Introduction of Chlamydia trachomatis screening for young women in Germany.

Screening for genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections for young sexually active women was incorporated into routine medical care of German statutory health insured patients starting in January 2008. The primary goal of this new preventive measure is the reduction of severe sequelae for women such as tubal infertility and ectopic pregnancies. The course of the deliberations leading to the Federal Joint Committee's decision is summarized in this review.

The Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as a glucose tolerance disorder that arises during pregnancy. Estimates of its prevalence vary widely because of varying threshold values. Screening of all pregnant women with a two-step test has been available in Germany since 2012. This study is the first population-based, nationwide analysis of the screening coverage and the resulting one-year prevalence. METHODS: Billing data from the outpatient sector were analyzed for all persons covered by statutory health insurance in the two-year period 2014-2015. A cohort of pregnant women, constructed by using pregnancy care billing data, was studied with respect to the screening coverage. The prevalence of GDM was determined from the use of the corresponding ICD-10-GM codes. RESULTS: 80.8% of 567 191 pregnant women were screened for GDM. Most of them (63.3%) received only the pre-test, and 12.7% received both the pre-test and the diagnostic test. 4.8% received only the diagnostic test. The overall prevalence of GDM was 13.2%. The prevalence rose with age, from 8% to 26% in women aged 45 or older. Younger women more commonly received only the pre-test; the frequency of receiving both tests rose with age. CONCLUSION: Screening for GDM is comprehensively implemented. The analysis of billing data reveals a relatively high prevalence that accords with estimates in other countries, implying that earlier prevalence figures for Germany were probably underestimates.

[A pilot study to evaluate the DMP for coronary heart disease - Development of a methodology and first results]. / Pilotstudie zur Evaluation des DMP Koronare Herzkrankheit - Entwicklung einer Methodik und erste Ergebnisse.

Regarding the effectiveness of disease management programs (DMPs) in Germany, several studies have been published on the DMP for type 2 diabetes. This pilot study provides methodological insights into evaluating the DMP for coronary heart disease (CHD), which currently includes 1.7 million participants, and reveals trends in healthcare outcomes for mortality, guideline adherent prescribing and costs. Major methodological challenges that need to be considered for the development of an appropriate matching method for this indication have been identified. The results show positive trends in favor of the DMP regarding mortality, costs and medication according to guidelines. A matching design is applicable to the CHD indication; the knowledge gained regarding the quality of care can be used for a targeted development of the program.

The risk of malformation following assisted reproduction.

INTRODUCTION: Intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI) is currently the most frequently used human reproductive technology in Germany. ICSI was introduced as routine, insurance-funded medical care in 2002 by the Federal Joint Committee. A re-evaluation of published literature on malformation rates in children born of ICSI pregnancies within a period of three years formed part of the committee's decision. The analysis investigated whether ICSI increases the risk of malformation in the offspring, compared to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and natural conception. METHODS: Systematic literature review. RESULTS: 929 studies were identified. Three meta-analyses, 15 studies investigating malformations, and 12 studies analyzing imprinting disorders were included. The risk of malformation was not significantly different in nine studies comparing ICSI versus IVF. Two meta-analyses and three of eight cohort studies and retrospective analysis showed significantly more severe malformations after assisted reproduction than after natural conception. The remaining five studies displayed no significant results. Current evidence does not show a higher risk of major malformations in the offspring resulting from the use of ICSI compared to IVF. However, there is evidence that both techniques increase the risk for major malformations considerably, compared to natural conception, and further research is needed. The validity of the results is low since the studies were heterogeneous and the cohorts used in the studies had limited comparability.