Go4it; study design of a randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation of a multidisciplinary group intervention for obese adolescents for prevention of diabetes mellitus type 2.

Background: In the Netherlands, the first adolescents with diabetes mellitus type 2 as a result of obesity have recently been diagnosed. Therefore, it is very important that programs aiming at the prevention of type 2 diabetes of obese adolescents are developed and evaluated.

Methods: Go4it is a multidisciplinary group treatment that focuses on: 1) increasing awareness of the current dietary and physical activity behaviour (i.

Benign adverse events following chiropractic care for neck pain are associated with worse short-term outcomes but not worse outcomes at three months.

Study Design: A prospective cohort study on chiropractic patients with neck pain.

Objective: To examine the association between self-reported benign adverse events after chiropractic care for neck pain and the outcome measures namely, perceived recovery, neck pain, and neck disability.

Summary Of Background Data: Only 1 study has examined the association between adverse events and outcome in subjects with neck pain treated by chiropractors, which concluded that those receiving cervical spinal manipulation were more likely to report an adverse event compared to cervical mobilization, and those reporting an adverse event were less likely to have improved outcomes at all follow-up measurements.

Rehabilitation after lumbar disc surgery.

Background: Several rehabilitation programs are available for individuals after lumbar disc surgery.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of active rehabilitation for adults after first-time lumbar disc surgery.

Search Strategy: We searched CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2007, Issue 2) and MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycINFO to May 2007.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for low back pain: an updated Cochrane review.

Study Design: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Objectives: To assess the effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and COX-2 inhibitors in the treatment of nonspecific low back pain and to assess which type of NSAID is most effective.

Summary Of Background Data: NSAIDs are the most frequently prescribed medications worldwide and are widely used for patients with low back pain.

Primary prevention of diabetes mellitus type 2 and cardiovascular diseases using a cognitive behavior program aimed at lifestyle changes in people at risk: Design of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The number of people with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) is growing rapidly. To a large extend, this increase is due to lifestyle-dependent risk factors, such as overweight, reduced physical activity, and an unhealthy diet. Changing these risk factors has the potential to postpone or prevent the development of T2DM and CVD.

Predictors of a favorable outcome in patients treated by chiropractors for neck pain.

Study Design: Prospective, multicenter, cohort study.

Objective: To examine which clinical and sociodemographic baseline variables can predict a favorable outcome in subjects with neck pain treated by chiropractors.

Summary Of Background Data: Relatively little is known on predictors of neck pain, particularly for those subjects undergoing chiropractic care.

Are psychological treatments for depression in primary care cost-effective?

Background: Depression is a highly prevalent condition that is associated with high levels of work absenteeism and high health care costs. Most patients are treated in primary care. A large group of patients prefers psychological treatments to antidepressants.

Motives for (not) participating in a lifestyle intervention trial.

Background: Non-participants can have a considerable influence on the external validity of a study. Therefore, we assessed the socio-demographic, health-related, and lifestyle behavioral differences between participants and non-participants in a comprehensive CVD lifestyle intervention trial, and explored the motives and barriers underlying the decision to participate or not.

Methods: We collected data on participants (n = 50) and non-participants (n = 50) who were eligible for inclusion in a comprehensive CVD lifestyle interventional trial.

Practical guidelines for economic evaluations alongside equivalence trials.

An effective treatment already exists for many diseases. In these cases the effectiveness of a new treatment may be established by showing that the new treatment is as effective as (i.e.

Cost-effectiveness of usual general practitioner care with or without antidepressant medication for patients with minor or mild-major depression.

Background: Minor depression is common in primary care and associated with increased health care costs. Many mildly depressed patients are prescribed antidepressants, although there is insufficient information on the cost-effectiveness of antidepressants for these patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether usual care without antidepressants is equivalent to (i.

Predictors of adverse events following chiropractic care for patients with neck pain.

Objective: This study examines which variables may predict adverse events in subjects undergoing chiropractic treatment for neck pain.

Methods: This was a prospective, multi-center, cohort study. All new patients, 18 to 65 years of age with neck pain of any duration, who had not undergone chiropractic care or manual therapy in the prior 3 months, were eligible.

A consensus approach toward the standardization of back pain definitions for use in prevalence studies.

Study Design: A modified Delphi study conducted with 28 experts in back pain research from 12 countries.

Objective: To identify standardized definitions of low back pain that could be consistently used by investigators in prevalence studies to provide comparable data.

Summary Of Background Data: Differences in the definition of back pain prevalence in population studies lead to heterogeneity in study findings, and limitations or impossibilities in comparing or summarizing prevalence figures from different studies.

The impact of aerobic fitness on functioning in chronic back pain.

Despite lack of convincing evidence that reduced aerobic fitness is associated with chronic back pain (CBP), exercise programs are regarded as being effective for persons with non-specific CBP. It is unsure whether gain in aerobic fitness following intervention is associated with functioning improvement in persons with CBP. The objective of this prospective cohort study was to study the impact of aerobic fitness on functioning in persons with CBP, at baseline and following 3-week intensive interdisciplinary intervention.

Lumbar supports to prevent recurrent low back pain among home care workers: a randomized trial.

Background: People use lumbar supports to prevent low back pain. Secondary analyses from primary preventive studies suggest benefit among workers with previous low back pain, but definitive studies on the effectiveness of supports for the secondary prevention of low back pain are lacking.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of lumbar supports in the secondary prevention of low back pain.

Cost-effectiveness of the SEN-concept: Specialized Emergency Nurses (SEN) treating ankle/foot injuries.

Background: Emergency Departments (EDs) are confronted with progressive overcrowding. As a consequence, the workload for ED physicians increases and waiting times go up with the risk of unnecessary complications and patient dissatisfaction. To cope with these problems, Specialized Emergency Nurses (SENs), regular ED-nurses receiving a short, injury-specific course, were trained to assess and treat minor injuries according to a specific protocol.

Multidisciplinary outpatient care program for patients with chronic low back pain: design of a randomized controlled trial and cost-effectiveness study [ISRCTN28478651].

Background: Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a major public and occupational health problem, which is associated with very high costs. Although medical costs for chronic LBP are high, most costs are related to productivity losses due to sick leave. In general, the prognosis for return to work (RTW) is good but a minority of patients will be absent long-term from work.

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori does not reduce the incidence of gastroduodenal ulcers in patients on long-term NSAID treatment: double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Helicobacter pylori and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the major causes of gastroduodenal ulcers. Studies on the benefit of eradication of H. pylori in NSAID users yielded conflicting results.

The benefits outweigh the risks for patients undergoing chiropractic care for neck pain: a prospective, multicenter, cohort study.

Objective: This study describes both positive clinical outcomes and adverse events in patients treated for neck pain by a chiropractor.

Methods: This study was a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study. Patients with neck pain of any duration who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited in a practice-based study.

Low back pain in general practice: cost-effectiveness of a minimal psychosocial intervention versus usual care.

An intervention that can prevent low back pain (LBP) becoming chronic, may not only prevent great discomfort for patients, but also save substantial costs for the society. Psychosocial factors appear to be of importance in the transition of acute to chronic LBP. The aim of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of an intervention aimed at psychosocial factors to usual care in patients with (sub)acute LBP.

Consensus-based findings and recommendations for estimating the costs of health-related productivity loss from a company's perspective.

Objectives: There were two study objectives: (i) to identify, via consensus, a key set of items for estimating the costs of productivity loss from a company's perspective and (ii) to develop recommendations for the costs of estimating productivity loss on the basis of consensus findings.

Methods: A modified Delphi procedure was utilized in which a predetermined set of 26 items formed the basis for inquiry in the first round. Thirty-six experts from five stakeholder groups in the Netherlands (employers, employees, policy makers and insurers, occupational health professionals, and researchers) participated in the panel.

Psychosocial variables in patients with (sub)acute low back pain: an inception cohort in primary care physical therapy in The Netherlands.

Study Design: A prospective cohort study of patients with episodes of acute or subacute low back pain, seeking physical therapy in primary care, with follow-up at weeks 2, 4, 8, and 12.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between psychosocial factors and the transition from acute or subacute low back pain to chronicity.

Summary Of Background Data: Psychosocial factors have long been thought to be associated with chronic pain only.

Cost-effectiveness of a nurse-led case management intervention in general medical outpatients compared with usual care: an economic evaluation alongside a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a nurse-led, home-based, case-management intervention (NHI) after hospital discharge in addition to usual care.

Methods: Economic evaluation alongside a randomized controlled trial after being discharged home with 24 weeks of follow-up. Patients discharged to their home from a general hospital were randomly assigned to NHI or usual care.

Herbal medicine for low back pain: a Cochrane review.

Study Design: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of herbal medicine compared with placebo, no intervention, or "standard/accepted/conventional treatments" for nonspecific low back pain.

Summary Of Background Data: Low back pain is a common condition and a substantial economic burden in industrialized societies.

Cost effectiveness of a pharmacy-based coaching programme to improve adherence to antidepressants.

Introduction: The efficacy of antidepressants in the treatment of depression has been convincingly demonstrated in randomised trials. However, non-adherence to antidepressant treatment is common.

Objective: To evaluate, from a societal perspective, the cost effectiveness of a pharmacy-based intervention to improve adherence to antidepressant therapy in adult patients receiving treatment in primary care.

Effectiveness of behavioral graded activity in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip and/or knee: A randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a behavioral graded activity program (BGA) compared with usual care (UC; exercise therapy and advice) according to the Dutch guidelines for physiotherapy in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip and/or knee. The BGA intervention is intended to increase activity in the long term and consists of an exercise program with booster sessions, using operant treatment principles.

Methods: We conducted a cluster randomized trial involving 200 patients with hip and/or knee OA.