4,007 research outputs found
Leadership Matters: Building Leadership Capacity
Explores strategies that school administrators employ in schools where student learning has improved. Outlines the key conditions for accelerating student achievement, and provides criteria for determining the quality of project-based learning
The Manipulated Image: Walther Von Der Vogelweide's 51,13
Paper by Susan L. Clar
Treatment of psoriasis with biologic agents in Malta
Introduction: Biologic therapy has
revolutionalised the treatment of moderate to severe
psoriasis leading to improved clinical outcomes and
quality of life scores. This study aims to determine
current biologic use in psoriatic patients at our
Dermatology department at Sir Paul Boffa hospital,
Malta.
Method: All patients who were administered
biologic therapy for psoriasis in Malta until the end
of 2014 were included. Data included demographic
details, disease duration and severity, biologic use
and duration, previously attempted treatments, side
effects, early and late response to biologic using
Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) scores and
Dermatology Life Quality index (DLQI) scores.
Results: A total of 36 patients were started on a
biologic between 2009 and 2014 for psoriasis
(M:25, F:11) with a mean age of 46.9 years. These
included etanercept (n=22), infliximab (n=8),
adalimumab (n=4) and ustekinumab (n=2).
Secondary failure was the main reason why
biologics were stopped and switched. Most patients
had an improvement in their PASI scores after 2 to
4 weeks of starting the biologic and had a PASI 90
score improvement. All patients had more than a 5
point improvement in DLQI score.
Discussion: Biologic use in our department is
on the increase. Our patients had considerable
improvements in their PASI and DLQI scores.
Secondary failures have occurred usually after 2 to
4 years and switching has yielded positive results.
Biologics are expensive drugs and recently we have
switched to cheaper biosimilars. Doctors should be
aware of the treatment options available for
psoriasis patients, their possible side effects and
when to refer to our department. In most cases a
satisfactory response can be achieved.peer-reviewe
BMI-for-age graphs with severe obesity percentile curves: Tools for plotting cross-sectional and longitudinal youth BMI data
Abstract Background Severe obesity is an important and distinct weight status classification that is associated with disease risk and is increasing in prevalence among youth. The ability to graphically present population weight status data, ranging from underweight through severe obesity class 3, is novel and applicable to epidemiologic research, intervention studies, case reports, and clinical care. Methods The aim was to create body mass index (BMI) graphing tools to generate sex-specific BMI-for-age graphs that include severe obesity percentile curves. We used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention youth reference data sets and weight status criteria to generate the percentile curves. The statistical software environments SAS and R were used to create two different graphing options. Results This article provides graphing tools for creating sex-specific BMI-for-age graphs for males and females ages 2 to <20 years. The novel aspects of these graphing tools are an expanded BMI range to accommodate BMI values ˃35 kg/m2, inclusion of percentile curves for severe obesity classes 2 and 3, the ability to plot individual data for thousands of children and adolescents on a single graph, and the ability to generate cross-sectional and longitudinal graphs. Conclusions These new BMI graphing tools will enable investigators, public health professionals, and clinicians to view and present youth weight status data in novel and meaningful ways
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