Digital solution in the follow-up of early breast cancer a randomized study

BACKGROUND

After primary treatment, patients with early breast cancer (EBC) are followed-up for at least 5 years. At the Helsinki University Hospital (HUS) surveillance includes appointments at 1, 3 and 5 years, and between pre-planned visits a phone call service operated by a nurse practitioner for counseling about symptoms related to side-effects or potential recurrence. In 2015 HUS launched a digital solution for cancer patients. This study was designed to find out patient preference, Health related (HR) quality of life (QOL) and satisfaction with a digital solution compared to a phone call service during the first year of follow-up.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patients with EBC were randomized at the final visit of radiotherapy to surveillance by phone calls or by the digital Noona solution during the first year outside pre-planned visits. After six months the groups were crossed over to the other arm. Primary endpoint was patient preference for either follow-up method among those who had contacted the study nurse at least once by both phone service and digital solution.

RESULTS

Out of the 765 patients randomized, 142 had contacted the hospital with both methods and were eligible for inclusion in the analyses of the present study. Out of the 142 patients, 56 preferred phone calls, 43 the digital solution while 43 considered both modalities equal. Preference for the digital solution was higher among patients aged 65 or less. There were no differences in HR QoL or overall satisfaction between the modalities. However, the patients rated the timeliness of response better while using the digital solution.

CONCLUSION

Of the patients 30% preferred the digital solution, 40% phone calls while 30% found them equal as the primary follow-up method for EBC during the first year outside pre-planned visits. There is a need to include also digital solutions in surveillance of EBC.

CLINICALTRIALS.GOV IDENTIFIER

NCT04980989.

Health-related quality of life and anxiety levels among patients under surveillance for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm

BACKGROUND

Because of the premalignant nature of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs), patients should undergo surveillance as long as they remain fit for surgery. This surveillance, with imaging and laboratory tests every 6 to 12 months, is expensive and may psychologically burden patients. This study aimed to determine the effects of IPMN surveillance on patients´ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and anxiety levels.

METHODS

We included a random subgroup of all IPMN patients undergoing a follow-up check-up at Helsinki University Hospital (HUH) between August 2017 and November 2018. Patients were asked to complete the 15D HRQoL and state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) questionnaires just before and three months after an IPMN control.

RESULTS

Among 899 patients in IPMN follow-up, 232 participated. The 15D HRQoL results showed differences in some IPMN patients' 15 analyzed dimensions compared to a sex- and age-standardized general population cohort, but the clinical relevance of these differences appear doubtful. We detected no significant difference in the anxiety levels determined using the STAI questionnaires before or three months after the IPMN control.

CONCLUSION

Surveillance should be less harmful than the risk of disease. Among our patients, the recommended IPMN follow-up carried minimal negative impact on patients' HRQoL or anxiety levels. This result is important, because the number of patients under IPMN surveillance is rapidly increasing and the cancer risk among the majority of these patients remains small.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The Surgical Ethics Committee of Helsinki University Hospital approved this study (Dnro HUS 475/2017) and it was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03131076) before patient enrollment began.

Health care costs and changes in subjective health-related quality of life among Finnish adolescents referred to secondary psychiatric out-patient services: a one-year follow-up study

Background

There has been growing interest in economic evidence regarding treatment of mental disorders.

Objective

The purpose of this one-year follow-up study was to evaluate the secondary health care costs and changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in three common adolescent psychiatric disorder groups. Further, HRQoL of patients was compared to that of population controls.

Methods

Twelve- to fourteen-year-old adolescents with behavioral and emotional disorders (n = 37), mood disorders (n = 35), and anxiety disorders (n = 34), completed the 16D HRQoL questionnaire when they entered the adolescent psychiatric outpatient clinics (baseline) and at follow-up. The direct secondary health care costs were calculated using a clinical patient administration system. Population controls included 373 same-aged pupils from randomly selected 13 comprehensive schools.

Results

The direct secondary health care costs did not differ significantly between the three patient groups. However, in adolescents with mood disorders, this investment generated a significant and clinically important improvement in HRQoL, which was not observed in the other two patient groups.

Conclusions

The costs of health care alone do not necessarily reflect its quality.

Factor XIa inhibition with asundexian after acute non-cardioembolic ischaemic stroke (PACIFIC-Stroke): an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2b trial

BACKGROUND

Asundexian (Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany), an oral small molecule factor XIa (FXIa) inhibitor, might prevent thrombosis without increasing bleeding. Asundexian's effect for secondary prevention of recurrent stroke is unknown.

METHODS

In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2b dose-finding trial (PACIFIC-Stroke), patients with acute (within 48 h) non-cardioembolic ischaemic stroke were recruited from 196 hospitals in 23 countries. Patients were eligible if they were aged 45 years or older, to be treated with antiplatelet therapy, and able to have a baseline MRI (either before or within 72 h of randomisation). Eligible participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1), using an interactive web-based response system and stratified according to anticipated antiplatelet therapy (single vs dual), to once daily oral asundexian (BAY 2433334) 10 mg, 20 mg, or 50 mg, or placebo in addition to usual antiplatelet therapy, and were followed up during treatment for 26-52 weeks. Brain MRIs were obtained at study entry and at 26 weeks or as soon as possible after treatment discontinuation. The primary efficacy outcome was the dose-response effect on the composite of incident MRI-detected covert brain infarcts and recurrent symptomatic ischaemic stroke at or before 26 weeks after randomisation. The primary safety outcome was major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding as defined by International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis criteria. The efficacy outcome was assessed in all participants assigned to treatment, and the safety outcome was assessed in all participants who received at least one dose of study treatment. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04304508, and is now complete.

FINDINGS

Between June 15, 2020, and July 22, 2021, 1880 patients were screened and 1808 participants were randomly assigned to asundexian 10 mg (n=455), 20 mg (n=450), or 50 mg (n=447), or placebo (n=456). Mean age was 67 years (SD 10) and 615 (34%) participants were women, 1193 (66%) were men, 1505 (83%) were White, and 268 (15%) were Asian. The mean time from index stroke to randomisation was 36 h (SD 10) and median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 2·0 (IQR 1·0-4·0). 783 (43%) participants received dual antiplatelet treatment for a mean duration of 70·1 days (SD 113·4) after randomisation. At 26 weeks, the primary efficacy outcome was observed in 87 (19%) of 456 participants in the placebo group versus 86 (19%) of 455 in the asundexian 10 mg group (crude incidence ratio 0·99 [90% CI 0·79-1·24]), 99 (22%) of 450 in the asundexian 20 mg group (1·15 [0·93-1·43]), and 90 (20%) of 447 in the asundexian 50 mg group (1·06 [0·85-1·32]; t statistic -0·68; p=0·80). The primary safety outcome was observed in 11 (2%) of 452 participants in the placebo group versus 19 (4%) of 445 in the asundexian 10 mg group, 14 (3%) of 446 in the asundexian 20 mg group, and 19 (4%) of 443 in the asundexian 50 mg group (all asundexian doses pooled vs placebo hazard ratio 1·57 [90% CI 0·91-2·71]).

INTERPRETATION

In this phase 2b trial, FXIa inhibition with asundexian did not reduce the composite of covert brain infarction or ischaemic stroke and did not increase the composite of major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding compared with placebo in patients with acute, non-cardioembolic ischaemic stroke.

FUNDING

Bayer AG.

Long-term health-related quality of life in patients with ruptured arteriovenous malformations treated in childhood

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to reveal the long-term health-related quality of life (HRQOL), educational level, and impact on occupation in 55 patients who experienced ruptured brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) that were treated during childhood.

METHODS

In 2016, questionnaires including the 15D instrument were sent to all living patients older than 18 years (n = 432) in the Helsinki AVM database. The cohort was further specified to include only patients with ruptured AVMs who were younger than 20 years at the time of diagnosis (n = 55). Educational level was compared with the age-matched general population of Finland. The mean 15D scores were calculated for independent variables (Spetzler-Ponce classification, admission age, symptomatic epilepsy, and multiple bleeding episodes) and tested using the independent-samples t-test or ANCOVA. Linear regression was used to create a multivariate model. Bonferroni correction was used with multiple comparisons.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up time from diagnosis to survey was 24.2 (SD 14.7) years. The difference in the mean 15D scores between Spetzler-Ponce classes did not reach statistical significance. The youngest age group (< 10 years at the time of diagnosis) performed less well on the dimension of usual activities than the older patients. Symptomatic epilepsy significantly reduced the long-term HRQOL. Multiple hemorrhages significantly reduced the scores on three dimensions: mobility, speech, and sexual activity. In the regression model, symptomatic epilepsy was the only significant predictor for a lower 15D score. The educational level of the cohort was for the most part comparable to that of the general population in the same age group. AVM was the reason for early retirement in 11% of the patients, while lowered performance because of the AVM was reported by 37% of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with ruptured AVMs treated in childhood can live an independent and meaningful life, even in the case of the highest-grade lesions. Symptomatic epilepsy significantly reduced the long-term HRQOL, highlighting the need for continuing support for these patients.

Behavioral therapy is superior to follow-up without intervention in patients with supragastric belching-A randomized study

BACKGROUND

Behavioral therapy (BT) has been proven effective in the treatment of supragastric belching (SGB) in open studies. The aim was to compare BT to follow-up without intervention in patients with SGB in a randomized study.

METHODS

Forty-two patients were randomized to receive 5 sessions of BT, comprising diaphragmatic breathing exercises, or to follow-up without intervention. Patients were evaluated at 6 months, at which point the control group was also offered BT and evaluated after another 6 months. The frequency and intensity of belching and mental well-being were evaluated with a visual analog scale (VAS). Depression, anxiety, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were evaluated with four questionnaires: BDI, BAI, 15D, and RAND-36.

KEY RESULTS

The frequency and intensity of SGB were significantly lower in the therapy group (n = 19) than in the control group (n = 18) at the 6-month control (p < 0.001). When all patients (n = 36) were evaluated 6 months after BT, in addition to relief in the frequency and intensity of belching (p < 0.001), mental well-being had also improved (p < 0.05). Of all 36 patients, 27(75%) responded to BT. Depression scores were lower after therapy (p < 0.05). Only minor changes occurred in anxiety and HRQoL.

CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES

Behavioral therapy is superior to follow-up without intervention in patients with SGB in reducing belching and depression; it also improves mental well-being but has only a modest effect on anxiety and HRQoL.

Health-related quality of life in patients surgically treated for orbital blow-out fracture: a prospective study

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) before and after surgical treatment of orbital blow-out fracture.

Methods

This prospective study comprises of all adult patients undergoing a surgical reconstruction of an orbital blow-out fracture in 2006–2010. Their HRQoL was evaluated for 6 months postoperatively with the aid of the standardized 15D instrument and was compared with that of an age- and gender-standardized sample of the general Finnish population. A complementary questionnaire for more detailed information was also administered.

Results

Twenty-six patients completed the study. Mean 15D score among the patients preoperatively (0.898) was statistically significantly and clinically importantly worse than the score of the control population (0.936). Six months postoperatively, the mean 15D score was 0.920, with no significant difference compared with the control population and the significant differences on the different dimensions had disappeared. The most common complaint at 6 months postoperatively was diplopia in daily life (19%). Disturbances in facial sensation (27%) and defects in facial appearance (15%) were the most unpleasant subjective outcomes.

Conclusion

The HRQoL is significantly decreased after orbital blow-out fracture compared with the general population but will recover completely in 6 months. Thus, the negative impact of orbital blow-out fracture on HRQoL is only transient. Disturbances in facial sensation, defects in facial appearance, and diplopia are the most common subjective complaints after the injury and its surgical treatment. However, these do not appear to affect the overall quality of life in the long term.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10006-020-00923-x.

CAPMH health-related quality of life among adolescent psychiatric outpatients: a 12-month follow-up study among 12-14-year-old Finnish boys and girls

BACKGROUND

Little is known about adolescents' perceptions about their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the course of routine adolescent psychiatric treatment. The aim of this 1-year follow-up study was to investigate HRQoL and changes in it among youths receiving adolescent psychiatric outpatient treatment.

METHODS

The study comprised 158 girls and 82 boys aged 12-14 years from 10 psychiatric outpatient clinics in one Finnish hospital district. Same-aged population controls (210 girls and 162 boys) were randomly collected from comprehensive schools. HRQoL was measured using the 16D instrument. The questionnaire was self-administered when the adolescents entered the polyclinics (= baseline), after a treatment period of 6 months, and after 12 months.

RESULTS

The mean age of respondents was 13.8 years (SD 0.63). At baseline, the mean HRQoL score of both female and male outpatients was significantly lower than that of population controls (p < 0.001). HRQoL of female patients was significantly worse than that of male patients (p < 0.001). In girls, HRQoL improved continuously during the 12-month follow-up, yet it remained worse than that of female population controls. Among boys, HRQoL was substantially better at the 6-month follow-up than at baseline, but this positive development was no longer seen at the 12-month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

From the perspective of HRQoL, girls seem to benefit more than boys from adolescent psychiatric outpatient treatment. Possible explanations for this finding are discussed.

Oral symptoms and oral health-related quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease from predialysis to posttransplantation

OBJECTIVE

This prospective follow-up cohort study analyzed chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients' oral symptoms, health habits, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), from predialysis to posttransplantation. A simplified questionnaire method (Oral Health Quality Score, OHQS), based on these and clinical findings, was constructed and tested for identifying patients in need for referral to a dentist.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Fifty-three CKD patients were followed up for a mean of 10.3 years. Clinical oral, radiological, and salivary examination was performed at baseline and posttransplantation. Total Dental Index (TDI) indicating inflammation was calculated. The patients filled out a questionnaire on symptoms, oral hygiene and health care habits, smoking, alcohol use, and medication. General health-related quality of life was assessed with the 15-dimensional (15D) instrument at posttransplantation. Descriptive and analytical methods were used in statistics.

RESULTS

OHQS significantly correlated with high TDI (p = 0.017), number of teeth (p = 0.031), and unstimulated salivary flow rate (p = 0.001) in transplanted patients. Number of daily medications showed a negative correlation with the OHQS (r = - 0.30; p = 0.028). The prevalence of oral symptoms was slightly, but not significantly, more common posttransplantation compared with predialysis stage.

CONCLUSION

OHQS identified patients with high oral inflammatory score thus confirming our study hypothesis.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Use of OHQS and measuring salivary flow indicate patients at risk for oral diseases. These markers might be easy to use chair-side also by auxiliary personnel.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Small Intestine Neuroendocrine Tumors

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of small intestine neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs) is increasing. Disease progression is often slow and treatment options and long-term survival rates have improved, but little is known about health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in these patients.

OBJECTIVE

To assess HRQoL and its predictors in SI-NET patients receiving contemporary treatments.

METHODS

We measured HRQoL with 15D and SF-36 questionnaires in 134 SI-NET patients and compared the 15D results to those of an age- and gender-standardized sample of the general population (n = 1,153). In the patients, we studied the impact of treatments, Ki-67, liver metastases, circulating tumor markers, comorbidities, and/or socioeconomic factors on HRQoL with linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

The mean disease duration of the patients was 81 (4-468) months, 91% had metastatic disease, and 79% received somatostatin analog treatment. Hepatic tumor load was 0% in 44.8%, < 10-25% in 44.0%, and > 25% in 11.2%, respectively. Mean fP-CgA and S-5HIAA concentrations were 15 (1.3-250) and 344 (24-7,470) nmol/L, respectively. Overall, HRQoL was significantly impaired in patients compared to controls (15D score 0.864 ± 0.105 vs. 0.905 ± 0.028, p < 0.001). SI-NET patients scored worse on 9 of 15 dimensions: sleep, excretion (i.e., bladder and bowel function), depression, distress, vitality, sexual activity (p < 0.001), breathing, usual activities, and discomfort and symptoms (p < 0.01-0.05). SF-36 scores were impaired and highly correlated with 15D scores (p < 0.001). HRQoL was impaired in patients with (n = 85) compared to patients without (n = 49) impaired excretion (0.828 vs. 0.933, p < 0.001). In the patient group, number of medications predicted impaired HRQoL.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite contemporary treatments, SI-NET patients have severely impaired HRQoL, including diarrhea, sleep, depression, vitality, and sexual activity.

Health-related quality of life of patients with zygomatic fracture

Background

The objective was to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) before and after surgical treatment of zygomatic complex fracture and assess patients’ perceptions of the aesthetic and functional outcomes of surgery.

Material and Methods

A prospective study of 79 adult patients before and after surgery for zygomatic complex fracture was conducted. HRQoL was measured using the generic 15-dimensional (15D) instrument, and patient satisfaction was assessed by an additional questionnaire.

Results

The mean preoperative 15D score for patients was lower than for general population that was matched for age and gender (p=0.011). The mean 15D score was lowest on the first postoperative day (p<0.001) when patients were worse off for 6 of the 15 dimensions of the HRQoL instrument and better off for three dimensions. However, patients achieved, and even exceeded, the mean 15D score of the general population during the first month following surgery. Infraorbital sensory loss at the end of the six-month follow-up appeared to be the single most important factor that plagued the patients.

Conclusions

HRQoL is significantly reduced after trauma but improves a few weeks after surgery. Infraorbital nerve sensory loss is a notable long-term factor that affects patients after zygomatic complex fracture.

Key words:Zygomatic fracture, maxillofacial trauma, health-related quality of life, disturbance of infraorbital nerve, facial sensation.

Uptake of telemental health services in Alberta: A success, but not in all regions

There is relatively little information on the routine use of telemental health (TMH). As part of a Canadian-Finnish project, we reviewed the use of TMH in Alberta. Using administrative data, numbers and types of TMH consultations in the province's health regions were compared with earlier published data for Alberta, and with data for Finland and other Canadian provinces. Since the first year of routine use (1997) there has been a six-fold increase in the use of TMH, and numbers of consultations per head of population are higher than elsewhere in Canada or in Finland. TMH accounts for 8% of mental health clinic consultations in the seven rural health regions. However, two regions have made negligible use of clinical TMH. TMH provides only a small proportion of all outpatient mental health services. TMH in Alberta is established in rural health regions, although with variable coverage, but remains a niche technique when all mental health services are considered.

Study quality and evidence of benefit in recent assessments of telemedicine

We carried out a systematic review of recent telemedicine assessments to identify scientifically credible studies that included comparison with a non-telemedicine alternative and that reported administrative changes, patient outcomes or the results of an economic assessment. From 605 publications identified in the literature search, 44 papers met the selection criteria and were included in the review. Four other publications were identified through references cited in one of the retrieved papers and from a separate project to give a total of 48 papers for consideration, which referred to 42 telemedicine programmes and 46 studies. Some kind of economic analysis was included in 25 (52%) of the papers. In considering the studies, we used a quality appraisal approach that took account of both study design and study performance. For those studies that included an economic analysis, a further quality-scoring approach was applied to indicate how well the economic aspects had been addressed. Twenty-four of the studies were judged to be of high or good quality and 11 of fair to good quality but with some limitations. Seven studies were regarded as having limited validity and a further four as being unacceptable for decision makers. New evidence on the efficacy and effectiveness of telemedicine was given by studies on geriatric care, intensive care and some of those on home care. For a number of other applications, reports of clinical or economic benefits essentially confirmed previous findings. Although further useful clinical and economic outcomes data have been obtained for some telemedicine applications, good-quality studies are still scarce.

Hospital-based health technology assessment (HTA) in Finland: a case study on collaboration between hospitals and the national HTA unit

BACKGROUND

This study examines, as a part of the European Union funded Adopting Hospital Based Health Technology Assessment (AdHopHTA) project, the results and barriers of collaboration between Finnish hospitals and the national health technology assessment (HTA) agency, Finohta. A joint collaborative HTA program has existed since 2006 between the Finnish hospitals and the national agency.

METHODS

A case study method was used. Information about the collaboration between Finnish hospitals and Finohta was retrieved from interviews and publications, and categorised per theme. Hypotheses and indicators of successful collaboration were determined beforehand and reflected on the observations from the interviews and literature.

RESULTS

Overall, 48 collaborative HTA reports have been performed during 7 years of collaboration. However, there were no clear indications that the use of HTA information or the transparency of decision-making regarding new technologies would have increased in hospitals. The managerial commitment to incorporate HTAs into the decision-making processes in hospitals was still low. The quality of the collaborative HTA reports was considered good, but their applicability in the hospital setting limited. There were differing expectations about the timing and relevance of the content. Signs of role conflict and mistrust were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite collaborative efforts to produce HTAs for hospitals, the impact of HTA information on hospital decision-making appears to remain low. The difficulties identified in this case study, such as lack of managerial commitment in hospitals, can hopefully be better addressed in the future with the guidance and tools having been developed in the AdHopHTA project. Collaboration between hospitals and national HTA agencies remains important for the efficient sharing of skills and resources.

Health-related quality of life in patients treated for nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas during the years 2000-2010

OBJECTIVE

The published data on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after treatment of nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) are conflicting. We evaluated HRQoL in a recent series of patients who had surgery for an NFPA.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study including a large control population.

PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENTS

A HRQoL questionnaire (15D) was sent to all patients (n = 161) having undergone transsphenoidal surgery for NFPA in the years 2000-2010 at the Helsinki University Hospital. The 15D score and dimension scores of the study population (n = 137) were compared with those of a large (n = 4967) gender- and age-standardized control population. Possible independent predictors of HRQoL in the patients were estimated with multivariate regression analysis.

RESULTS

Postoperatively, 57% of the patients had normal visual function. After a mean follow-up of 7·4 ± 3·2 years (mean ± SD), 62% suffered from hypopituitarism. Overall, HRQoL was near-normal in patients compared to controls (15D scores 0·885 ± 0·114 vs 0·903 ± 0·093, respectively, P = 0·07). On single dimensions, patients had impaired vision and sexual activity (both P < 0·0005), more depression and distress (both P < 0·005) and less discomfort and symptoms (P < 0·05). Age, body mass index, diabetes, depression and reoperation were independent predictors of impaired HRQoL (all P < 0·05). Thyroxine substitution was associated with impaired and hydrocortisone and testosterone substitution (males only) with better HRQoL (all P < 0·05).

CONCLUSIONS

This recent series of NFPA patients demonstrates that overall HRQoL is near-normal after medium term follow-up; the most impaired dimensions were in vision and sexual activity. Comorbidities are strong predictors of impaired HRQoL.

Does Future Diabetes Risk Impair Current Quality of Life? A Cross-Sectional Study of Health-Related Quality of Life in Relation to the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC)

OBJECTIVES

Present study examines the relationship between the estimated risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We quantify the association between Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) and HRQoL, and examine the potential use of FINDRISC as tool to evaluate HRQoL indirectly.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study comprising 707 Finnish people without a diagnosis of T2D between the ages of 51 and 75 years. The risk of developing T2D was assessed using the validated and widely used FINDRISC (range 0-26 points), and quality of life was measured using two preference-based HRQoL instruments (15D and SF-6D) and one health profile instrument (SF-36). Effects of the individual FINDRISC items and demographic and clinical characteristics, such as co-morbidities, on HRQoL were studied using multivariable Tobit regression models.

RESULTS

Low HRQoL was significantly and directly associated with the estimated risk of developing T2D. An approximate 4-5 point change in FINDRISC score was observed to be associated with clinically noticeable changes in the preference-based instrument HRQoL index scores. The association between HRQoL and the risk of developing T2D was also observed for most dimensions of HRQoL in all applied HRQoL instruments. Overall, old age, lack of physical activity, obesity, and history of high blood glucose were the FINDRISC factors most prominently associated with lower HRQoL.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings may help the health care professionals to substantiate the possible improvement in glucose metabolism and HRQoL potentially achieved by lifestyle changes, and better convince people at high risk of T2D to take action towards healthier lifestyle habits. FINDRISC may also provide an accurate proxy for HRQoL, and thus by estimating the risk of T2D with the FINDRISC, information about patients' HRQoL may also be obtained indirectly, when it is not feasible to use HRQoL instruments.

Heterogeneity of maternal characteristics and impact on gestational diabetes (GDM) risk-Implications for universal GDM screening?

OBJECTIVE

To study the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in relation to phenotypic characteristics and gestational weight gain (GWG) among women at high risk for GDM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a secondary analysis of a GDM prevention study (RADIEL), a randomized controlled trial conducted in Finland. 269 women with a history of GDM and/or a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m(2) were enrolled before 20 weeks of gestation and divided into four groups according to parity, BMI and previous history of GDM. The main outcome was incidence of GDM.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in incidence of GDM between the groups (p < 0.001). Women with a history of GDM and BMI <30 kg/m(2) showed the highest incidence (35.9%). At baseline they had fewer metabolic risk factors and by the second trimester they gained more weight. There was no interaction between GWG and GDM outcome and no significant difference in the prevalence of diabetes-associated antibodies.

CONCLUSION

Despite a healthier metabolic profile at baseline the non-obese women with a history of GDM displayed a markedly higher cumulative incidence of GDM. GWG and the presence of diabetes-associated antibodies were not associated with GDM occurrence among these high-risk women. Key message Despite a healthier metabolic profile at baseline the non-obese women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus display a markedly higher cumulative incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Trends in the 15D health-related quality of life over the first year following diagnosis of head and neck cancer

Management of head and neck cancer influences both physical and mental wellbeing. Measuring the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is important, as various treatment modalities are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In this prospective cohort study, we tested the feasibility of the generic 15D HRQoL instrument in 214 head and neck cancer patients managed with surgery, definitive (chemo)radiotherapy, or with combined modality treatment. HRQoL was assessed at baseline and three times after treatment onset during 1 year, and compared with that of general population standardized for age and sex. At baseline, the patients' mean 15D score was significantly worse compared with general population. Overall HRQoL was at lowest at 3 months after treatment onset, it gradually improved towards 12 months but never reached baseline levels. The dimensions "vitality", "distress", "depression" and "sexual activity" showed marked deterioration at 3 months after the treatment onset, but improved gradually during 12 months. The 15D instrument seems useful for evaluation of HRQoL of head and neck cancer patients. Dimensions reflecting mental wellbeing improved gradually after 3 months, but they seldom reached baseline levels. The support for patients at the time of diagnosis, during treatment, and recovery is emphasized.

[Are practice guidelines being followed in specialized care?]

We surveyed to which extent the processes of examination and treatment in 2012 were based on guidelines based on evaluated scientific evidence within the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa. The survey was directed at the fulfillment of 31 Current Care guidelines and 19 HALO guidelines, four nursing science guidelines as well as one physiotherapeutic guideline in a total of 1,318 patients. Current Care guidelines were mainly fulfilled well. Poor fulfillment of drug recommendations after hospitalization was alarming. HALO guidelines were moderately well fulfilled, whereas there were defects in adherence to the nursing science and physiotherapeutic guidelines.

Quality of life of recently treated patients with breast cancer

AIM

To investigate whether the negative quality of life result of a large randomized exercise intervention study (BREX) was due to considerable spontaneous recovery after adjuvant treatments.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The change in QoL was studied in the control patients of the BREX study (Group 1) and a group of similar follow-up patients that did not participate in any intervention study (Group 2). QoL was measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 with the breast cancer module supplement 6 and 12 months after surgery.

RESULTS

QoL improved in both groups between 6 and 12 months after surgery. The improvement was similar in both groups for global QoL and for most of the QoL sub-scales.

CONCLUSION

No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that participation in an exercise intervention per se significantly improves QoL. Spontaneous improvement in QoL began during the first six months after the primary treatments, which might have confounded the results of the intervention of the BREX study.

The status of telerehabilitation in neurological applications

We systematically reviewed the evidence for the effectiveness of tele-neurorehabilitation (TNR) applications. The review included recent reports on rehabilitation for any disability associated with a neurological deficit or condition. Study quality was assessed using an approach that considered both study performance and study design. Judgements were made on whether each application had been successful, and whether further data were needed to establish the application as suitable for routine use. Nineteen credible studies that reported patient outcomes or administrative changes were identified. These studies related to 13 conditions. The focus of rehabilitation included Internet-supported treatments for management of fatigue, pain and depression; promotion of physical activity; and speech therapy. Sixteen studies were of high or good quality and three were fair to good, with some limitations. In 13 of the 19 studies the TNR application was successful in providing at least equivalent outcomes to conventional approaches. Additional work would be needed on eight applications to establish suitability for routine use, and would be desirable in five. Thus the recent literature provides further support for TNR applications, showing the promise of this field in a number of areas. However, the database of credible studies remains small.

Evidence of benefit from telerehabilitation in routine care: a systematic review

We systematically reviewed the evidence on the effectiveness of telerehabilitation (TR) applications. The review included reports on rehabilitation for any disability, other than mental health conditions, and drug or alcohol addiction. All forms of telecommunications technology for TR and all types of study design were considered. Study quality was assessed using an approach that considered both study performance and study design. Judgements were made on whether each TR application had been successful, whether reported outcomes were clinically significant, and whether further data were needed to establish the application as suitable for routine use. Sixty-one scientifically credible studies that reported patient outcomes or administrative changes were identified through computerized literature searches on five databases. Twelve clinical categories were covered by the studies. Those dealing with cardiac or neurological rehabilitation were the most numerous. Thirty-one of the studies (51%) were of high or good quality. Study results showed that 71% of the TR applications were successful, 18% were unsuccessful and for 11% the status was unclear. The reported outcomes for 51% of the applications appeared to be clinically significant. Poorer-quality studies tended to have worse outcomes than those from high- or good-quality studies. We judged that further study was required for 62% of the TR applications and desirable for 23%. TR shows promise in many fields, but compelling evidence of benefit and of impact on routine rehabilitation programmes is still limited. There is a need for more detailed, better-quality studies and for studies on the use of TR in routine care.

The impacts of nitrous oxide gas on sleep quality during alcohol withdrawal

Background

Poor quality of sleep among alcoholics and persons undergoing alcohol withdrawal has been described as a possible cause of alcohol relapse. It has been suggested earlier that nitrous oxide gas has a significant effect on the signs of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) and thus might be expected to reduce sleep disturbance during withdrawal. The aim of the present study was to investigate sleep quality during alcohol withdrawal, to evaluate the correlation between sleep quality and the severity of AWS and alcohol craving, and to determine if nitrous oxide treatment does counteract withdrawal's effects on the quality of sleep. Voluntary patients (n = 105) admitted to the A-Clinic detoxification center with AWS were included in the study. The AWS patients were randomly assigned to one of the following 45-minute gas treatments: (1) nitrous oxide/oxygen; (2) normal air/O₂; and (3) medical (normal) air. The study was single-blind by design. Sleep quality was assessed after these treatments during the inpatient period; sleep time, sleep efficiency and the fragmentation of sleep were recorded by wrist-worn actigraphs. Severity of AWS was evaluated by the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale (CIWA-Ar) and that of alcohol dependence and craving by the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale [OCDS] and the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Data (SADD) questionnaire.

Results

The fragmentation index and the time awake while in bed were both much above the reference values for the Finnish population. These values reflect the restless and disturbed night sleep of the subjects. The only statistically significant effects between the treatment groups were found in the correlations of CIWA-Ar (severity of AWS) scores, OCDS-scores (alcohol craving) and coffee consumption, all of which were positively associated with movement time and negatively with total sleep time and sleep efficiency. The sleep quality of patients treated with nitrous oxide gas did not differ from the sleep quality of those treated with normal air.

Conclusions

The severity of AWS and coffee consumption had the most significant negative impact on sleep quality. According to our results, nitrous oxide gas does not differ from placebo in its effect on sleep quality during alcohol withdrawal.

Outcomes of early infancy laryngeal reconstruction on health- and voice-related quality of life

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to study the voice, voice-related quality of life (VRQoL) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children who in early infancy underwent a laryngeal split (cotton plasty operation) at the Helsinki University Central Hospital between January 1990 and December 2005.

METHODS

A retrospective review identified 17 children, of whom 10 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and participated in the study. Age- and gender-matched volunteers formed a control group. We used generic 16D and 17D questionnaires to assess HRQoL; the Pediatric Voice Outcomes Survey (PVOS) and the pediatric voice-related quality of life (PVRQoL) instrument served to assess VRQoL. The children underwent indirect laryngoscopy and perceptual voice assessment.

RESULTS

HRQoL and PVRQoL scores did not differ between subjects and controls. The subjects had lower PVOS scores than did the controls (P<0.01). Perceptual assessment revealed that the subjects' voices were worse off according to the following dimensions: voice is strained, voice is hoarse or husky, and voice is weak/does not resonate (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study adds to the knowledge on the long-term effects of laryngeal split on children through assessment of their HRQoL and PVRQoL. The study subjects' lower PVOS scores and findings of perceptual assessment point to the effect of cotton plasty on VRQoL and voice.

Cost-utility of molecular adsorbent recirculating system treatment in acute liver failure

AIM: To determine the short-term cost-utility of molecular adsorbent recirculating system (MARS) treatment in acute liver failure (ALF).

METHODS: A controlled retrospective study was conducted with 90 ALF patients treated with MARS from 2001 to 2005. Comparisons were made with a historical control group of 17 ALF patients treated from 2000 to 2001 in the same intensive care unit (ICU) specializing in liver diseases. The 3-year outcomes and number of liver transplantations were recorded. All direct liver disease-related medical expenses from 6 mo before to 3 years after ICU treatment were determined for 31 MARS patients and 16 control patients. The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) before MARS treatment was estimated by a panel of ICU doctors and after MARS using a mailed 15D (15-dimensional generic health-related quality of life instrument) questionnaire. The HRQoL, cost, and survival data were combined and the incremental cost/quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) was calculated.

RESULTS: In surviving ALF patients, the health-related quality of life after treatmeant was generally high and comparable to the age- and gender-matched general Finnish population. Compared to the controls, the average cost per QALY was considerably lower in the MARS group (64 732€vs 133 858€) within a timeframe of 3.5 years. The incremental cost of standard medical treatment alone compared to MARS was 10 928€, and the incremental number of QALYs gained by MARS was 0.66.

CONCLUSION: MARS treatment combined with standard medical treatment for ALF in an ICU setting is more cost-effective than standard medical treatment alone.

Prescription rates and diagnostic patterns are stable: A comparison of high-, medium- and low-prescribing primary care physicians treating community-acquired respiratory tract infections

The objective was to study prescription practices of primary care physicians in prescribing antibiotics for community-acquired respiratory tract infections. Design was time series analysis and cross-sectional survey. The setting was 30 community primary health care centres. A case report form was completed for 3478 patient consultations treated by 198 office-based primary care physicians. Main outcome measures were: classification of diagnoses of respiratory tract infections made by each physician; number of antibiotic prescriptions related to these diagnoses; each physician's mean weekly number of antibiotic prescriptions during 6 months before and after the survey. Patients' risk (odds ratio: OR) to receive an antibiotic prescription from the high and medium prescribers was 5.81 (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.85-6.96) and 2.41 (95% CI 2.04-2.86), compared to low prescribers. High and medium prescribers made more diagnoses of otitis media (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.70-2.53 and 1.85, 95% CI 1.51-2.26, respectively) and fewer diagnoses of unspecified upper respiratory tract infection (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.26-0.38 and 0.57, 95% CI 0.48-0.68, respectively) than low prescribers. The rank of the prescription rate of high, medium and low prescriber groups remained the same for all diagnoses except pneumonia. In addition, the annual rank between high, medium and low prescriber groups remained stable; high group prescribed more antibiotics during the year than medium group, which prescribed more than low prescriber group.

Limitations in the routine use of telepsychiatry

Telepsychiatry is well established in many countries, but there is still little information about its use in routine health care. We reviewed the literature for information on the use of telepsychiatry in mental health services. From 1033 publications identified in the literature search and through references from a separate project, 16 studies or descriptions of the routine use of telepsychiatry services were selected for further review. Eleven of these articles dealt primarily with videoconferencing and five with telephone- based services. Clinical use of videoconferencing in the programmes described by the reviewed papers was modest, with an average of 16 consultations per month. Three of the telephone-based services had large numbers of clients. The papers we reviewed gave limited consideration to the healthcare systems in which telepsychiatry was provided and to the use of conventional mental health services. Telepsychiatry appears to still be a niche technology in many health systems. A lack of champions for the technology and reimbursement problems may contribute to the limited use of this area of telemedicine.

WITHDRAWN: Biopsychosocial rehabilitation for upper limb repetitive strain injuries in working age adults

BACKGROUND

Upper limb repetitive strain injury is a common problem in western countries, causing human suffering and huge economical losses. Patients with prolonged pain associated with repetitive tasks in the work place can face both psychological and physical difficulties. Different treatment programmes, physical, psychological, behavioural , social and occupational treatments have been developed and used to help these patients.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this systematic review is to determine the effectiveness of biopsychosocial rehabilitation for upper limb repetitive strain injuries among working age adults.

SEARCH STRATEGY

The reviewed studies for this structured Cochrane review were identified from electronic bibliographic databases, the Science Citation Index, reference checking and consulting experts in the rehabilitation field. The original search was planned and performed for a more broad area of musculoskeletal disorders. Trials on repetitive strain injuries were separated afterwards.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials and controlled trials comparing biopsychosocial measures for the treatment of repetitive upper limb strain injury in working age adults

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two experts in the field of rehabilitation evaluated the clinical relevance and applicability of the findings of the selected studies to actual clinical use. Two other blinded reviewers extracted the data and assessed the main results and the methodological quality of the studies using standardized forms. Finally, a qualitative analysis was performed to evaluate the level of scientific evidence for the effectiveness of biopsychosocial rehabilitation.

MAIN RESULTS

We found only two relevant studies that satisfied our criteria. They assessed the effectiveness of two specific interventions and were both considered as low quality trials. The clinical relevance of the included studies was also unsatisfactory. The level of scientific evidence for the effectiveness of biopsychosocial rehabilitation for repetitive strain injuries was limited. One small trial found that hypnosis supplementary to comprehensive treatment can decrease the intensity of pain for acute RSI in six weeks follow-up.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that presently there appears to be little scientific evidence for the effectiveness of biopsychosocial rehabilitation on repetitive strain injuries. As RCTs on more intensive and comprehensive biopsychosocial treatment programmes for RSI are lacking, there does not seem to be reliable data for these interventions. There is a need for high quality trials in this field.

The effectiveness of telemental health applications: a review

OBJECTIVE

To review the evidence of benefit from use of telemental health (TMH) in studies that reported clinical or administrative outcomes.

METHOD

Relevant publications were identified through computerized literature searches using several electronic databases. Included for review were scientifically valid articles that described controlled studies, comparing TMH with a non-TMH alternative, and uncontrolled studies that had no fewer than 20 participants. Quality of the evidence was assessed with an approach that considers both study performance and study design. Judgments were made on whether further data were needed to establish each TMH application as suitable for routine clinical use.

RESULTS

Included in the review were 72 papers that described 65 clinical studies; 32 (49%) studies were of high or good quality. Quality of evidence was higher for Internet- and telephone-based interventions than for video conferencing approaches. There was evidence of success with TMH in the areas of child psychiatry, depression, dementia, schizophrenia, suicide prevention, posttraumatic stress, panic disorders, substance abuse, eating disorders, and smoking prevention. Evidence of success for general TMH programs and in the management of obsessive-compulsive disorder were less convincing. Further study was judged to be necessary or desirable in 53 (82%) of the studies.

CONCLUSION

Evidence of benefit from TMH applications is encouraging, though still limited. There is a need for more good-quality studies on the use of TMH in routine care. The emerging use of Internet-based applications is an important development that deserves further evaluation.

The use of videoconferencing for mental health services in Finland

The utilization of telemental health (TMH) services in Finland was surveyed in 2006. In total, 135 health-care units provided responses. Eighty-four responses were received from primary care units (health-care centres and clinics) and eight from other clinics, in all hospital districts. The overall rate of TMH consultations was 4 per 100,000 population. The highest TMH consultation per population ratio, 22 per 100,000, was in northern Finland. Most of the sites used telepsychiatry services for less than 10% of clinical outpatient services. The sites with over 20% utilization of clinical TMH services from all psychiatric consultations were all rural health centres. Compared with Finland, the utilization rates of TMH were higher in Canada; that might be due to differences between the countries in the organization of mental health services in primary and specialized care. In Finland TMH consultations made up only a very small proportion of all mental health services. The use of TMH was particularly common in remote areas; however, there were many rural centres that did not utilize clinical TMH. TMH was widely utilized for continuing and medical education.

Recommended and prescribed symptomatic treatment for acute maxillary sinusitis in Finnish primary care

We studied the use of symptomatic medication in the treatment of acute maxillary sinusitis (AMS) in primary care and whether this use is in accordance with national guidelines. The data was collected annually in the Antimicrobial Treatment Strategies (MIKSTRA) Program in 30 primary health care centres throughout Finland during one week in November in the years from 1998 to 2002. Physicians and nurses collected the data about the diagnoses, prescription-only medicines and over the counter medicines prescribed or recommended for all patients with an infection during the study weeks. The MIKSTRA data comprised of 23.002 first consultations for an infection: 2.448 patients were diagnosed as having AMS. Altogether, 41% of them received some symptomatic medicine. Antihistamines with or without sympathomimetics were the most commonly prescribed or recommended symptomatic medicines (23% of the patients). For comparison, systemic antibacterial agents were prescribed for 93% of the AMS patients. We conclude that Finnish physicians recommend or prescribe more symptomatic medication without proven efficacy for AMS than recommended by the national guidelines. Especially, the use of antihistamines with or without sympathomimetics, mostly the combination of acrivastine and pseudoephedrine, was common although antihistamines were recommended only for patients with allergy or nasal polyps.

Implementing guidelines on acute maxillary sinusitis in general practice--a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Management of acute maxillary sinusitis (AMS) is not optimal; antibiotics are often prescribed for viral sinusitis, which leads to many problems including those with antimicrobial resistance. Guidelines have been proposed as a means to change the professional practices.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to study whether a nationwide guidelines implementation programme has an effect on the management of AMS in primary care.

METHODS

A multi-centre randomized controlled trial was conducted in 30 health centres (HCs) covering a population of 819 777 people from 1998 to 2002. The participating HCs were randomized to implement guidelines either according to a problem-based learning (PBL) or an academic detailing (AD) method facilitated by local GPs. Data were gathered during 1 week in November in all study years and also from external control HCs in 2002. The main outcome measure was compliance with the key points of AMS management in national Current Care guidelines.

RESULTS

Implementation of guidelines produced minor changes towards the recommended practices in the management of AMS. Use of the first-line drug amoxicillin increased slightly (from 39% to 48% in AD centres and from 33% to 45% in PBL centres, controls 40%). Proportion of courses of antibiotics with recommended duration increased in MIKSTRA study centres (from 34% to 40% in AD centres and from 32% to 47% in PBL centres, controls 43%).

CONCLUSIONS

A nationwide guidelines implementation project produced modest changes in the management of AMS. There were no significant differences between AD and PBL education methods. Less than half the HCs were able to realize the project as intended, which decreases the internal validity of the study. The guidelines implementation might have benefited of more focussed targets and approaches that took into account the problems and practices of each HC.

Management of pain in acute otitis media in Finnish primary care

Most treatment recommendations for acute otitis media favour active use of pain relief medication. These data comprised 3059 Finnish primary care acute otitis media patients. We found that 10.4% of the patients were prescribed or recommended analgesics, which is in contrast to treatment recommendations.

Use of quality-adjusted life years for the estimation of effectiveness of health care: A systematic literature review

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to identify, in a systematic literature review, published studies having used quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) based on actual measurements of patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and to determine which HRQoL instruments have been used to calculate QALYs. Furthermore, the aims were to characterize studies with regard to medical specialty, intervention studied, results obtained, quality, country of origin, QALY gain observed, and interpretation of results regarding cost-effectiveness.

METHODS

Systematic searches of the literature were made using the MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, SCI, and Cochrane Library electronic databases. Initial screening of identified articles was based on abstracts read independently by two of the authors; full-text articles were again evaluated by two authors, who made the final decision on which articles should be included.

RESULTS

The search identified 3,882 articles; 624 were obtained for closer review. Of the reviewed full-text articles, seventy reported QALYs based on actual before-after measurements using a valid HRQoL instrument. The most frequently used instrument was EuroQol HRQoL instrument (EQ-5D, 47.5 percent). Other instruments used were Health Utilities Index (HUI, 8.8 percent), the Rosser-Kind Index (6.3 percent), Quality of Well-Being (QWB, 6.3 percent), Short Form-6D (SF-6D, 5.0 percent), and 15D (2.5 percent). The rest (23.8 percent) used a direct valuation method: Time Trade-Off (10.0 percent), Standard Gamble (5.0 percent), visual analogue scale (5.0 percent), or rating scale (3.8 percent). The most frequently studied medical specialties were orthopedics (15.5 percent), pulmonary diseases (12.7 percent), and cardiology (9.9 percent). Ninety percent of the studies came from four countries: United Kingdom, United States, Canada, the Netherlands. Approximately half of the papers were methodologically high quality randomized trials. Forty-nine percent of the studied interventions were viewed by the authors of the original studies as being cost-effective; only 13 percent of interventions were deemed not to be cost-effective.

CONCLUSIONS

Although QALYs gained are considered an important measure of effectiveness of health care, the number of studies in which QALYs are based on actual measurements of patients' HRQoL is still fairly limited.

The Antimicrobial Treatment Strategies (MIKSTRA) Program: A 5-Year Follow-Up of Infection-Specific Antibiotic Use in Primary Health Care and the Effect of Implementation of Treatment Guidelines

BACKGROUND

A national 5-year follow-up study of infection-specific antibiotic use in primary care was conducted to see if prescribing practices change after implementing new treatment guidelines.

METHODS

The data were collected during 1 week of November each year from 1998 to 2002 from 30 health care centers that covered a total population of 819,777 persons and in 2002 from 20 control health care centers that covered a population of 545,098 persons. National guidelines for 6 major infections (otitis media, sinusitis, throat infection, acute bronchitis, urinary tract infection, and bacterial skin infection) were published in 1999-2000. Multifaceted interventions were performed by local trainers teaching his or her coworkers, supported by feedback and patient and public information.

RESULTS

The 6 infections targeted for intervention, together with unspecified upper respiratory tract infection constituted 80%-85% of all infections. The proportion of patients who received prescriptions for antibiotics did not change significantly. However, use of first-line antibiotics increased for all infections, and the change was significant for sinusitis (P<.001), acute bronchitis (P=.015), and urinary tract infections (P=.009). Also, the percentage of antibiotic treatments prescribed for the recommended duration increased significantly. Correct prescribing for respiratory tract infections improved by 6.4 percentage units (P<.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in performance between study and control health care centers at follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate qualitative improvements in antibiotic use were observed after multifaceted intervention, but prescribing for unjustified indications, mainly acute bronchitis, did not decrease. Obtained infection-specific information on management of patients with infections in primary health care is an important basis for planning targeted interventions in the future.

Published evidence on the success of telecardiology: a mixed record

We carried out a systematic review of the literature on telecardiology assessment from 1992 to September 2003. We selected articles reporting clinical, economic or administrative outcomes. Quality of evidence was assessed using an approach that considered both study design and study performance. Forty-four studies met the selection criteria. Studies of home care applications, particularly management of congestive heart failure, were of highest quality, giving a high degree of confidence in their findings. Studies on paediatric and non-emergency adult hospital applications were of poorer quality; they were mostly reports of case series and gave relatively little detail. Economic analysis was limited to cost studies and in most cases was judged to be of poor to fair quality. While telecardiology has been widely applied, there is still limited good-quality evidence of its benefits to health-care. Success in establishing the feasibility of telecardiology applications is offset by a failure to obtain convincing data on their influence on health outcomes and on their cost-effectiveness.

Management of acute maxillary sinusitis in Finnish primary care. Results from the nationwide MIKSTRA study

OBJECTIVES

To study the management of acute maxillary sinusitis (AMS) in Finnish primary care and to compare it both to recommendations in national guidelines and to the management of other upper respiratory tract infections (URTI).

DESIGN

A cross-sectional multi-centre epidemiological survey.

SETTING

Thirty primary care health centres in Finland.

SUBJECTS

7284 patients with symptoms of possible acute rhinosinusitis during one week in both November 1998 and November 1999.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Symptoms and their duration, use of diagnostic tools, choice of antibiotics, patient outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 1601 patients were diagnosed as having AMS (12% of all patients with infectious disease). In 45% of cases the differentiation between AMS and URTI was based on clinical examination alone. Sinus ultrasound was the most common diagnostic tool used (38%). Sinus radiography or blood tests (CRP or leukocytes) were both studied in 8% of cases. AMS was diagnosed and treated with antibiotics also in the early stages of URTI when viruses are the most likely explanation. In total, 83% of patients with AMS received a prescription for antibiotics; the most common choice was amoxycillin (37%), doxycycline was used in 29% of cases, and macrolides in 15%.

CONCLUSIONS

Antibiotics are prescribed for AMS 2 to 5 times more often than true disease incidence would suggest in Finland. The choice of antibiotics follows the guideline recommendations; however, use of macrolides is higher than recommended. Physicians feel strong pressure from patients to prescribe antibiotics for AMS. Primary care physicians need better support in the accurate diagnosis of AMS.

Mini-intervention for subacute low back pain: two-year follow-up and modifiers of effectiveness

STUDY DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES

To Investigate the long-term effectiveness, costs, and effect modifiers of a mini-intervention, provided in addition to the usual care, and the incremental effect of a worksite visit for patients with subacute disabling low back pain (LBP).

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

A mini-intervention was earlier proved to be an effective treatment for subacute LBP. Whether the beneficial effect is sustained is not known. Furthermore, modifiers of a treatment effect are largely unknown.

METHODS

A total of 164 patients with subacute LBP randomized into a mini-intervention (A, n = 56), a mini-intervention plus a worksite visit (B, n = 51), or the usual care (C, n = 57). Mini-intervention consisted of a detailed assessment of the patients' history, beliefs, and physical findings by a physician and a physiotherapist, followed by recommendations and advice. The usual care patients received the conventional care. Pain, disability, health-related quality of life, satisfaction with care, days on sick leave, and health care consumption and costs were measured during a 24-month follow-up. Thirteen candidate modifiers were tested for each outcome.

RESULTS

There were no differences between the three treatment arms regarding the intensity of pain, the perceived disability, or the health-related quality of life. However, mini-intervention decreased occurrence of daily (A vs., C, P = 0.01) and bothersome (A vs. C, P < 0.05) pain and increased treatment satisfaction. Costs resulting from LBP were lower in the intervention groups (A 4670 Euros, B 5990 Euros) than in C (C 9510 Euros) (A vs. C, P = 0.04; and B vs. C, not significant). The average number of days on sick leave was 30 in A, 45 in B, and 62 in C (A vs. C, P = 0.03; B vs. C, not significant). The perceived risk for not recovering was the strongest modifier of treatment effect. Mental and mental-physical workers in A and B were less often on sick leave than those in C.

CONCLUSIONS

Mini-intervention is an effective treatment for subacute LBP. Despite lack of a significant effect on intensity of low back pain and perceived disability, mini-intervention, including proper recommendations and advice, according to the "active approach," is able to reduce LBP-related costs. The perceived risk of not recovering was the strongest modifier of treatment effect. In alleviating pain, the intervention was most effective among the patients with a high perceived risk of not recovering.