A new brace treatment similar for adolescent scoliosis and kyphosis based on restoration of thoracolumbar lordosis. Radiological and subjective clinical results after at least one year of treatment

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective treatment study with a new brace was conducted Objective. To evaluate radiological and subjective clinical results after one year conservative brace treatment with pressure onto lordosis at the thoracolumbar joint in children with scoliosis and kyphosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Conservative brace treatment of adolescent scoliosis is not proven to be effective in terms of lasting correction. Conservative treatment in kyphotic deformities may lead to satisfactory correction. None of the brace or casting techniques is based on sagittal forces only applied at the thoracolumbar spine (TLI= thoracolumbar lordotic intervention). Previously we showed in patients with scoliosis after forced lordosis at the thoracolumbar spine a radiological instantaneous reduction in both coronal curves of double major scoliosis. METHODS: A consecutive series of 91 children with adolescent scoliosis and kyphosis were treated with a modified symmetric 30 degrees Boston brace to ensure only forced lordosis at the thoracolumbar spine. Scoliosis was defined with a Cobb angle of at least one of the curves [greater than or equal to] 25 degrees and kyphosis with or without a curve <25 degrees in the coronal plane. Standing radiographs were made i) at start, ii) in brace at beginning and iii) after one year treatment without brace. RESULTS: Before treatment start ‘in brace’ radiographs showed a strong reduction of the Cobb angles in different curves in kyphosis and scoliosis groups (sagittal n = 5 all p < 0.001, pelvic obliquity p < 0.001). After one year of brace treatment in scoliosis and kyphosis group the measurements on radiographs made without brace revealed an improvement in 3 Cobb angles each. CONCLUSION: Conservative treatment using thoracolumbar lordotic intervention in scoliotic and kyphotic deformities in adolescence demonstrates a marked improvement after one year also in clinical and postural criteria. An effect not obtained with current brace techniques

Usefulness of quality indicators for antibiotic use : case study for the Netherlands

QUALITY PROBLEM: Inappropriate antibiotic use drives development of antimicrobial resistance. Worldwide, guideline adherence for antibiotic treatment of infectious disease is far from optimal. Insight in prescribing quality is pivotal for healthcare professionals and policy makers to intervene appropriately. INITIAL ASSESSMENTS: European countries uniformly monitor antibiotic use, which is reported yearly by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Unfortunately, this has not had enough impact to decrease prescribing and resistance levels. CHOICE OF SOLUTION: Quality indicators (QIs) could provide better insight in prescribing quality and enable benchmarking to other countries; this could trigger action to improve antimicrobial prescribing. European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption (ESAC) proposed 12 antibiotic QIs. IMPLEMENTATION: Trends in use of antibiotic subgroups and the 12 ESAC QI values were determined for Dutch primary care (2004-2013); outcomes were compared to other European countries. Dutch antibiotic use is low within the European context. Nitrofurantoin use is higher than the European average, use of small-spectrum antibiotics lowers. Use of macrolides, quinolones and amoxicillin/clavulanate declined, which was not supported by the broad/narrow QI results. EVALUATION: QIs expressing antibiotic subgroup use in Defined Daily Doses/1000 inhabitants/day, particularly small-spectrum and non-first choices, provide proper insight in prescribing quality and are useful for benchmarking purposes. QIs measuring percentages were not considered useful. The broad/narrow ratio could be more informative when adjusted to national guidelines, or when more antibiotic subgroups are included based on better European consensus. LESSONS LEARNT: Benchmarking the above mentioned Dutch QI values to other countries provides direction for three specific strategies to further improve Dutch antibiotic prescribing practice

Usefulness of quality indicators for antibiotic use: case study for the Netherlands

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Consecutive antibiotic use in the outpatient setting : an extensive, longitudinal descriptive analysis of antibiotic dispensing data in the Netherlands

INTRODUCTION: Taking consecutive antibiotic use into account is of importance to obtain insight in treatment within disease episodes, use of 2nd- and 3rd-choice antibiotics, therapy failure and/or side effects. Nevertheless, studies dealing with consecutive antibiotic use are scarce. We aimed at evaluating switch patterns in antibiotic use in the outpatient setting in the Netherlands. METHODS: Outpatient antibiotic dispensing data was processed to antibiotic treatment episodes consisting of single prescriptions or consecutive prescriptions (2006 to 2014). Consecutive prescriptions were categorised into prolongations and switches. Switches were further analysed to obtain antibiotic switch percentages and trends over time. Outcomes were compared with recommendations of Dutch guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 43,179,867 antibiotic prescriptions were included in the analysis, consisting of single prescriptions (95%), prolongations (2%) and switches (3%). The highest switch percentages were found for trimethoprim (7.6%) and nitrofurantoin (5.4%). For fosfomycin, ciprofloxacin, flucloxacillin and trimethoprim we found the highest yearly increase in switching. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid was most often used as second antibiotic in a switch. A surprisingly high number of 2nd- and 3rd-choice antibiotics are prescribed as first antibiotic in a treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Although the actual reason for a switch is unknown, switch patterns can reveal problems concerning treatment failure and guideline adherence. In general, switch percentages of antibiotics in the Netherlands are low. The data contributes to the knowledge regarding antibiotic switch patterns in the outpatient setting

High treatment uptake in human immunodeficiency virus/ hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients after unrestricted access to direct-acting antivirals in the Netherlands

Background The Netherlands has provided unrestricted access to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) since November 2015. We analyzed the nationwide hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment uptake among patients coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HCV. Methods Data were obtained from the ATHENA HIV observational cohort in which >98% of HIV-infected patients ever registered since 1998 are included. Patients were included if they ever had 1 positive HCV RNA result, did not have spontaneous clearance, and were known to still be in care. Treatment uptake and outcome were assessed. When patients were treated more than once, data were included from only the most recent treatment episode. Data were updated until February 2017. In addition, each treatment center was queried in April 2017 for a data update on DAA treatment and achieved sustained virological response. Results Of 23574 HIV-infected patients ever linked to care, 1471 HCV-coinfected patients (69% men who have sex with men, 15% persons who [formerly] injected drugs, and 15% with another HIV transmission route) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Of these, 87% (1284 of 1471) had ever initiated HCV treatment between 2000 and 2017, 76% (1124 of 1471) had their HCV infection cured; DAA treatment results were pending in 6% (92 of 1471). Among men who have sex with men, 83% (844 of 1022) had their HCV infection cured, and DAA treatment results were pending in 6% (66 of 1022). Overall, 187 patients had never initiated treatment, DAAs had failed in 14, and a pegylated interferon-alfa–based regimen had failed in 54. Conclusions Fifteen months after unrestricted DAA availability the majority of HIV/HCV-coinfected patients in the Netherlands have their HCV infection cured (76%) or are awaiting DAA treatment results (6%). This rapid treatment scale-up may contribute to future HCV elimination among these patients