Estimated Number of Symptomatic Lyme Borreliosis Cases in Adults in Finland in 2021 Using Seroprevalence Data to Adjust the Number of Surveillance-Reported Cases: A General Framework for Accounting for Underascertainment by Public Health Surveillance.

Finland conducts public health surveillance for Lyme borreliosis (LB) based on clinically diagnosed and laboratory-confirmed cases. We used data from seroprevalence studies to determine the extent to which LB cases were underascertained by public health surveillance. The numbers of incident symptomatic LB cases in 2011 in six regions in Finland were estimated using (1) data from sensu lato seroprevalence studies, (2) estimates of the proportion of LB infections that are asymptomatic, and (3) estimates of the duration of LB antibody detection.

Attitudes and actions: A survey to assess statin use among Finnish patients with increased risk for cardiovascular events.

Background: Statins are the first-line treatment for lowering serum cholesterol and preventing coronary artery disease (CAD). Patients who fail to comply with the prescribed statin treatment face a markedly increased risk for cardiovascular events.

Objective: The aim of the article was to study the subjective factors, which modulate persistence with and adherence to statin therapy among Finnish patients at high risk for cardiovascular events.

Characteristics of first-time varenicline users - A cross-sectional study in Finnish quitters.

Background: Varenicline is an efficacious medicine for smoking cessation (SC) but little is known about the characteristics of varenicline users. This study examined the characteristics of first-time (naïve) varenicline users in Finland and compared those who had previously used SC pharmacotherapy to those who were trying SC pharmacotherapy for the first time.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Finnish community pharmacies between February 2014 and January 2015.

A survey on the medication adherence to methotrexate among rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with self-administered biologic drugs.

Objectives: Methotrexate (MTX) is the most widely used co-therapy among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients using biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs). However, adherence to MTX treatment remains a concern with estimates of adherence ranging from 59 to 63%. The objective of this study was to assess the self-reported use and adherence to MTX among RA patients treated with self-administered bDMARDs.

The role of community pharmacies in counseling of personal medical devices and drug-delivery products in Estonia.

Objectives: To evaluate the current situation on medical technology at community pharmacies in Estonia, looking into the availability, dispensing and counseling of personal medical devices/drug-delivery products (PMDs/DDPs) and related professional knowledge of community pharmacists.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire-based study using an internet-based eFormular study platform.

Results: In total, 137 community pharmacies responded to the study.

More attention to pain management in community-dwelling older persons with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Background: persistent pain is a major problem in older people, but little is known about older persons' opinion about the treatment of persistent pain.

Objective: the objective of this study was to investigate the factors associated with older participants having chronic musculoskeletal pain and hoping persistently that physician would pay more attention to the pain management.

Methods: this 3-year follow-up study was a part of large population-based Geriatric Multidisciplinary Strategy for the Good Care of the Elderly (GeMS) study.

Persistence of noncancer-related musculoskeletal chronic pain among community-dwelling older people: a population-based longitudinal study in Finland.

Objective: To determine the persistence of chronic pain among community-dwelling older persons and to identify factors related to persistent chronic pain.

Methods: In this prospective longitudinal study, a random sample of Finnish community-dwelling people aged 76 years and older (n=256) were interviewed annually by a trained nurse at 3 time points. Data on prevalence, duration, location, and intensity of musculoskeletal pain, analgesic use, demographics, and health characteristics were collected during the interviews.

First insights into community pharmacy based buprenorphine-naloxone dispensing in Finland.

Background: Finnish community pharmacies have been permitted to dispense buprenorphine-naloxone since February 2008. This study explored the dispensing practices, service experiences, problems encountered and opportunities for future development.

Methods: In August 2011, a questionnaire was mailed to all Finnish community pharmacies dispensing buprenorphine-naloxone (n=69).

Cost-effectiveness of oral triptans for acute migraine: mixed treatment comparison.

Background: The cost-effectiveness of triptans in the treatment of migraine has not been assessed since generic sumatriptan entered the Finnish market in 2008.

Methods: Using systematic review and mixed treatment comparison, the effectiveness of triptans was estimated with regard to 2-hour response, 2-hour pain-free, recurrence, and any adverse event, using published clinical data. Direct and indirect costs (2010 EUR, societal perspective) and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were evaluated over one acute migraine attack using a decision-tree model.

[Are there enough medical scientists in Finland?].

Discussion within the scientific society and hospital communities has raised concerns of the current status and future of clinical research in Finland. One of the crucial future challenges is whether there are enough medical scientists that are able to perform clinical research and comprehend and manage medicine as a whole. In the article, the authors present suggestions for solving the problematic issues.

[Indirect comparison and network meta-analyses--new tools for the assessment of evidence on the relative efficacy of drugs].

Meta-analysis allows the quantitative combination of results of multiple studies that address similar research questions. Traditional meta-analysis of studies involving a direct comparison of two treatment alternatives can be applied to estimate the overall relative efficacy of these two treatment alternatives. All treatment options relevant to practical treatment decisions are, however, not always compared directly against each other in clinical studies, but indirect comparison via a common comparator may be possible.

Sponsorship-related outcome selection bias in published economic studies of triptans: systematic review.

Background: Economic studies funded by the pharmaceutical industry are more likely to report favorable results and recommendations for the sponsor's product than are studies funded by nonindustry establishments.

Purpose: To determine whether clinical outcome data obtained from the same meta-analyses are used differently in various economic studies of oral triptans and whether there is an association between the study sponsorship and the choice of clinical outcome measure.

Data Sources: Economic studies of triptans were identified by updating a previously published systematic review.

Short-course adjuvant trastuzumab therapy in early stage breast cancer in Finland: cost-effectiveness and value of information analysis based on the 5-year follow-up results of the FinHer Trial.

Background: Trastuzumab is a standard treatment of HER2-positive early breast cancer in many countries, and it is usually given as a one year adjuvant treatment. However, its cost-effectiveness has not been assessed in Finland. The Finland Herceptin (FinHer) trial has compared a shorter 9-week treatment protocol against no trastuzumab with promising results.

Amount of external CME in groups of specialties: a nation-wide survey among Finnish doctors.

Background: Continuing medical education (CME) is an integral part of continuing professional development and a prerequisite for good quality in health care. We aimed to describe and analyse the number of days spent in formal CME outside the workplace by specialty among Finnish doctors of working age.

Findings: The number of days in formal CME outside the workplace in 2005 reported by specialists was obtained from an annual postal survey, conducted by the Finnish Medical Association in March 2006, of all working-age doctors.

Cellular characteristics of non-allergic eosinophilic conjunctivitis.

Purpose: This study examines the histology of conjunctival biopsy samples from patients with persistent allergic eosinophilic conjunctivitis (AEC) or non-allergic eosinophilic conjunctivitis (NAEC).

Methods: Fourteen patients with conjunctivitis and eosinophilia in cytology samples were included in the study. Seven had positive skin-prick tests (the AEC group) and seven had negative skin-prick tests (the NAEC group).

Graduating medical students and emergency procedure skill teaching in Finland--does a clinical skills centre make the difference?

Background: Since our previous study in 1997, three of five medical schools have introduced clinical skills centres.

Aims: Aim of the present follow-up study was to assess the present status of emergency procedure skills teaching. The number of students having practical experience of the procedures and student satisfaction were used as outcome.

A comparison of three questionnaire-based measures of analgesic use over 11 years in adult males: a retrospective analysis of data from a prospective, population-based cohort study.

Background: Few data are available on whether 3 commonly used, yet slightly different, questionnaire-based measures assessing the use of analgesics provide congruent and comparable results.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare 3 different measures of analgesic use in 1 study population over an 11-year period.

Methods: Data for this study were gathered from a prospective, population-based cohort study in which 3 different measures were applied simultaneously for measuring use of analgesics at baseline, 4 years, and 11 years.

Frequent analgesic use at population level: prevalence and patterns of use.

Statistics and prescription database studies show that analgesics are widely utilized, but do not tell anything about either the factors behind analgesic use or how over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics are being used. We aimed to study the prevalence of frequent use of prescribed and OTC analgesics. We also investigated the background factors related to frequent analgesic use and assessed rationality of analgesic usage patterns.

How do people ease their pain? A population-based study.

Unlabelled: We investigated how a general population treat their pain and determined factors affecting use of different pain management strategies. From the respondents of a cross-sectional postal survey we selected those who had experienced pain during the past 7 days (n = 3641) and analyzed how they had tried to manage their pain during the past 6 months. The most common pain management strategies were use of over-the-counter medicines (53% of 3641 respondents), physical exercise (52%), prescription medicines (35%), and visiting a physician (33%).

Chronic pain and poor self-rated health.

Context: Chronic pain is common in Western societies. Self-rated health is an important indicator of morbidity and mortality, but little is known about the relation between chronic pain and self-rated health in the general population.

Objective: To analyze the association between chronic pain and self-rated health.