Association of age and disease duration with comorbidities and disability: A study of the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry.

Background: While comorbidities increase with age, duration of multiple sclerosis (MS) leads to disability accumulation in persons with MS. The influence of ageing vis-a-vis MS duration remains largely unexplored. We studied the independent associations of ageing and MS duration with disability and comorbidities in the Swiss MS Registry participants.

Development and validation of the self-reported disability status scale (SRDSS) to estimate EDSS-categories.

Background: Clinician-assessed Expanded Disease Status Scale (EDSS) is gold standard in clinical investigations but normally unavailable in population-based, patient-centred MS-studies. Our objective was to develop a self-reported gait measure reflecting EDSS-categories.

Methods: We developed the self-reported disability status scale (SRDSS) with three categories (≤3.

Prevention of Acute Radiation-Induced Skin Reaction with NPE® Camellia Sinensis Nonfermentatum Extract in Female Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Postoperative Radiotherapy: A Single Centre, Prospective, Open-Label Pilot Study.

Background: To assess effectiveness of NPE, a proprietary Camellia sinensis nonfermentatum (CSNF) extract, in prevention and recovery of acute radiation-induced skin reaction (ARSR) and skin care during postoperative whole breast radiotherapy (RT).

Methods: Twenty patients were enrolled in this single centre, prospective, open-label pilot study. The outcomes of 20 prospective data sets were compared with 100 retrospectively collected matched data sets derived from hospital records.

General practitioner's adherence to the COPD GOLD guidelines: baseline data of the Swiss COPD Cohort Study.

PRINCIPLES: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major burden on patients and healthcare systems. Diagnosis and the management of COPD are often administered by general practitioners (GPs). This analysis investigated the adherence of GPs in Switzerland to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Diseases (GOLD) guidelines.

Quality of spirometry in primary care for case finding of airway obstruction in smokers.

Background: Diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its severity determination is based on spirometry. The quality of spirometry is crucial.

Objectives: Our aim was to assess the quality of spirometry performed using a spirometer with automated feedback and quality control in a general practice setting in Switzerland and to determine the prevalence of airflow limitation in smokers aged > or =40 years.