Developing Cut-off Values for Low and Very Low Bone Mineral Density at the Thoracic Spine Using Quantitative Computed Tomography.

Osteoporosis is under-diagnosed while detectable by measuring bone mineral density (BMD) using quantitative computer tomography (QCT). Opportunistic screening for low BMD has previously been suggested using lumbar QCT. However, thoracic QCT also possesses this potential to develop upper and lower cut-off values for low thoracic BMD, corresponding to the current cut-offs for lumbar BMD.

Magnetic Resonance Enterography and Histology in Patients With Fibrostenotic Crohn's Disease: A Multicenter Study.

Introduction: Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) is useful for detecting bowel strictures, whereas a number of imaging biomarkers may reflect severity of fibrosis burden in Crohn's disease (CD). This study aimed to verify the association of MRE metrics with histologic fibrosis independent of inflammation.

Methods: This prospective European multicenter study performed MRE imaging on 60 patients with CD with bowel strictures before surgical resection.

Adverse childhood experiences in patients with severe health anxiety: No evidence for an increased frequency compared to patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Theoretical models of health anxiety emphasize adverse childhood experiences in the development of the disorder, but few studies examine such events in patients with severe health anxiety and the results are difficult to compare across studies. The present study examined adult retrospective reports of illness-related and traumatic childhood experiences in 31 patients with severe health anxiety, 32 non-clinical control participants, and a clinical control group of 33 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. No evidence of an increased frequency of adverse childhood experiences in patients with severe health anxiety was found.

Burnout, coping strategies and help-seeking in general practitioners: a two-wave survey study in Denmark.

Objective: Work pressure remains an issue among general practitioners (GPs). Nevertheless, GPs rarely seek help for symptoms of burnout. The aim of this study was to examine whether burnout level was associated with coping strategies and help-seeking behaviour during time pressure.

Microscopic Colitis in Denmark: Regional Variations in Risk Factors and Frequency of Endoscopic Procedures.

Objective: Microscopic colitis [MC], encompassing collagenous colitis [CC] and lymphocytic colitis [LC], is an increasingly prevalent gastrointestinal disease with an unknown aetiology. Previous research has reported significant differences in the incidence of MC within Denmark, with the lowest incidence found in the most populated region [Capital Region of Denmark]. Our aim was to elucidate the causes of these regional differences.

OMERACT definition and reliability assessment of chronic ultrasound lesions of the axillary artery in giant cell arteritis.

Objectives: To define chronic ultrasound lesions of the axillary artery (AA) in long-standing giant cell arteritis (GCA) and to evaluate the reliability of the new ultrasound definition in a web-based exercise.

Methods: A structured Delphi, involving an expert panel of the Large Vessel Vasculitis subgroup of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Ultrasound Working Group was carried out. The reliability of the new definition was tested in a 2-round web-based exercise involving 23 experts and using 50 still images each from AA of long-standing and acute GCA patients, as well as 50 images from healthy individuals.

Disease Activity Patterns, Mortality, and Colorectal Cancer Risk in Microscopic Colitis: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study, 2001 to 2016.

Background And Aims: The disease course of microscopic colitis [MC], encompassing collagenous colitis [CC] and lymphocytic colitis [LC], is not well known. In a Danish nationwide cohort, we evaluated the disease activity patterns as well as the risk of colorectal cancer [CRC] and mortality based on disease severity.

Methods: All incident MC patients [n = 14 302] with a recorded diagnosis of CC [n = 8437] or LC [n = 5865] in the Danish Pathology Register, entered between 2001 and 2016, were matched to 10 reference individuals [n = 142 481].

The DANish randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial in patients with chronic HEART failure (DANHEART): A 2 × 2 factorial trial of hydralazine-isosorbide dinitrate in patients with chronic heart failure (H-HeFT) and metformin in patients with chronic heart failure and diabetes or prediabetes (Met-HeFT).

Objectives: The DANHEART trial is a multicenter, randomized (1:1), parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in chronic heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). This investigator driven study will include 1500 HFrEF patients and test in a 2 × 2 factorial design: 1) if hydralazine-isosorbide dinitrate reduces the incidence of death and hospitalization with worsening heart failure vs. placebo (H-HeFT) and 2) if metformin reduces the incidence of death, worsening heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke vs.

Predictors of joint damage progression and stringent remission in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis in clinical remission.

Objectives: To study if clinical, radiographic and MRI markers can predict MRI and radiographic damage progression and achievement of stringent remission in patients with established RA in clinical remission followed by a targeted treatment strategy.

Methods: RA patients (DAS28-CRP <3.2, no swollen joints) receiving conventional synthetic DMARDs were randomized to conventional or MRI-targeted treat-to-target strategies with predefined algorithmic treatment escalations.

Distribution of histopathological features along the colon in microscopic colitis.

Purpose: The diagnosis microscopic colitis (MC) consisting of collagenous colitis (CC) and lymphocytic colitis (LC) relies on histological assessment of mucosal biopsies from the colon. The optimal biopsy strategy for reliable diagnosis of MC is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of histopathological features of MC throughout the colon.

Serum-neuroproteins, near-infrared spectroscopy, and cognitive outcome after beach-chair shoulder surgery: Observational cohort study analyses.

Background: Cerebral hypoxia may occur during surgery but currently used cerebral oxygenation saturation (rSO2) monitors remain controversial with respect to improving clinical outcome. Novel neuroprotein biomarkers are potentially released into systemic circulation and combined with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) could clarify the presence of per-operative cerebral hypoxia. We investigated changes to serum-neuroprotein concentrations post-surgically, paired with NIRS and cognitive outcome, in patients operated in the beach chair position (BCP).

Incidence and Prevalence of Microscopic Colitis Between 2001 and 2016: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background And Aims: Epidemiological studies suggest an increasing global incidence of microscopic colitis, including collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis. We aimed to investigate the incidence and prevalence of microscopic colitis in Denmark.

Methods: In a nationwide cohort study, we included all incident patients with a recorded diagnosis of collagenous colitis or lymphocytic colitis in the Danish Pathology Register between 2001 and 2016.

Dynamics of a specialized and complex health care system: Exploring general practitioners' management of multimorbidity.

Objective: To explore general practitioners' (GPs') experiences of cooperation with hospital-based physicians regarding multimorbid patients and to identify challenges as well as strategies in managing such challenges. Three medical practices in a provincial town in Denmark.

Study Design: A qualitative methodological design was used with explorative data collection among GPs.

Trends in preadmission oral anticoagulant use and clinical outcome in atrial fibrillation patients admitted with acute stroke in Denmark.

Aims: Use of oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy has increased in recent years among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, it remains uncertain whether this translates into improved clinical outcomes. We aimed to examine time trends in preadmission OAC use and clinical outcomes among AF patients admitted with stroke.

The association between socioeconomic position and tumour size, grade, stage, and mortality in Danish sarcoma patients - A national, observational study from 2000 to 2013.

Survival in sarcoma patients depends on a range of prognostic factors. An association between cancer survival and socioeconomic position is known for several other cancers. We therefore examined the relations between three socioeconomic factors and risk of presenting with known tumour related prognostic factors, and the overall mortality of the different socioeconomic and prognostic factors in 1919 patients diagnosed with sarcoma in Denmark 2000-2013.

The Role of Bowel Ultrasound in Detecting Subclinical Inflammation in Pregnant Women with Crohn's Disease.

Background And Aims: Maintaining disease remission improves outcomes for pregnant women with Crohn's disease (CD). As symptoms may correlate poorly with disease activity in the gravid state, we investigated the utility of bowel sonography during pregnancy to assess disease activity.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of pregnant women with CD undergoing bowel sonography between July 1, 2012, and December 1, 2016.

Increased serum levels of microfibrillar-associated protein 4 (MFAP4) are not associated with clinical synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis but may reflect underlying cardiovascular comorbidity.

Objectives: To study circulating MFAP4 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its associations with clinical phenotype.

Methods: Early RA (ERA): 47 patients with newly diagnosed, treatment naïve RA were included. Serum MFAP4, clinical and laboratory disease variables were recorded serially during 12 months of intensive synovitis suppressive treatment.

Use of Healthcare Services Two Years before Diagnosis in Danish Sarcoma Patients, 2000-2013.

Background: Sarcoma is a rare type of cancer with nonspecific symptoms and uncertain aetiology. Thus, timely diagnosis of sarcomas is a clinical challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of healthcare services 24 months preceding a sarcoma diagnosis compared to a matched cohort.

Diagnostic accuracies of screening for atrial fibrillation by cardiac nurses versus radiographers.

Aim: We examined the diagnostic accuracy of single-lead ECG as assessed by radiographers and 12-lead ECG as assessed by cardiac nurses for the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: Based on the Danish Cardiovascular Screening Trial, we conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study of 1338 randomly selected Danish men aged 65-74 years with no exclusion criteria. The participants were screened with single-lead ECG during a CT scan assessed by radiographers and 12-lead ECG assessed by cardiac nurses.

Effect of Magnetic Resonance Imaging vs Conventional Treat-to-Target Strategies on Disease Activity Remission and Radiographic Progression in Rheumatoid Arthritis: The IMAGINE-RA Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Whether using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to guide treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) improves disease activity and slows joint damage progression is unknown.

Objective: To determine whether an MRI-guided treat-to-target strategy vs a conventional clinical treat-to-target strategy improves outcomes in patients with RA in clinical remission.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Two-year, randomized, multicenter trial conducted at 9 hospitals in Denmark.