Low anti-Müllerian hormone level is not a risk factor for early pregnancy loss in IVF/ICSI treatment.

Study Question: Is a low (<1.0 μg/L) or moderately low (1.0-1.

Hexyl aminolevulinate, 5-aminolevulinic acid nanoemulsion and methyl aminolevulinate in photodynamic therapy of non-aggressive basal cell carcinomas: A non-sponsored, randomized, prospective and double-blinded trial.

Background: In the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of non-aggressive basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), 5-aminolevulinic acid nanoemulsion (BF-200ALA) has shown non-inferior efficacy when compared with methyl aminolevulinate (MAL), a widely used photosensitizer. Hexyl aminolevulinate (HAL) is an interesting alternative photosensitizer. To our knowledge, this is the first study using HAL-PDT in the treatment of BCCs.

The use of real-world effectiveness measurements in clinical settings at Helsinki University Hospital: a systematic literature review.

Patient reported outcomes collected alongside clinical trials do not reflect real-world effectiveness (RWE). This review assessed the use of RWE measurements in routine clinical treatment and the instruments applied to collect that data. The RWE articles published from HUS (Helsinki University Hospital) were extracted from several databases.

Laparoscopic Colectomy vs Laparoscopic CME: a Retrospective Study of Two Hospitals with Comparable Laparoscopic Experience.

Purpose: To compare laparoscopic non-CME colectomy with laparoscopic CME colectomy in two hospitals with similar experience in laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Methods: Data was collected retrospectively from Päijät-Häme Central Hospital (PHCH, NCME group) and Central Finland Central Hospital (CFCH, CME group) records. Elective laparoscopic resections performed during 2007-2016 for UICC stage I-III adenocarcinoma were included to assess differences in short-term outcome and survival.

Unfavorable Reduction in the Ratio of Endothelin B to A Receptors in Experimental 5/6 Nephrectomy and Adenine Models of Chronic Renal Insufficiency.

Chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) is characterized by increased endothelin 1 (ET-1) synthesis. We studied rat kidney endothelin receptor A (ETA) and receptor B (ETB) expressions after 12 and 27 weeks of 5/6 nephrectomy, and after 12 weeks of 0.3% adenine diet, representing proteinuric and interstitial inflammation models of CRI, respectively.

Preoperative paroxysmal atrial fibrillation predicts high cardiovascular mortality in patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement with a bioprosthesis: CAREAVR study.

Background: Preoperative permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with impaired outcome after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). The impact of preoperative paroxysmal AF, however, has remained elusive.

Purpose: We assessed the impact of preoperative paroxysmal AF on outcome in patients undergoing SAVR with bioprosthesis.

Deep Learning Algorithms for Corneal Amyloid Deposition Quantitation in Familial Amyloidosis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to train and validate deep learning algorithms to quantitate relative amyloid deposition (RAD; mean amyloid deposited area per stromal area) in corneal sections from patients with familial amyloidosis, Finnish (FAF), and assess its relationship with visual acuity.

Methods: Corneal specimens were obtained from 42 patients undergoing penetrating keratoplasty, stained with Congo red, and digitally scanned. Areas of amyloid deposits and areas of stromal tissue were labeled on a pixel level for training and validation.

Epidemiology, risk of malignancy and patient survival in primary sclerosing cholangitis: a population-based study in Finland.

There are only a few and mostly small population-based epidemiological studies of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). We aimed to estimate prevalence and incidence rates of PSC, and survival and malignancy risk for PSC patients in a large population-based study. We retrieved 632 PSC patients from 1990 to 2015 in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), comprising 29% of the Finnish population.

Health-related quality of life during early aggressive treatment in patients with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis: results from randomized controlled trial.

Background: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) may cause significant impairment in health-related quality of life (HrQoL), despite effective therapies. The aim of this study was to assess HrQoL during first-year treatment in patients with new-onset polyarticular JIA, and to compare treatment strategies.

Methods: In ACUTE-JIA Study, 60 patients with new-onset JIA were randomized to receive either infliximab with methotrexate (IFX+MTX); a triple therapy of methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, and sulfasalazine (Triple); or methotrexate monotherapy (MTX).

Finnish Trial on Practices of Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion (FACADE): a protocol for a prospective randomised non-inferiority trial comparing outpatient versus inpatient care.

Introduction: Although a great majority of patients with cervical radiculopathy syndrome can successfully be treated non-operatively, a considerable proportion experience persistent symptoms, severe enough to require neurosurgical intervention. During the past decade, cervical spine procedures have increasingly been performed on an outpatient basis and retrospective database analyses have shown this to be feasible and safe. However, there are no randomised controlled studies comparing outpatient care with inpatient care, particularly with emphasis on the patients' perception of symptom relief and their ability to return to normal daily activities and work.

Congruence between perceived and theoretical knowledge before and after an internet-based continuing education program about venous leg ulcer nursing care.

Background: Previous research has revealed nurses' knowledge gaps in venous leg ulcer (VLU) nursing care, and continuing education is needed. The closer nurses' perceived knowledge is to their evidence-based theoretical knowledge, the better possibilities they have to conduct evidence-based VLU nursing care.

Objectives: To assess the congruence between nurses' perceived and theoretical knowledge about VLU nursing care before and after an internet-based education about VLU nursing care (eVLU).

Effectiveness of internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy in reducing sickness absence among young employees with depressive symptoms: study protocol for a large-scale pragmatic randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Depression is a highly prevalent condition with typical onset in early adulthood. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) is a promising cost-effective and more widely available alternative to face-to-face CBT. However, it is not known whether it can reduce sickness absence in employees showing depressive symptoms.

Overstay and Readmission in Ear, Nose, and Throat Day Surgery-Factors Affecting Postanesthesia Course.

Aims: Many procedures in ear, nose, and throat (ENT) day surgery are carried out under local anesthesia in Finland, whereas many other countries use general anesthesia. We investigated overstay and readmission rates in local and general anesthesia at Helsinki University Hospital.

Material And Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on ENT (n = 1011) day surgery patients within a 3-month period using the hospital's surgery database to collect data pertaining to anesthesia, overstays, readmissions, and contacts within 30 days of surgery.

Predictive Values of Serum TroA and HtrA IgG Antibodies as Markers of Persistent Infection in the Detection of Pelvic Adhesions and Tubal Occlusion.

IgG antibody testing (CAT) has been used as a screening test for tubal factor infertility (TFI), but as the CAT is only a marker of a past exposure to and not of late sequelae, the positive predictive value (PPV) of the test is low. The persistence of in the upper genital tract has been suggested as one of the key mechanisms in the development of TFI. Serum antibodies against TroA and HtrA, proteins expressed specifically during persistent infection, have been suggested as novel biomarkers for TFI diagnostics.

A patient with pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 6: Novel RARS2 mutations, comparison to previously published patients and clinical distinction from PEHO syndrome.

Pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 6 (PCH6) is a rare infantile-onset progressive encephalopathy caused by biallelic mutations in RARS2 that encodes the mitochondrial arginine-tRNA synthetase enzyme (mtArgRS). The clinical presentation overlaps that of PEHO syndrome (Progressive Encephalopathy with edema, Hypsarrhythmia and Optic atrophy). The proband presented with severe intellectual disability, epilepsy with varying seizure types, optic atrophy, axial hypotonia, acquired microcephaly, dysmorphic features and progressive cerebral and cerebellar atrophy and delayed myelination on MRI.

Clinical and microbiological factors associated with mortality in candidemia in adult patients 2007-2016.

Candidemia is a life-threatening infection with high mortality. Our aim was to evaluate the species distribution, antifungal susceptibilities and risk factors associated with 30-day mortality in candidemia in Southern Finland. We present a retrospective analysis of candidemia cases from the hospital district of Helsinki and Uusimaa during 2007-2016.

How to Assess Success of HIT Project Management: An Example of the Use of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF).

The purpose of this study was to assess the project management of a national health information technology project focused on developing digital health care services. An e-questionnaire was sent at the end of the development project, and 93 experts (18%) from five university hospitals responded. The questionnaire was based on the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) to identify management success and also to get an overview of the project's performance.

Surgical techniques for degenerative cervical spine in Finland from 1999 to 2015.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the trends and regional variations in the operative techniques used for degenerative or rheumatoid cervical spine disease in Finland between 1999 and 2015.

Methods: The Finnish Hospital Discharge Register (FHDR) was searched for the data on all the primary operations for degenerative cervical spine disease (DCSD) or rheumatoid atlanto-axial subluxation (rAAS). Operative codes were used to identify the patients from the FHDR and combined with diagnosis codes to verify patient inclusion.

The Reference Site Collaborative Network of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing.

Seventy four Reference Sites of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) have been recognised by the European Commission in 2016 for their commitment to excellence in investing and scaling up innovative solutions for active and healthy ageing. The Reference Site Collaborative Network (RSCN) brings together the EIP on AHA Reference Sites awarded by the European Commission, and Candidate Reference Sites into a single forum. The overarching goals are to promote cooperation, share and transfer good practice and solutions in the development and scaling up of health and care strategies, policies and service delivery models, while at the same time supporting the action groups in their work.

Health Professionals' Perceptions of Information Quality in the Health Village Portal.

Information quality has an important role in health care as digital services provide patients and healthcare professionals more opportunities for searching and utilising information. Information quality is one of the key factors affecting user satisfaction, perception of digital service usability and intention to use the service. The conceptual framework for this study was the updated Information Systems Success Model of DeLone and McLean.

Patients' Use of Health Village Portal: The Central Role of Healthcare Professional Support.

Healthcare professionals play a key role in supporting self-care among patients and clients. Their attitudes and behaviors may influence a patient's capacity to use electronic services (e-services) and may increase patients' trust toward a technical solution. The technology acceptance model explains information systems use and the important variables that play a role in an individual's acceptance of e-services.

Distribution of lymph node metastases in esophageal carcinoma [TIGER study]: study protocol of a multinational observational study.

Background: An important parameter for survival in patients with esophageal carcinoma is lymph node status. The distribution of lymph node metastases depends on tumor characteristics such as tumor location, histology, invasion depth, and on neoadjuvant treatment. The exact distribution is unknown.

Mortality of midlife women with surgically verified endometriosis-a cohort study including 2.5 million person-years of observation.

Study Question: Is all-cause and cause-specific mortality increased among women with surgically verified endometriosis?

Summary Answer: The all-cause and cause-specific mortality in midlife was lower throughout the follow-up among women with surgically verified endometriosis compared to the reference cohort.

What Is Known Already: Endometriosis has been associated with an increased risk of comorbidities such as certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases. These diseases are also common causes of death; however, little is known about the mortality of women with endometriosis.