compared with angina pectoris, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The objective of this study was to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with epilepsy with populations suffering from different chronic diseases, using the short form 36 (SF-36) health profile measure. The populations to be compared were adult patients drawn from hospital based registers, with confirmed epilepsy (n = 397), angina pectoris (n = 785), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 1,030), asthma (n = 117) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (n = 221). Health-related quality of life scores were compared using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for predicting mean scores adjusted for age, gender, education and comorbidity.

Should stroke victims routinely receive supplemental oxygen? A quasi-randomized controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: We sought to test the hypothesis that breathing 100% oxygen for the first 24 hours after an acute stroke would not reduce mortality, impairment, or disability.

Methods: Subjects admitted to the Central Hospital of Akershus, Norway, with stroke onset <24 hours before admittance were allocated to 2 groups by a quasi-randomized design using birth numbers. All patients with acute stroke admitted to hospital within 24 hours after a stroke were included and enrolled.

Can patient satisfaction improve health among patients with angina pectoris?

Objective: To identify and explore the components of patient satisfaction that have the strongest association with health-related quality of life among patients with angina.

Design: Cross-sectional study with postal questionnaires sent to patients 6 weeks after discharge from hospital, followed-up by one reminder.

Setting: The Central Hospital of Akershus in Norway.

Outcome of subacute stroke rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: Organized acute stroke treatment reduces mortality, functional deficits, and the need of institutionalization after stroke. It is largely unknown whether the effects of treatment are due to early or subacute efforts. The aim of this randomized, controlled study was to test the hypothesis that rehabilitation of stroke patients in the subacute phase in a hospital rehabilitation unit is beneficial in reducing death and dependency and increasing health-related quality of life.

[PS-RESKVA (Patient Satisfaction, Results and Quality)--patient satisfaction in hospitals].

The reliability and acceptability of a 39-question patient-satisfaction questionnaire (PS-RESKVA) for use in hospitals is assessed. Postal questionnaires were sent to 19,395 patients, aged between 15 and 100 years, who were discharged from the medical, surgical, gynaecological, and neurological wards of two Norwegian hospitals; they were followed up with one reminder. The response rate was 59% for all patients, and 71% among those who were considered medically capable of answering.

Stroke unit versus general medical wards, II: neurological deficits and activities of daily living: a quasi-randomized controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: The efficacy of stroke units has been extensively examined. It is unknown, however, whether the superiority of the stroke unit will remain after the increased focus on stroke treatment in general medicine. This study of patients admitted to the hospital early and with a short length of stay determines the effect and identifies certain important components of a stroke unit.

[How do working conditions of hospital personnel affect patients?].

This study was performed to investigate to which extent job satisfaction and psychosocial working environment could explain variations in patient satisfaction with treatment and care. Questionnaires were mailed to nursing staff and to patients in 17 in-patient treatment units within two Norwegian hospitals. 2408 patients (61 per cent) replied on detailed questions concerning satisfaction with care, and 488 employees (78 per cent) replied on detailed questions concerning job satisfaction and psychosocial working conditions.

Stroke units versus general medical wards, I: twelve- and eighteen-month survival: a randomized, controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: The long-term effect on survival of treatment in stroke units is still under debate. The hypothesis that a stroke unit with short length of stay increases 1-year and 18-month survival rates was tested in this study.

Methods: A quasi-randomized, controlled study was undertaken among 802 patients > or =60 years old admitted to the Central Hospital of Akershus in Norway with a diagnosis of stroke between January 1, 1993, and February 1, 1995.

[Life expectancy in Norway. An international perspective--causes of death].

We have shown before that Norway is experiencing an unfavourable trend in life expectancy compared with Japan, France and several other OECD countries. In this article, we discuss the cause-specific differences in mortality that explain these contrasts. Heart infarction is the predominant cause of death in Norway, with a mortality five times higher than in Japan and three times higher than in France.

[Life expectancy in Norway--an international perspective].

Contrasts in life expectancy among countries are an important input for defining targets for the health service and for setting priorities for disease prevention and health promotion. In this article, the trend in life expectancy in Norway is compared with the trend in a selection of other OECD countries. Standardised measures of life expectancy were collected from WHO and OECD statistics.

[Costs of medical treatment of injuries in Norway].

The objective of this study was to estimate the cost of medical treatment of injuries in Norway. We analysed aggregated data from two sources, the National Hospital Discharge Register and the National Injury Register, in order to calculate such costs in 1994. Approximately 400,000 injuries treated in hospitals and emergency departments in 1994 cost NOK 1.

[Results of health care services. A tool for better decision making].

Until recently, post-war health care was characterized first by expansion and later by cost containment. We now appear to have entered a period focusing on assessment and accountability, often described as the outcomes movement. Patients' outcomes are regarded as the most important information on effectiveness and quality.

Patient satisfaction and epilepsy surgery.

This study was designed to describe patients' experience with surgical treatment of epilepsy in terms of whether it was useful or had negative effects and to assess associations between experienced utility (satisfaction), experienced negative effects (dissatisfaction), and selected objective outcome measures. An evaluation of patients' satisfaction and dissatisfaction was conducted retrospectively by questionnaires for all patients surgically treated for epilepsy in Norway between 1949 and 1988. One hundred sixteen patients (74.