Evolution of Costs of Inflammatory Bowel Disease over Two Years of Follow-Up.

Background: With the increasing use of anti-TNF therapy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a shift of costs has been observed with medication costs replacing hospitalization and surgery as major cost driver. We aimed to explore the evolution of IBD-related costs over two years of follow-up.

Methods And Findings: In total 1,307 Crohn's disease (CD) patients and 915 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients were prospectively followed for two years by three-monthly web-based questionnaires.

Smoking is Associated With Extra-intestinal Manifestations in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background And Aims: Smoking affects the course of disease in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). We aimed to study the association between smoking and extra-intestinal manifestations (EIMs) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: We cross-sectionally explored the association between smoking and EIMs in IBD in three cohort studies: (1) the COIN study, designed to estimate healthcare expenditures in IBD; (2) the Groningen study, focused on cigarette smoke exposure and disease behaviour in IBD; and (3) the JOINT study, evaluating joint and back manifestations in IBD.

Diagnosis and management of aspergillosis in the Netherlands: a national survey.

A survey of diagnosis and treatment of invasive aspergillosis was conducted in eight University Medical Centers (UMCs) and eight non-academic teaching hospitals in the Netherlands. Against a background of emerging azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus routine resistance screening of clinical isolates was performed primarily in the UMCs. Azole resistance rates at the hospital level varied between 5% and 10%, although rates up to 30% were reported in high-risk wards.

Sarcopenia is highly prevalent in patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer but not associated with worse outcomes.

Objectives: Aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of sarcopenia and body composition (i.e., subcutaneous and visceral fat) in gastric cancer surgical patients and its association with adverse postoperative outcome.

Outpatient surgery for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty is effective and safe.

Purpose: There has been increasing interest in accelerated programs for knee arthroplasty. We examined the efficacy and safety of an outpatient surgery (OS) pathway in patients undergoing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA).

Methods: This case-controlled study evaluates patients operated for UKA in an OS pathway (n = 20) compared to rapid recovery (RR), the current standard (n = 20).

Refractory celiac disease and EATL patients show severe malnutrition and malabsorption at diagnosis.

Background & Aims: Refractory celiac disease type II (RCDII) and EATL (Enteropathy Associated T-cell Lymphoma) are (pre)malignant complications of celiac disease (CD). Data on malnutrition and intestinal absorption is lacking in these patients. Therefore, the aim of the study is to comprehensively assess nutritional status and intestinal absorption capacity of patients with RCDII and EATL, compared with data of newly diagnosed CD patients.

Evaluation of clinical rules in a standalone pharmacy based clinical decision support system for hospitalized and nursing home patients.

Objectives: To improve the current standalone pharmacy clinical decision support system (CDSS) by identifying and quantifying the benefits and limitations of the system.

Methods: Alerts and handling of the executed clinical rules were extracted from the CDSS from the period September 2011 to December 2011. The number of executed clinical rule alerts, number of actions on alerts, and the reason why alerts were classified as not relevant were analyzed.