Hepatitis C treatment at three Norwegian hospitals 2000-2011.

Background: In the period 2000 – 2011, chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV infection) was primarily treated with a combination of pegylated interferon and ribavirin. New antiviral drugs, which are effective but very expensive, are in the process of replacing this regimen. We have investigated the results pegylated interferon and ribavirin have yielded in ordinary clinical practice and examined the part this treatment may play in the near future.

Maternal deaths in Norway 2005-2009.

Background: Norway has low maternal mortality, but such deaths are underreported even in high-income countries. Our goal was to identify the exact number of maternal deaths, the causes of death and the potential for improvement through medical care in Norway.

Material And Method: We traced maternal deaths in the period from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2009 by linking the Medical Birth Registry and the Cause of Death Registry, supplemented with data from maternity clinics.

[EEG--when and how?].

Background: Electroencephalography (EEG) is used for studying functional disorders of the brain. We provide an overview of the areas where EEG is most strongly indicated and the clinical benefit of the examination.

Method: This article is based on articles from personal literature archives and literature searches in PubMed, textbook on methods in clinical neurophysiology, the work of one of the authors on a new European standard for EEG and the authors' clinical experience.

[Risk of infection through use of selective immunomodulating drugs for rheumatoid arthritis].

Background: New drugs for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have resulted in an improvement in patients' functioning and morbidity, but are linked with increased risk of infections. Traditional immunosuppressant drugs are often used in combination with anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors or anti-CD20 (rituximab).

Method: The review is based on a search in PubMed and on the authors' own experience of treating infections in patients who receive immunosuppressant treatment.

[The use of inhaled corticosteroids in preschool children].

Due to the large variation in symptoms presented, diagnosing wheezing or asthma and deciding on treatment for preschool children may be difficult. Inhaled corticosteroids may be effective for controlling asthma symptoms and recurrent wheezing also in this age group, but due to the heterogeneity of the disease and lack of diagnostic tools, both over- and under-treatment may occur. The author discusses current guidelines and recommendations for the use of inhaled corticosteroids in the preschool group.

[A young girl with abdominal pain].

Abdominal pain combined with fever is common during childhood. We present a 12-year-old girl who was admitted to hospital with abdominal pain, fever and nausea, but she also complained of cough, weight loss and night sweat. Investigations revealed multiple and randomly distributed lung nodules, impaired lung function, meningitis and multiple small brain lesions, consistent with tuberculomas.

[Recurrence and survival after breast-conserving treatment of breast cancer].

Background: The objective of this retrospective study was to determine, within one institution, local relapse rate and survival for women with early-stage breast cancer treated with breast-conserving surgery followed by radiotherapy.

Material And Methods: All women with infiltrating early-stage breast cancer who underwent post-operative whole breast irradiation at our institution in the period 14.06.

[Abdominal aortic aneurysms--endovascular and open surgery].

Background: In Norway, repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms is performed in more than 800 patients annually. Open repair is an established procedure, but an increasing number of patients have undergone endovascular repair during the last decades. The paper delivers an up to date discussion of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

[Neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms in Parkinson disease].

Background: A variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms commonly occur in Parkinson's disease. Extensive research the last 10 years has provided new knowledge in the field.

Material And Methods: This review is based on literature retrieved from a Medline search and own research and clinical experience.

[Motor symptoms in Parkinson disease].

Background: Early Parkinson's disease is dominated by a motor syndrome called parkinsonism, but as the disease develops motor complications and non-motor problems may occur as well. This paper describes how to diagnose Parkinson's disease and the various motor complications and gives recommendations on how to treat the symptoms in these patients.

Material And Methods: The paper builds on international evidence-based publications and the Norwegian guidelines for treatment of Parkinson's disease.

[Increase in childhood neuroborreliosis].

Background: Data from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health suggest that the incidence of neuroborreliosis has increased in Norway during recent years. However, this may also be due to a change in diagnostic procedures and increased awareness of the disease.

Material And Methods: At the pediatric department in Stavanger University Hospital we have systematically diagnosed and registered data on all children with neuroborreliosis in a database since 1996.

[Contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance in patients with acute myocarditis].

Background: Acute myocarditis is a serious condition that is challenging to diagnose. Recent developments in contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (ce-MRI) enable visualization of myocardial damage in patients with myocarditis. The objective of this study was to identify patients in whom ce-MRI could be useful to reach such a diagnosis.