Publications by authors named "Luc Smits"

Introduction: Relative or absolute safety of heated tobacco products (HTP) remains unknown, while independent literature suggests that these products do not favour tobacco control. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate HTP usage patterns and the effect of HTP use on conventional tobacco smoking (use transitions).

Methods: We used Pubmed/MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Library to identify all articles published up to February 2022 on HTP use.

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  • The COVID-19 lockdowns significantly altered alcohol consumption habits in Italy, showing a shift from 26.4% at-risk drinkers before the pandemic to around 30% in the years following the initial lockdown.
  • A study involving over 6,000 adults utilized an online questionnaire and focused on demographic factors, revealing higher at-risk drinking rates among younger individuals, those experiencing anxiety or depression, and users of nicotine products.
  • Ultimately, the findings suggest concern as long-term alcohol consumption trends worsened, highlighting a greater risk among specific populations, including younger adults and married individuals, with mental health issues playing a significant role.
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Most published prediction models for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) were poorly reported, at high risk of bias, and heterogeneous in model performance. To tackle methodological challenges faced in previous prediction studies, we investigated whether model updating and extending improves mortality prediction, using the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as a proxy. All COVID-19 patients admitted to seven ICUs in the Euregio-Meuse Rhine during the first pandemic wave were included.

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  • - The study aimed to create prediction models for maternal and neonatal morbidity related to vaginal birth after a previous caesarean section or elective repeat caesarean in Dutch women, highlighting the need for better counseling based on individual risks.
  • - Researchers analyzed data from 2,592 women with prior caesarean sections and found a 12.7% rate of maternal or fetal complications, with higher overall morbidity in those opting for trial of labor (TOL) compared to elective repeat caesarean (ERCS).
  • - The prediction models developed showed poor performance, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve below 0.6, preventing accurate validation of the models prior to addressing overfitting issues.
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Purpose: The goal of this study was to determine ongoing pregnancy rate, time to pregnancy and embryo transfers to pregnancy within a cohort of patients with recurrent implantation failure (RIF).

Methods: IVF patients with RIF were included after referral to the RIF outpatient clinic. They received a questionnaire 1 year after inclusion.

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Background: Fetal growth restriction is associated with perinatal morbidity and mortality. Early identification of women having at-risk fetuses can reduce perinatal adverse outcomes.

Objectives: To assess the predictive performance of existing models predicting fetal growth restriction and birthweight, and if needed, to develop and validate new multivariable models using individual participant data.

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Objective: To predict birth weight at various potential gestational ages of delivery based on data routinely available at the first antenatal visit.

Design: Individual participant data meta-analysis.

Data Sources: Individual participant data of four cohorts (237 228 pregnancies) from the International Prediction of Pregnancy Complications (IPPIC) network dataset.

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  • Doctors are trying to figure out who is at the highest risk of having another stroke after a TIA or minor stroke by looking at different factors, mainly how blocked someone's carotid arteries are.
  • A new tool called the IMPROVE model has been created to better predict stroke risk by using information from MRI scans and other factors like age and sex.
  • This model has been tested successfully and can help doctors decide who might need surgery to prevent future strokes.
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Through the use of an innovative method to identify original publications, we conducted a meta-analysis of all epidemiological studies evaluating the association between second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure and breast cancer risk among female non-smokers published in English up to October 2022. Pooled relative risks (RR) were obtained through the use of random-effects models. Dose-response relationships were derived using log-linear functions.

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Introduction: Tobacco-related diseases have a substantial economic impact in terms of medical expenses, loss of productivity, and premature death. Tobacco use is estimated to be responsible for more than 90000 deaths each year in Italy. We aimed to evaluate the annual direct economic impact on the National Health System of hospitalizations attributable to tobacco smoking in Italy.

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Objectives: Daily calcium supplements are recommended for pregnant women from 20 weeks' gestation to prevent pre-eclampsia in populations with low dietary calcium intake. We aimed to improve understanding of barriers and facilitators for calcium supplement intake during pregnancy to prevent pre-eclampsia.

Design: Mixed-method systematic review, with confidence assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations-Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research approach.

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Background: Continuous support during labor has many benefits including lower use of obstetrical interventions. However, implementation remains limited. Insights into birth outcomes and peripartum costs are essential to assess whether continuous care by a maternity care assistant is a potentially (cost) effective program to provide for all women.

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Objective: Current obstetric guidelines for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) vary in fluid resuscitation management. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of fluid management on coagulation parameters in early PPH.

Methods: We performed a multicenter, randomized trial.

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Introduction: It is known that only a limited proportion of developed clinical prediction models (CPMs) are implemented and/or used in clinical practice. This may result in a large amount of research waste, even when considering that some CPMs may demonstrate poor performance. Cross-sectional estimates of the numbers of CPMs that have been developed, validated, evaluated for impact or utilized in practice, have been made in specific medical fields, but studies across multiple fields and studies following up the fate of CPMs are lacking.

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Introduction: Low dietary calcium intake is a risk factor for pre-eclampsia, a major contributor to maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. Calcium supplementation can prevent pre-eclampsia in women with low dietary calcium. However, the optimal dose and timing of calcium supplementation are not known.

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Background: Low-dose aspirin treatment reduces the risk of preeclampsia among high-risk pregnant women. Internationally, several first-trimester risk-calculation methods are applied.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the costs and benefits of different first-trimester preeclampsia risk estimation algorithms: EXPECT (an algorithmic prediction model based on maternal characteristics), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (a checklist of risk factors), and the Fetal Medicine Foundation (a prediction model using additional uterine artery Doppler measurement and laboratory testing) models, coupled with low-dose aspirin treatment, in comparison with no risk assessment.

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  • Preeclampsia is a serious condition affecting pregnant women, and the study aimed to explore if calcium-based antacids and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) could lower its risk.
  • The study involved over 9,000 pregnant women and analyzed their use of these medications at different stages of pregnancy to see if there were any associations with late-onset preeclampsia.
  • Ultimately, the results indicated that neither calcium-based antacids nor PPIs were effective in reducing the risk of late-onset preeclampsia during pregnancy.
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Objectives: Many prediction models for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been developed. External validation is mandatory before implementation in the intensive care unit (ICU). We selected and validated prognostic models in the Euregio Intensive Care COVID (EICC) cohort.

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Objectives: Timely identification of colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors at risk of experiencing low health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the near future is important for enabling appropriately tailored preventive actions. We previously developed and internally validated risk prediction models to estimate the 1-year risk of low HRQoL in long-term CRC survivors. In this article, we aim to externally validate and update these models in a population of short-term CRC survivors.

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Objectives: To evaluate the effect of incorporating calcium advice into early pregnancy counseling on calcium intake during pregnancy in the Netherlands.

Methods: A multicenter prospective before-after cohort study was conducted introducing risk-based care including calculating individual pre-eclampsia risk. Part of the intervention was to incorporate calcium advice into routine counseling.

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The aim of this study was to provide small area estimations (SAE) of smoking prevalence during pregnancy in South Limburg, the Netherlands. To illustrate improvements in accuracy and precision of estimates compared to traditional frequentist analyses, we used Bayesian inference with the Integrated nested Laplace approximation to account for spatial structures and area-level proxies. Results revealed a heterogenous prevalence of smoking with a range between 6.

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Background: Restrictions around childbirth, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, could decrease maternal feelings of control during birth. The aim of this study was to compare the sense of control of women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic with women who gave birth before COVID-19. The secondary objective was to identify other factors independently associated with women's sense of control during birth.

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Scope: Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy may lead to an imbalance when vitamin B12 intake is low (folate trap) and may affect child's growth.

Methods: The authors study the association between third trimester maternal intakes of folate and B12 and birthweight and postnatal growth of 2632 infants from the KOALA Birth Cohort Study. Plasma vitamin biomarkers are measured in 1219 women.

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