Prediction score for lymph node metastasis from cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the external ear.

Aims: The frequency of lymph node metastasis (LNM) is higher in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) of the ear than in other head and neck cSCCs. Nodal dissemination is associated with a significantly worse prognosis and disease-specific survival. The aim of this study was to establish a prediction model for LNM in patients with cSCC of the ear.

Can reinforcement-based interventions to reduce drug use successfully be adapted to routine opioid maintenance treatment?

Introduction: Comorbid substance related disorders are a major health problem for patients in opioid maintenance treatment (OMT). It was investigated whether a reinforcement scheme adapted to the regulatory and financial restrictions of routine treatment reduces concomitant drug use.

Methods: OMT patients from 7 clinics who were using cocaine, benzodiazepines, heroin or amphetamines were randomly allocated to either treatment as usual (n = 64) or treatment with an additional escalating reinforcement scheme (n = 72) in which a patient's number of weekly take-home dosages was increased after 1, 4, 8 and 12 consecutive weeks with drug-free urine specimens.

Use of illegally acquired medical opioids by opiate-dependent patients in detoxification treatment.

Take-home dosages in maintenance treatment are of great therapeutic importance, but they include the risk of the substitute being distributed illegally. We reviewed the extent of consumption of illegally acquired medical opiates by 142 opiate- or poly-addicted patients consecutively admitted to a detoxification ward. 76 (53.

Group psychotherapy for opiate addicts in methadone maintenance treatment--a controlled trial.

A controlled trial was conducted evaluating cognitive-behavioural group psychotherapy as a measure to reduce concomitant drug use in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). 73 opiate addicts were randomly assigned to local routine MMT or to routine MMT plus group psychotherapy (20 sessions over 20 weeks). Psychotherapy was delivered by therapists according to a manual.

Cognitive-motor performance of methadone-maintained patients.

Fifty-four methadone-maintained patients and 54 healthy controls, matched for age, gender and educational attainment, completed a battery of six cognitive-psychomotor performance tests. Results of previous studies were replicated in four areas. An attention task was performed less well by patients [mean difference more than 0.