Pneumococcal vaccination among adult risk patient with axial spondyloarthritis in Switzerland: Data from the survey of the ankylosing spondylitis association of Switzerland (SVMB)

While in Switzerland, pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for adult patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) treated with biological drugs, since 2014, little is known about the vaccination status of this specific patient population. This study assessed their vaccination status as part of a larger online survey by the ankylosing spondylitis association of Switzerland (SVMB). Out of 1560 who participated in the survey, 834 (53.5%) were eligible for the analysis. Vaccine coverage was low at 32.5% (271/834). Women and patients who got a flu shot every year were more likely to be covered. Age was negatively associated with being vaccinated. Most (54.2%; 147/271) were vaccinated by their general practitioner. Almost two-thirds of those who had not received the vaccine stated that it had not been offered to them (64.1%; 302/471). In summary, the vaccination coverage is low, but might be increased if the vaccine was offered systematically by general practitioners and specialists

Imaging signatures of the local density of states in an electronic cavity

We use Scanning Gate Microscopy to study electron transport through an open, gate-defined resonator in a Ga(Al)As heterostructure. Raster-scanning the voltage-biased metallic tip above the resonator, we observe distinct conductance modulations as a function of the tip-position and voltage. Quantum mechanical simulations reproduce these conductance modulations and reveal their relation to the partial local density of states in the resonator. Our measurements illustrate the current frontier between possibilities and limitations in imaging the local density of states in buried electron systems using scanning gate microscopy

Lay version of the 2018 EULAR recommendations for physical activity in people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis : translation into German and linguistic validation in German-speaking countries with people affected

Erworben im Rahmen der Schweizer Nationallizenzen (http://www.nationallizenzen.ch)Hintergrund: Körperliche Aktivität und spezifisches Training haben großen gesundheitlichen Nutzen. Empfehlungen zum Management von rheumatoider Arthritis (RA), Spondyloarthritis (SpA) sowie Hüft- und Kniegelenkarthose (HKA) sind bisher in Bezug auf Art und Dosierung aber unspezifisch. Darum wurden die 2018 EULAR Empfehlungen zu körperlicher Aktivität für Menschen mit entzündlich-rheumatischen und degenerativen Erkrankungen formuliert. Sie bestehen aus 4 übergeordneten Prinzipien und 10 Empfehlungen. Die EULAR Bewegungsempfehlungen wurden auch als laienverständliche Version in englischer Sprache publiziert. Ziel: Übersetzung der laienverständlichen Version ins Deutsche und sprachliche Validierung in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz. Methoden: Eine professionelle Übersetzung ins Deutsche wurde von den Autor*innen einschließlich Personen mit RA, SpA und HKA zu einer präfinalen Version bearbeitet. Anschließend wurden in den 3 Ländern je 8 Interviews mit Personen mit RA, SpA und HKA durchgeführt, um die Verständlichkeit, Wortwahl, Vollständigkeit und Umsetzbarkeit zu prüfen. Die Patientenvertreter*innen der Autor*innengruppe bewerteten anonym ihre Zustimmung zur finalen Version auf einer Skala von 0 bis 10. Ergebnisse: Die professionelle Übersetzung wurde von den Autor*innen und auf Grundlage der Interviews substanziell überarbeitet. Dabei wurden Formulierungen angepasst, um Lesbarkeit und Verständlichkeit zu verbessern und Aussagen zu präzisieren. Inhalt und Struktur des Originaltextes wurden dabei nicht verändert. Die Zustimmung zu den einzelnen Empfehlungen lag zwischen 10 (SD 0) und 7,6 (SD 1,67). Diskussion: Für Menschen mit RA/SpA/HKA sollten die EULAR Bewegungsempfehlungen in deren Muttersprache vorliegen. Die laienverständliche deutsche Version ist valide und wurde in allen 3 Ländern gut akzeptiert. Damit können die EULAR Bewegungsempfehlungen verständlich und praktikabel vermittelt werden. Background: Physical activity and exercise are beneficial for people with rheumatic diseases; however, recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA) and hip- and knee osteoarthritis (HOA/KOA) are usually unspecific with respect to mode and dose of exercise. This is why the 2018 EULAR recommendations for physical activity in people with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis were formulated. The recommendations consist of 4 overarching principles and 10 recommendations. These were also published as a lay version in the English language. Aim: Translation of the lay version into German and its linguistic validation in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Methods: A professional translation was reviewed by the authors, including people with, RA, SpA, HOA/KOA from the three German-speaking countries, which provided a prefinal lay version. Subsequently, eight interviews with people with RA, SpA, HOA/KOA were conducted in each country to evaluate understandability, wording, completeness and feasibility of the prefinal lay version. Finally, the authors, i.e. those with RA, SpA, and osteoarthritis, anonymously rated their agreement to the final lay version on a 0–10 scale. Results: The professional translation was substantially revised by the authors and based on the interviews. Formulations were adapted to increase readability and understandability and specify statements. Comments that would have changed content or structure were not considered. Average agreement with the particular recommendations was between 10 (SD 0) and 7.6 (SD 1.67). Discussion: For people with RA/SpA/HOA/KOA the EULAR physical activity recommendations should be available in their mother language. The final German lay version is valid and accepted across all three German-speaking countries. Thus, the physical activity recommendations can be provided to people with rheumatic diseases in an understandable and feasible wa

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the disease course of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases: results from the Swiss Clinical Quality Management cohort.

To investigate whether the transient reduction in rheumatology services imposed by virus containment measures during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with disease worsening in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Patient-reported disease activity assessed during face-to-face visits and/or via a smartphone application were compared between three periods of each 2 months duration (before, during and after the COVID-19-wave) from January to June 2020 in 666 patients with axSpA, RA and PsA in the Swiss Clinical Quality Management cohort. The number of consultations dropped by 52%, whereas the number of remote assessments increased by 129%. The proportion of patients with drug non-compliance slightly increased during the pandemic, the difference reaching statistical significance in axSpA (19.9% vs 13.2% before the pandemic, p=0.003). The proportion of patients with disease flares remained stable (<15%). There was no increase in mean values of the Bath Ankylosing Disease Activity Index, the Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity Index-5 and the Patient Global Assessment in patients with axSpA, RA and PsA, respectively. A short interruption of in-person patient-rheumatologist interactions had no major detrimental impact on the disease course of axSpA, RA and PsA as assessed by patient-reported outcomes