Long-term safety of hyaluronidase-facilitated subcutaneous immunoglobulin 10%: a European post-authorization study.

To assess the long-term safety of hyaluronidase-facilitated subcutaneous immunoglobulin (fSCIG) 10% in European routine clinical practice. This prospective, noninterventional, open-label, post-authorization safety study (EUPAS5812) sourced data on adverse events, immunogenicity, treatment regimens and product administration for 106 adult patients prescribed fSCIG 10% across 17 sites in six European countries from July 2014 to February 2020. In total, 1171 treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 94 patients (88.

The ABBA project (Assess Better Before Access): A retrospective cohort study of neonatal intravascular device outcomes.

Background: Venous access devices (VADs) play a vital role within the neonatal intensive care unit. However, there are significant risks associated with the use of VADs, with complications such as infection, thrombosis, device occlusion, and infiltration/extravasation frequently contributing to device-related failures and increasing the risk of significant patient harm or injury. This study aimed to explore the relationships between risk factors and different venous access device complications in the neonatal setting, and then use that evidence to develop an algorithm based on observational data.

The co-occurrence of both breast- and differentiated thyroid cancer: incidence, association and clinical implications for daily practice.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) and differentiated thyroid cancer (TC) are two common cancer types with the highest incidence in women. BC and TC can develop synchronous or metachronous and the occurrence of both is higher than expected by chance. This study aimed to examine the association between BC and TC in the Netherlands.

The Incorporation of Etanercept into a Porous Tri-Layer Scaffold for Restoring and Repairing Cartilage Tissue.

Cartilage diseases currently affect a high percentage of the world's population. Almost all of these diseases, such as osteoarthritis (OA), cause inflammation of this soft tissue. However, this could be controlled with biomaterials that act as an anti-inflammatory delivery system, capable of dosing these drugs over time in a specific area.

A data mining-based cross-industry process for predicting major bleeding in mechanical circulatory support.

Aims: Over a third of patients, treated with mechanical circulatory support (MCS) for end-stage heart failure, experience major bleeding. Currently, the prediction of a major bleeding in the near future is difficult because of many contributing factors. Predictive analytics using data mining could help calculating the risk of bleeding; however, its application is generally reserved for experienced researchers on this subject.

The BAPRAS screening tool for reimbursement in a postbariatric population.

Introduction: Reimbursement of body-contouring surgery (BCS) is a worldwide problem: there is no objective instrument to decide which postbariatric patients should qualify for reimbursement. The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) has developed a screening tool for this purpose. In this study, we used a modified version of this screening tool in a postbariatric population and describe which patients would qualify for reimbursement using this tool.

Meconium ileus in Cystic Fibrosis.

Meconium ileus (MI) is often the first manifestation of cystic fibrosis (CF) and occurs in approximately 20% of patients diagnosed with CF. This article reviews the pathophysiology of MI and its clinical presentation. It focuses on the medical and surgical management emphasizing the importance of nutrition and a multidisciplinary approach to improve both short-term and long-term outcomes for CF patients with MI.

Long-Term Follow-Up Study of Young Adults Treated for Unilateral Complete Cleft Lip, Alveolus, and Palate by a Treatment Protocol Including Two-Stage Palatoplasty: Speech Outcomes.

Background: No consensus exists on the optimal treatment protocol for orofacial clefts or the optimal timing of cleft palate closure. This study investigated factors influencing speech outcomes after two-stage palate repair in adults with a non-syndromal complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP).

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of adult patients with a UCLP who underwent two-stage palate closure and were treated at our tertiary cleft centre.

Optical diagnosis of malignant colorectal polyps: is it feasible?

Background And Study Aims: As colorectal cancer screening programs are being implemented worldwide, an increasing number of early (T1) cancers are being diagnosed. These cancers should be recognized during colonoscopy because they require a specific therapeutic approach. Several studies have shown that Asian experts can reliably recognize T1 cancers during colonoscopy.

CT screening for pulmonary pathology in common variable immunodeficiency disorders and the correlation with clinical and immunological parameters.

Background: Pulmonary disease is common in patients with common variable immunodeficiency disorders (CVID) and involves infections, chronic airway disease and interstitial lung disease. Chronic pulmonary disease is associated with excess morbidity and early mortality and therefore early detection and monitoring of progression is essential.

Methods And Purpose: Thin slice CT scan and pulmonary function were used to determine the prevalence and spectrum of chronic (pre-clinical) pulmonary disease in adult CVID patients regardless of symptoms.

Outcome of screening endoscopy in common variable immunodeficiency disorder and X-linked agammaglobulinemia.

Gastrointestinal symptoms are common in patients with common variable immunodeficiency disorders (CVID) and less frequent in X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) although the exact prevalence is not well established. In this study, endoscopic screening was performed in 30 patients with CVID and four patients with XLA. Endoscopic and/or histological abnormalities were detected in 25 of 30 patients with CVID (83 %), regardless of symptoms, and in nine of these patients the results prompted medical treatment.

Long-term functional outcome of patients with longitudinal radial deficiency: cross-sectional evaluation of function, activity and participation.

Purpose: To evaluate all functional aspects of patients with longitudinal radial dysplasia and to clarify the relationship between body functions on the one hand and limitations in activity and participation on the other hand.

Methods: Thirty-one arms of seventeen adult patients with longitudinal radial dysplasia were analysed. Body function was assessed by measuring grip and pinch strength and active range of motion (ROM) of the hand.

Being a parent of a child with cancer throughout the end-of-life course.

Purpose/objectives: To elucidate parents' experiences when caring at home for their child with incurable cancer and to show how parents give meaning to their experiences throughout the end-of-life (EOL) phase.

Research Approach: Interpretative qualitative study.

Setting: Five academic pediatric oncology centers.

The INFVo perceptual rating scale for substitution voicing: development and reliability.

In this paper, an experimental study of inter-judge consistency for the different dimensions of a recently proposed new scale for the rating of substitution voices is presented. The IINFVo rating scale tries to score five parameters, namely impression, intelligibility, noise, fluency and voicing. Each parameter is scored between 0 (very good substitution voicing) and 10 (very deviant substitution voicing) on a visual analogue scale.

Chest radiograph scores in preterm infants: interobserver agreement and relation to respiratory function.

To evaluate scoring systems for chest radiographs, we determined interobserver agreement and relation to the lung function during the 1st week of life in ventilated preterm infants. Three independent observers examined chest radiographs by applying radiological scores according to Lischka, Yuksel, Greenough, Toce, and Giedion on postnatal days 2 and 7. Kappa statistics was used to assess the interobserver agreement.

Application of the Voice Handicap Index in 45 patients with substitution voicing after total laryngectomy.

We tested the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) in 45 patients with substitution voicing (that is, without the use of two vocal folds), the majority of them using tracheo-oesophageal speech. We introduced a corrected VHI score (VHI(corr)) whose values are in the range from 0 to 100 and which can be expressed as a percentage. As such, the VHI(corr) is a handy and transparent tool, and it seems to be suited for representing the handicap caused by the voice disorder when some items are unanswered as experienced in patients with substitution voicing.

Preservation of rat skeletal muscle function during storage for 16 h at 4 degrees C is not improved by pre-storage perfusion.

The aim of this study was to investigate if the preservation of isolated skeletal muscles for 16 h at 4 degrees C could be improved by pre-storage perfusion (PSP). Two rat muscle models were used: the soleus (SOL) and a posterior strip of the cutaneous trunci (CT). The effects of a 10 min PSP (at 25 degrees C) with University of Wisconsin solution (UW) or HTK-Bretschneider solution (HTK) on muscle function were analysed.

Relationship between graft-versus-host disease and graft-versus-leukaemia in partial T cell-depleted bone marrow transplantation.

The success of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is limited by the major complications, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and relapse. The very beneficial effect of maximal T-cell depletion of the graft for prevention of GVHD has been counterbalanced by an increase in graft failure and relapse of disease. Therefore, we started an approach of partial T-cell depletion of the graft.

Joint distraction in treatment of osteoarthritis (II): effects on cartilage in a canine model.

Objective: From a clinical point of view, joint distraction as a treatment for osteoarthritis (OA) of hip and ankle has been demonstrated to be very promising. Pain, joint mobility and functional ability, the most important factors for a patient with severe OA, all improved. Although radiographic joint space enlargement in a significant number of patients suggested cartilage repair, actual cartilage repair remains difficult to evaluate.

Lymphocyte stimulation by CD3-CD28 enables detection of low T cell interferon-gamma and interleukin-4 production in rheumatoid arthritis.

The analysis of cytokine production is increasingly important in defining the course of an immune response and in evaluating specific therapies of immune diseases. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a dysregulation in T1/T2 cell balance, as defined by the production of their specific cytokines, IFN-gamma and IL-4, respectively, is suggested. A predominance of T1-cell mediated macrophage activity in the joint plays a key role in the destruction of articular cartilage and subchondral bone, whereas local T2 cell activity, mitigating disease, fails.

Joint distraction in treatment of osteoarthritis: a two-year follow-up of the ankle.

Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease with an incidence exceeding 10% of the adult population. In end stages, OA can result in severe restriction of activity and consequent disability. For these severe cases of OA, no effective remedy is available yet.

Blood-induced joint damage: a canine in vivo study.

Objective: To investigate the direct and indirect (via synovial inflammation) effects of intraarticular bleeding on cartilage in vivo.

Methods: Right knees of 14 beagle dogs were injected with autologous blood on days 0 and 2. Cartilage matrix proteoglycan turnover, collagen damage, and synovial inflammation of these knees, including the cartilage-destructive properties of the synovial tissue, were determined and compared with those of the left control knees on day 4 (short-term effects; n = 7) and day 16 (long-term effects; n = 7).

Blood-induced joint damage: a human in vitro study.

Objective: To investigate mechanisms underlying cartilage damage caused by brief exposure of cartilage to blood, such as that occurring during intraarticular bleeding.

Methods: Human articular cartilage was cultured for 4 days in the presence of blood (components; 7.5-50% volume/volume).