Cranioplasty complications and risk factors associated with bone flap resorption.

Background: Decompressive craniectomy (DC) may be performed in patients with acutely raised intracranial pressure due to traumatic brain injury or stroke. It is later followed by a cranioplasty procedure (CP) in the surviving patients. This procedure is associated with a high frequency of post-operative complications.

The Shamrock lumbar plexus block: A dose-finding study.

Background: The Shamrock technique is a new method for ultrasound-guided lumbar plexus blockade. Data on the optimal local anaesthetic dose are not available.

Objective: The objective of this study is to estimate the effective dose of ropivacaine 0.

Seizure outcomes in relation to the extent of resection of the perifocal fluorodeoxyglucose and flumazenil PET abnormalities in anteromedial temporal lobectomy.

Background: The area of predominant perifocal [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) hypometabolism and reduced [(11)C]flumazenil ((11)C-FMZ) -binding on PET scans is currently considered to contain the epileptogenic zone and corresponds anatomically to the area localizing epileptogenicity in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). The question is whether the volume of the perifocal pre-operative PET abnormalities, the extent of their resection, and the volume of the non-resected abnormalities affects the post-operative seizure outcome.

Methods: The sample group consisted of 32 patients with mesial temporal sclerosis who underwent anteromedial temporal lobe resection for refractory TLE.

Early Enhanced Parenteral Nutrition, Hyperglycemia, and Death Among Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Infants.

Importance: Efforts to optimize early parenteral nutrition (PN) in extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants to promote growth and development may increase hyperglycemia risk. Recent studies have identified an association between early hyperglycemia and adverse outcomes in ELBW infants.

Objectives: To examine the prevalence of early hyperglycemia and clinical outcomes among ELBW infants before (2002-2005) and after (2006-2011) the implementation of an early enhanced PN protocol and to assess the independent effects of early enhanced PN and early hyperglycemia on mortality.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Laparoscopic and Open Nissen Fundoplication in Children.

Objective: The aim was to compare recurrence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in children randomized to laparoscopic (LF) or open Nissen fundoplication (OF).

Background: LF is considered superior to OF by most pediatric surgeons even though this has not been shown in any randomized controlled trial in children.

Methods: Patients referred for fundoplication between 2003 and 2009 were eligible for inclusion in this 2-center, unstratified, randomized, parallel-group study conducted in Norway.

The Neck Disability Index (NDI) and its correlation with quality of life and mental health measures among patients with single-level cervical disc disease scheduled for surgery.

Background: The Neck Disability Index (NDI) is widely used as a self-rated disability score in patients with cervical radiculopathy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the NDI score correlated with other assessments of quality of life and mental health in a specific group of patients with single-level cervical disc disease and corresponding radiculopathy.

Methods: One hundred thirty-six patients were included in a prospective, randomized controlled clinical multicenter study on one-level anterior cervical discectomy with arthroplasty (ACDA) versus one-level anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF).

Vulvovaginal photodynamic therapy vs. topical corticosteroids in genital erosive lichen planus: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Genital erosive lichen planus (GELP) in women is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by painful vulval and vaginal erosions. Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) is increasingly used in premalignant and malignant diseases and may have an effect in inflammatory diseases.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility, efficacy and safety of hexyl 5-aminolevulinate-hydrocloride (HAL)-PDT in GELP.

Self-Reported Executive Functioning in Everyday Life in Parkinson's Disease after Three Months of Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation.

Objective. Studies on the effect of subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) on executive functioning in Parkinson's disease (PD) are still controversial. In this study we compared self-reported daily executive functioning in PD patients before and after three months of STN-DBS.

The population attributable risk of nutrition and lifestyle on hip fractures.

Introduction: Norway is among the countries with the highest incidence of hip fractures, and how to reduce this incidence is a major public health concern.

Materials And Methods: The population attributable risk (PAR), which measures the portion of hip fracture incidences in the population that can be attributed to an exposure if there is a causal relationship, was assessed for the exposure to excessive alcohol consumption, being underweight, low calcium from dairy products, low physical activity and current tobacco smoking. The risk ratio (RR) of the exposures summarized from systematic reviews and meta-analyses, as well as their prevalence from national statistics or Norwegian population-based studies, were used to estimate PARs.

Comparison of markers for muscle damage, inflammation, and pain using minimally invasive direct anterior versus direct lateral approach in total hip arthroplasty: A prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

It is proposed that the use of biochemical markers for muscle damage and inflammation provides an objective measure on invasiveness in total hip arthroplasty. We analyzed levels of creatine kinase and C-reactive protein (CRP) after total hip arthroplasty in patients randomized to minimally invasive direct anterior approach or direct lateral approach, also recording consumption of pain medication and levels of pain postoperatively. Eighty-three patients were operated by the use of anterior approach and eighty using lateral.

Personality changes after deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

Objectives. Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) is a recognized therapy that improves motor symptoms in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, little is known about its impact on personality.

Reliability of measures used in radiographic evaluation of the adult hip.

Objective: The reliability of radiographic measurements has been studied in pediatric hips, but less has been published on the adult hip, and none have examined the reliability of measurements for the location of the center of rotation (COR) of the hip joint. We have investigated the reliability of various radiographic variables with a focus on the COR.

Materials And Methods: The study was carried out on a standardized format for anterior-posterior radiographs of the pelvis.

Does a web-based feedback training program result in improved reliability in clinicians' ratings of the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale?

The Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale is used in routine clinical practice and research to estimate symptom and functional severity and longitudinal change. Concerns about poor interrater reliability have been raised, and the present study evaluated the effect of a Web-based GAF training program designed to improve interrater reliability in routine clinical practice. Clinicians rated up to 20 vignettes online, and received deviation scores as immediate feedback (i.

Monitoring bypassing agent therapy - a prospective crossover study comparing thromboelastometry and thrombin generation assay.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of thromboelastometry (ROTEM) and thrombin generation assay (TGA) to monitor the treatment response of bypassing agent (BPA) therapy and to study whether one method is superior to another. In a prospective crossover study haemophilia A patients with high titre inhibitors were included to receive a dose of 75 U kg(-1) activated prothrombin complex concentrates (aPCC) intravenously. Blood sampling was performed at baseline, 15, 30 min, 1, 2, 3 and 4 h post-infusion for TGA and ROTEM analysis.

The acetabulum in Perthes' disease: a prospective study of 123 children.

Purpose: We assessed the radiographic changes of the acetabulum during the course of Perthes' disease and investigated whether they were associated with femoral head sphericity 5 years after diagnosis.

Methods: We studied 123 children with unilateral Perthes' disease, femoral head necrosis more than 50 % and age at diagnosis 6 years or older. Pelvic radiographs were taken at onset, 1 year and 5 years after diagnosis.

Selective mutism: follow-up study 1 year after end of treatment.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is generally considered the recommended approach for selective mutism (SM). Prospective follow-up studies of treated SM and predictors of outcome are scarce. We have developed a CBT home and school-based intervention for children with SM previously found to increase speech in a pilot efficacy study and in a randomized controlled treatment study.

Tendon repair compared with physiotherapy in the treatment of rotator cuff tears: a randomized controlled study in 103 cases with a five-year follow-up.

Background: There is limited Level-I evidence that compares operative and nonoperative treatment of rotator cuff tears. We compared outcomes of patients treated with primary tendon repair with outcomes of those treated with physiotherapy and optional secondary tendon repair if needed.

Methods: A single-center, pragmatic, randomized controlled study with follow-ups after six months and one, two, and five years was conducted in a secondary-care institution.

Increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus patients compared to a population-based cohort from the HUNT3 survey.

Background: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is one of few types of dementia that can be treated with shunt surgery and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion. It is frequently present with cerebral vasculopathy; however, how the prevalence of cardiovascular disease compares between iNPH patients and the general population has not yet been established. Therefore, a case-control study was performed to examine whether the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (arterial hypertension, angina pectoris, cardiac infarction, and diabetes) was different in 440 iNPH patients, when compared to 43,387 participants of the Nord-Trøndelag Health 3 Survey (The HUNT3 Survey), which was considered as the general control population.

The acetabulum in Perthes' disease: inter-observer agreement and reliability of radiographic measurements.

Background And Purpose: Perthes' disease leads to radiographic changes in both the femoral head and the acetabulum. We investigated the inter-observer agreement and reliability of 4 radiographic measurements assessing the acetabular changes.

Patients And Methods: We included 123 children with unilateral involvement, femoral head necrosis of more than 50%, and age at diagnosis of 6 years or older.

Differentiating between comorbidity and symptom overlap in ADHD and early onset bipolar disorder.

Reported rates of comorbidity between early onset bipolar disorder (BD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a wide range, perhaps due to developmental issues and differences in interpretation of overlapping symptoms. We compared questionnaire-based and neuropsychological measures of inattention and impulsivity/hyperactivity, in children/adolescents with ADHD combined subtype (ADHD-C; n26), concurrent ADHD-C and BD (n15), BD (n25) with Controls (n69). Sub-analyses were performed on BD with and without inattention symptoms.

Prothrombin fragment 1+2 in urine as a marker on coagulation activity in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism.

Introduction: We have recently reported that increased levels of urine prothrombin fragment 1+2 reflected radiologically verified deep vein thrombosis. In this study we evaluated whether urine prothrombin fragment 1+2 was associated with pulmonary embolism in non-selected patients.

Materials And Methods: Patients with clinical suspected pulmonary embolism were interviewed on comorbidities and medications.

Improved rate control reduces cardiac troponin T levels in permanent atrial fibrillation.

Background: Detectable levels of troponins are often found in serum of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), and recent reports suggest that Tn concentrations are independently related to patient prognosis.

Hypothesis: We hypothesized that treatment with common rate-reducing drugs might lower the levels of cardiac troponin T (TnT) in patients with permanent AF. We also wanted to investigate whether the different drugs would impact the Tn levels differently.

The effect of blood glucose and pCO2 on spectral EEG of premature infants during the first three days of life.

Background: Spectral EEG analysis using automated quantification of total absolute band power (tABP) expresses brain function. We hypothesized that pCO2 or blood glucose affects tABP during the critical first days of life in premature infants.

Objective: To use automated tABP quantification to determine whether EEG background activity in premature infants during the first 3 days of life is influenced by pCO2 or blood glucose levels.

The correlation between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in chronic subdural hematoma patients assessed with factor analysis.

Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a relatively common disorder in neurosurgery on elderly patients, though the mechanism that causes the disease remains unclear. Studies have suggested that local anticoagulation and inflammatory changes may be important in its pathogenesis. Most studies have used a basic bivariate statistical analysis to assess complex immunological responses in patients with this disorder, hence a more sophisticated multivariate statistical approach might be warranted.