Enthesitis in patients with psoriatic arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis and healthy subjects assessed by 'head-to-toe' whole-body MRI and clinical examination.

Objectives: To investigate the ability of whole-body MRI (WBMRI) to detect axial and peripheral enthesitis in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), and in healthy subjects (HS). Furthermore, to develop MRI enthesitis indices based on WBMRI and validate these by use of clinical measures of disease activity.

Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study of patients with PsA (n=18) and axSpA (n=18) with moderate to high disease activity, and HS (n=12).

Attitudes towards clinical research among cancer trial participants and non-participants: an interview study using a Grounded Theory approach.

The attitudes of women patients with cancer were explored when they were invited to participate in one of three randomised trials that included chemotherapy at two university centres and a satellite centre. Fourteen patients participating in and 15 patients declining trials were interviewed. Analysis was based on the constant comparative method.

Genetic factors in nickel allergy evaluated in a population-based female twin sample.

Environmental exposures are important for development of allergic contact dermatitis, but genetic factors have been proposed to be of additional importance for contact sensitization. Recently genetic factors were shown to be of significance for hand eczema. In this study, a sample of twins recruited on the basis of hand eczema has been evaluated with respect to influence of genetic factors on development of nickel sensitization.

On-pump versus off-pump coronary artery bypass: independent risk factors and off-pump graft patency.

Objective: Current knowledge on off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) generally stems from single surgeons' experience or from series where OPCABs constituted a minor fraction of coronary operations. The present center decided to venture as far into OPCAB as possible during 1999. The present series thus represents the average surgeon's experience.