Low incidence of malignancy in patients with suspected polymyalgia rheumatica or giant cell arteritis, examined with FDG-PET/CT.

Introduction: The need to systematically examine patients suspected of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA) for malignancy is controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of malignancy in patients with suspected PMR and/or GCA who have been referred to a 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography with computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) as part of the diagnostic investigation. Method: The records of all patients referred to FDG-PET/CT from Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup with the suspicion of PMR and/or GCA during a two-year period, were retrospectively reviewed. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, and a standard incidence ratio was calculated based on background cancer incidences extracted from the NORDCAN database. Results: 220 patients were included in the study. Findings suspicious of malignancy were found in 19 of the examinations, and in seven cases (3.2%), malignancy was confirmed. In three out of the seven cases the patients were diagnosed with PMR concomitantly with malignancy. The estimated standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for cancer compared to the background incidence of cancer in Denmark was 1.58 (95% CI 0.63-2.97), i.e., not statistically significant. There were no statistically significant differences in characteristics of the patients that were diagnosed with malignancy compared with those that were not. Conclusion: The frequency of malignancy in this cohort of patients with suspected PMR/GCA who underwent PET/CT was low. Our results, though based on a small cohort, do not suggest that all patients with suspected PMR/GCA should systematically be examined with FDG-PET/CT for excluding malignancy.

Death in nursing homes: a Danish qualitative study.

Little is known about the quality of end-of-life care in Danish nursing homes (NHs). This qualitative descriptive study based on semi-structured group interviews with nursing staff members in three NHs in Copenhagen, Denmark, aimed to describe the participants' perceptions of end-of-life care in Danish NHs, with particular focus on medication administration and collaboration with GPs. Four main categories of problematic issues emerged: medication (problems with 'as needed' medication and lack of knowledge of subcutaneous administration), interpersonal relations (difficulties in cooperation and communication between relatives and GPs), decision making (problems concerning termination of life-prolonging treatment and the need for early planning of end-of-life care), and professional development (documentation and education). Considerable improvements may be achieved primarily by educating and training nursing staff and GPs. More research is warranted to optimise end-of-life care in Danish NHs.

Low confidence among general practitioners in end-of-life care and subcutaneous administration of medicine.

INTRODUCTION: Most terminally ill patients prefer to die at home, and the general practitioner (GP) is central in making this possible. However, knowledge is needed about the GP's level of confidence in assuming this task and with subcutaneous (SC) administration of medicine in end-of-life care. The aim of this study was to determine if GPs used SC needle and medication in end-of-life care, if they felt confident about being principally responsible for palliative trajectories and whether such confidence was associated with GP characteristics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of all 332 GPs practising in Copenhagen, Denmark. Questions covered the GPs' use of SC medication/needle and their confidence in being principally responsible for palliative trajectories. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 61%. 43% of the respondents had been principally responsible for a minimum of one palliative trajectory, and only 11% of these GPs had used a SC needle during this process. 57% felt very or somewhat confident being principally responsible and 27% felt very or somewhat confident administrating SC medicine. Confidence as principally responsible was positively associated with the number of palliative trajectories for which the GP had been responsible, but no significant associations with the GPs' age, gender or practice organisation were found. CONCLUSION: We found that few GPs in Copenhagen feel very confident about being responsible for terminal care and that very few used SC needles. Hence, more education and training in this field is warranted. Further research is needed into how GPs may best become involved and supported in end-of-life care. FUNDING: Danish General Practitioners' Educational and Development Fund. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.