Development of a prediction model for deep vein thrombosis in a retrospective cohort of patients with suspected deep vein thrombosis in primary care.

Objective: Early and accurate prediction and diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is essential to allow for immediate treatment and reduce potential complications. However, all potentially strong risk factors have not been included in pretest probability assessments such as the Wells score. In addition, the Wells score might not be suitable for use in primary care because it was developed for secondary care.

A multicenter, randomized, dose-finding study of mechanochemical ablation using ClariVein and liquid polidocanol for great saphenous vein incompetence.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to identify the ideal polidocanol (POL) concentration for mechanochemical ablation (MOCA) of the great saphenous vein (GSV) using the ClariVein system (Merit Medical, South Jordan, Utah).

Methods: We performed a multicenter, randomized, controlled, single-blind trial with a follow-up period of 6 months. Patients with symptomatic primary truncal GSV incompetence were randomized to MOCA + 2% POL liquid (2% group) or MOCA + 3% POL liquid (3% group).

The relationship between psychological distress and impairment of disease-specific quality-of-life compared between liquid sclerocompression therapy and invasive treatments in patients with superficial venous disease during a one-year follow-up.

Introduction: Superficial venous disease (SVD) is a very common disease and much research has been done towards finding the ideal treatment and discovering the pathophysiology of SVD. Not much is known about the psychological burden of SVD. Current guidelines and scientific publications tend to focus on clinical and physiological aspects of SVD.

A risk score for iliofemoral patients with deep vein thrombosis.

Objective: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common condition with a high risk of post-thrombotic morbidity, especially in patients with a proximal thrombus. Successful iliofemoral clot removal has been shown to decrease the severity of post-thrombotic syndrome. It is assumed that earlier thrombus lysis is associated with a better outcome.

A Survey on Voiding Complaints in Women Presenting at a Pelvic Care Center.

Introduction: This article reports the prevalence of self-reported voiding complaints and the relationship with other pelvic floor and bladder dysfunctions (PFD).

Materials And Methods: Women with a variety of PFDs were referred to the pelvic care center. A standardised questionnaire on 6 PFDs was used.

Long-term effects of motherfit group therapy in pre-(MOTHERFIT1) and post-partum women (MOTHERFIT2) with stress urinary incontinence compared to care-as-usual: study protocol of two multi-centred, randomised controlled trials.

Background: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is highly prevalent during pregnancy and after delivery. It is often associated with a failing pelvic floor, sphincteric and/or supportive system. Pelvic-floor-muscle training (PFMT) peri-partum has been proven effective for up to 1 year post-partum; however, its long-term effects are unknown.

Eight-year follow-up of a randomized clinical trial comparing ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy with surgical stripping of the great saphenous vein.

Background: This was an 8-year follow-up of an RCT comparing ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) with high ligation and surgical stripping (HL/S) of the great saphenous vein (GSV).

Methods: Patients were randomized to UGFS or HL/S of the GSV. The primary outcome was the recurrence of symptomatic GSV reflux.

Prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms and their association with pelvic floor dysfunctions-A cross sectional cohort study at a Pelvic Care Centre.

Aims: Pelvic floor dysfunctions (PFDs), like voiding complaints, urinary and fecal incontinence, and prolapse, are prevalent and associated with decrease in quality of life. PFDs are often complex and multifactorial in origin showing interrelationships between different PFD and with affective conditions. The primary aim of this study is to describe the prevalence of affective complaints in a cohort of Pelvic Care Centre (PCC) patients.

Does sinus rhythm conversion after cardiac surgery affect postoperative health- related quality of life?

Background: We investigated the impact and the predictive value of sinus rhythm at 12 months (SR12) on subscales of three different HrQoL questionnaires: SF-36., EuroQoL and MFI 20.

Methods: Data of 125 cardiac surgery patients with pre-operative AF from our previous randomized trial were used.

An overview of the most commonly used venous quality of life and clinical outcome measurements.

Background: Modern medicine should no longer rely solely on technical success to evaluate treatments. The treatment of venous disease has seen many new developments, insights, and treatment modalities. Combining clinical scores with quality of life (QoL) outcome measurements is becoming the new norm for evaluation of treatments.

The relation between clinical scores and quality-of-life in long-term follow-up.

Introduction: Quality-of-life and severity scores are both popular measures in medicine. For deep venous obstruction, the VEINES-QOL/Sym and venous clinical severity score (VCSS) are widely used. Combining a patient-reported outcome with a clinical severity score should give a more sensitive outcome for treatment results.

Factors influencing postpartum women's willingness to participate in a preventive pelvic floor muscle training program: a web-based survey.

Objective: Pregnancy and delivery are the most prominent risk factors for the onset of pelvic floor injuries and - later-on - urinary incontinence. Supervised pelvic floor muscle training during and after pregnancy is proven effective for the prevention of urinary incontinence on the short term. However, only a minority of women do participate in preventive pelvic floor muscle training programs.

Erythrocytapheresis versus phlebotomy in the maintenance treatment of HFE hemochromatosis patients: results from a randomized crossover trial.

Background: Phlebotomy is standard maintenance treatment of patients with hereditary hemochromatosis (HH). Erythrocytapheresis, which selectively removes red blood cells, provides a new, potentially more effective treatment option. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of erythrocytapheresis over phlebotomy for maintenance therapy in patients with HH.

Prevalence and triage of first-contact complaints on pelvic floor dysfunctions in female patients at a Pelvic Care Centre.

Aims: (i) To describe and analyse pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms in women referred to a Pelvic Care Centre (PCC). (ii) To describe the triage process of the same patients based on response to a first-contact interview.

Methods: Triage started with a telephone interview using previously constructed questions, asking for seven types of PF complaints during the preceding 6 months.

Quality-of-life in interventionally treated patients with post-thrombotic syndrome.

Introduction: New developments in the treatment of complex deep venous disease have become available in the last decade. Besides analysing patencies as a surrogate outcome for these treatments we analysed the Quality-of-Life (QoL) changes for successful and failed deep venous treatments.

Materials And Methods: Patients with proven venous occlusive disease, referred to our department of Venous Surgery at the Maastricht University Medical Centre, were included.

Conservative versus surgical treatment of venous leg ulcers: 10-year follow up of a randomized, multicenter trial.

Introduction: Leg ulcers have a large socio-economic impact. Treatment modalities are either conservative or surgical. Conservative treatment involves local treatment and compression therapy.

Prevalence and triage of first contact pelvic floor dysfunction complaints in male patients referred to a Pelvic Care Centre.

Aims: (i) To describe and analyse pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms in men referred to a Pelvic Care Centre (PCC). (ii) To describe the triage process of the same patients based on response to a first-contact interview.

Methods: Triage started with a telephone interview using previously constructed questions, asking for six types of PF complaints during the preceding 6 months.

Introducing an integrated intermediate care unit improves ICU utilization: a prospective intervention study.

Background: Improvement of appropriate bed use and access to intensive care (ICU) beds is essential in optimizing utilization of ICU capacity. The introduction of an intermediate care unit (IMC) integrated in the ICU care may improve this utilization.

Method: In a before-after prospective intervention study in a university hospital mixed ICU, the impact of introducing a six-bed mixed IMC unit supervised and staffed by ICU physicians was investigated.

Short-term follow-up of Quality-of-Life in interventionally treated patients with post-thrombotic syndrome after deep venous occlusion.

Introduction: Treatment of deep venous occlusive disease is gaining popularity, although the results and outcomes of various techniques are yet to be fully studied. Quality-of-Life (QoL) improvement is a valid and important outcome in medicine, but no specific QoL instruments for deep venous pathology exist up until now. We assessed the short term QoL effects of treated patients with post thrombotic syndrome after deep venous occlusion.

A prospective randomized controlled trial on the incidence and predictors of late-phase postoperative atrial fibrillation up to 30 days and the preventive value of biatrial pacing.

Background: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is considered to be a transient arrhythmia in the first week after cardiac surgery.

Objective: To determine the 30-day incidence and predictors of POAF and the value of postoperative overdrive biatrial pacing in the prevention of POAF.

Methods: Patients (n = 148) without a history of atrial fibrillation undergoing aortic valve replacement or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) were randomized into a pacing group (n = 75) and a control group.

Depression, psychological distress, and quality of life in patients with cardioverter defibrillator with or without cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Congestive heart failure is frequent and leads to reduced exercise capacity, reduced quality of life (QoL), and depression in many patients. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) offer therapeutic options and may have an impact on QoL and depression. This study was performed to evaluate physical and mental health in patients undergoing ICD or combined CRT/ICD-implantation (CRT-D).

Effect of supervised exercise therapy for intermittent claudication in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Background: Primary treatment for patients with intermittent claudication is exercise therapy. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a frequently occurring comorbidity in patients with intermittent claudication, and in these patients, exercise tolerance is decreased. However, there is little literature about the increase in walking distance after supervised exercise therapy (SET) in patients with both intermittent claudication and DM.

Consumer satisfaction among patients and their general practitioners about involving nurse specialists in primary care for patients with urinary incontinence.

Background: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a very common problem, but existing guidelines on UI are not followed. To bring care in line with guidelines, we planned an intervention to involve nurse specialists on UI in primary care and assessed this in a randomised controlled trial. Alongside this intervention, we assessed consumer satisfaction among patients and general practitioners (GPs).

The ciprofloxacin target AUC : MIC ratio is not reached in hospitalized patients with the recommended dosing regimens.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the ciprofloxacin serum concentrations in hospitalized patients and to determine which percentage reached the efficacy target of AUC : MIC > 125. Additionally, the influence of demographic anthropomorphic and clinical parameters on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ciprofloxacin were investigated.

Methods: In serum of 80 hospitalized patients ciprofloxacin concentrations were measured with reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.