[Unattended automatic office blood pressure measurement: the new standard?].

Unattended automatic office blood pressure measurement (uAOBP) is starting to become recognised as the preferred method of blood pressure measurement in practice. The body of evidence to support this position is growing. uAOBP decreases intra- and interobserver variability by reducing measurement error.

Deep Learning for Histopathological Assessment of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Precursor Lesions.

Histopathological assessment of esophageal biopsies is a key part in the management of patients with Barrett esophagus (BE) but prone to observer variability and reliable diagnostic methods are needed. Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful tool for aided diagnosis but often relies on abstract test and validation sets while real-world behavior is unknown. In this study, we developed a 2-stage AI system for histopathological assessment of BE-related dysplasia using deep learning to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of the pathology workflow.

Supportive interventions for family caregivers of patients with advanced cancer: A systematic review.

Objective: Family caregivers are often intensively involved in palliative and end-of-life cancer care. A variety of interventions to support family caregivers have been developed, differing in target population, modality, and components. We aimed to systematically examine characteristics and the effectiveness of interventions to support family caregivers of patients with advanced cancer.

Stepwise treatment of uncontrolled HyperTensioN (Stepwise-HTN): Study design of a cluster randomised controlled trial in primary care.

Background: Uncontrolled hypertension is a major health problem, and a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Most patients are detected and managed in primary care, but approximately 50% remains uncontrolled. Our aim is to assess whether a guided stepwise work-up management strategy for patients with uncontrolled hypertension in primary care would result in better blood pressure control in these patients compared to usual care.

Effectiveness of a nurse-delivered (FOCUS+) and a web-based (iFOCUS) psychoeducational intervention for people with advanced cancer and their family caregivers (DIAdIC): study protocol for an international randomized controlled trial.

Background: Worldwide, millions of people with advanced cancer and their family caregivers are experiencing physical and psychological distress. Psychosocial support and education can reduce distress and prevent avoidable healthcare resource use. To date, we lack knowledge from large-scale studies on which interventions generate positive outcomes for people with cancer and their informal caregivers' quality of life.

Significant variation in histopathological assessment of endoscopic resections for Barrett's neoplasia suggests need for consensus reporting: propositions for improvement.

Endoscopic resection (ER) is an important diagnostic step in management of patients with early Barrett's esophagus (BE) neoplasia. Based on ER specimens, an accurate histological diagnosis can be made, which guides further treatment. Based on depth of tumor invasion, differentiation grade, lymphovascular invasion, and margin status, the risk of lymph node metastases and local recurrence is judged to be low enough to justify endoscopic management, or high enough to warrant invasive surgical esophagectomy.

Minimizing the knowledge-to-action gap; identification of interventions to change nurses' behavior regarding fall prevention, a mixed method study.

Background: The need for effective continuing education is especially high in in-hospital geriatric care, as older patients have a higher risk of complications, such as falls. It is important that nurses are able to prevent them. However, it remains unknown which interventions change the behavior of nurses.

Recurrent horizontal transfer identifies mitochondrial positive selection in a transmissible cancer.

Autonomous replication and segregation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) creates the potential for evolutionary conflict driven by emergence of haplotypes under positive selection for 'selfish' traits, such as replicative advantage. However, few cases of this phenomenon arising within natural populations have been described. Here, we survey the frequency of mtDNA horizontal transfer within the canine transmissible venereal tumour (CTVT), a contagious cancer clone that occasionally acquires mtDNA from its hosts.

Performance of gastrointestinal pathologists within a national digital review panel for Barrett's oesophagus in the Netherlands: results of 80 prospective biopsy reviews.

Aims: The histopathological diagnosis of low-grade dysplasia (LGD) in Barrett's oesophagus (BO) is associated with poor interobserver agreement and guidelines dictate expert review. To facilitate nationwide expert review in the Netherlands, a web-based digital review panel has been set up, which currently consists of eight 'core' pathologists. The aim of this study was to evaluate if other pathologists from the Dutch BO expert centres qualify for the expert panel by assessing their performance in 80 consecutive LGD reviews submitted to the panel.

Histopathologist features predictive of diagnostic concordance at expert level among a large international sample of pathologists diagnosing Barrett's dysplasia using digital pathology.

Objective: Guidelines mandate expert pathology review of Barrett's oesophagus (BO) biopsies that reveal dysplasia, but there are no evidence-based standards to corroborate expert reviewer status. We investigated BO concordance rates and pathologist features predictive of diagnostic discordance.

Design: Pathologists (n=51) from over 20 countries assessed 55 digitised BO biopsies from across the diagnostic spectrum, before and after viewing matched p53 labelling.

Adherence to pre-set benchmark quality criteria to qualify as expert assessor of dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus biopsies - towards digital review of Barrett's esophagus.

Background: Dysplasia assessment of Barrett's esophagus biopsies is associated with low observer agreement; guidelines advise expert review. We have developed a web-based review panel for dysplastic Barrett's esophagus biopsies.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test if 10 gastrointestinal pathologists working at Dutch Barrett's esophagus expert centres met pre-set benchmark scores for quality criteria.

Pathology Image Exchange: The Dutch Digital Pathology Platform for Exchange of Whole-Slide Images for Efficient Teleconsultation, Telerevision, and Virtual Expert Panels.

Among the many uses of digital pathology, remote consultation, remote revision, and virtual slide panels may be the most important ones. This requires basic slide scanner infrastructure in participating laboratories to produce whole-slide images. More importantly, a software platform is needed for exchange of these images and functionality to support the processes around discussing and reporting on these images without breaching patient privacy.

[Critical doctors and cognitive bias].

A doctor with good critical thinking skills will intervene when required, but abstain from intervening wherever possible. He or she has the ability to apply resource stewardship, acknowledges the limitations of guidelines and is able to deviate from protocols when appropriate, with sound arguments for why this is in the patient's best interest. We believe that critical thinking is an important skill for any doctor, and that it will contribute to better patient-centred outcomes at lower societal costs and with greater job satisfaction among healthcare professionals.

[New guideline on hypertension sickens society].

The introduction in the USA of the new AHA Guideline on management of Hypertension has fuelled controversy on the optimal definition and treatment of hypertension. A more strict definition (130/80 mmHg) and the advice to treat the major part of the hypertensive population well below 140/90 mmHg is a recipe for medicalisation of society. Advocates of the guideline emphasise the growing body of evidence to support more aggressive treatment.

Development of benchmark quality criteria for assessing whole-endoscopy Barrett's esophagus biopsy cases.

Background: Dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus (BE) biopsies is associated with low observer agreement among general pathologists. Therefore, expert review is advised. We are developing a web-based, national expert review panel for histological review of BE biopsies.

Improved diagnostic stratification of digitised Barrett's oesophagus biopsies by p53 immunohistochemical staining.

Aims: Interobserver agreement for dysplasia in Barrett's oesophagus (BO) is low, and guidelines advise expert review of dysplastic cases. The aim of this study was to assess the added value of p53 immunohistochemistry (IHC) for the homogeneity within a group of dedicated gastrointestinal (GI) pathologists.

Methods And Results: Sixty-single haematoxylin and eosin (HE) slide referral BO cases [20 low-grade dysplasia (LGD); 20 high-grade dysplasia (HGD); and 20 non-dysplastic BO reference cases] were digitalised and independently assessed twice in random order by 10 dedicated GI pathologists.

Patient characteristics do not predict the individual response to antihypertensive medication: a cross-over trial.

Background: International guidelines on hypertension management do not agree on whether patient characteristics can be used for the first choice of treatment of uncomplicated essential hypertension.

Objective: We wanted to identify predictive patient characteristics to the response of two different classes of antihypertensive drugs in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension in primary care.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, open label, blinded endpoint cross-over trial in 120 patients with a new diagnosis of hypertension from 10 family practices.

Digital microscopy as valid alternative to conventional microscopy for histological evaluation of Barrett's esophagus biopsies.

Management of Barrett's esophagus (BE) relies heavily on histopathological assessment of biopsies, associated with significant intra- and interobserver variability. Guidelines recommend biopsy review by an expert in case of dysplasia. Conventional review of biopsies, however, is impractical and does not allow for teleconferencing or annotations.

Clinical value of ctDNA in upper-GI cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The recent expanding technical possibilities to detect tumor derived mutations in blood, so-called circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), has rapidly increased the interest in liquid biopsies. This review and meta-analysis explores the clinical value of ctDNA in malignancies of the upper gastro-intestinal tract.

Methods: PubMed, Cochrane and Embase databases were searched to identify studies reporting the diagnostic, prognostic or predictive value of ctDNA in patients with esophageal, gastric and pancreatic cancer, until January 2017.

Hydrochlorothiazide treatment increases the abundance of the NaCl cotransporter in urinary extracellular vesicles of essential hypertensive patients.

The thiazide-sensitive NaCl cotransporter (NCC), located apically in distal convoluted tubule epithelia, regulates the fine-tuning of renal sodium excretion. Three isoforms of NCC are generated through alternative splicing of the transcript, of which the third isoform has been the most extensively investigated in pathophysiological conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different anti-hypertensive treatments on the abundance and phosphorylation of all three NCC isoforms in urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs) of essential hypertensive patients.

Patients With Barrett's Esophagus and Confirmed Persistent Low-Grade Dysplasia Are at Increased Risk for Progression to Neoplasia.

Background & Aims: For patients with Barrett's esophagus, the diagnosis of low-grade dysplasia (LGD) is subjective, and reported outcomes vary. We analyzed data from a multicenter study of endoscopic therapy to identify factors associated with progression to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in patients with LGD of the esophagus.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 255 patients with a primary diagnosis of LGD (78% men; mean age, 63 years) who participated in a randomized controlled trial of surveillance vs radiofrequency ablation in Europe.

What Makes an Expert Barrett's Histopathologist?

Clonal evolution to esophageal adenocarcinoma in Barrett's esophagus (BO) is characterized by relentless clonal competition. Developing markers that capture the dynamics of clonal competition in BO patients for risk stratification purposes is a key goal of translational research. Dysplastic epithelial changes in patients who progress to neoplasia can be viewed as a proxy marker of the clonal dynamics in BO progression.