Contact allergy in patients with rosacea: a clinic-based, prospective epidemiological study.

Background: Rosacea is a relatively common inflammatory skin disease of unknown prevalence. The proportion of contact allergy complicating rosacea and its therapy, respectively, is largely unknown.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of specific contact allergy in rosacea patients and to compare this with the prevalence observed in the general population and in general patch test patients.

Epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease in a German twin cohort: results of a nationwide study.

Background: Genetic predisposition as a cause of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been proven by both family and twin studies and genetic variants associated with the disease have been identified. The aim of our study was to determine the concordance rates for IBD in German twin pairs and to evaluate clinical characteristics of concordant and discordant twin pairs.

Methods: Patients with IBD were asked to participate and complete a questionnaire that contained questions about zygosity, demographic data, and medical history.

Disabling low back pain and depressive symptoms in the community-dwelling elderly: a prospective study.

Study Design: Analytic cross-sectional and cohort study.

Objective: This study examines the prevalence and associations of low back pain (LBP) and depressive symptoms in a large population of elderly (65+), community-dwelling subjects.

Summary Of Background Data: In adults, depression has been identified as predictive for LBP, while depression has also been found to be a possible consequence of LBP.

Reconstruction of the lower lip: rationale to preserve the aesthetic units of the face.

Background: The boundaries of the aesthetic units of the face are often crossed after lower lip cancer surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the aesthetic and functional outcome after use of different operative techniques based on the concept of the aesthetic units of the face.

Materials: Sixty-three patients were evaluated after lower lip reconstruction.

Determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in patients with chronic lung diseases.

Unlabelled: Despite strong recommendations, immunization rates for influenza and pneumococci are low. We aimed to analyse the vaccination status and its determinants in patients with chronic lung diseases.

Methods: Information about actual influenza (IV) and pneumococcal (PV) vaccination status was obtained by a standardised questionnaire from 2491 patients presenting to a specialised centre of respiratory medicine in Rotenburg/Wuemme (Germany).

False-negative results after stereotactically guided vacuum biopsy.

The purpose of this study was to determine the false negative rate of stereotactically guided vacuum biopsy (VB). Data of patients with benign lesions in VB were evaluated retrospectively during a median follow-up period of 21 months. A total of 404 VB were considered benign and representative and were recommended for follow-up.

Approaches to estimate the population-based incidence of community acquired pneumonia.

Objectives: In Germany the estimation of a population based annual incidence of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults has been referred to the denominator problem. To estimate a population based annual incidence of CAP in an urban German area we compared the incidence estimated on four different approaches.

Methods: We estimated the annual incidence on the basis of the covered population of sentinel practices from Luebeck participating in the German competence network CAPNETZ.

Determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in elderly people: a systematic review.

Objectives: Despite strong national and international recommendations on immunization practices, rates for influenza (IV) and pneumococcal vaccinations (PV) are low. We aimed to review international immunization rates and to analyze attitudes and beliefs regarding IV and PV.

Study Design: Systematic review.

Risk factors for community-acquired pneumonia in German adults: the impact of children in the household.

The objective of this case-control study was to identify the main risk factors for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in a German adult population. A self-administered questionnaire was given to CAP cases provided by the German competence network CAPNETZ and population-based, randomly selected controls (sex- and age-matched). Multivariate analysis showed that in addition to known risk factors such as previous CAP [odds ratio (OR) 1.

Molecular relapse in adult standard-risk ALL patients detected by prospective MRD monitoring during and after maintenance treatment: data from the GMALL 06/99 and 07/03 trials.

Although levels of minimal residual disease (MRD) decrease below the detection limit in most adult patients with standard-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) after consolidation treatment, about 30% of these patients will ultimately relapse. To evaluate the power of MRD monitoring as an indicator of impending relapse, we prospectively analyzed postconsolidation samples of 105 patients enrolled in the German Multicenter ALL (GMALL) trial by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of clonal immune gene rearrangements. All patients were in hematologic remission, had completed first-year polychemotherapy, and tested MRD negative prior to study entry.

Antibiotic treatment of community acquired pneumonia varies widely across Germany.

Unlabelled: Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is a frequent and potentially fatal infectious disease which, in the majority of cases, needs an antibiotic intervention.

Objectives: Aim was to evaluate antibiotic treatment patterns regarding all types of mono- and combination-therapy throughout the local clinical centres (LCCs) represented in the German competence network CAPNETZ (=Community Acquired Pneumonia Network) and to identify clinical indicators for regional differences.

Methods: We analysed outpatients and inpatients recruited between March 2003 and April 2005.

Differential effects of L-dopa and subthalamic stimulation on depressive symptoms and hedonic tone in Parkinson's disease.

Patients with Parkinson's disease frequently have mild to moderate depression and exhibit low hedonic tone. The authors investigate the impact of a single L-dopa challenge and the acute effects of electric stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) on symptoms of depression and hedonic tone. Depressive symptoms improved with L-dopa and STN stimulation to the same extent.

A critical reappraisal of the Ross operation: renaissance of the subcoronary implantation technique?

Background: The autograft procedure, an option in aortic valve replacement, has undergone technical evolution. A considerable debate about the most favorable surgical technique in the Ross operation is still ongoing. Originally described as a subcoronary implant, the full root replacement technique is now the most commonly used technique to perform the Ross principle.

Subthalamic nucleus influences spatial orientation in extra-personal space.

While the role of frontal and parietal cortex in spatial orientation has been studied extensively, the contribution of the basal ganglia and especially the subthalamic nucleus to spatial orientation remains less clear. Here we use subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) as a reversible model of functional lesioning to evaluate the influence of the STN in extra-personal space orientation. To this end, 12 PD patients were examined 1 year after implantation of DBS electrodes in the STN after overnight withdrawal of L-dopa.

Why do couples refuse or discontinue ART?

The first child born after in-vitro fertilisation, (IVF)-treatment, just passed its 26th birthday in July 2004. Since that birth-assisted reproduction techniques (ART) became a practicable technology, they had been used all over the world, and more than 2 million children were born after IVF-treatment. Despite all success in this field, ART is neither accepted nor used for all infertile couples, although this might be the only possibility of becoming pregnant.

Medical practitioners in outpatient care: who is interested in participating in EBM courses? Results of a representative postal survey in Germany.

We surveyed the attitudes of medical practitioners towards evidence-based medicine (EBM) and characterized those with an interest in participating in EBM courses. A random sample of 900 outpatient care doctors stratified by level and field of specialization was surveyed by means of a postal questionnaire. Importance of knowledge on information management, a positive attitude towards EBM and not yet doing critical appraisal were significant predictors of interest in participating in EBM courses.

Does my partner cause my allergy?

Background: The study of partners can help to understand the impact of environmental influences on the development of allergies. We aimed to test the hypothesis that subjects whose partners have hay fever are at increased risk for the same disease and that the risk increases with the time subjects live together with an affected partner.

Methods: A nested unmatched case-control study was performed in a random sample of 4261 inhabitants, aged 25-74 years, of the City of Augsburg, Germany, and two adjacent counties.

Medical management of endometriosis: a systematic review.

Endometriosis is an important clinical problem in routine practice. Besides the problems of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia and chronic abdominal pain, women with endometriosis are often infertile. We performed a systematic literature review on two issues: firstly, we clarified which medical treatment options have been investigated in prospective, randomized studies.

Love and death in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde--an epic anticholinergic crisis.

In Wagner's opera the main protagonists take a love potion, which has various side effects and possibly causes Isolde's death. Gunther Weitz argues that the symptoms fit with severe anticholinergic syndrome

Acute renal failure associated with tenofovir treatment in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

We report a case of acute renal failure due to proximal tubular necrosis associated with tenofovir treatment in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.