Stroke service in the Netherlands: an exploratory study on effectiveness, patient satisfaction and utilisation of healthcare

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether shared care for stroke patients results in better patient outcome, higher patient satisfaction and different use of healthcare services. DESIGN: Prospective, comparative cohort study. SETTING: Two regions in the Netherlands with different healthcare models for stroke patients: a shared care model (stroke service) and a usual care setting. PATIENTS: Stroke patients with a survival rate of more than six months, who initially were admitted to the Stroke Service of the University Hospital Maastricht (experimental group) in the second half of 1997 and to a middle sized hospital in the western part of the Netherlands between March 1997 and March 1999 (control group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Functional health status according to the SIP-68, EuroQol, Barthel Index and Rankin Scale, patient satisfaction and use of healthcare services. RESULTS: In total 103 patients were included in this study: 58 in the experimental group and 45 in the control group. Six months after stroke, 64% of the surviving patients in the experimental group had returned home, compared to 42% in the control group (p<0.05). This difference could not be explained by differences in health status, which was comparable at that time. Patients in the shared care model scored higher on patient satisfaction, whereas patients in the usual care group received a higher volume of home care. CONCLUSIONS: The Stroke Service Maastricht resulted in a higher number of patients who returned home after stroke, but not in a better health status. Since patients in the usual care group received a higher volume of healthcare in the period of rehabilitation, the Stroke Service Maastricht might be more efficient

Can shared care deliver better outcomes for patients undergoing total hip replacement? A prospective assessment of patient outcomes and associated service use

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether shared care for patients undergoing total hip replacement delivers better outcomes compared to care as usual. DESIGN: Prospective, observational cohort study. SETTING: Two regions in The Netherlands where different organisational health care models have been implemented: a shared care setting (experimental group) and a care as usual setting (control group). PATIENTS: One hundred and fifteen patients undergoing total hip replacement: 56 in the experimental group and 59 in the control group. MAIN MEASURES: Functional health status according to the sickness impact profile, hip function, patient satisfaction and use of health care services. RESULTS: Two weeks before hip replacement both groups were comparable concerning patient characteristics, hip function and health status. The mean improvement of the total sickness impact profile score between two weeks before hip replacement and six months after was -1.92 in the shared care group, compared to -5.11 in care as usual group, a difference in favour of the control group (p=0.02). The mean length of hospital stay was comparable in both settings: 12.8 days in the shared care group and 13.2 days in the care as usual group. After hip replacement, compared to care as usual, patients in the shared care group received more homecare, with a higher frequency, and for a longer period of time. No differences in patient satisfaction between the two groups were found. CONCLUSIONS: Six months after hip replacement, the health status of patients in the care as usual group, using significantly less home care, was better than the status of patients in the shared care group. DISCUSSION: The utilisation of home care after hip replacement should be critically appraised in view of the need to stimulate patients' independence

The TRH test provides valuable information in the diagnosis of central hypothyroidism in patients with known pituitary disease and low T4 levels

Objective: To evaluate the value of the thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) test in the diagnosis of central hypothyroidism (CH) in patients with pituitary disease. Methods: Systematic evaluation of 359 TRH tests in patients with pituitary disease including measurements of thyroxine (T4), TBG-corrected T4 (T4 corr), baseline TSH (TSH 0) and relative or absolute TSH increase (TSH fold, TSH absolute). Results: Patients diagnosed with CH (n=39) show comparable TSH 0 (p-value 0.824) but lower T4 corr (p-value &lt;0.001) and lower TSH increase (p-value &lt;0.001) compared to patients without CH. In 54% (42 of 78 cases) of patients with low T4 corr, the CH diagnosis was rejected based on a high TSH fold. In these cases, a spontaneous increase and mean normalization in T4 corr (from 62 to 73 nmol/L, p-value &lt;0.001) was observed during the follow-up period (7.6 ± 5.0 years). Three of the 42 patients (7%) were started on replacement therapy due to spontaneous deterioration of thyroid function after 2.8 years. Patients diagnosed with CH reported significantly more symptoms of hypothyroidism (p-value 0.005), although, symptoms were reported in most patients with pituitary disease. The TRH test did not provide clinical relevant information in patients with normal T4 or patients awaiting pituitary surgery (78%, 281 of 359). There were only mild and reversible adverse effects related to the TRH test except for possibly one case (0.3%) experiencing a pituitary apoplexy. Conclusion: The TRH test could be reserved to patients with pituitary disease, low T4 levels without convincing signs of CH. Approximately 50% of patients with a slightly decreased T4 were considered to have normal pituitary thyroid function based on the TRH test results.</p

A systematic quantitative literature review of aquaculture genetic resource access and benefit sharing

The Convention on Biological Diversity provides a framework for countries to implement laws regulating the access, use and exchange of genetic resources, including how users and providers share the benefits from their use. While the international community has been preoccupied with resolving the unintended effects of access and benefit sharing (ABS) on domestication in agriculture for the past 25 years, its far-reaching consequences for global aquaculture has only recently dawned on policymakers, aquaculture producers and researchers. Using a systematic quantitative literature review methodology, we analysed the trends, biases and gaps in the ABS literature. Only 5% of the ABS literature related to the use and exchange of aquaculture genetic resources. Most of this literature related to use in developing countries or global use, but its authors were predominantly from developed countries. The literature covered a narrow range of countries (7) and regions (3), a narrow range of taxonomic groups (9) and a narrow range of uses. Given that aquaculture is the fastest growing global food production sector with products primarily from developing countries using over 580 species, there are significant gaps in aquaculture-related ABS literature. We conclude that the sector needs urgent analyses on the consequences of ABS restrictions, obligations and opportunities for its early stages of domestication and product development. We recommend priority areas for attention to ensure that rapidly evolving national ABS laws take into account the special characteristics and needs of the aquaculture sector

Changed activation, oxygenation, and pain response of chronically painful muscles to repetitive work after training interventions: a randomized controlled trial

The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to assess changes in myalgic trapezius activation, muscle oxygenation, and pain intensity during repetitive and stressful work tasks in response to 10 weeks of training. In total, 39 women with a clinical diagnosis of trapezius myalgia were randomly assigned to: (1) general fitness training performed as leg-bicycling (GFT); (2) specific strength training of the neck/shoulder muscles (SST) or (3) reference intervention without physical exercise. Electromyographic activity (EMG), tissue oxygenation (near infrared spectroscopy), and pain intensity were measured in trapezius during pegboard and stress tasks before and after the intervention period. During the pegboard task, GFT improved trapezius oxygenation from a relative decrease of −0.83 ± 1.48 μM to an increase of 0.05 ± 1.32 μM, and decreased pain development by 43%, but did not affect resting levels of pain. SST lowered the relative EMG amplitude by 36%, and decreased pain during resting and working conditions by 52 and 38%, respectively, without affecting trapezius oxygenation. In conclusion, GFT performed as leg-bicycling decreased pain development during repetitive work tasks, possibly due to improved oxygenation of the painful muscles. SST lowered the overall level of pain both during rest and work, possibly due to a lowered relative exposure as evidenced by a lowered relative EMG. The results demonstrate differential adaptive mechanisms of contrasting physical exercise interventions on chronic muscle pain at rest and during repetitive work tasks

Methylphenidate for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: Cochrane systematic review with meta-analyses and trial sequential analyses of randomised clinical trials

Study question: Is methylphenidate beneficial or harmful for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents? / Methods: Electronic databases were searched up to February 2015 for parallel and crossover randomised clinical trials comparing methylphenidate with placebo or no intervention in children and adolescents with ADHD. Meta-analyses and trial sequential analyses (TSA) were conducted. Quality was assessed using GRADE. Teachers, parents, and observers rated ADHD symptoms and general behaviour. / Study answer and limitations: The analyses included 38 parallel group trials (n=5111, median treatment duration 49 days) and 147 crossover trials (n=7134, 14 days). The average age across all studies was 9.7 years. The analysis suggested a beneficial effect of methylphenidate on teacher rated symptoms in 19 parallel group trials (standardised mean difference (SMD) −0.77, n=1698), corresponding to a mean difference of −9.6 points on the ADHD rating scale. There was no evidence that methylphenidate was associated with an increase in serious adverse events (risk ratio 0.98, nine trials, n=1532; TSA adjusted intervention effect RR 0.91). Methylphenidate was associated with an increased risk of non-serious adverse events (1.29, 21 trials, n=3132; TSA adjusted RR 1.29). Teacher rated general behaviour seemed to improve with methylphenidate (SMD −0.87, five trials, n=668) A change of 7 points on the child health questionnaire (CHQ) has been deemed a minimal clinically relevant difference. The change reported in a meta-analysis of three trials corresponds to a mean difference of 8.0 points on the CHQ (range 0-100 points), which suggests that methylphenidate may improve parent reported quality of life (SMD 0.61, three trials, n=514). 96.8% of trials were considered high risk of bias trials according to the Cochrane guidelines. All outcomes were assessed very low quality according to GRADE. / What this study adds: The results suggest that among children and adolescents with a diagnosis of ADHD, methylphenidate may improve teacher reported symptoms of ADHD and general behaviour and parent reported quality of life. However, given the risk of bias in the included studies, and the very low quality of outcomes, the magnitude of the effects is uncertain. Methylphenidate is associated with an increased risk of non-serious but not serious adverse events. / Funding, competing interests, data sharing: Region Zealand Research Foundation and Copenhagen Trial Unit. Competing interests are given in the full paper on bmj.com. Full data are available in the version of this review published in The Cochrane Library

Demographic characteristics and quality of life of patients with unexplained complaints: a descriptive study in general practice

OBJECTIVE: About 13% of GPs' consultations involve unexplained complaints (UCs). These complaints can progress to chronic conditions like medically unexplained symptoms, chronic functional symptoms or somatoform disorders. Little is known about the demographic characteristics and quality of life of patients with early stage UCs. Our study objective was to describe these characteristics. Additionally we compared them with other patient groups to serve as a frame of reference. METHODS: Descriptive study in general practices. Patients with early stage UCs who had not had elaborate diagnostic investigations were included. Demographic characteristics were compared to a Dutch general practice population. Quality of life scores were measured with the RAND-36 and compared to another Dutch general practice population and to depressed patients. RESULTS: Data of 466 patients were available for analysis. Mean age was 44 years and 74% were females, mostly higher educated. Of the patients, 63% presented with unexplained fatigue. On average, quality of life was poor (mean RAND-36 domain scores 37-73), also in comparison with other groups. CONCLUSION: General practice patients presenting with UCs have a remarkably poor quality of life. Future research should explore how early identification of patients at risk of developing chronicity can take place. Awareness of potential poor quality of life may influence GPs' medical decision makin