Exchangeable serum copper: Adult and pediatric reference intervals and in vitro stability in a nordic cohort.

Wilson disease (WD) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by copper overload, primarily affecting the liver and brain, and the organ damage is believed to be caused by non-ceruloplasmin-bound copper (NCC). Accurate and early diagnosis is important for prognosis. Recently, a method for the measurement of NCC, exchangeable serum copper (CuEXC), was developed and shown to be a promising marker of WD, especially as the fraction of total copper, relative exchangeable copper (REC).

Axicabtagene ciloleucel compared to standard of care in Swedish patients with large B-cell lymphoma: a cost-effectiveness analysis of the ZUMA-7 trial.

Aim: Our study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel), compared to standard of care (SOC) in Sweden for second-line (2L) treatment of adult transplant-intended diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients who relapse within 12 months from completion of, or are refractory to (early r/r), first-line (1L) chemoimmunotherapy.

Methods: Cost-effectiveness was assessed using a three-state partitioned survival model. Mixture cure models were used to extrapolate time-to-event data from the ZUMA-7 trial (NCT03391466) beyond the observational period.

Working Towards Holistic Scar Assessment and Improved Shared Decision Making in Global Burn Care.

Cutaneous burn scars impact various aspects of life. Scar treatment is mainly evaluated on scar characteristics. Consensus is needed on which other outcomes to capture, ensuring they are relevant to patients, clinicians, and researchers.

Economic benefits of remimazolam compared to midazolam and propofol for procedural sedation in colonoscopies and bronchoscopies.

Background: Sedation is common practice in endoscopic procedures to suppress a patient's level of consciousness while maintaining the cardio-respiratory function. Midazolam and propofol are the sedatives most frequently used for procedural sedation at hospitals in Scandinavia. Remimazolam is a new ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine sedative and the present analysis aimed at estimating the economic benefits of introducing remimazolam for procedural sedation in colonoscopies and bronchoscopies in hospitals in Scandinavia.

Tuberculosis treatment adherence in the era of COVID-19.

Background: In-person directly observed therapy (DOT) is commonly used for tuberculosis (TB) treatment monitoring in the US, with increasing usage of video-DOT (vDOT). We evaluated the impact of COVID-19 on TB treatment adherence, and utilization and effectiveness of vDOT.

Methods: We abstracted routinely collected data on individuals treated for TB disease in Baltimore, Maryland between April 2019 and April 2021.

Tuberculosis treatment adherence in the era of COVID-19.

In-person directly observed therapy (DOT) is commonly used for tuberculosis (TB) treatment monitoring in the US, with increasing usage of video-DOT (vDOT). We evaluated the impact of COVID-19 on TB treatment adherence, and utilization and effectiveness of vDOT. We abstracted routinely collected data on individuals treated for TB disease in Baltimore, Maryland between April 2019 and April 2021.

Programmatic Adoption and Implementation of Video-Observed Therapy in Minnesota: Prospective Observational Cohort Study.

Background: In-person directly observed therapy (DOT) is standard of care for tuberculosis (TB) treatment adherence monitoring in the US, with increasing use of video-DOT (vDOT). In Minneapolis, vDOT became available in 2019.

Objective: In this paper, we aimed to evaluate the use and effectiveness of vDOT in a program setting, including comparison of verified adherence among those receiving vDOT and in-person DOT.

Evaluating the accuracy of three-dimensional surface-imaging for circumference analysis of the thigh.

Background: Three-dimensional (3D) surface-imaging is an increasingly popular and useful tool in surgical planning and evaluation. These systems are used for anthropometric measurements of the face, breast and upper extremity. Its accuracy has, however, not yet been evaluated for the thigh.

Evidence for genetic isolation and local adaptation in the field cricket Gryllus campestris.

Understanding how species can thrive in a range of environments is a central challenge for evolutionary ecology. There is strong evidence for local adaptation along large-scale ecological clines in insects. However, potential adaptation among neighbouring populations differing in their environment has been studied much less.

Real-world implementation of video-observed therapy in an urban TB program in the United States.

Video directly observed therapy (vDOT) was introduced to increase flexibility and meet patient-specific needs for TB treatment. This study aimed to assess the reach and effectiveness of vDOT for TB treatment under routine conditions in Alameda County, CA, USA, a busy, urban setting, from 2018 to 2020. We prospectively evaluated routinely collected data to estimate 1) reach (proportion of patients initiated on vDOT vs.

HIV counseling and testing in tuberculosis contact investigations in the United States and Canada.

Background: Determining the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status of tuberculosis (TB) patients and contacts is important. Despite existing guidelines, not all patients are tested, and testing of contacts is rarely performed.

Methods: In a study conducted at nine US/Canadian sites, we introduced formal procedures for offering HIV testing to TB patients and contacts.

Acceptability of interferon-gamma release assays among healthcare workers who receive routine employee tuberculosis testing.

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) undergo annual testing for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI).

Objective: Compare acceptability of tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) among HCWs.

Methods: HCWs at four medical centers in the US were administered an acceptability questionnaire including a brief objective description of both tests and eliciting attitudes regarding TST and IGRAs, confidence in results, and likelihood of taking LTBI treatment.

Sleep-spindle detection: crowdsourcing and evaluating performance of experts, non-experts and automated methods.

Sleep spindles are discrete, intermittent patterns of brain activity observed in human electroencephalographic data. Increasingly, these oscillations are of biological and clinical interest because of their role in development, learning and neurological disorders. We used an Internet interface to crowdsource spindle identification by human experts and non-experts, and we compared their performance with that of automated detection algorithms in data from middle- to older-aged subjects from the general population.

Long-term complications to reflux disease in community practice. A 17-year cohort study of 4706 patients.

Objective: To examine the risk of developing strictures in patients with erosive and non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease in a community-based setting, since controlled trials indicate that the use of proton pump inhibitors renders the risk of strictures insignificant.

Material And Methods: A 17-year cohort study of 4706 patients referred to endoscopy due to upper GI symptoms, with a population comparison cohort of 47,060 individuals. All patients were followed and treated according to prevailing guidelines by their usual care provider.

Unexplained chest/epigastric pain in patients with normal endoscopy as a predictor for ischemic heart disease and mortality: a Danish 10-year cohort study.

Background: Normal upper endoscopy may be a marker of ischemic heart disease in patients with unexplained chest/epigastric pain.

Methods: We examined the 10-year risk of ischemic heart disease and mortality in a cohort of 386 Danish patients with chest/epigastric pain, normal upper endoscopy, and no prior hospital discharge diagnosis of ischemic heart disease (defined as patients with unexplained chest/epigastric pain), compared with 3,793 population controls matched by age, gender, and residence. Outcome data were obtained from population-based health registries.

Risk of peptic ulcer, oesophagitis, pancreatitis or gallstone in patients with unexplained chest/epigastric pain and normal upper endoscopy: a 10-year Danish cohort study.

Background: No studies have examined the risk of upper gastrointestinal diseases among patients with unexplained chest/epigastric pain (UCEP) and a normal upper endoscopy.

Aim: To examine the relative risk of peptic ulcer, oesophagitis, pancreatitis or gallstone in UCEP patients.

Methods: This Danish 10-year cohort study focused on UCEP patients (n = 386), diagnosed in 1992-93.

Risk of gastrointestinal cancer in patients with unexplained chest/epigastric pain and normal upper endoscopy: a Danish 10-year follow-up study.

Unexplained chest/epigastric pain is a common symptom in the general population. However, it has not previously been studied whether such pain could be a marker of subsequent gastrointestinal cancer. We aimed to estimate the risk of gastrointestinal cancers in a Danish 10-year follow-up study among patients with chest/epigastric pain, normal upper endoscopy, and no prior discharge diagnosis of ischemic heart disease (N = 386), compared with population controls (N = 3860).

Maternal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and risk of congenital malformations.

Background: Human data on the teratogenicity of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are limited. We examined the association between SSRI use during early pregnancy and the risk of congenital malformations in the offspring.

Methods: In a population-based cohort study from Denmark, we identified 1051 women who filled prescriptions for SSRIs from 30 days before conception to the end of the first trimester; of those, 453 filled the prescription during the second or third pregnancy month.

30-day mortality after peptic ulcer perforation among users of newer selective COX-2 inhibitors and traditional NSAIDs: a population-based study.

Objectives: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use is a strong risk factor for peptic ulcer perforation, yet little is known about the outcome of this condition among NSAID users. We examined 30-day mortality after peptic ulcer perforation associated with the use of traditional NSAIDs and newer selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors.

Methods: We conducted a cohort study of patients with the first hospitalization for peptic ulcer perforation, identified in discharge registries of three Danish counties between 1991 and 2003.

Statins and the risk of acute pancreatitis: a population-based case-control study.

Background: Case reports have suggested that statins may cause acute pancreatitis.

Aim: To examine if statins are associated with risk of acute pancreatitis.

Methods: We identified 2576 first-time admitted cases of acute pancreatitis from hospital discharge registers in three Danish counties, and 25 817 age- and gender-matched controls from the general population.

Inflammatory bowel diseases, 5-aminosalicylic acid and sulfasalazine treatment and risk of acute pancreatitis: a population-based case-control study.

Objectives: Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases are suggested to have an increased risk of acute pancreatitis. Although azathioprine and glucocorticoids are risk factors for acute pancreatitis, the relation is poorly understood, in particular the role of 5-aminosalicylic acid and sulfasalazine treatment. To clarify these relations, we conducted a population-based case-control study.

The role of Mycobacteria Other Than Tuberculosis (MOTT) in patients with cystic fibrosis.

The purpose of this study was to estimate the frequency of and evaluate the clinical impact of pulmonary mycobacterial infections among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. 185 CF patients aged 2.2-38.