Mobile App-based documentation of patient-reported outcomes - 3-months results from a proof-of-concept study on modern rheumatology patient management.

Background: Mobile medical applications (Apps) offer innovative solutions for patients' self-monitoring and new patient management opportunities. Prior to routine clinical application feasibility and acceptance of disease surveillance using an App that includes electronic (e) patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) warrant evaluation. Therefore, we performed a proof-of-concept study in which rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients used an App (RheumaLive) to document their disease.

Factors associated with pain coping and catastrophising in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study of the LuLa-cohort.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with pain coping and catastrophising in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Methods: All patients were participants of the lupus erythematosus long-term study, which is based on patient-reported data assessed among members of the German Lupus Erythematosus Self-Help Organization. Assessments were performed by means of a questionnaire.

Radiological outcome and gait function of SCFE patients after growth arrest.

Purpose: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) represents the most common disorder of the hip in adolescents and a preliminary stage of degenerative joint disease. Up to now, functional outcome evaluation measured by objective instruments has been commonly neglected. The present study investigates whether the pathoanatomy of the hip joint after SCFE-analyzed on a standard X-ray-match functional results gained by three-dimensional gait analysis.

Regional deep hyperthermia for salvage treatment of children and adolescents with refractory or recurrent non-testicular malignant germ-cell tumours: an open-label, non-randomised, single-institution, phase 2 study.

Background: Although the survival of children and adolescents with malignant germ-cell tumours has improved greatly in recent years, the outcome remains poor for those with refractory or recurrent malignant germ-cell tumours. We aimed to determine whether objective tumour response could be achieved in patients with refractory or recurrent malignant germ-cell tumours with PEI-regional deep hyperthermia as salvage treatment.

Methods: Patients with refractory or recurrent non-testicular malignant germ-cell tumours after standard cisplatin-based chemotherapy were treated prospectively with PEI chemotherapy (cisplatin 40 mg/m(2), delivered intravenously on days 1 and 4; etoposide 100 mg/m(2), intravenously on days 1-4; and ifosfamide 1800 mg/m(2), intravenously on days 1-4) plus simultaneous 1-h regional deep hyperthermia (41-43°C) on days 1 and 4.

Thymoma-a clinico-pathological long-term study with emphasis on histology and adjuvant radiotherapy dose.

Introduction: To evaluate prognostic factors of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) with particular reference to histology and the dose-response relationship of adjuvant radiotherapy.

Methods: Retrospective study with central pathological review on patients resected for TET between 1966 and 2004 at a single institution. Prognostic factors were identified using Cox regression analysis.

The gait function of slipped capital femoral epiphysis in patients after growth arrest and its correlation with the clinical outcome.

Purpose: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) represents the preliminary stage of osteoarthritis. Reliable tools for outcome evaluation should be developed to prevent persisting defects. The functional outcome of SCFE-patients after growth arrest is analysed by instrumented 3D-gait analysis (GA).

Correlation of functional outcome and X-ray findings after Perthes disease.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functional impairments during gait after Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease (LCPD) and to correlate these data with the clinical and radiographic outcome.

Methods: In 13 individuals with LCPD in recovery or final stage (mean age 9.5 ± 3.

An ask-the-expert service on a rheumatology web site: who were the users and what did they look for?

Objective: To analyze the inquiries sent to an online ask-the-rheumatologist service in order to identify the users' needs and requirements.

Methods: The official web site of the German Competence Network Rheumatology (www.rheumanet.

[Supply of and participation in CME activities in the area served the north rhine chamber of physicians in Germany].

Introduction: the study analyses the supply and the demand for Continuing Medical Education (CME) in the area served by the "Ärztekammer Nordrhein (ÄkNo)", which is one of the biggest regional Chambers of Physicians in Germany. Both the supply of all CME events certified by the ÄkNo in 2007 (n=18,932) and the participation of physicians in CME activities - using the example of family doctors (n=850), ophthalmologists (n=122) and orthopaedists (n=38) in the university towns of Cologne, Bonn and Aachen - was analysed for the period of 2002 to 2007 (n=44,760 events).

Methods: differences between groups were tested by the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis method; adjustment for other factors was performed using Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests.

The value of training in communication skills for continuing medical education.

Objective: Question arises as to what extent communication skills are considered in continuing medical education (CME).

Methods: Analysis for CME-courses in communication skills in the area of the Chamber of Physicians North Rhine (ÄkNo), Germany. Supply Arm(A): CME events (n = 19,320) certified in 2007 were evaluated.

Correlation of viral load of respiratory pathogens and co-infections with disease severity in children hospitalized for lower respiratory tract infection.

Background: The clinical significance of viral load and co-infections in children with respiratory infections is not clear.

Objective: To evaluate the correlation of viral load as well as viral and bacterial co-infections with disease severity in hospitalized children with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs).

Study Design: This is a prospective study conducted in children admitted for LRTIs for two seasons.

Retrospective study of neoadjuvant versus adjuvant radiochemotherapy in locally advanced noninflammatory breast cancer : survival advantage in cT2 category by neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy.

Purpose: This retrospective study compares patients treated between 1991 and 1998 with neoadjuvant radiotherapy +/- chemotherapy (RCT) or adjuvant RCT for locally advanced noninflammatory breast cancers (LABC) in terms of pathologic complete response (pCR), 10-year relapse-free (RFS), and overall survival (OS).

Patients And Methods: Preoperative RCT in 315 and adjuvant RCT in 329 cases consisted in 50 Gy (5 x 2 Gy/week) to the breast and the supra-/infraclavicular lymph nodes. 101 neoadjuvant patients received - in case of breast conservation - a 10-Gy interstitial boost with (192)Ir afterloading before and 214 neoadjuvant patients a preoperative electron boost after external-beam radiotherapy.

Changing attitudes towards online electronic health records and online patient documentation in rheumatology outpatients.

Objectives: The Internet supports interactive patient assessments, online documentation and access to online electronic health records (EHRs), but little is known about the acceptance of these features and trends in rheumatology patients. Therefore, we studied patients' attitudes and willingness to participate in online patient (self-)documentation.

Methods: We interviewed 153 consecutive outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus or spondyloarthritis using a paperbased self-administered questionnaire.

Diagnostic of tooth fractures with the Vistascan system.

Compared with conventional films digital radiography allows a wide range of exposure and scanner settings. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the evaluation of tooth fractures depending on variations of exposure dose, scanner settings and surrounding tissues. Extracted human teeth were exposed separately and in a pig bone phantom before and after artificial fracture at 70 kV (Gendex Oralix DC) and three exposure settings using the Vistascan System I at three different resolution settings.

Early conversion from cyclosporine to tacrolimus increases renal graft function in chronic allograft nephropathy at BANFF stages I and II.

Switching from cyclosporine to tacrolimus without steroid pulse was suggested as a therapeutic option in chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN). Thirty-one renal transplant recipients with CAN were prospectively converted from cyclosporine to tacrolimus (group A), in parallel 31 matched cyclosporin A (CsA) patients (group B) without CAN were followed up for 30 months. In six matching patients of groups A and B inulin and para-aminohippurate (PAH)-clearances and mycophenolate were measured over a span of 3 months.

High nerve growth factor receptor (p75NTR) expression is a favourable prognostic factor in paediatric B cell precursor-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a pivotal role in cellular survival/death decisions with the low affinity receptor p75NTR predominately transmitting anti-proliferative signals. In spite of its established role in B-cell function and identification as a prognostically favourable marker in a number of malignancies, little is known about the expression pattern and prognostic significance of p75NTR in B cell precursor-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (BCP-ALL). p75NTR expression was prospectively studied on primary ALL-blasts in a cohort of paediatric patients with common ALL (n = 86) and preB-ALL (n = 34) treated within the Co-operative study group for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (CoALL) protocol, CoALL06-97.

Dynamic breast MR imaging: is parametric mapping superior to image subtraction in lesion detection?

We compared the detection of malignant lesions in two different methods of parametric-guided analysis to the widely used early subtraction images. The parametric colour-coded overlays were defined by the increase of signal intensity after contrast injection and the course of the time signal intensity curve. Exams of 30 patients with histopathological evidence of 32 invasive breast carcinomas were evaluated.

Plasma nitrite concentrations reflect the degree of endothelial dysfunction in humans.

A reduced nitric oxide availability is a hallmark of endothelial dysfunction occurring early in atherosclerosis. Recently, we have shown that plasma nitrite mirrors acute changes in endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in various mammals, including humans. Here, we examined the hypothesis that plasma nitrite levels are reduced in humans with endothelial dysfunction and the decrease is correlated with increasing numbers of cardiovascular risk factors (RF).

Computerized gait analysis in Legg Calvé Perthes disease--analysis of the frontal plane.

Objective: Current follow-up and outcome studies of Legg Calvé Perthes disease (LCPD) are based on subjective measures of function, clinical parameters and radiological changes [Herring JA, Kim HT, Browne RH. Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. Part II: prospective multicenter study of the effect of treatment on outcome.

Polymorphism of p16 INK4A and cyclin D1 in adenocarcinomas of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Purpose: We investigated the prevalence of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the p16 gene (C540G) and the cyclin D1 gene (G870A), both known to regulate function in G1 arrest and therefore, may play an important role in carcinogenesis.

Methods: Using PCR based restriction fragment length polymorphism and single strand conformational polymorphism, we determined single nucleotide exchanges in the p16 and cyclin D1 genes among 56 esophageal adenocarcinomas (ADC) arising in Barrett's esophagus, 95 cardiac gastric ADC, and in 191 distal gastric ADC. The allelic frequencies were compared to a control group of 253 healthy blood donors.

Role of heat treatment in childhood cancers: distinct resistance profiles of solid tumor cell lines towards combined thermochemotherapy.

Background: Since information on the efficacy of hyperthermia in combination with chemotherapy on pediatric tumors is limited, we performed a systematic analysis on the synergistic effects of a combined application of heat and chemotherapy on 20 tumor cell lines derived from patients with neuroblastomas, Ewing tumors, germ cell tumors (GCT), and osteosarcomas.

Methods: Cisplatin (cDDP), a cross-linking agent, and etoposide (VP-16), a topoisomerase II inhibitor, were examined either alone or in combination with heat (42 degrees C, 43 degrees C) by using the XTT-assay 1.

Results: Our data demonstrate that heat stress at 43 degrees C for 1 hr, but not at 42 degrees C, leads to a notable cytotoxic effect on the different tumor cells.

Correlation between anthropometric parameters and abdominal fat volumes assessed by a magnetic resonance imaging method in patients with diabetes.

Background: Anthropometric measurements such as body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, or waist circumference are used in clinical settings as a rough estimation of abdominal fat volumes. In contrast, abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows a precise and noninvasive imaging modality to measure the whole abdominal fat volumes. The main difference between the two methods is that only MRI provides detailed anatomical information about fat distribution in terms of a three-dimensional volumetric model.

Prognostic value of cyclin B1 protein expression in colorectal cancer.

We used immunohistochemical analysis to study the expression and prognostic impact of cyclin B1, a key molecule for G2-M phase transition during the cell cycle, in a series of 342 curatively resected colorectal carcinomas. In 269 tumors (78.7%), high expression of cyclin B1 in more than 10% of tumor cells was observed, but there was no association between cyclin B1 expression and histopathologic tumor features.

Chronic treatment with fluvastatin improves smooth muscle dilatory function in genetically determined hyperlipoproteinemia.

We hypothesized that the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor fluvastatin, does not only improve endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, but that it also increases vascular smooth muscle reactivity in hyperlipoproteinemia. New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits aged 37 weeks (control), Watanabe Heritable Hyperlipidemic rabbits (WHHL) aged 37 weeks, and WHHL aged 35 weeks with fluvastatin treatment of 17 weeks (10 mg/kg/d) were examined. Aortas were isolated for isometric tension recording.