Clinical and healthcare burden of disease associated with cytomegalovirus in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation - A retrospective single-center study.

BACKGROUND: CMV infection is a common complication in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We investigated the association of clinically significant CMV (CS-CMV) infection with clinical outcomes and healthcare resource utilization in allogeneic HSCT patients in Finland. METHODS: This retrospective study included adult patients who received their first allogeneic HSCT between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2018, at the Turku University Hospital. Data were collected from the hospital data lake. Clinical and healthcare outcomes were investigated at one year and mortality up to three years. RESULTS: The study included 251 patients. CMV seroprevalence was 69.7%. CS-CMV infection occurred in 59.0% of the patients, and of those, 14.2% had ≥2 infections. The median time to CS-CMV infection was 34.5 days (Q1 -Q3 , 27.0-45.0). Recipient and donor seropositivity, and lymphoproliferative diseases were associated with higher, and HLA identical sibling donors with lower CS-CMV infection risk. CS-CMV infection was not associated with mortality in three years of follow-up. One hundred thirty-three (89.8%) and 75 (72.8%) patients with and without CS-CMV infection, respectively, were readmitted to the hospital. Patients with CS-CMV infection had more hospital readmissions (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10-1.73, p = .005) and patients with one CS-CMV infection (IRR 1.48, 95% CI 1.12-1.94, p = .005) or ≥2 infections had longer length of hospital stay (IRR 2.71, 95% CI 1.76-4.35, p < .001). CONCLUSION: CMV seroprevalence is relatively high among Finnish allogeneic HSCT patients. CS-CMV infection was common and associated with a higher readmission rate and longer length of hospital stay.

Arthroscopic Bankart versus open Latarjet as a primary operative treatment for traumatic anteroinferior instability in young males: a randomised controlled trial with 2-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the success rates of arthroscopic Bankart and open Latarjet procedure in the treatment of traumatic shoulder instability in young males. DESIGN: Multicentre randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Orthopaedic departments in eight public hospitals in Finland. PARTICIPANTS: 122 young males, mean age 21 years (range 16-25 years) with traumatic shoulder anteroinferior instability were randomised. INTERVENTIONS: Arthroscopic Bankart (group B) or open Latarjet (group L) procedure. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was the reported recurrence of instability, that is, dislocation at 2-year follow-up. The secondary outcome measures included clinical apprehension, sports activity level, the Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index, the pain Visual Analogue Scale, the Oxford Shoulder Instability Score, the Constant Score and the Subjective Shoulder Value scores and the progression of osteoarthritic changes in plain films and MRI. RESULTS: 91 patients were available for analyses at 2-year follow-up (drop-out rate 25%). There were 10 (21%) patients with redislocations in group B and 1 (2%) in group L, p=0.006. One (9%) patient in group B and five (56%) patients in group L returned to their previous top level of competitive sports (p=0.004) at follow-up. There was no statistically significant between group differences in any of the other secondary outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopic Bankart operation carries a significant risk for short-term postoperative redislocations compared with open Latarjet operation, in the treatment of traumatic anteroinferior instability in young males. Patients should be counselled accordingly before deciding the surgical treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01998048.

Operative versus conservative treatment of small, nontraumatic supraspinatus tears in patients older than 55 years: over 5-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Nontraumatic rotator cuff tear is a common shoulder problem that can be treated either conservatively or operatively. In the previous publications of the 1- and 2-year results of this trial, we found no significant between-group clinical differences. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in mid-term clinical and radiologic outcomes in patients older than 55 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred eighty shoulders with symptomatic, nontraumatic supraspinatus tears were randomly assigned to 1 of the 3 cumulatively designed treatment groups: physiotherapy (group 1); acromioplasty and physiotherapy (group 2); and rotator cuff repair, acromioplasty, and physiotherapy (group 3). The change in the Constant score was the primary outcome measure. The secondary outcome measures were the change in the visual analog scale score for pain and patient satisfaction. Radiologic analysis included evaluation of glenohumeral osteoarthritis (OA) and rotator cuff tear arthropathy (CTA). RESULTS: A total of 150 shoulders (mean age, 71 years) were available for analysis after a mean follow-up period of 6.2 years. The mean sagittal tear size of the supraspinatus tendon tear at baseline was 10 mm in all groups (P = .33). During follow-up, 8 shoulders in group 1 and 2 shoulders in group 2 crossed over to rotator cuff repair. The mean baseline Constant score was 57.1, 58.2, and 58.7 in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P = .85). There were no significant differences (P = .84) in the mean change in the Constant score: 18.5 in group 1, 17.9 in group 2, and 20.0 in group 3. There were no statistically significant differences in the change in the visual analog scale pain score (P = .74) and patient satisfaction (P = .83). At follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences in the mean progression of glenohumeral OA (P = .538) or CTA (P = .485) among the groups. However, the mean progression of glenohumeral OA from baseline to follow-up was statistically significant in the trial population (P = .0045). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of this study, operative treatment is no better than conservative treatment regarding small, nontraumatic, single-tendon supraspinatus tears in patients older than 55 years. Operative treatment does not protect against degeneration of the glenohumeral joint or CTA. Conservative treatment is a reasonable option for the primary initial treatment of these tears.

Qualitative and Quantitative Reporting of a Unique Biparametric MRI: Towards Biparametric MRI-Based Nomograms for Prediction of Prostate Biopsy Outcome in Men With a Clinical Suspicion of Prostate Cancer (IMPROD and MULTI-IMPROD Trials).

BACKGROUND: Multiparametric MRI of the prostate has been shown to improve the risk stratification of men with an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA). However, long acquisition time, high cost, and inter-center/reader variability of a routine prostate multiparametric MRI limit its wider adoption. PURPOSE: To develop and validate nomograms based on unique rapid biparametric MRI (bpMRI) qualitative and quantitative derived variables for prediction of clinically significant cancer (SPCa). STUDY TYPE: Retrospective analyses of single (IMPROD, NCT01864135) and multiinstitution trials (MULTI-IMPROD, NCT02241122). POPULATION: 161 and 338 prospectively enrolled men who completed the IMPROD and MULTI-IMPROD trials, respectively. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: IMPROD bpMRI: 3T/1.5T, T2 -weighted imaging, three separate diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) acquisitions: 1) b-values 0, 100, 200, 300, 500 s/mm2 ; 2) b values 0, 1500 s/mm2 ; 3) values 0, 2000 s/mm2 . ASSESSMENT: The primary endpoint of the combined trial analysis was the diagnostic accuracy of the combination of IMPROD bpMRI and clinical variables for detection of SPCa. STATISTICAL TESTS: Logistic regression models were developed using IMPROD trial data and validated using MULTI-IMPROD trial data. The model's performance was expressed as the area under the curve (AUC) values for the detection of SPCa, defined as ISUP Gleason Grade Group ≥2. RESULTS: A model incorporating clinical variables had an AUC (95% confidence interval) of 0.83 (0.77-0.89) and 0.80 (0.75-0.85) in the development and validation cohorts, respectively. The corresponding values for a model using IMPROD bpMRI findings were 0.93 (0.89-0.97), and 0.88 (0.84-0.92), respectively. Further addition of the quantitative DWI-based score did not improve AUC values (P < 0.05). DATA CONCLUSION: A prediction model using qualitative IMPROD bpMRI findings demonstrated high accuracy for predicting SPCa in men with an elevated PSA. Online risk calculator: http://petiv.utu.fi/multiimprod/ Level of Evidence: 1 Technical Efficacy Stage: 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:1556-1567.

Effectiveness of supervised physiotherapy after arthroscopic rotator cuff reconstruction: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The benefit of supervised physiotherapy after rotator cuff surgery is unclear. The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to assess the effectiveness of supervised physiotherapy after arthroscopic rotator cuff reconstruction. METHODS: Eighty patients with full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tears were randomly assigned to either supervised physiotherapy or home exercises only. The primary outcome measure was the Constant score at 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients were available for analyses at 1-year follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences in the primary outcome between the treatment groups. CONCLUSION: Supervised physiotherapy after arthroscopic rotator cuff reconstruction does not provide additional benefit compared with home exercises alone at 1-year follow-up.

Validation of IMPROD biparametric MRI in men with clinically suspected prostate cancer: A prospective multi-institutional trial.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with targeted biopsy (TB) is increasingly used in men with clinically suspected prostate cancer (PCa), but the long acquisition times, high costs, and inter-center/reader variability of routine multiparametric prostate MRI limit its wider adoption. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The aim was to validate a previously developed unique MRI acquisition and reporting protocol, IMPROD biparametric MRI (bpMRI) (NCT01864135), in men with a clinical suspicion of PCa in a multi-institutional trial (NCT02241122). IMPROD bpMRI has average acquisition time of 15 minutes (no endorectal coil, no intravenous contrast use) and consists of T2-weighted imaging and 3 separate diffusion-weighed imaging acquisitions. Between February 1, 2015, and March 31, 2017, 364 men with a clinical suspicion of PCa were enrolled at 4 institutions in Finland. Men with an equivocal to high suspicion (IMPROD bpMRI Likert score 3-5) of PCa had 2 TBs of up to 2 lesions followed by a systematic biopsy (SB). Men with a low to very low suspicion (IMPROD bpMRI Likert score 1-2) had only SB. All data and protocols are freely available. The primary outcome of the trial was diagnostic accuracy-including overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value-of IMPROD bpMRI for clinically significant PCa (SPCa), which was defined as a Gleason score ≥ 3 + 4 (Gleason grade group 2 or higher). In total, 338 (338/364, 93%) prospectively enrolled men completed the trial. The accuracy and NPV of IMPROD bpMRI for SPCa were 70% (113/161) and 95% (71/75) (95% CI 87%-98%), respectively. Restricting the biopsy to men with equivocal to highly suspicious IMPROD bpMRI findings would have resulted in a 22% (75/338) reduction in the number of men undergoing biopsy while missing 4 (3%, 4/146) men with SPCa. The main limitation is uncertainty about the true PCa prevalence in the study cohort, since some of the men may have PCa despite having negative biopsy findings. CONCLUSIONS: IMPROD bpMRI demonstrated a high NPV for SPCa in men with a clinical suspicion of PCa in this prospective multi-institutional clinical trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02241122.

Risks and prevalence of pressure ulcers among patients in an acute hospital in Finland.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify pressure ulcer (PU) prevalence and to describe and identify the PU risk factors in acute hospital wards. METHOD: A descriptive quantitative study was performed in 13 wards in a central hospital in Finland. The study included PU risk evaluation using the Braden risk assessment method, and full skin and medical assessment of consenting adult patients. Patients in paediatric, maternity and psychiatric wards, and in the intensive care unit were excluded. Patient's PUs were examined on the ward, and evaluated and classified using the international European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP/NPUAP) Pressure Ulcer Classification System. Demographic data, the Braden risk assessment scale, skin assessment, and the location and severity of PUs were also recorded. RESULTS: A sample of 229 inpatients was examined for signs of PUs on one day in 2013. The overall PU prevalence was 8.7% (20 patients). Of those assessed as 'at risk of developing PUs', four patients (1.7%) were considered at 'very high risk', 39 patients (17.0%) at 'high risk', and 60 patients (26.2%) with a 'moderate risk'. The patient's age and length of treatment period were associated with PU risk, while only length of treatment period was associated with PU prevalence. Older patients had a higher risk of PUs than younger ones. The longer the hospital stay, the higher the PU risk was. In addition, patients with a long hospital stay more often had a PU. CONCLUSION: According to the study, PUs occur with significant frequency in acute hospital wards. It is important to carry out PU prevention actions among all patient groups, but risk increases among older patients and those who, for any reason, stay in hospital for a longer period of time.

Novel biparametric MRI and targeted biopsy improves risk stratification in men with a clinical suspicion of prostate cancer (IMPROD Trial).

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of a 3T biparametric magnetic resonance imaging (bpMRI), T2 -weighted imaging, and three separate diffusion-weighted imaging acquisitions combined with targeted biopsy (TB) for improving risk stratification of men with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 2013 and February 2015, 175 men with a clinical suspicion of prostate cancer (PCa) were offered bpMRI (NCT01864135) based on a suspicion of PCa (two repeated PSA measurements in the range 2.5-20.0 ng/ml and/or abnormal digital rectal examination). Men with an equivocal to high suspicion of PCa had two TBs of the dominant lesion using cognitive ultrasound guidance, followed by systematic biopsy (SB). Men with a low to very low suspicion had only SB. In total, 161 (161/175, 92%) prospectively enrolled men completed the trial and were included in the final analyses. The primary endpoint of the trial was the cancer detection rate (CDR) of TB and SB. Clinically significant cancer (SPCa) was defined as Gleason score ≥3 + 4. RESULTS: TB compared with SB had higher CDR for SPCa (45%, 72/161 vs. 39%, 63/161, respectively; P > 0.05) and a lower CDR for Gleason score 3 + 3 (8%, 15/161 vs. 16%, 30/161; P < 0.05). Restricting biopsy to men with equivocal to highly suspicious bpMRI findings would have resulted in a 24% (38/161) reduction in the number of men undergoing biopsy, while missing 4 (2%) with SPCa. All anonymized datasets, including bpMRI reports and follow up information, are freely available on the trial server. CONCLUSION: Prebiopsy bpMRI and TB in men with a clinical suspicion of PCa improved risk stratification. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 5 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1089-1095.

Lyme Borreliosis and Deficient Mannose-Binding Lectin Pathway of Complement.

Risk factors for the widely endemic and much-debated tick-borne infection, Lyme borreliosis (LB), are unknown. The mannose-binding lectin (MBL) pathway of the complement cascade has an essential role in the eradication of Borrelia burgdorferi. A sufficient concentration of biologically active MBL in body fluids is an indicator of proper function of the MBL pathway. In this study, we investigated whether impaired MBL pathway function, represented by reduced serum MBL concentration, predisposes individuals to LB. First, we determined a serum MBL concentration cut-off level associated with diminished MBL pathway function in a group of 201 individuals. Then, we identified 350 borrelia Ab+ LB patient serum samples and 350 Ab- control samples from the archives of our laboratory and measured serum MBL concentrations in both sample groups. The concentration data were analyzed statistically using logistic regression, controlling for MBL cut-off, age, gender, and age and gender interaction. Serum MBL concentrations < 787 and < 445 ng/ml were associated with diminished and deficient MBL pathway function, respectively. Using these cut-offs, diminished (41.4 versus 27.4%, p = 0.0027) and deficient (26.3 versus 17.1%, p = 0.0361) MBL pathway functions were observed statistically more frequently in the LB patient samples than in the control samples. Also, the age-adjusted median serum MBL concentrations were significantly lower in the LB patient samples than in the non-LB controls. Our findings indicate that a deficiency in the MBL pathway of the complement cascade is a risk factor for developing disseminated Ab+ LB.

Admission sodium level and prognosis in adult Guillain-Barré syndrome.

PURPOSE: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) varies in severity and outcome. Hyponatremia predicts poor outcome but previous studies have used divergent methodology and (pseudo)hyponatremia caused by intravenous immunoglobulin administration may confound analysis. We studied if the plasma sodium level at admission was associated with GBS outcome. METHODS: All 69 patients at least 16 years of age treated for GBS in Turku University Hospital in 2004-2013 were included in the study. Clinical information was obtained from patient charts. RESULTS: Women had lower sodium levels at admission (138; IQR 135, 140) compared to men (140; IQR 138, 142; p = 0.0116) but no association of sodium levels with demographics, pre-hospital variables or basic GBS characteristics was found. Multivariate analyses showed lower admission sodium levels to be associated with worse functional status at one year from disease onset (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.07-1.76; p = 0.0136) and probability of being discharged to another care facility from the hospital (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.05-1.64; p = 0.0180) but not associated with need of intensive care unit care (p = 0.09) or mechanical ventilation (p = 0.45), length of hospital stay (p =0.48) or functional status at six months (p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Low plasma sodium level at admission is associated with a more severe disease course and a worse outcome in GBS independently of previously identified prognostic factors. Hyponatremia does not, however, appear to be caused by disease-specific factors.

Cerebrospinal fluid cytokines in Lyme neuroborreliosis.

BACKGROUND: Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is one of the manifestations of Lyme disease. Although it is known that immune reaction of LNB patients is dominated by Th1 and Th2 responses and patients have elevated numbers of B cells in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), not all the cells involved in inflammation and cytokine secretion have been characterized. The current diagnostics of LNB is based on intrathecal production of antibodies. In recent years, the measurement of chemokine CXCL13 concentration from the CSF has been introduced as a new promising diagnostic tool for LNB to complement the antibody-based diagnostic methods. A few other cytokines have also been analyzed as possible diagnostic markers. However, multiplex analyses simultaneously evaluating the concentrations of a large number of different cytokines in the CSF of LNB patients have been lacking thus far. Extensive cytokine profiling CSF samples of LNB patients would also help in understanding the complex immunopathogenesis of LNB. METHODS: CSF samples were analyzed from 43 LNB patients, 19 controls, 18 tick-borne encephalitis patients, and 31 multiple sclerosis patients. In addition, CSF samples from 23 LNB patients obtained after the antibiotic treatment were examined. Altogether, the concentrations of 49 different cytokines were determined from all of the samples. The concentrations of 48 different cytokines were analyzed by magnetic bead suspension array using the Bio-Plex Pro Human Cytokine 21- and 27-plex panels, and the concentration of CXCL13 was analyzed by an ELISA based method. RESULTS: Distinct cytokine profiles which were able to distinguish LNB patients from controls, tick-borne encephalitis patients, multiple sclerosis patients, and LNB patients treated with antibiotics were identified. LNB patients had elevated concentrations of all major T helper cell type cytokines (Th1, Th2, Th9, Th17, and Treg) in their CSF. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the great differences in the CSF cytokine profiles of different patient groups, CXCL13 still remained as the best marker for LNB. However, IL-1ra might also be helpful as a marker for the antibiotic treatment response. Concerning the immunopathogenesis, this is the first report suggesting the involvement of Th9 cells in the immune response of LNB.

Finding specific 10-joint Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score (JADAS10) and clinical JADAS10 cut-off values for disease activity levels in non-systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a Finnish multicentre study.

OBJECTIVES: To establish the cut-off values for inactive disease, as well as low disease activity (LDA), moderate disease activity (MDA) and high disease activity (HDA) in non-systemic JIA based on the Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score (JADAS) and assessed with the 10-joint JADAS (JADAS10) and clinical JADAS10 (cJADAS10). METHODS: In a multicentre cross-sectional study consisting of ∼20% of all patients with JIA in Finland (n = 509), we obtained data on their most recent registered visits between January 2013 and January 2014. We calculated the JADAS10 and cJADAS10 and established the cut-off values of both of these scores using two different receiver operating characteristics-based statistical methods. RESULTS: Of the 509 patients studied, 65.8% were females and 53.8% had polyarticular disease. The most suitable method for determining cut-off values was the Youden index. In oligoarticular patients, a JADAS10 score of 0-0.5 represented inactive disease, 0.6-2.7 LDA and ≥2.8 MDA. In polyarticular disease, a JADAS10 score of 0-0.7 represented inactive disease, 0.8-3.9 LDA and ≥4.0 MDA. The cut-off values for HDA were not possible to establish because only two visits fulfilled HDA criteria. CONCLUSION: We established cut-off values for LDA and MDA. A reliable definition for HDA will require more patients. In the clinical setting, both the cJADAS10 and JADAS10 serve equally well both for research and quality control purposes. In the future, uniform clinical disease activity levels should be established. We also suggest revising and validating the criteria for HDA. Valid and robust cut-off values for disease activity levels can guide both clinicians and researchers and equip them for quality control.

Clinical and laboratory findings in the diagnosis of right lower quadrant abdominal pain: outcome analysis of the APPAC trial.

BACKGROUND: The current research on acute appendicitis aims to improve the diagnostics and to clarify to whom antibiotic treatment might be the treatment of choice. METHODS: The present study is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected data in our randomized multicenter trial comparing surgery and antibiotic treatment for acute uncomplicated appendicitis (APPAC trial, NCTO1022567). We evaluated 1321 patients with a clinical suspicion of acute appendicitis, who underwent computed tomography (CT). Age, gender, body temperature, pain scores, the duration of symptoms, white blood cell count (WBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were recorded on admission. RESULTS: CT confirmed the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in 73% (n=970) and in 27% (n=351) it revealed no or other diagnosis. Acute appendicitis patients had significantly higher WBC levels than patients without appendicitis (median 12.2 and 10.0, respectively, p<0.0001), whereas CRP levels did not differ between the two groups. Ideal cut-off points were assessed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, but neither these markers or neither their combination nor any clinical characteristic could accurately differentiate between patients with acute appendicitis and those without. The proportion of patients with normal WBC count and CRP was significantly (p=0.0007) lower in patients with acute appendicitis than in patients without appendicitis. CONCLUSIONS: Both clinical findings and laboratory tests are unable to reliably distinguish between patients with acute appendicitis and those without. If both WBC count and CRP are normal, acute appendicitis is very unlikely. The current results emphasize the role of CT imaging in patients with suspected acute appendicitis.

Salivary antimicrobial defensins in pregnancy.

AIM: Susceptibility to and severity of gingival inflammation are enhanced during pregnancy; however, regulation of oral innate immune response, including antimicrobial peptides, during pregnancy is still unknown. We analysed salivary levels of human beta-defensin (hBD)-1, -2, -3, and human neutrophil peptide (HNP)-1 in pregnant women, and related those to their periodontal status. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this cohort study, 30 generally healthy, non-smoking Caucasian women without periodontitis were followed at three time points during pregnancy and twice post-partum. The non-pregnant group consisted of 24 women, who were examined three times at the following months. At each visit, periodontal status was recorded and stimulated saliva samples were collected. Salivary estradiol, progesterone, and defensin concentrations were measured by ELISA assays. RESULTS: After adjusting for visible plaque and gingival bleeding, reduced salivary concentrations of hBD-1, hBD-2, and HNP-1 were found especially during the third trimester, whereas hBD-3 concentrations did not change during pregnancy and post-partum visits. Weak associations were observed between salivary defensin and hormone concentrations and clinical parameters. CONCLUSION: There seems to be an independent regulation cascade for each antimicrobial defensin in the oral cavity during pregnancy, despite of the similarities between these antimicrobial peptides.

Induced abortion - impact on a subsequent pregnancy in first-time mothers: a registry-based study.

BACKGROUND: To date, several studies concerning the effects of induced abortion (IA) on women's later psychosocial well-being and future delivery complications have been published. However, the lack of reports on woman's physical well-being during their first full-term pregnancy occurring after IA is what inspired the current study. Here, we evaluate the physical well-being and use of maternity services of first-time mothers with a history of IA. METHODS: Finnish National Birth Registry data from 2008 to 2010 were linked with the Induced Abortion Registry data from 1983 to 2007. After excluding first-time mothers with a history of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or delivery, 57,406 mothers were eligible for the study, with 5,167 (9.0 %) having experienced prior IA. Data from the pregnancy follow-up visits were evaluated and compared between IA mothers and primiparous mothers. RESULTS: Women with IA had higher rates of smoking after the first trimester and were more likely to be overweight (body mass index >25 kg/m2) than the control group mothers. A higher use of maternity health clinic (MHC) services, thrombosis prophylaxis and participation in a second trimester ultrasound and amniotic fluid sample testing were evident in IA mothers, whereas the likelihood of assisted fertilisation procedure(s) was elevated in the control group. A shorter interpregnancy interval (IPI) seemed to contribute to a late first MHC visit and first trimester serum screening test participation, a higher incidence of placenta samples and an increased presence of preeclampsia and maternal care for poor foetal growth. CONCLUSIONS: IA is associated with being overweight before the subsequent pregnancy and with smoking after the first trimester. More frequent pregnancy follow-up visits in the IA group may be due to greater participation in the placenta sample testing and use of thrombosis prophylaxis. No association between IA and preeclampsia, hypertension, gestational diabetes or preterm premature rupture of membranes was evident in the pregnancy parameters. According to our findings, experiencing IA decreased the need for fertilisation procedures before the next pregnancy when compared to primiparous mothers. Among the IA mothers, the short IPI seemed to contribute to the higher risk for preeclampsia and maternal care for poor foetal growth. However, more research is needed around the IPI before establishing its effect on later pregnancy.

Treatment of adult acute myeloid leukemia.

The aim of this study was to analyze the treatment results of 180 adult AML patients treated at Turku University Hospital from 2002 to 2012. 124 patients received intensive therapy according to the protocol of the Finnish Leukemia Group. 86% of them achieved remission. 46 patients underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation which was beneficial for high and intermediate risk disease. 60 - 70% of patients under 60 years old can be cured. The genetic profile of the disease, patient age and treatment response had a significant impact on survival. Our treatment results are comparable with data in literature.

Elevated concentration of C-reactive protein is associated with pregnancy-related co-morbidities but not with relapse activity in multiple sclerosis.

During pregnancy, alterations take place in mother's immune system with the goal of maintaining a successful pregnancy, and delivering healthy offspring. Immune alterations include activation of the innate immune system and dampening of cell-mediated adaptive immunity. Due to these alterations, cell-mediated autoimmune diseases typically ameliorate during pregnancy. The objectives of this study were to evaluate whether C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration, a sensitive marker of systemic inflammation (1) is increased during MS pregnancy (2) predicts pregnancy-related co-morbidities associated with MS (3) predicts MS disease activity after delivery. CRP concentration was measured using a high sensitivity assay from seven prospectively collected serum samples of 41 MS patients and 19 controls during pregnancy and 6 months after delivery. Annualized relapse rates, EDSS, fatigue scores and obstetric details of the patients were recorded. Delivery-related CRP levels were significantly elevated both among MS patients and in controls. CRP levels were higher during pregnancy than during the postpartum period in both study groups. Delivery-related elevated CRP levels did not correlate with postpartum disease activity. MS patients with eventual gestational diabetes had a significantly higher median CRP in the beginning of pregnancy compared to non-diabetic MS patients (9.28 vs. 2.98 mg/l, p = 0.0025). MS patients reporting fatigue had a significantly higher CRP throughout pregnancy compared to patients without fatigue. Higher CRP values were associated with pregnancy-related co-morbidities but not with MS disease activity.

The effect of tear size on the treatment outcome of operatively treated rotator cuff tears.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the tear size and the short-term clinical outcome of rotator cuff reconstruction. The hypothesis was that the size of the rotator cuff tear has a direct negative correlation with post-operative clinical outcome. METHODS: Five hundred and seventy-six consecutive shoulders with a primarily arthroscopically treated full-thickness rotator cuff tear were followed up. Rotator cuff tear size (anteroposterior dimension) was measured intraoperatively with an arthroscopic measuring probe. The Constant score was used as an outcome measure and was measured pre-operatively and 1-year post-operatively. RESULTS: Five hundred and sixty-nine patients (99 %) were available for 1-year follow-up. The mean age of patients was 59.6 (SD 9.6) years. There were 225 (40 %) female and 344 (60 %) male patients. The mean size of the rotator cuff tear was 25 mm (SD 18). The mean pre- and post-operative Constant score was 52.3 (SD 17.4) and 74.2 (SD 15.5), respectively (p < 0.0001). The intraoperatively detected tear size correlated significantly with the pre-operative Constant score (r = -0.20, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, there was even stronger and significant correlation between the tear size and the final post-operative Constant score (r = -0.36, p < 0.0001). The correlation was similar between the genders, but the Constant scores were significantly lower in women (p < 0.0001). The lowest scores were detected in tears with infraspinatus tendon involvement. CONCLUSIONS: The size of the rotator cuff tear linearly correlates with the Constant scores both pre- and post-operatively. The outcome of rotator cuff reconstruction is strongly related to the intraoperatively detected tear size. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective comparative register study, Level III.

Optimization of b-value distribution for biexponential diffusion-weighted MR imaging of normal prostate.

PURPOSE: To determine the optimal b-value distribution for biexponential diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of normal prostate using both a computer modeling approach and in vivo measurements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Optimal b-value distributions for the fit of three parameters (fast diffusion Df, slow diffusion Ds, and fraction of fast diffusion f) were determined using Monte-Carlo simulations. The optimal b-value distribution was calculated using four individual optimization methods. Eight healthy volunteers underwent four repeated 3 Tesla prostate DWI scans using both 16 equally distributed b-values and an optimized b-value distribution obtained from the simulations. The b-value distributions were compared in terms of measurement reliability and repeatability using Shrout-Fleiss analysis. RESULTS: Using low noise levels, the optimal b-value distribution formed three separate clusters at low (0-400 s/mm2), mid-range (650-1200 s/mm2), and high b-values (1700-2000 s/mm2). Higher noise levels resulted into less pronounced clustering of b-values. The clustered optimized b-value distribution demonstrated better measurement reliability and repeatability in Shrout-Fleiss analysis compared with 16 equally distributed b-values. CONCLUSION: The optimal b-value distribution was found to be a clustered distribution with b-values concentrated in the low, mid, and high ranges and was shown to improve the estimation quality of biexponential DWI parameters of in vivo experiments.

Diffusion tensor tractography-based analysis of the cingulum: clinical utility and findings in traumatic brain injury with chronic sequels.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the clinical utility of quantitative diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) and tractography-based core analysis (TBCA) of the cingulum by defining the reproducibility, normal values, and findings in traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: Eighty patients with TBI and normal routine MRI and 78 controls underwent MRI at 3T. To determine reproducibility, 12 subjects were scanned twice. Superior (SC) and inferior (IC) cingulum were analyzed separately by DTT (fractional anisotropy (FA) thresholds 0.15 and 0.30). TBCA was performed from volumes defined by tractography with gradually changed FA thresholds. FA values were correlated with clinical and neuropsychological data. RESULTS: The lowest coefficient of variation was obtained at DTT threshold 0.30 (2.0 and 2.4 % for SC and IC, respectively), but in proportion to standard deviations of normal controls, the reproducibility of TBCA was better in SC and similar to that of DTT in IC. In patients with TBI, volume reduction with loss of peripheral fibers was relatively common; mean FA was mostly normal in these tractograms. The frequency of FA reductions (>2 SD) was in DTT smaller than in TBCA, in which FA decrease was present in 42 (13.1 %) of the 320 measurements. Central FA values in SC predicted visuoperceptual ability, and those in left IC predicted cognitive speed, language, and communication ability (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Tractography-based measurements have sufficient reproducibility for demonstration of severe abnormalities of the cingulum. TBCA is preferential for clinical FA analysis, because it measures corresponding areas in patients and controls without inaccuracies due to trauma-induced structural changes.