Validity of the self-administered comorbidity questionnaire in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement has selected the self-administered comorbidity questionnaire (SCQ) to adjust case-mix when comparing outcomes of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment between healthcare providers. However, the SCQ has not been validated for use in IBD patients.

Objectives: We assessed the validity of the SCQ for measuring comorbidities in IBD patients.

Preoperative screening and prehabilitation strategies prior to ileocolic resection in patients with Crohn's disease are not incorporated in routine care.

Purpose: Recently, recommendations on perioperative care have been published to optimize postoperative outcomes in preoperative patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This study evaluated the current use of preoperative screening and prehabilitation strategies (PS) prior to elective ileocolic resection (ICR) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD).

Methods: Patients with CD who underwent an elective ICR were identified from a Dutch prospective cohort study.

Effectiveness and safety of tofacitinib for ulcerative colitis: two-year results of the ICC Registry.

Background: Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor and is registered for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). The effectiveness of tofacitinib has been evaluated up to 12 months of treatment.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of 24 months of tofacitinib use in UC patients in the Netherlands.

Superior Effectiveness of Tofacitinib Compared to Vedolizumab in Anti-TNF-experienced Ulcerative Colitis Patients: A Nationwide Dutch Registry Study.

Background & Aims: Clinicians face difficulty in when and in what order to position biologics and Janus kinase inhibitors in patients with anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) refractory ulcerative colitis (UC). We aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab and tofacitinib in anti-TNF-exposed patients with UC in our prospective nationwide Initiative on Crohn and Colitis Registry.

Methods: Patients with UC who failed anti-TNF treatment and initiated vedolizumab or tofacitinib treatment were identified in the Initiative on Crohn and Colitis Registry in the Netherlands.

Cartilage Quality (dGEMRIC Index) Following Knee Joint Distraction or High Tibial Osteotomy.

Objective: High tibial osteotomy (HTO) and knee joint distraction (KJD) are treatments to unload the osteoarthritic (OA) joint with proven success in postponing a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). While both treatments demonstrate joint repair, there is limited information about the quality of the regenerated tissue. Therefore, the change in quality of the repaired cartilaginous tissue after KJD and HTO was studied using delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC).

Prevalence of- and risk factors for work disability in Dutch patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of work disability in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and to assess risk factors associated with work disability.

Methods: For this retrospective cohort study, we retrieved clinical data from the Dutch IBD Biobank on July 2014, containing electronic patient records of 3388 IBD patients treated in the eight University Medical Centers in the Netherlands. Prevalence of work disability was assessed in 2794 IBD patients and compared with the general Dutch population.

Five-Year Follow-up of Knee Joint Distraction: Clinical Benefit and Cartilaginous Tissue Repair in an Open Uncontrolled Prospective Study.

Objective In end-stage knee osteoarthritis, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may finally become inevitable. At a relatively young age, this comes with the risk of future revision surgery. Therefore, in these cases, joint preserving surgery such as knee joint distraction (KJD) is preferred.

Knee joint distraction compared with total knee arthroplasty: a randomised controlled trial.

Aims: Knee joint distraction (KJD) is a relatively new, knee-joint preserving procedure with the goal of delaying total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in young and middle-aged patients. We present a randomised controlled trial comparing the two.

Patients And Methods: The 60 patients ≤ 65 years with end-stage knee osteoarthritis were randomised to either KJD (n = 20) or TKA (n = 40).

A systematic review on the role of imiquimod in lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma: need for standardization of treatment schedule and outcome measures.

Lentigo maligna (LM) is an in situ variant of melanoma. Our objective was to systematically review clinical and histological clearance and recurrence rates of imiquimod treatment of LM with emphasis on progression to lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM). PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane library were searched from inception to May 2015.

Distal femoral valgus osteotomy: bone healing time in single plane and biplanar technique.

Varus deformity can be localized in the tibia, in the femur or in both. If varus deformity is localized within the femur, it is mandatory to correct it in the femur. This report presents the technique and results of a consecutive case series of lateral uniplanar and biplanar closed-wedge valgus osteotomy of the distal femur for the treatment of varus deformity of the knee.

Charge-Disproportionation Symmetry Breaking Creates a Heterodimeric Myoglobin Complex with Enhanced Affinity and Rapid Intracomplex Electron Transfer.

We report rapid photoinitiated intracomplex electron transfer (ET) within a "charge-disproportionated" myoglobin (Mb) dimer with greatly enhanced affinity. Two mutually supportive Brownian Dynamics (BD) interface redesign strategies, one a new "heme-filtering" approach, were employed to "break the symmetry" of a Mb homodimer by pairing Mb constructs with complementary highly positive and highly negative net surface charges, introduced through D/E → K and K → E mutations, respectively. BD simulations using a previously developed positive mutant, Mb(+6) = Mb(D44K/D60K/E85K), led to construction of the complementary negative mutant Mb(-6) = Mb(K45E, K63E, K95E).

Prediction of cartilaginous tissue repair after knee joint distraction.

Background: For young patients (<65years), knee joint distraction (KJD) may be a joint-saving treatment option for end-stage knee osteoarthritis. Distracting the femur from the tibia by five millimeters for six to eight weeks using an external fixation frame results in cartilaginous tissue repair, in addition to clinical benefits. This study is a first attempt to predict the degree of cartilaginous tissue repair after KJD.

High-dose fast infusion of parenteral iron isomaltoside is efficacious in inflammatory bowel disease patients with iron-deficiency anaemia without profound changes in phosphate or fibroblast growth factor 23.

Objective: Iron isomaltoside (Monofer(®)) is a high-dose intravenous iron preparation with good tolerability and efficacy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients with iron deficiency anaemia (IDA). This trial evaluates the safety and efficacy, including effect on intact fibroblast growth factor 23 (iFGF23) of a high single dose and cumulative doses of iron isomaltoside in IBD patients with IDA.

Materials And Methods: The trial was a prospective, open-label, multi-centre trial conducted in IBD patients with IDA.

Six weeks of continuous joint distraction appears sufficient for clinical benefit and cartilaginous tissue repair in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Knee joint distraction (KJD) is a surgical joint-preserving treatment in which the knee joint is temporarily distracted by an external frame. It is associated with joint tissue repair and clinical improvement. Initially, patients were submitted to an eight-week distraction period, and currently patients are submitted to a six-week distraction period.

Knee Joint Distraction Compared to Total Knee Arthroplasty for Treatment of End Stage Osteoarthritis: Simulating Long-Term Outcomes and Cost-Effectiveness.

Objective: In end-stage knee osteoarthritis the treatment of choice is total knee arthroplasty (TKA). An alternative treatment is knee joint distraction (KJD), suggested to postpone TKA. Several studies reported significant and prolonged clinical improvement of KJD.

Knee joint distraction compared with high tibial osteotomy: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Both, knee joint distraction as a relatively new approach and valgus-producing opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO), are knee-preserving treatments for knee osteoarthritis (OA). The efficacy of knee joint distraction compared to HTO has not been reported.

Methods: Sixty-nine patients with medial knee joint OA with a varus axis deviation of <10° were randomized to either knee joint distraction (n = 23) or HTO (n = 46).

Eradication of common mynas Acridotheres tristis from Denis Island, Seychelles.

Background: In Seychelles, the common myna has been shown to have a negative impact on endangered endemic birds on Denis Island, interfering with breeding attempts and attacking adult endemic birds at their nests. This stimulated an attempt to eradicate the island's mynas.

Results: The eradication was undertaken in three phases, overall killing 1186 mynas and lasting 5 years.

Periosteal vascularization of the distal femur in relation to distal femoral osteotomies: a cadaveric study.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate periosteal vessels location as intra-operative landmarks in distal femoral osteotomies and focused on the branching pattern of the vascular supply of the medial and lateral femoral condyle, its constancy, and the relationship to the height of distal femoral osteotomies. Anastomoses of relevant vessels were studied to analyze the risk of vascular insufficiency after transection of landmark vessels.

Methods: A human cadaver dissection study on the vascular supply of the medial and lateral side of the distal femur was conducted.

How can we improve models of care in inflammatory bowel disease? An international survey of IBD health professionals.

Background And Aims: Few studies have specifically examined models of care in IBD. This survey was designed to help gather information from health professionals working in IBD services on current care models, and their views on how to best reshape existing models for IBD care worldwide.

Methods: An online mixed-methods survey was conducted with health professionals caring for IBD patients.

Outcome After Operative Fusion of the Tarsal Joints: A Systematic Review.

Arthrodesis of 1 or more joints of the hindfoot is performed to treat severe functional impairment due to pain, deformity, and/or instability. Evaluation of the results of hindfoot arthrodesis from the published data has been difficult owing to the great variety of pathologic entities and surgical techniques reported in the studies. A comprehensive search for relevant reports, reference lists, and citation tracking of the included studies was conducted using the PubMed(®), Embase(®), and CINAHL(®) databases.