No Difference in Clinical Effects When Comparing Alfredson Eccentric and Silbernagel Combined Concentric-Eccentric Loading in Achilles Tendinopathy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Alfredson isolated eccentric loading and Silbernagel concentric-eccentric loading have both shown beneficial effects on clinical symptoms in midportion Achilles tendinopathy (AT), but they have never been compared directly.

Purpose: To test for differences in clinical effects at 1-year follow-up between Alfredson and Silbernagel loading in midportion AT.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2.

Lipid levels, insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk over 96 weeks of antiretroviral therapy: a randomised controlled trial comparing low-dose stavudine and tenofovir.

Background: HIV infection and antiretroviral treatment are associated with changes in lipid levels, insulin resistance and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated these changes in the first 96 weeks of treatment with low-dose stavudine or tenofovir regimens.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a double blind, randomised controlled trial performed in South-Africa, Uganda and India comparing low-dose stavudine (20 mg twice daily) with tenofovir in combination with efavirenz and lamivudine in antiretroviral-naïve adults (n = 1067) (Clinicaltrials.

Does pre-pregnancy BMI determine blood pressure during pregnancy? A prospective cohort study.

Objectives: To evaluate if pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) determines blood pressure throughout pregnancy and to explore the role of gestational weight gain in this association. In addition, the effects of pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain on the occurrence of gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia were investigated.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Assessing Self-reported Medication Adherence in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Comparison of Tools.

Background: Capturing (non)-adherence to medical prescriptions in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is challenging. We aimed to compare 3 different tools to measure self-assessed medication adherence of patients with IBD.

Methods: Adult patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis were prospectively followed.

Effect of training general practitioners in drug treatment of newly detected heart failure patients with reduced or preserved ejection fraction: A cluster randomized trial.

Objective: To assess the effect of training general practitioners (GPs) in the optimization of drug treatment for newly detected heart failure (HF).

Design: Cluster randomized trial comparing the training programme to care as usual.

Participants: Community-dwelling older persons with a new HF diagnosis after diagnostic work-up.

Search filters for finding prognostic and diagnostic prediction studies in Medline to enhance systematic reviews.

Background: The interest in prognostic reviews is increasing, but to properly review existing evidence an accurate search filer for finding prediction research is needed. The aim of this paper was to validate and update two previously introduced search filters for finding prediction research in Medline: the Ingui filter and the Haynes Broad filter.

Methodology/principal Findings: Based on a hand search of 6 general journals in 2008 we constructed two sets of papers.

Refill adherence and polypharmacy among patients with type 2 diabetes in general practice.

Background And Aims: Non-adherence is considered a major barrier to better outcomes of diabetes care. A relationship has been established between polypharmacy and patients' adherence. This study aims to investigate the occurrence of polypharmacy and non-adherence in general practice, their mutual relationship and the association between adherence and the intermediate outcomes of diabetes care.

Prognosis of primary care patients aged 80 years and older with lower respiratory tract infection.

Background: Predictors for a complicated course of a lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) episode among patients aged > or =80 years are unknown.

Aim: To determine prognostic factors for hospital admission or death within 30 days after first onset of LRTI among primary care patients aged > or =80 years.

Design Of Study: Retrospective cohort study.

Overall quality of diabetes care in a defined geographic region: different sides of the same story.

Background: In diabetes care, knowledge about what is achievable in primary and secondary care is important. There is a need for an objective method to assess the quality of care in different settings. A quality-of-care summary score has been developed based on process and outcome measures.

Enhanced severity of virus associated lower respiratory tract disease in asthma patients may not be associated with delayed viral clearance and increased viral load in the upper respiratory tract.

Background: Viral respiratory infections, particularly human rhinovirus (HRV) infections, are the most common cause of asthma exacerbation. HRV infections usually lead to more severe and longer duration of lower respiratory tract (LRT) symptoms in asthmatics than in otherwise healthy individuals. However, the exact mechanism by which viruses contribute to exacerbation of asthma is unknown.

Patient characteristics do not predict poor glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes patients treated in primary care.

Many diabetic patients in general practice do not achieve good glycaemic control. The aim of this study was to assess which characteristics of type 2 diabetes patients treated in primary care predict poor glycaemic control (HbA1c > or = 7%). Data were collected from the medical records.

Starting insulin in type 2 diabetes: continue oral hypoglycemic agents? A randomized trial in primary care.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of insulin 30/70 twice daily or bedtime isophane (NPH) insulin plus continued sulfonylurea and metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes in primary care.

Study Design: Open-label, randomized trial.

Population: Persons younger than 76 years with type 2 diabetes whose disease had not been controlled with oral hypoglycemic agents alone.

The foot function index with verbal rating scales (FFI-5pt): A clinimetric evaluation and comparison with the original FFI.

Objective: To assess the clinimetric value of the Dutch version of the Foot Function Index (FFI) in comparison with the original FFI using verbal rating scales (FFI-5pt) rather than visual analog scales (VAS).

Methods: A prospective study was performed on 206 patients with nontraumatic forefoot complaints. Scoring, internal consistency, and construct validity of the FFI-5pt were compared with those of the original FFI, which rates all items on VAS.