Comparative Effectiveness of Intravenous Thrombolysis plus Mechanical Thrombectomy versus Mechanical Thrombectomy Alone in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: The treatment of acute ischemic stroke due to large artery vessel occlusion experienced a dramatic development within the last decade. This meta-analysis investigates the effectiveness of bridging therapy (BT) versus mechanical thrombectomy (MT) alone in treating acute ischemic stroke.

Methods: Two independent reviewers assessed two-arm clinical trials from Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library up to January 2024.

Arrhythmias among Older Adults Receiving Comprehensive Geriatric Care: Prevalence and Associated Factors.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases and arrhythmias are medical conditions that increase with age and are associated with significant morbidities and mortality. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of arrhythmias and clinical associations in the collective of older adults receiving comprehensive geriatric care (CGC).

Methods: Holter ECG monitoring (HECG) of older patients hospitalized for CGC was analyzed.

Incidences for Fractures 2017-2021: What Do We Learn from the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Purpose/introduction: In the present study, we aimed to assess the long-term incidence of fractures and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: The current cohort study included patients who had received an initial fracture diagnosis of any type documented anonymously in the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA) between 2017 and 2021 by physicians in 941 general practices in Germany. We investigated the development of fracture incidence over this period.

Prevalence of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections Before, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany: A Cross-Sectional Study of 2 167 453 Outpatients.

Background: Although the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on global healthcare systems is declining, long-term sequelae such as long COVID syndrome and other disease dynamics not primarily associated with COVID-19 remain a challenge. Recent data suggest that the incidence of non-COVID upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) is increasing sharply in the post-pandemic period, but there is a lack of real-world data from Germany in this respect.

Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated the number of patients with a diagnosis of URTI from the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA) between January 2019 and December 2022.

Comprehensive Geriatric Care in Older Adults: Walking Ability after an Acute Fracture.

Background/objectives: Comprehensive Geriatric Care (CGC) is a specific multimodal treatment for older patients. In the current study, we aimed to investigate walking performance after CGC in medically ill patients versus those with fractures.

Methods: The timed up and go test (TuG), a 5-grade scale assessment (1 = no walking impairment to 5 = no walking ability at all) for evaluating individual walking ability was performed in all patients who underwent CGC prior to and after treatment.

Chronic Low Back Pain and Incident Transient Ischemic Attack and Stroke in General Practices in Germany.

The aim was to investigate the association between chronic low back pain (CLBP) and incident transient ischemic attack (TIA) and stroke in Germany. The present retrospective cohort study included adults aged ≥18 years who were diagnosed for the first time with CLBP in one of 1198 general practices in Germany in 2005-2019 (index date). Patients without CLBP were matched to those with CLBP (1:1) using a propensity score based on age, sex, the index year, the number of medical consultations per year during the follow-up, and the number of years of follow-up.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Enhanced the Decade-Long Trend of the Decreasing Utilization of Antibiotics.

Purpose/introduction: A decline in antibiotic (AB) prescriptions was reported during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Therefore, we investigated AB utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic using data from a large database in Germany.

Methods: AB prescriptions in the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA) were analyzed for each year between 2011 and 2021.

Comprehensive Geriatric Care in Older Hospitalized Patients with Depressive Symptoms.

Background/objectives: Depressive symptoms (DS) may interfere with comprehensive geriatric care (CGC), the specific multimodal treatment for older patients. In view of this, the aim of the current study was to investigate the extent to which DS occur in older hospitalized patients scheduled for CGC and to analyze the associated factors. Furthermore, we aimed to investigate whether DS are relevant with respect to outcomes after CGC.

Hypertensive Blood Pressure and Its Impact on Functional Outcomes among Older Adults Receiving Comprehensive Geriatric Care.

Background: Comprehensive geriatric care (CGC) is a multiprofessional treatment for older people which considers medical conditions and functional status. The aim of the presented study is to investigate the impact of hypertensive blood pressure (BP) on functional outcomes among older adults receiving CGC.

Methods: Functional status was documented by the Barthel index (BI), Tinetti test (TBGT), and timed up and go test (TUG) prior to and after CGC.

Association between COVID-19 and subsequent vascular events in primary care patients in Germany.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 diagnosis and the risk of developing a first-ever vascular event (VE) compared with the same risk in those with respiratory tract infection (RTI).

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Methods: This study using data from Disease Analyzer Database (IQVIA) included patients aged ≥18 years with at least one visit to a German practice during the index period.

Dysbiosis: A Potential Precursor to the Development of a Depressive Disorder.

Background: Although previous investigations have indicated that gastrointestinal pathologies facilitate the occurrence of mood disorders, there is a lack of studies based on data from clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of depression in patients with dysbiosis. Methods: Adult patients (≥18 years) from 1193 general practices in Germany between January 2005 and December 2018 with an initial diagnosis of dysbiosis documented anonymously in the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA) were analyzed.

Electroencephalography Findings in Older Adults Undergoing Geriatric Treatment: A Surrogate for the Outcome?

Background: Comprehensive geriatric care (CGC) is a multidisciplinary approach developed to meet the needs of older patients. Electroencephalography (EEG) provides valuable information for monitoring the cerebral function. As a surrogate, EEG findings may help to estimate the course of diseases as well as the treatment outcomes.

Investigation of the prevalence of non-COVID-19 infectious diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate non-COVID-19-related upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), gastrointestinal infections (GIIs) and urinary tract infections (UTIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: Patients with diagnoses of URTIs, GIIs and UTIs from 994 general practitioners (GP) and 192 paediatric practices that routinely send anonymous data to the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA) were investigated.

Predicting the Risk of Ischemic Stroke in Patients Treated with Novel Oral Anticoagulants: A Machine Learning Approach.

Introduction: The aim of this cohort study was to estimate the predictors of ischemic stroke in patients treated with non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) in a large database containing data from general practitioners in Germany using machine learning methods.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 39,652 patients with a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) and an initial prescription of NOAC in 1,278 general practices in Germany between January 2011 and December 2018. Of 39,652 patients, 2,310 (5.

Prevalence of, and factors associated with, long-term COVID-19 sick leave in working-age patients followed in general practices in Germany.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of, and the factors associated with, long-term sick leave in working-age patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in general practices in Germany.

Methods: Patients aged 18-65 years diagnosed with COVID-19 in any of 1255 general practices in Germany between March 2020 and February 2021 were included in the study. Long-term sick leave was defined as sick leave of at least 4 weeks.

(Absence of) Association Between Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulant Therapy and Urinary Tract Infection in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

The aim of the present study is to identify a potential association of urinary tract infections (UTI) in a large population of patients receiving oral anticoagulation therapy treated in general practices in Germany. This study contains patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation who received at least one prescription of either non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulation (NOAC) or vitamin K antagonists (VKA) within January 2015 and December 2018. The incidence of UTI was examined cumulatively on the basis of Kaplan-Meier methods and was complemented by incidence rates measured in cases per 1000 patient years.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease as a Precondition for Stroke or TIA: A Matter of Crohn's Disease Rather than Ulcerative Colitis.

Background: As a chronic systemic inflammation may be associated with an increased risk of vascular events, the aim of the present study was to assess the incidence of stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease over a period of 15 years.

Methods: This cohort study included patients for whom the initial diagnosis of an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (Crohn's disease: CD and ulcerative colitis: UC) was documented anonymously between 2000 and 2015 in 1,262 general practices in Germany. IBD patients were matched to patients without IBD using propensity scores based on age, sex, physician, co-diagnoses and co-therapies.

Increased Incidence of Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis in Germany.

Background: As chronic inflammatory diseases may be associated with an increased risk of vascular events, the aim of the present study was to assess the incidence of stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods: Patients diagnosed with RA and AS in 1,262 general practices in Germany between 2000 and 2015 were selected. RA and AS patients were matched to patients without RA or AS using propensity scores based on age, sex, physician, co-diagnoses, and co-therapies.

Consultations Decline for Stroke, Transient Ischemic Attack, and Myocardial Infarction during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic raises the concern that other non-COVID conditions will be affected by a decline in care. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the decline in ambulatory presentations for vascular events (stroke, transient ischemic attack [TIA], and myocardial infarction [MI]) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Patients with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke, TIA, or MI documented anonymously in 1,262 general practices in Germany were included.

Impact of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on anxiety diagnosis in general practices in Germany.

Little is known about the effects of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the diagnosis of anxiety disorder. Therefore, the goal of this study was to compare the number of adults with a diagnosis of anxiety disorder and the number of adults newly diagnosed with anxiety disorder in Germany between January-June 2019 and January-June 2020, and to identify potential differences in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, prescriptions and comorbidities between these patients. The study included patients with at least one consultation in one of 1140 general practices in Germany in January-June 2019 and January-June 2020.

Factors associated with fracture after stroke and TIA: a long-term follow-up.

Unlabelled: We assessed the long-term incidence of fractures after stroke and TIA and analyzed associated factors. The fracture incidence increases with age and is higher in stroke than in TIA. Dementia is associated with fractures after both.

Late Detection of Atrial Fibrillation after Stroke: Implications for the Secondary Prevention.

Background: This study is aimed at investigating the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) within 5 years after an acute cerebrovascular event in AF-naive patients and its relevance for secondary prevention.

Methods: The current case-control study sample included patients who had received an initial ischemic stroke diagnosis documented in the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA), which compiles data such as risk factors, drug prescriptions, and diagnoses obtained from 1,262 general practices in Germany.

Results: After the selection procedure, the stroke and non-stroke groups each included 22,774 patients.

Increased risk for cancer after stroke at a young age: etiological relevance or incidental finding?

Background: Etiological factors, such as a malignant disease, in young stroke patients are often neglected. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the risk of developing cancer in young stroke survivors.

Methods: The current case-control study sample included patients who received an initial ischemic stroke diagnosis documented in the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA), which compiles data such as risk factors, drug prescriptions, and diagnoses obtained from general practitioners and specialists.