Applicability of drug-related problem (DRP) classification system for classifying severe medication errors.

Background: Several classification systems for medication errors (MEs) have been established over time, but none of them apply optimally for classifying severe MEs. In severe MEs, recognizing the causes of the error is essential for error prevention and risk management. Therefore, this study focuses on exploring the applicability of a cause-based DRP classification system for classifying severe MEs and their causes.

Patterns of malpractice claims and compensation after surgical procedures: a retrospective analysis of 8,901 claims from the Finnish patient insurance registry.

Background: Invasive surgical procedures carry risk of harm to patients. In addition to avoidable harm, disparities between patient expectations and the outcome of a procedure may lead to patient injury claims. The follow-up of claims and compensation is an important entity for patient safety.

Effectiveness and Treatment Compliance of Salmeterol-Fluticasone Easyhaler Among Patients with Asthma, COPD, or Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome: Real-World Study Findings.

Introduction: For inhalation therapies to be effective, it is crucial that patients manage inhaler use correctly in their everyday life and achieve treatment compliance. We investigated the effectiveness of the salmeterol-fluticasone propionate Easyhaler (SF EH) device-metered dry powder inhaler in a real-world setting in Hungary among adult patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACO).

Methods: A prospective, open-label, multicenter, noninterventional, investigator-sponsored study was conducted in outpatient pneumonology centers.

What Severe Medication Errors Reported to Health Care Supervisory Authority Tell About Medication Safety?

Objectives: This study investigated severe medication errors (MEs) reported to the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) in Finland and evaluated how the incident documentation applies to learning from errors.

Methods: This study was a retrospective document analysis consisting of medication-related complaints and authoritative statements investigated by Valvira in 2013 to 2017 (n = 58).

Results: Medication errors caused death or severe harm in 52% (n = 30) of the cases (n = 58).

Inspiratory Flow Parameters Through Dry Powder Inhalers in Healthy Volunteers and Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Device Resistance Does Not Limit Use in COPD.

Introduction: Achieving correct inhalation technique through an inhaler to ensure effective drug delivery is key to managing symptoms in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, many patients struggle to use their inhalers correctly, with the resultant reduction in therapeutic benefit. Consequently, appropriate inhaler choice is important to maximize clinical benefit.

The interactome of the prostate-specific protein Anoctamin 7.

Background: Elevated Anoctamin 7 (ANO7) expression is associated with poor survival in prostate cancer patients.

Objective: The aim was to discover proteins that interact with ANO7 to understand its functions and regulatory mechanisms.

Methods: The proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) method was utilized.

Systematic review of analgesics and dexamethasone for post-tonsillectomy pain in adults.

Background: Intense pain can last several days after tonsillectomy. It is often undertreated and improved analgesic strategies that can be safely used at home are needed.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of systemic medications used for post-tonsillectomy pain in adult and adolescent (13 yr old) patients.

Peritonsillar infiltration of lidocaine with adrenaline is associated with increased risk of secondary post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage.

Objectives: In order to evaluate the safety of tonsillectomy among children, we retrospectively studied the incidence of post-operative complications, adverse events and their association with peri-operative medication.

Methods: Data were collected from the medical records of 691 patients aged 1-16 years, including details of post-operative complications (any unplanned contact with the hospital), analgesics, dexamethasone, 5-HT3 antagonists, local anaesthetic and haemostatic agents.

Results: Recovery was complicated in 13.

Statin use and vitreoretinal surgery: Findings from a Finnish population-based cohort study.

Purpose: Vitreoretinal (VR) surgery is the third most common intraocular surgery after refractive and cataract surgery. The impact of statin therapy on VR surgery outcomes remains unclear, despite a potentially beneficial effect. We explored the association of preoperative statin therapy and the need for revitrectomy after primary vitrectomy.

Prospective experience of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes placed by otorhinolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons: safe and efficacious.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is often the treatment of choice in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients needing long-term nutritional support. Prospective studies on PEG tube placement in an otorhinolaryngologist service are lacking. At our hospital, otolaryngologist-head and neck (ORL-HN) surgeons-have performed PEG insertions for HNC patients since 2008.

Topical Ropivacaine in Prevention of Post-Tonsillectomy Pain in Adults.

Background: Post-tonsillectomy pain is 1 of the most intense postoperative pain conditions. However, optimal and sufficient postoperative analgesic treatment remains unclear. We investigated the effect of topical ropivacaine for post-tonsillectomy pain in 160 adult outpatient surgery patients over 2 postoperative weeks.

Complications after surgery for benign parotid gland neoplasms: A prospective cohort study.

Background: Prospective studies on procedure-specific incidences of complications after benign parotid surgery are lacking. Predictive factors for postoperative facial dysfunction remain controversial.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study on 132 patients undergoing parotid surgery for benign parotid neoplasms.

Developing a Registry for Complications in Otorhinolaryngologic Surgery: Tonsil Surgery as a Pilot Cohort.

Objective: To find a suitable method to prospectively register all tonsil surgery-related complications.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary care center.

Neurosteroid analysis by gas chromatography-atmospheric pressure photoionization-tandem mass spectrometry.

A new and simple APPI interface employing commercially available hardware is used to combine GC to MS. The feasibility of the method is demonstrated in the analysis of urine samples for neurosteroids as their trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives. The effect of different dopants (chlorobenzene, toluene, anisole) on the ionization of the TMS derivatives was investigated.

Post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage more common than previously described--an institutional chart review.

Conclusions: Risk of post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage (PTH) was higher compared with previous studies and may be associated with the criteria used. Male gender and the use of haemostatic agents in the primary operation were associated with increased risk of PTH, whereas the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or dexamethasone was not.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the risk of PTH in adult patients, and its association with the use of NSAIDs, dexamethasone, paracetamol, serotonin (5-HT(3)) receptor antagonists, haemostatic agents, age and gender during preceding tonsillectomy (TE).

WHO Surgical Safety Checklist in otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery: specialty-related aspects of check items.

Conclusion: The WHO surgical checklist is well suited to otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) and the users are satisfied with its content.

Objectives: Use of the checklist will improve safety in operating rooms (ORs). The checklist has been taken into use in ORL-HNS, and preliminary experiences are promising.

A national collaboration process: Finnish engineering education for the benefit of people and environment.

The key stakeholders of the Finnish engineering education collaborated during 2006-09 to reform the system of education, to face the challenges of the changing business environment and to create a national strategy for the Finnish engineering education. The work process was carried out using participatory work methods. Impacts of sustainable development (SD) on engineering education were analysed in one of the subprojects.

A pilot study of the implementation of WHO surgical checklist in Finland: improvements in activities and communication.

Background: World Health Organisation (WHO) has introduced a surgical safety checklist that has reduced post-operative morbidity and mortality. Prior to national checklist implementation, we assessed its possible impact on the operating room (OR) process, safety-related issues and communication among surgical staff in a high-income country.

Methods: In four university and teaching hospitals, a structured questionnaire was delivered to OR personnel involved in consecutive operations over 4-6 weeks before and after the checklist implementation.

Towards better patient safety: WHO Surgical Safety Checklist in otorhinolaryngology.

Objectives: The World Health Organisation has developed a Surgical Safety Checklist to improve patient safety during surgery. This checklist has reduced postoperative morbidity and mortality. Prior to checklist implementation, we wanted to evaluate how it would fit into the process of otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery and whether it would have an impact on the awareness of safety-related issues.

Expression of CD11b/CD18 adhesion molecules on circulating phagocytes-a novel aid to diagnose infection in patients with cancer.

Goals Of Work: No blood marker available to date is useful for distinguishing infection-related from neoplasm-related fever. We evaluated the expression of the peripheral blood phagocyte CD11b/CD18 adhesion molecule complex for this purpose.

Materials And Methods: Neutrophil and monocyte CD11b/CD18 expression was assessed in two cohorts of patients with advanced solid cancer (n = 120) and in healthy controls (n = 63).

Monocyte CD14 and soluble CD14 in predicting mortality of patients with severe community acquired infection.

Monocyte membrane CD14 (mCD14) and soluble CD14 (sCD14) both associate with poor outcome in sepsis. Because the value of combined use of the markers is unknown we measured both in patients with severe community acquired infections. The study comprised 142 acutely ill patients with community acquired pneumonia and/or blood culture-positive sepsis.

The value of nasopharyngeal culture in predicting the etiology of acute otitis media in children less than two years of age.

Background: In selecting treatment of acute otitis media (AOM), knowledge of its etiology would be valuable. We revisited the possibility to use the nasopharyngeal culture of Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pnc) and Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) for predicting their presence in the middle ear fluid (MEF) during AOM.

Methods: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of bacterial culture of the nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) in predicting the presence of the same pathogen in the MEF were assessed during AOM events among children followed from 2 to 24 months of age.

Peripheral blood phagocyte CD14 and CD11b expression on admission to hospital in relation to mortality among patients with community-acquired infection.

Objective And Design: Prognostic value of markers of systemic inflammation were evaluated in patients admitted to hospital.

Material: The study comprises 327 patients with community- acquired infection verified on admission (n=290) or within 3-day follow-up (n=37).

Methods: On-admission levels of phagocyte CD11b/CD18 and CD14 expression were measured using whole blood flow cytometry.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy and systemic inflammation in critically ill patients.

Objective And Design: The effect of the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor filgrastim on systemic inflammation was investigated in a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study in critically ill patients.

Subjects: 59 critically ill patients were recruited within 48 h of intubation due to ventilatory insufficiency.

Treatment: Subcutaneous dosage of placebo or 300 microg filgrastim once daily.