Alemtuzumab treatment in Denmark: A national study based on the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry.

Objective: To investigate clinical outcomes in a real-world setting in the complete population-based cohort of alemtuzumab-treated MS patients in Denmark.

Methods: Data were retrieved from The Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry between 2009 and 2019. Demographic and disease-specific patient parameters related to treatment history, efficacy, and safety outcomes were assessed at baseline and during follow-up visits.

Macro-TSH: A Diagnostic Challenge.

Introduction: Analytical problems should be considered in case of a discrepancy between the results of biochemical tests and the clinical findings. Macro-hormones often artefactually elevate biochemical tests.

Case Presentation: A young male was referred with persistently elevated TSH (148 mIU/L) measured by a sandwich electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, ECLIA (Cobas; Roche, Basel, Switzerland).

Suboptimal dialysis initiation is associated with comorbidities and uraemia progression rate but not with estimated glomerular filtration rate.

Background: Despite early referral of uraemic patients to nephrological care, suboptimal dialysis initiation (SDI) remains a common problem associated with increased morbimortality. We hypothesized that SDI is related to pre-dialysis care.

Methods: In the 'Peridialysis' study, time and reasons for dialysis initiation (DI), clinical and biochemical data and centre characteristics were registered during the pre- and peri-dialytic period for 1583 end-stage kidney disease patients starting dialysis over a 3-year period at 15 nephrology departments in the Nordic and Baltic countries to identify factors associated with SDI.

Validation of the Danish versions of the Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue Multi-Dimensional Questionnaires (BRAFs).

: This study aimed to validate the Danish versions of the Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue Multi-Dimensional Questionnaire (BRAF-MDQ) and BRAF Numerical Rating Scale version 2 (NRSv2).: We tested face and content validity, internal consistency, criterion validity, construct validity, and reproducibility for the BRAF-MDQ, and face and criterion validity and reproducibility for the BRAF-NRS.: In all, 224/236 patients (95%) completed the questionnaires [70% female, mean ± sd age 59 ± 13.

Increased risk of dementia in hypothyroidism: A Danish nationwide register-based study.

Objective: Globally, the prevalence of individuals with dementia is increasing, and identification of risk factors is of paramount interest. Using population-based registers, we evaluated whether hypothyroidism is a risk factor for dementia.

Design: Register-based cohort study.

An Extension of the Bland-Altman Plot for Analyzing the Agreement of More than Two Raters.

The Bland-Altman plot is the most common method to analyze and visualize agreement between raters or methods of quantitative outcomes in health research. While very useful for studies with two raters, a limitation of the classical Bland-Altman plot is that it is specifically used for studies with two raters. We propose an extension of the Bland-Altman plot suitable for more than two raters and derive the approximate limits of agreement with 95% confidence intervals.

A longterm prospective follow-up study of resurfacing miniprosthesis suitable for patients above sixtyfive years with localized cartilage lesions or early osteoarthritis in the knee.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the long-term outcomes of the Focal Femoral Condyle Resurfacing Prosthesis for treatment of localized cartilage lesion in patients > 65 years.

Methods: This was a prospective case series study. Non-reopererated patients initially treated with resurfacing condylar miniprothesis (HemiCAP/UniCAP) were evaluated clinically and radiographically at 7-10 years follow-up (mean 9 years).

Invasive aortic pulse pressure is not superior to cuff pulse pressure in cardiovascular risk prediction.

Objective: Aortic pulse pressure (PP) represents the hemodynamic cardiac and cerebral burden more directly than cuff PP. The objective of this study was to investigate whether invasively measured aortic PP confers additional prognostic value beyond cuff PP for cardiovascular events and death. With increasing age, cuff PP progressively underestimates aortic PP.

Common gene variants within 3'-untranslated regions as modulators of multiple myeloma risk and survival.

We evaluated the association between germline genetic variants located within the 3'-untranlsated region (polymorphic 3'UTR, ie, p3UTR) of candidate genes involved in multiple myeloma (MM). We performed a case-control study within the International Multiple Myeloma rESEarch (IMMEnSE) consortium, consisting of 3056 MM patients and 1960 controls recruited from eight countries. We selected p3UTR of six genes known to act in different pathways relevant in MM pathogenesis, namely KRAS (rs12587 and rs7973623), VEGFA (rs10434), SPP1 (rs1126772), IRF4 (rs12211228) and IL10 (rs3024496).

Pelvic organ prolapse and treatment decisions- developing an online preference-sensitive tool to support shared decisions.

Background: Female patients with pelvic organ prolapse and clinicians need to take decisions regarding treatment that are often unpredictable in relation to how they impact the future everyday lives of the patients. This study formed the developmental phase of a larger study to develop and test an online tool to support shared decision-making.

Methods: Patients, health care professionals and other stakeholders participated in the development and evaluation process of this tool.

Are Systemic Corticosteroids Causing Psoriasis Flare-Ups? Questionnaire for Danish Dermatologists, Gastroenterologists and Rheumatologists.

Background: Psoriasis flare-ups and the change of morphology from nonpustular to pustular psoriasis following tapering and withdrawal of systemic corticosteroids have been reported. Despite these risks, systemic corticosteroids are still widely prescribed for patients with psoriasis, but the knowledge about psoriasis flare-ups and whether the physicians take precautions during these treatments is limited.

Methods: We conducted a questionnaire study among all dermatologists, gastroenterologists and rheumatologists in Denmark who work at a hospital or in a private practice to investigate the use, opinion and experience with oral, intramuscular and intra-articular corticosteroids in the treatment of patients with psoriasis.

Intake of dietary fibre, red and processed meat and risk of late-onset Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: A prospective Danish study on the "diet, cancer and health" cohort.

Human and animal studies support the involvement of diet in the development of CID -chronic inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. This cohort study aimed to investigate the association between intake of fibre, red and processed meat, and occurrence of late-onset CID (50+ years of age) in the DCH: Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort. We hypothesised that risk of late-onset CID would be lower among those with high intake of fibre and/or low intake of meat compared to individuals with low fibre and/or high meat intake.

Assessing Delivery of Selected Public Health Operations via Essential Public Health Operation Framework.

Background: To assess the conduct of delivery of public health services at the municipal level in Denmark by applying services enlisted in the Essential Public Health Operation framework (EPHO) of WHO.

Methods: We conducted individual qualitative interviews with key informants working with public health using a self-assessment survey tool in order to obtain an in-depth understanding of the interrelation or multidisciplinary work in Kolding Municipality. The developed self-assessment survey tool entailed questions about essential public health activities performed in a municipality.

A sanctuary from everyday life: rheumatology patients' experiences of in-patient multidisciplinary rehabilitation - a qualitative study.

Purpose: To explore how rheumatology patients experience the personal impact of an inpatient rehabilitation stay and to elucidate the impact of contextual factors on the outcome.

Methods: Exploratory qualitative individual interviews were conducted with 15 rheumatology patients (73% female) who had completed a two-week inpatient rehabilitation stay. Data collection, analysis and interpretation of data were performed within a phenomenological-hermeneutic framework inspired by Paul Ricoeur's interpretative philosophy.

Does socioeconomic status make a difference? A register-based study on the extent to which cardiovascular screening in patients with inflammatory arthritis leads to recommended follow-up in general practice.

Objective: To investigate to what extent patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) follow recommendations given in a secondary care nurse-led cardiovascular (CV) risk screening consultation to consult their general practitioner (GP) to reduce their CV risk and whether their socioeconomic status (SES) affects adherence.

Methods: Adults with IA who had participated in a secondary care screening consultation from July 2012 to July 2015, based on the EULAR recommendations, were identified. Patients were considered to have high CV risk if they had risk Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) ≥5%, according to the European SCORE model or systolic blood pressure ≥145 mmHg, total cholesterol ≥8 mmol/L, LDL cholesterol ≥5 mmol/L, HbA1c ≥42 mmol/mol or fasting glucose ≥6 mmol/L.

Physical activity in people with axial spondyloarthritis and the impact of overall attitudes, barriers, and facilitators: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To study the association between self-reported physical activity level and overall attitudes and barriers to and facilitators of physical activity in people with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), and to compare health status and quality of life (QoL) in people with different levels of physical activity.

Methods: Four hundred forty-five members of the Danish Patient Association for Axial Spondyloarthritis completed an online survey including questions on physical activity, overall attitudes, barriers, and facilitators to physical activity, health, and QoL. Nonparametric tests and logistic regression analyses were performed.

Validation of the UK myeloma research alliance risk profile, a new clinical prediction model for outcome in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma not eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation; a population-based study from the Danish national multiple myeloma registry.

In 2019 the UK Myeloma Research Alliance introduced the Myeloma Risk Profile (MRP) for prediction of outcome in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM), ineligible for autologous stem cell transplantation. To validate the MRP in a population-based setting we performed a study of the entire cohort of transplant ineligible MM patients above 65 years in the Danish National MM Registry. Our data confirmed the value of the MRP.

Neurophysiological impairments in multiple sclerosis-Central and peripheral motor pathways.

A systematic review of the literature was conducted comparing neurophysiological outcomes in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) to healthy controls (HC), in studies of the central nervous system (CNS) function comprising motor evoked potentials (MEP) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and in studies of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) function comprising electroneuronography (ENG) outcomes elicited by peripheral nerve stimulation. Studies comparing neuromuscular function, assessed during maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of muscle, were included if they reported muscle strength along with muscle activation by use of electromyography (EMG) and/or interpolated twitch technique (ITT). Studies investigating CNS function showed prolonged central motor conduction times, asymmetry of nerve conduction motor pathways, and prolonged latencies in PwMS when compared to HC.

Pharmacological treatment of psoriatic arthritis: a systematic literature research for the 2019 update of the EULAR recommendations for the management of psoriatic arthritis.

Objective: To perform an update of a review of the efficacy and safety of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Methods: This is a systematic literature research of 2015-2018 publications on all DMARDs in patients with PsA, searching Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Efficacy was assessed in randomised controlled trials.