Patient-reported outcome after rheumatoid arthritis-related surgery in the lower extremities: A report from the Swedish National Register of Rheuma Surgery (RAKIR)

Background and purpose Although decreasing with the development of effective pharmacological regimes, joint surgery has improved the function and quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Few studies have assessed patient-reported outcomes after RA surgery to the lower extremities. Here we report patient-relevant outcome after RA-related surgery based on the first data from the Swedish National Register of Rheuma Surgery (RAKIR). Patients and methods 258 RA patients (212 women) who had joint surgery performed at the Department of Orthopaedics, Spenshult Hospital between September 2007 and June 2009 were included. Mean age at surgery was 64 (20-86) years. The patients completed the SF-36 and HAQ questionnaires preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively, and 165 patients completed them after 12 months. Results Improvement was seen as early as at 6 months. At 12 months, 165 patients (141 women)-including hip (n = 15), knee (n = 27), foot (n = 102), and ankle (n = 21) patients-reported statistically significant improvements from preoperatively to 12 months postoperatively in HAQ (mean change: -0.11) and SF-36 subscales physical function (11), role physical (12), bodily pain (13), social functioning (6.4), and role emotional (9.4). Hip and knee patients reported the greatest improvements. Interpretation Orthopedic RA-related surgery of the lower extremities has a strong effect on pain and physical function. Improvement is evident as early as 6 months postoperatively and remains after 12 months

Inventory of current EU paediatric vision and hearing screening programmes

Background: We examined the diversity in paediatric vision and hearing screening programmes in Europe. Methods: Themes relevant for comparison of screening programmes were derived from literature and used to compile three questionnaires on vision, hearing and public-health screening. Tests used, professions involved, age and frequency of testing seem to influence sensitivity, specificity and costs most. Questionnaires were sent to ophthalmologists, orthoptists, otolaryngologists and audiologists involved in paediatric screening in all EU fullmember, candidate and associate states. Answers were cross-checked. Results: Thirty-nine countries participated; 35 have a vision screening programme, 33 a nation-wide neonatal hearing screening programme. Visual acuity (VA) is measured in 35 countries, in 71% more than once. First measurement of VA varies from three to seven years of age, but is usually before the age of five. At age three and four picture charts, including Lea Hyvarinen are used most, in children over four Tumbling-E and Snellen. As first hearing screening test otoacoustic emission (OAE) is used most in healthy neonates, and auditory brainstem response (ABR) in premature newborns. The majority of hearing testing programmes are staged; children are referred after one to four abnormal tests. Vision screening is performed mostly by paediatricians, ophthalmologists or nurses. Funding is mostly by health insurance or state. Coverage was reported as >95% in half of countries, but reporting was often not first-hand. Conclusion: Largest differences were found in VA charts used (12), professions involved in vision screening (10), number of hearing screening tests before referral (1-4) and funding sources (8)

Reduction in Upper Limb Joint Surgery Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: An Interrupted Time‐Series Analysis Using Danish Health Care Registers

Objectives Joint replacement surgery is a proxy of severe joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the introduction of biologic disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) on the incidence rate (IR) of upper limb joint replacements among newly diagnosed RA patients. Methods Using the Danish National Patient Register, patients with incident RA from 1996–2012 were identified. Each patient was matched on age, sex, and municipality, with up to 10 general population controls. The age‐ and sex‐standardized 5‐year IR per 1,000 person‐years of a composite outcome of any first joint replacement of the finger, wrist, elbow, or shoulder was calculated, and an interrupted time‐series analysis was undertaken to investigate trends and changes of the IR in the pre‐bDMARD (1996–2001) and the bDMARD eras (2003–2012), with a 1‐year lag period in 2002. Results In total, 18,654 incident patients with RA were identified (mean age 57.6 years, 70.5% women). The IR of joint replacements among patients with RA was stable at 2.46 per 1,000 person‐years (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.96, 2.96) from 1996 to 2001 but started to decrease from 2003 onwards (–0.08 per 1,000 person‐years annually [95% CI –0.20, 0.02]). Compared with patients with RA, the IR among controls in 1996 was 1/17 and increased continuously throughout the study period. Conclusion The IR of upper limb joint replacements started to decrease among patients with RA from 2002 onwards, whereas it increased among controls. Our results suggest an association between the introduction of bDMARDs and a lower need of joint replacements among patients with RA.</p

Perioperative Management of Patients with Connective Tissue Disease

Diseases of the connective tissue are a varied group of disorders with major musculoskeletal manifestations such as joint pain and loss of function. As a consequence of the accompanying inflammatory joint disease, such patients often require surgery. Due to the protean organ-related consequences of these conditions, patients who suffer from chronic connective tissue disease are a highly challenging population in the perioperative context. This paper reviews the management of such patients in this clinical setting

Inventory of current EU paediatric vision and hearing screening programmes

Objective: To examine the diversity in paediatric vision and hearing screening programmes in Europe. Methods: Themes for comparison of screening programmes derived from literature were used to compile three questionnaires on vision, hearing, and public health screening. Tests used, professions involved, age, and frequency of testing seem to influence sensitivity, specificity, and costs most. Questionnaires were sent to ophthalmologists, orthoptists, otolaryngologists, and audiologists involved in paediatric screening in all EU full-member, candidate, and associate states. Answers were cross-checked. Results: Thirty-nine countries participated; 35 have a vision screening programme, 33 a nation-wide neonatal hearing screening programme. Visual acuity (VA) is measured in 35 countries, in 71% of these more than once. First measurement of VA varies from three to seven years of age, but is usually before age five. At age three and four, picture charts, including Lea Hyvarinen, are used most; in children over four, Tumbling-E and Snellen. As first hearing screening test, otoacoustic emission is used most in healthy neonates, and auditory brainstem response in premature newborns. The majority of hearing testing programmes are staged; children are referred after 1–4 abnormal tests. Vision screening is performed mostly by paediatricians, ophthalmologists, or nurses. Funding is mostly by health insurance or state. Coverage was reported as &gt;95% in half of countries, but reporting was often not first-hand. Conclusion: Largest differences were found in VA charts used (12), professions involved in vision screening (10), number of hearing screening tests before referral (1–4), and funding sources (8). © 2015, The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav