Associations between self-care advice and healing time in patients with venous leg ulcer- a Swedish registry-based study.

BACKGROUND: Venous leg ulcers take time to heal. It is advocated that physical activity plays a role in healing, and so does the patient's nutritional status. Additionally, malnutrition influences the inflammatory processes, which extends the healing time. Therefore, the staff's advising role is important for patient outcomes. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the associations between given self-care advice and healing time in patients with venous leg ulcers while controlling for demographic and ulcer-related factors. METHODS: The sample consisted of patients registered in the Registry of Ulcer Treatment (RUT) which includes patient and ulcer-related and healing variables. The data was analyzed with descriptive statistics. Logistic regression models were performed to investigate the influence of self-care advice on healing time. RESULTS: No associations between shorter healing time (less than 70 days) and the staff´s self-care advice on physical activity was identified, whilst pain (OR 1.90, CI 1.32-2.42, p < 0.001) and giving of nutrition advice (OR 1.55, CI 1.12-2.15, p = 0.009) showed an association with longer healing time. CONCLUSIONS: Neither self-care advice on nutrition and/or physical activity indicated to have a positive association with shorter healing time. However, information and counseling might not be enough. We emphasize the importance of continuously and systematically following up given advice throughout ulcer management, not only when having complicated ulcers.

Loss of pulp vitality correlated with the duration of the interim restoration and the experience of the dentist: A retrospective study.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The second most common biological complication in fixed prosthodontics is loss of pulp vitality, which may lead to restoration loss. While reasons for loss of pulp vitality are unclear, 2 potential contributing factors, duration of the interim restoration and operator experience, have not been fully investigated. PURPOSE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate whether the duration of the interim restoration or the experience of the dentist was correlated with loss of pulp vitality. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fixed prosthetic restorations placed between 2005 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Abutment teeth supporting single-unti or multiunit restorations were evaluated regarding loss of pulp vitality. The Mann-Whitney U test and simple logistic regression were used, with α=.05 for the subsequent multiple logistic regression. The experience of dental professionals was defined by the number of treatments performed and coupled with failure rate by using an analysis of variance. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-four dentists made 15 879 restorations, of which 1136 failed during the observation period, a failure rate of 7.2%. Two hundred fifty restorations were randomly selected from the failed restorations, and a corresponding 250 restorations were randomly selected from nonfailed restorations for the control group. Increased duration with interim replacement was linked to a higher risk of loss of pulp vitality (P<.001). Failure rate in the dentist group varied from 0% to 100%. No significant differences in failure rate were found among dentists who did few restorations and those who performed larger numbers of restorations. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that operator experience does not affect failure rate. However, extended time with an interim restoration was a contributing factor to the loss of pulp vitality.

The relationship between six-minute walked distance and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure.

Objectives. To assess the relationship between the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with chronic heart failure. Methods. Forty-six patients (37 men and 9 women) with chronic heart failure, mean age 68 (SD 9), NYHA II-III and EF 29 (9) % were included. They performed 6MWT and assessed HRQL using two tools, a Swedish version of the 36-item Short Form (SF-36) and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). This was performed repeatedly during a study period of one year. Results. Patients with a walking distance lower than median experienced a lower HRQL than the higher performing half of the cohort, in four dimensions of the SF-36 and the summary of physical and mental components, but not in the dimensions of MLHFQ. Conclusion. Patients with heart failure with a short walking distance assessed their quality of life as inferior in half of the dimensions in the SF-36 but not in the dimensions measured with the MLHFQ. Thus, different aspects of the symptomatology are uncovered using the 6MWT and the different HRQL tools.

Moderately trained male football players, compared to sedentary male adults, exhibit anatomical but not functional cardiac remodelling, a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Elite athletes have been the subject of great interest, but athletes at an intermediate level of physical activity have received less attention in respect to the presence of cardiac enlargement and/or hypertrophy. We hypothesized that playing football, often defined as demanding less endurance components than running or cycling, would still induce remodelling similar to sports with a dominating endurance component. METHODS: 23 male football players, age 25+/- 3.9 yrs. underwent exercise testing, 2D- and 3D- echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). The results were compared with a control group of engineering students of similar age. The athletes exercised 12 h/week and the control subjects 1 h/week, p < 0.001. RESULTS: The football players achieved a significantly higher maximal load at the exercise test (380 W vs 300 W, p < 0.001) as well as higher calculated maximal oxygen consumption, (49.7 vs 37.4 mL x kg- 1 x min- 1, p < 0.001) compared to the sedentary group. All left ventricular (LV) volumes assessed by 3DEcho and CMR, as well as CMR left atrial (LA) volume were significantly higher in the athletes (3D-LVEDV 200 vs 154 mL, CMR-LVEDV 229 vs 185 mL, CMR-LA volume 100 vs 89 mL, p < 0.001, p = 0.002 and p = 0.009 respectively). LVEF and RVEF, LV strain by CMR or by echo did not differentiate athletes from sedentary participants. Right ventricular (RV) longitudinal strain, LA and right atrial (RA) strain by CMR all showed similar results in the two groups. CONCLUSION: Moderately trained intermediate level football players showed anatomical but not functional cardiac remodelling compared to sedentary males.

Early childhood caries risk assessment in 1-year-olds evaluated at 6-years of age.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to identify caries risk factors in 1-year-olds predicting dentine caries in 6-year-olds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Caries risk assessment was performed in 804 one-year-olds. Their parents answered a questionnaire, regarding family factors, general health, food habits and oral hygiene. Clinical examinations and caries risk assessments at 1, 3 and 6 years of age were performed. Simple and multiple regression analyses were used for identification of caries-associated factors. RESULTS: Caries risk was found in 5% of the 1-year-olds, and 12% of the 3-year-olds. Dentine caries was found in 3% of the 3-year-olds and in 16% of the 6-year-olds. Caries risk assessment was associated with caries at 6 years of age (OR = 5.1, p < .001). Multiple logistic regression analysis found the following variables associated with caries at 6 years of age: Caries in sibling (OR = 2.1, p = .012), Beverage other than water (OR = 2.1, p < .001), Night meal (OR = 1.9, p = .002), Presence of mutans streptococci (MS) (OR = 1.6, p = .033) and Male gender (OR = 1.5, p = .053). An overall caries risk assessment was more reliable than any single caries risk factor. CONCLUSIONS: Caries risk assessment for 1-year-olds in a region with low caries prevalence has limited accuracy to predict dental caries at 6 years of age. Caries risk often changes over time and should be reassessed on a regularly basis. The presence of MS in 1-year-olds did not increase the prognostic accuracy at 6 years of age.

Modestly degraded microarchitecture and high serum levels of osteopontin in Swedish females with anorexia nervosa.

PURPOSE: Adult women with long-time anorexia nervosa (AN) are believed to have osteopenia (T-score ≤ 1.0) in 93 % and osteoporosis (T-score ≤ 2.5) in 38 %. Bone microarchitecture assessed by Trabecular Bone Score (TBS) predicts osteoporotic fractures. Our aim was to evaluate the microarchitecture in adult females with AN by determining TBS and to identify factors potentially associated with TBS, such as bone turnover markers. METHODS: 20 female patients with AN (DSM IV), aged 27.8 ± 4.4 years, BMI 16.6 ± 0.6 kg/m2 and duration of illness of 8.5 ± 5 years had previously been evaluated with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). TBS measurements were now obtained, using iNsight software, from spinal DXA images. Serum levels of bone turnover markers were determined in patients and healthy normal-weight controls. RESULTS: Compared to controls serum values of osteopontin were higher (p = 0.009). BMD in patients with AN was reduced by at least 1.0 SD at one or more skeletal sites in 65 % of patients and by at least 2.5 SD in 20 %. Only one of the patients (5%) had suffered a fracture. TBS (mean 1.35 ± 0.06; median 1.36 (1.23-1.44) was in the lower normal range (≥ 1.35). 40 % of patients showed partially (> 1.20 and < 1.35) but none showed a fully degraded micro-architecture. CONCLUSIONS: In Swedish AN patients we found a low reduction of BMD and fracture history. The bone microarchitecture, evaluated for the first time for this group by TBS, was only modestly compromised, and to a lesser extent than expected for this group of patients with AN. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V; cross-sectional descriptive study.

Complement activation in individuals with previous subclinical Lyme borreliosis and patients with previous Lyme neuroborreliosis.

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and infection may lead to not only a large variety of clinical manifestations but also a subclinical outcome. The aim of the present study was to investigate if there is a constitutional difference in complement activation between individuals with previous subclinical Lyme borreliosis (SB) and patients previously diagnosed with Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB).Lepirudin plasma for activation studies was collected from 60 SB individuals and from 22 patients pre-diagnosed with LNB. The plasma was incubated with live Borrelia spirochetes of two strains (complement sensitive B. garinii Lu59 and complement resistant B. afzelii ACA1).Complement factor C3 was measured in non-activated lepirudin plasma with immune-nephelometry and C3a and sC5b-9 generated during complement activation were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.We found that the complement sensitive Lu59 induced higher complement activation than the complement resistant ACA1 when measuring activation products C3a and sC5b-9 in SB and LNB patients, p < 0.0001. No significant difference was found between SB and LNB patients in systemic levels of C3. Furthermore, SB individuals generated a higher activation of C3 cleavage to C3a (C3a/C3 ratio) than LNB patients after activation with ACA1, p < 0.001, but no significant differences were found in response to Lu59. In conclusion, Lu59 induced higher complement activation than ACA1 and individuals with previous SB showed increased generation of C3a compared with patients with previous LNB. In our study population, this mechanism could lead to less elimination of spirochetes in LNB patients and thereby be a factor contributing to the clinical outcome.

Psychiatric symptoms among patients with acute abdominal pain.

Background: Abdominal pain is a common cause of visits to emergency facilities. It is related to psychiatric disorders in primary care, but it is unclear if this also holds in emergency departments.Objective: Is to explore potential differences between diagnostic groups in patients with acute abdominal pain in an emergency ward regarding concurrent somatic-and psychiatric symptoms, 'Length of stay' (LOS) and perceived health.Method: The patients (N = 137) were divided into three groups; organic dyspepsia, specific abdominal diagnoses, and non-specific abdominal pain. The Prime-MD results for extra gastrointestinal symptoms (outside the gastrointestinal tract), psychiatric symptoms, frequency of symptoms, self-reported health, and LOS within the month before admittance were compared between the diagnostic groups.Results: There was a significant positive correlation between the number of physical extra gastrointestinal and psychiatric symptoms (p < .001), especially regarding anxiety (p < .001) and depression (p = .002). Patients with organic dyspepsia reported significantly more total (p = .016), extragastrointestinal (p = .026) (chest pain; p = .017, dizziness; p = .004, palpitations; p = .005, insomnia; p = .005 and worries; p = .001), and summarized anxiety and depression symptoms (p = .001-0.002) besides poorer general health (p < .001) compared to other abdominal conditions. Also, organic dyspepsia patients needed longer hospital stay than the non-specific abdominal group (p = .002) but similar to the specific abdominal disorders group.Conclusion: Organic dyspepsia is accompanied by more co-occurring physical, anxiety and depression symptoms as well as poorer perceived health than other abdominal pain conditions and comparably increased LOS. This suggests that psychiatric consultations might be beneficial for diagnosing and treating psychiatric comorbidity in emergency care.

Assessing heart rate variability in type 1 diabetes mellitus-Psychosocial stress a possible confounder.

BACKGROUND: Autonomic neuropathy (AN) commonly arises as a long-term complication in diabetes mellitus and can be diagnosed from heart rate variability (HRV), calculated from electrocardiogram recordings. Psychosocial stress also affects HRV and could be one of several confounders for cardiac AN. The present work investigated the impact of psychosocial stress on HRV in individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and assessed the use of salivary cortisol as a biomarker for psychosocial stress in this context. METHODS: A total of 167 individuals 6-60 years old (113 with T1DM and 54 healthy controls) underwent 24-hr ECG recordings with HRV analysis. Salivary cortisol was sampled thrice during the registration day. Perceived psychosocial stress along with other factors of possible importance for the interpretation of HRV was documented in a diary. RESULTS: Heart rate variability (high-frequency power during sleep) was reduced (p < .05) with older age, longer diabetes duration, higher mean glucose levels, physical inactivity, and perceived psychosocial stress. Salivary cortisol levels in the evening were increased (p < .05) in women in ovulation phase, in individuals with preceding hypoglycemia or with hyperglycemia. The amplitude of salivary cortisol was reduced (p < .05) with the presence of perceived psychosocial stress, but only in adult healthy controls, not in individuals with diabetes. CONCLUSION: Psychosocial stress might be a confounder for reduced HRV when diagnosing cardiac AN in T1DM. Salivary cortisol is, however, not a useful biomarker for psychosocial stress in diabetes since the physiological stress of both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia seems to overrule the effect of psychosocial stress on cortisol.

Exercise capacity, physical activity, and health-related quality of life in adults with CHD.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess exercise capacity, physical activity, and health-related quality of life within a broad and unselected group of adults with CHD. DESIGN: From April 2009 to February 2014, 1310 patients were assessed for suitability to participate in this single-centre cross-sectional study. Seven hundred and forty-seven (57%) patients were included, performed a submaximal bicycle test, and answered questionnaires regarding physical activity and health-related quality of life. Exercise capacity, physical activity, and health-related quality of life were compared with reference values and correlations were studied. RESULTS: The exercise capacities of men and women with CHD were 58.7 and 66.3%, respectively, of reference values. Approximately, 20-25% of the patients did not achieve the recommended amount of physical activity. In addition, men scored significantly less points on 7 out of 10 scales of health-related quality of life and women in 6 out of 10 scales, compared with reference values. The strongest correlation was between exercise capacity and the Short Form-36 (physical function). CONCLUSIONS: Exercise capacity was impaired in all adults with CHD, including those with less complicated CHD. One-quarter of the patients did not achieve the recommended levels of physical activity. Exercise tests followed by individualised exercise prescriptions may be offered to all patients with CHD aiming to increase exercise capacity, levels of physical activity, improve health-related quality of life, and reduce the risk of acquired life-style diseases.

Impact of comorbidity on survival in peripheral T-cell lymphomas: A Swedish Lymphoma Registry study.

Comorbidity impacts survival in B-cell lymphoma patients, but the influence in peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) has been little studied. To investigate the impact of comorbidity on outcome in PTCL, we identified adult patients with newly diagnosed PTCL from 2000 to 2009 in the Swedish Lymphoma Registry. Data on comorbidity at diagnosis were retrospectively collected according to the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Comorbid conditions were present in 263 out of 694 (38%) patients. A CCI score of ≥2 was associated with inferior overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR] 1.63, P < .001) and progression-free survival (HR 1.54, P < .001) in multivariate analysis. In patients undergoing front-line autologous stem cell transplantation (auto SCT), CCI >0 was associated with inferior OS (HR 2.40, P = .013). Chemotherapy regimens were classified as curative or low-intensity treatments. Among patients aged ≥75 years (n = 214), low-intensity and curative treatment groups had similar OS (HR 0.8, P = .6), also when adjusted for CCI. In summary, our results demonstrate CCI to be independently associated with survival in PTCLs. Even limited comorbidity impacted survival after front-line auto SCT, which needs to be considered in treatment decisions. Intensive anthracycline-based chemotherapy in elderly PTCL patients might be of limited benefit.

Temperament and character in patients with acute abdominal pain.

BACKGROUND: Several conditions presenting with abdominal pain are associated with specific personality factors although it is unclear if this is true also in emergency clinic settings. OBJECTIVE: To study personality factors among patients with acute abdominal pain in an emergency ward. METHODS: Consecutive patients (N = 165) with abdominal symptoms at an emergency clinic were administrated the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Three main groups were identified; specific abdominal diagnoses, (N = 77), non-specific abdominal pain, (N = 67) and organic dyspepsia (N = 21). TCI results were compared between clinical groups and a control group (N = 122). RESULTS: As compared to individuals with specific abdominal diagnoses and controls, those with organic dyspepsia were significantly more anxious (harm avoidance), (p = 0.003), and had lower ability to cooperate (cooperativeness) (p = 0.048 and p = 0.004 respectively). They were also significantly more unpretentious (self-transcendence) compared to individuals with specific abdominal diagnoses (p = 0.048), non-specific abdominal pain (p = 0.012) and controls (p = 0.004) and evidenced less mature character (sum of self-directedness and cooperativeness) compared to those with specific abdominal diagnoses and controls (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Individuals seeking care at an emergency clinic with organic dyspepsia showed a distinguishable pattern of personality features that distinguished them from the other comparison groups. Therefore an evaluation of personality factors may add a new dimension to the diagnostic investigation in the emergency care of abdominal pain and contribute to the optimization of the treatment of organic dyspepsia.

Feto-maternal osmotic balance at term. A prospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE: We performed the present study to investigate the feto-maternal osmotic relationship at term with the hypothesis that, in contrast to the literature, maternal plasma osmolality is lower than fetal levels. In a previous study, we found that maternal plasma sodium at delivery was consistently lower than the sodium in the umbilical artery. Our aim was to corroborate these results with analysis of osmolality. METHODS: Blood was sampled from 30 women immediately before cesarean section and from the umbilical artery and vein before cord clamping and osmolality, sodium and albumin were analyzed. RESULTS: Maternal osmolality was (mean; 95% confidence interval) 287.0 (285.8-288.2) mOsmkg/kg, arterial cord osmolality was 289.4 (287.9-291.0) mOsm/kg and venous cord osmolality was 287.3 (286.0-288.5) mOsm/kg. The paired difference between maternal and umbilical arterial osmolality was mean (SD) -2.4 (3.3) mOsm/kg (P<0.001), between maternal and umbilical vein -0.3 (3.0) mOsm/kg (P=0.63) and between umbilical artery and vein -2.1 (2.8) mOsm/kg (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Maternal osmolality was significantly lower than arterial cord osmolality confirming our previous results. The feto-maternal osmotic gradient favors water transport from the mother to the fetus and may increase the fetal risk of water intoxication when the mother ingests or is administered large volumes of electrolyte free solutions.

Directly measured free 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels show no evidence of vitamin D deficiency in young Swedish women with anorexia nervosa.

PURPOSE: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by low fat mass complicated by osteoporosis. The role of circulating vitamin D in the development of bone loss in AN is unclear. Fat mass is known to be inversely associated with vitamin D levels measured as serum levels of total, protein-bound 25-hydroxyvitamin D, but the importance of directly measured, free levels of 25(OH)D has not been determined in AN. The aim of this study was to investigate vitamin D status, as assessed by serum concentrations of total and free serum 25(OH)D in patients with AN and healthy controls. METHODS: In female AN patients (n = 20), and healthy female controls (n = 78), total 25(OH)D was measured by LC-MS/MS, and free 25(OH)D with ELISA. In patients with AN bone mineral density (BMD) was determined with DEXA. RESULTS: There were no differences between patients and controls in total or free S-25(OH)D levels (80 ± 31 vs 72 ± 18 nmol/L, and 6.5 ± 2.5 vs 5.6 ± 1.8 pg/ml, respectively), and no association to BMD was found. In the entire group of patients and controls, both vitamin D parameters correlated with BMI, leptin, and PTH. CONCLUSIONS: The current study did not demonstrate a vitamin D deficiency in patients with AN and our data does not support vitamin D deficiency as a contributing factor to bone loss in AN. Instead, we observed a trend toward higher vitamin D levels in AN subjects compared to controls. Measurement of free vitamin D levels did not contribute to additional information.

Erythrocyte fatty acid composition does not influence levels of free, bioavailable, and total 25-hydroxy vitamin D.

In vitro, mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs) may decrease the binding affinity of vitamin D metabolites for vitamin D-binding protein, which in turn may influence their bioavailability. FAs incorporated as phospholipids in erythrocyte (ery-) cell membranes reflect dietary intake. The purpose of this study was to investigate ery-FA composition in relation to markers for vitamin D. In healthy females (age 22.6 ± 2.0 years) total 25(OH)D was measured by LC-MS/MS (n = 78), free 25(OH)D with ELISA (n = 64 of 78), and bioavailable 25(OH)D was calculated. Analysis of ery-FA composition was by gas chromatography (n = 56 of 78). A strong correlation between total 25(OH)D and free 25(OH)D was seen (r = .66, p < .001), and between total-25(OH)D and bioavailable 25(OH)D (r = .68, p < .001). No correlations between 25(OH)D fractions and specific fatty acids were found, and in particular, no associations with mono- and poly-unsaturated FA compositions. All 25(OH)D fractions were correlated with leptin (total 25(OH)D (r = -.33, p < .003); bioavailable 25(OH)D (r = -.47, p < .001); free 25(OH)D (r = -.44, p < .001). Associations were found between PTH and total 25(OH)D (r = -.35, p = .002) and weaker between bioavailable 25(OH)D (r = -.35, p = .040) and free 25(OH)D (r = -.28, p = .079). All fractions of 25(OH)D appear to correlate in a similar way to PTH, BMI and body fat (leptin). No association was found between ery-FA composition and free/bioavailable 25(OH)D. It is unlikely that FAs are a strong uncoupling factor of DBP-bound 25(OH)D.

Minimally important change, measurement error, and responsiveness for the Self-Reported Foot and Ankle Score.

Background and purpose - Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used to evaluate results in orthopedic surgery. To enhance good responsiveness with a PROM, the minimally important change (MIC) should be established. MIC reflects the smallest measured change in score that is perceived as being relevant by the patients. We assessed MIC for the Self-reported Foot and Ankle Score (SEFAS) used in Swedish national registries. Patients and methods - Patients with forefoot disorders (n = 83) or hindfoot/ankle disorders (n = 80) completed the SEFAS before surgery and 6 months after surgery. At 6 months also, a patient global assessment (PGA) scale-as external criterion-was completed. Measurement error was expressed as the standard error of a single determination. MIC was calculated by (1) median change scores in improved patients on the PGA scale, and (2) the best cutoff point (BCP) and area under the curve (AUC) using analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs). Results - The change in mean summary score was the same, 9 (SD 9), in patients with forefoot disorders and in patients with hindfoot/ankle disorders. MIC for SEFAS in the total sample was 5 score points (IQR: 2-8) and the measurement error was 2.4. BCP was 5 and AUC was 0.8 (95% CI: 0.7-0.9). Interpretation - As previously shown, SEFAS has good responsiveness. The score change in SEFAS 6 months after surgery should exceed 5 score points in both forefoot patients and hindfoot/ankle patients to be considered as being clinically relevant.

Phase analysis detects heterogeneity of myocardial deformation on cine MRI.

OBJECTIVES: Myocardial scar will lead to heterogeneous left ventricular deformation. We hypothesized that a myocardial scar will display an elevated standard deviation (SD) of phase and that this effect could be compared with mechanical dispersion. DESIGN: Thirty patients (three women and 27 men) were investigated over 4-8 weeks after ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. Seventeen had a scar area > 75% in at least one antero- or inferoseptal segment (scar) and 13 had a scar area < 1% (non-scar). The phase delays of velocity, displacement, and strain were measured in the longitudinal direction, tangential to the endocardial outline, and in the radial direction, perpendicular to the tangent. RESULTS: The SD of phase in radial measurements differentiated scar patients from those without scar (p < 0.01), while longitudinal measurements did so only for longitudinal strain. Likewise, the SD for radial measurements of time to peak for segmental velocity, displacement, and strain performed better than longitudinal measurements and equal to the results of phase. CONCLUSION: Phase dispersion in deformation imaging may be used for detecting heterogeneous left ventricular contraction.

Antibiotic prescribing in primary care by international medical graduates and graduates from Swedish medical schools.

BACKGROUND: Studies of antibiotic prescribing related to diagnosis comparing prescribers trained abroad with those trained in Sweden are lacking. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether general practices (GPs) and GP residents trained abroad had different prescribing patterns for antibiotics for common infections than those trained in Sweden using retrospective data from electronic patient records from primary health care in Kalmar County, Sweden. METHODS: Consultations with an infection diagnosis, both with and without the prescription of antibiotics to 67 GPs and residents trained in Western Europe outside Sweden and other countries, were compared with a matched control group trained in Sweden. RESULTS: For 1 year, 44101 consultations of patients with an infection diagnosis and 16276 prescriptions of antibiotics were registered. Foreign-trained physicians had 20% more visits compared with physicians trained in Sweden. The prescription of antibiotics per visit and physician in the respective groups, and independent of diagnosis, did not significantly differ between groups, when scaled down from number of consultations to number of prescribing physicians. CONCLUSIONS: There were minor and non-significant differences in antibiotic prescribing comparing GPs and residents trained abroad and in Sweden, most likely the result of an adaptation to Swedish conditions. Nevertheless, no group prescribed antibiotics in accordance to national guidelines. The results suggest that interventions are needed to reduce irrational antibiotic prescribing patterns, targeting all physicians working in Swedish primary health care.

Problem-based self-care groups versus cognitive behavioural therapy for persons on sick leave due to common mental disorders: a randomised controlled study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the interventional capacity of problem based method groups (PBM) regarding mental health and work ability compared to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for persons on sick leave due to common mental disorders. METHODS: In a randomised controlled design the experimental group received PBM and the control group received CBT. Outcomes were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Stress and Crisis Inventory 93 (SCI-93) and the Dialogue about Working Ability instrument (DOA). RESULTS: Twenty-two participants in the PBM group and 28 in the CBT group completed intervention. Both groups showed significant lower scores on the two HADS subscales. Regarding stress the PBM group showed significant decrease in one (out of three) subscales of SCI-93. The CBT group showed significant decrease on all subscales of SCI-93. Regarding work ability the PBM group showed significant higher scores on one of five subscales of DOA. The CBT group showed significant higher scores on four of five subscales of DOA. Between groups there were significant differences to the favour of CBT on one of two subscales of HADS, all three subscales of SCI-93 and on two of the five subscales of DOA. CONCLUSION: PBM seem to be able to reduce anxiety- and depression symptoms. CBT showed to be superior to PBM in reducing symptoms in all aspects of mental health, except for anxiety, in which they seem equally effective. Regarding work ability CBT showed to be superior, with significant effect on more aspects compared to PBM.

Cumulated time with low bispectral index values is not related to the risk of new cancer or death within 5 years after surgery in patients with previous or prevailing malignancy.

BACKGROUND: Preclinical data indicate that anesthesia and surgery may promote cancer growth. We previously found no increased risk of malignant disease within 5 years regarding duration of general anesthesia (TANESTH) and time with Bispectral Index (BIS) under 45 (TBIS < 45) in patients without any diagnosis or history of malignancy before or within 1 month after surgery. Because immunocompetence may be different in patients with previous malignant disease, we investigated the corresponding risk in patients with earlier or existing malignant disease at the time of surgery. METHODS: In a prospective cohort of 766 BIS-monitored patients anesthetized with sevoflurane, new malignant diagnoses and death within 5 years after surgery were retrieved. Cox regression was used to assess the risk of new cancer and all-cause death during follow-up in relation to (TANESTH) and (TBIS <45). RESULT: Fifty-one patients (6.7%) were assigned 54 new malignant diagnoses within 5 years after surgery. Cancer surgery comprised 387 (51%) of the index operations. Two hundred ninety-three (38 %) of the patients died during follow-up. No relation between TANESTH or TBIS <45 and new malignant disease (hazard ratio [HR] 0.64-1.11 and 0.76-1.30, respectively) or death was found (HR 0.85-1.05 and 0.94-1.16, respectively). Nor were any corresponding significant relations obtained when other thresholds for BIS (i.e., < 30, 40, and 50, respectively) were investigated. CONCLUSION: In patients with previous or existing malignant disease, neither duration of anesthesia nor increased cumulative time with profound sevoflurane anesthesia was associated with an increased risk for new cancer or death within 5 years after surgery. Monitoring "depth of anesthesia" is not expected to alter the risk of cancer proliferation after surgery.