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S Le Cessie

Publications and source records attributed to S Le Cessie.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Responsiveness of the shoulder function assessment scale in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the responsiveness of the Shoulder Function Assessment scale (SFA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In 35 patients with RA receiving a (peri-)articular injection because of local shoulder complaints the SFA, impact of shoulder function on activities of daily living, active shoulder range of motion (ROM), the 28 joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28), and the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) were measured before and 4-6 weeks after treatment. Responsiveness was determined using the standardised response mean (SRM), effect size (ES), and responsiveness ratio (RR). RESULTS: Overall, significant improvement was seen according to the SFA (mean change 10.9 (95% confidence interval 6.5 to 15.3)), active shoulder ROM (except external rotation), and the impact of shoulder function on daily activities. In addition, the DAS28 and HAQ scores improved significantly. The responsiveness of the SFA was excellent, with the SRM, ES, and RR being -0.86, -1.16, and 1.28, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to its good validity and reliability, the SFA proved to have a high sensitivity to clinical changes in patients with RA who received local treatment for shoulder complaints.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Generalized atherosclerosis, cognitive decline, and depressive symptoms in old age.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis may be linked to cognitive decline and depression in old age. METHODS: The Leiden 85-Plus Study is a prospective population-based study of 599 subjects from age 85 onward. The generalized atherosclerotic burden was rated by the number of cardiovascular pathologies at baseline, as assessed by history taking from treating physicians and EKG. Cardiovascular pathologies included myocardial infarction, angina pectoris or myocardial ischemia, claudicatio intermittens, and arterial surgery. Global cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination), attention (Stroop Test), processing speed (Letter Digit Coding Test), immediate recall memory (Word Learning Test-Immediate Recall), delayed recall memory (Word Learning Test-Delayed Recall), and depressive symptoms (15-item Geriatric Depression Scale) were assessed each year from ages 85 through 90. The prospective associations between both the generalized atherosclerosis rating and stroke with cognitive function and depressive symptoms were analyzed by linear mixed models adjusted for sex and level of education. RESULTS: During follow-up, there was a significant cognitive decline and a significant increase of depressive symptoms. At baseline, a history of stroke was correlated with lower global cognitive function, slower processing speed, impaired immediate and delayed recall memory, and more depressive symptoms. In addition, a higher generalized atherosclerosis rating was correlated with impaired global cognitive function, lower attention, and a slower processing speed at baseline. During follow-up, a higher generalized atherosclerosis rating was associated with an accelerated decline of immediate recall memory and delayed recall memory. In contrast, there was no relation between the generalized atherosclerosis rating and depressive symptoms, either in the cross-sectional analysis or in the prospective analysis. CONCLUSION: In the population at large, generalized atherosclerosis contributes to cognitive decline in old age but not to depression.

Aged, 80 and over↗

Fetal cardiac contractility before and after intrauterine transfusion.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of fetal anemia and intrauterine transfusion on ventricular shortening fraction. METHODS: The end-diastolic and end-systolic transverse dimensions of the left and right ventricles were obtained using M-mode ultrasonography. The shortening fractions of both ventricles were calculated at three time points: before, immediately after and one day after intrauterine transfusion. The blood volume given at intrauterine transfusion was expressed as a percentage of estimated fetoplacental blood volume. RESULTS: Complete measurements were obtained from 49 transfusions in 23 fetuses. Intrauterine transfusion was performed at a median gestational age of 31 (range, 19-35) weeks. Median hemoglobin concentration before and after intrauterine transfusion was 7.9 (range, 2.7-13.7) g/dL and 14.3 (range, 12.7-16.1) g/dL, respectively. Both left and right ventricular shortening fractions differed significantly between the three time points. Left ventricular shortening fraction decreased immediately after transfusion in 43 (88%) of the 49 procedures. Right ventricular shortening fraction decreased immediately after transfusion in 42 (86%) of the 49 procedures. At the first intrauterine transfusion, there was only a weak correlation between the decrease in shortening fraction of both ventricles and the transfused volume (left: R(2) = 0.15; P = 0.20/right: R(2) = 0.005; P = 0.81). CONCLUSION: Transfusion significantly decreases the shortening fraction of both ventricles of the fetal heart. There is, however, little correlation between the decrease in shortening fraction and the volume of red cells given at intrauterine transfusion. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Adult↗

The effects of varying degrees of pressure delivered by negative-pressure wound therapy on skin perfusion.

Vacuum-assisted closure (V.A.C. Therapy) uses 2 distinct types of foams, with different physical characteristics: the black polyurethane (PU) foam and the white polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) foam. This prospective, randomized study evaluates the response of cutaneous blood flow (CBF) in healthy intact forearm skin to varying V.A.C. Therapy negative pressures and both foam types. Continuous negative pressure was used in the range of 25-500 mmHg. Skin blood flow was measured with noninvasive laser Doppler probes incorporated into the foam. Significant increase in CBF was found with both foams up to negative pressure of 300 mmHg, with over 5-fold increase (mean: 5.57; SD: 3.32) with the PU foam and nearly 3-fold increase (mean: 2.87; SD: 1.29) with the PVA foam. Comparison of blood flow at baseline and at a negative pressure of 300 mmHg showed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). No decrease in blood flow below baseline was observed during the experiments.

Adult↗

Selective gray matter damage in neuropsychiatric lupus.

OBJECTIVE: Damage of brain parenchyma in patients with primary diffuse neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) has been indicated by magnetization transfer imaging (MTI). However, the location of MTI abnormalities is unknown. This study was undertaken to assess the distribution of MTI abnormalities over gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) in SLE patients with a history of NP symptoms without explanatory magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of focal disease. METHODS: MTI was performed in 24 female SLE patients with a history of diffuse NP symptoms and 24 healthy female controls. Magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) maps were calculated for GM and WM separately, and GM and WM MTR histograms were generated. Univariate and multivariate analyses with age as an additional covariate were performed on the histogram parameters peak location (PL), peak height (PH), and mean MTR. RESULTS: Compared with controls, significantly reduced PH (mean +/- SD 136 +/- 22 arbitrary units versus 151 +/- 13 arbitrary units) and mean MTR (33.3 +/- 1.0 percent units versus 33.6 +/- 0.5 percent units) were found in the GM of NPSLE patients (P = 0.002 and P = 0.033, respectively, in multivariate analyses). No significant differences were observed for WM MTR parameters. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to demonstrate, using MTI, that in SLE patients with a history of NP symptoms and without explanatory focal abnormalities on MRI, the GM is particularly affected. These findings support the hypothesis that neuronal injury may underlie central nervous system manifestations in NPSLE.

Adult↗

Tube feeding and bone marrow transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Children undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT) have poor oral intake during the transplant period, caused mainly by the intensive therapy used for their conditioning. Nutritional support (NS) is almost always needed. Whenever possible, tube feeding (TF) is preferred to parenteral nutrition (PN) because its more physiologic and causes fewer complications. However, children undergoing BMT are usually parenterally fed. We, therefore, studied whether TF was tolerated in children undergoing BMT and whether the nutritional intake was adequate in comparison to PN. PROCEDURE: Two groups were compared: TF (n = 12) and PN (n = 22). If intolerance for TF occurred, additional or total PN was given. Nutritional status, intake, complications, and costs were assessed. RESULTS: Both groups had an adequate nutritional status and reached 85% of their nutritional requirements. TF was possible in 62% of the NS days and three children could be exclusively fed with TF. A longer pre-transplant duration of TF seemed to increase the enteral tolerance. Gastrointestinal symptoms were equally frequent in TF as in PN, but cholestasis was less frequent in TF. The mean nutritional cost per child in the TF group was 440 US dollars less than in the PN group. CONCLUSIONS: TF is possible and equal in efficacy to PN in children undergoing BMT, and may have budgetary benefits.

Adolescent↗

Impairment of trigeminal sensory pathways in cluster headache.

Cluster headache (CH) typically presents in clusters of attacks of intense (peri)orbital, unilateral pain. The distribution of the pain implies involvement of central and/or peripheral trigeminal pathways. These can be investigated by means of trigeminal somatosensory evoked potentials (TSEP) and blink reflexes (BR). We aimed to relate functional changes in trigeminal sensory pathways to the presence of cluster periods. TSEP and BR were performed in 28 episodic CH patients during a cluster period and repeated in 22 outside a cluster period. TSEP latencies (N1, P1 and N2) and amplitude (N1-P1 and P1-N2) and BR latencies (R1, R2 ipsilateral and R2 contralateral) were compared between sides, during and outside a cluster period and with healthy control data (n = 22). During a cluster period, N2 TSEP latencies were longer on the symptomatic side compared with the non-symptomatic side (27.2 +/- 3.0 ms vs. 26.3 +/- 3.4 ms, P = 0.02), and compared with the same side outside the cluster period (26.7 +/- 3.1 ms vs. 25.1 +/- 3.0 ms, P = 0.01). N1, P1 and N2 latencies on the symptomatic side in patients during the cluster period (14.8 +/- 2.3 ms, 20.4 +/- 2.5 ms and 27.2 +/- 3.0 ms, respectively) were significantly longer than those of healthy controls (13.4 +/- 1.9 ms, 18.8 +/- 2.4 ms and 25.0 +/- 2.6 ms, respectively, P < 0.03). Outside the cluster period, N1 latencies of both sides (15.3 +/- 2.8 ms symptomatic side and 15.4 +/- 2.6 ms asymptomatic side) were longer compared with controls (13.4 +/- 1.9 ms, P < 0.04). TSEP amplitudes and BR latencies revealed no significant differences. We conclude that abnormalities of the afferent trigeminal pathway are present in patients with cluster headache, most prominent during the cluster period, and on the symptomatic side. This seems primarily due of changes within the higher cerebral regions of the system.

Adult↗

[Strong relationship between the course of the first pregnancy, delivery and puerperium and that of the following].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the significance of the course of a first pregnancy, delivery and puerperium (episode) for the course of a second episode. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. METHOD: Data from 3591 pregnancies, deliveries (3624 children) and puerperium of women from the Dutch town of Urk in the period 1986-1995 were analysed. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 910 nulliparous women. Of these, 387 (group 1) had experienced an uncomplicated first pregnancy-delivery-puerperium episode and 523 (group 2) a complicated one. In the study period, 77.3% of the women in group 1 and 59.8% of the women in group 2 gave birth for a second time. The course of the second episode was uncomplicated in 74.6% of group 1 and 46.3% of group 2. This difference was significant (p < 0.0001). The percentage of home deliveries in groups 1 and 2 was 80.3% and 50.5% respectively (p < 0.0001). The percentage of operative deliveries (vaginal and abdominal) was 1.3% and 8.6% respectively (p = 0.0008). No significant differences in perinatal outcome and postpartum referrals were found. Sixty-two of the 313 women with a complicated first episode had a primary indication for hospital delivery for a second partus, based on the outcome of the first episode. Even when these women were excluded, the differences in outcome as described were significant. CONCLUSION: An uncomplicated versus complicated first pregnancy-delivery-puerperium episode was an important prognostic factor with respect to an uncomplicated or complicated secondary episode respectively.

Adolescent↗

Age-related differences among patients with follicular lymphoma and the importance of prognostic scoring systems: analysis from a population-based non-Hodgkin's lymphoma registry.

BACKGROUND: The influence of age on the outcome of follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (FL) was studied in a population-based non-Hodgkin's lymphoma registry. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study comprised 214 follicular lymphoma patients. Grade I/II was considered separately from grade III FL. The data were analyzed with respect to three age groups: <60, 60-69 and >or=70 years. RESULTS: The overall survival rate decreased in the older age groups. Grade III patients showed a statistically significant decrease in overall survival in comparison with grade I/II patients (P = 0.03). Cause-specific survival analysis showed that in the older age groups, there was an increasing influence of concomitant disease on the death rate, especially among grade III FL patients >70 years of age. The survival curve in grade III FL patients was shown to reach a plateau. The prognostic scoring system, according to the Italian Lymphoma Intergroup, fitted better to grade I/II patients, while the International Prognostic Index showed better discrimination amongst grade III patients. CONCLUSIONS: Separate grading for follicular lymphoma is useful. An age >70 years has a negative impact on outcome, but the contribution of concomitant disease herein is important. Different prognostic scoring systems should be applied to the different grades of FL.

Age Factors↗

Evaluation of the patterns of Schistosoma mansoni infection and re-infection in Senegal, from faecal egg counts and serum concentrations of circulating anodic antigen.

Infection and re-infection patterns were evaluated in a recent Schistosoma mansoni focus in northern Senegal, by determining concentrations of serum circulating anodic antigen (CAA), as a measure of worm burden, and counting eggs in faeces before, 6 or 12 weeks and 1 year after praziquantel treatment in two subsequent cohorts (cohort A and B). No differences in egg counts and CAA concentrations or their relationship were found between the cohorts, which were examined 2 years apart. Within both cohorts, CAA concentrations showed the same, typical, age-related patterns as egg counts, with a peak in children and a strong decline in adults. These trends were apparent both before and 1 year after treatment. The results indicate that an age-related resistance to infection and to re-infection has been firmly established, at a steady level, in the recent S. mansoni focus investigated, with no indication of a gradual development of immunity or anti-fecundity immunity over a period of 2 years. Both shortly and 1 year after treatment, the decrease in egg counts was stronger than that in CAA concentrations, indicating that that there had been a reduction in worm fecundity after treatment. The possibility that praziquantel may induce anti-fecundity immunity has important implications for the use and interpretation of the results of (egg-count-based) re-infection studies designed to follow the development of naturally acquired immunity.

Adolescent↗

Dynamics of egg counts and circulating antigen levels in a recent Schistosoma mansoni focus in northern Senegal.

Serum circulating anodic antigen (CAA) levels were compared with faecal egg counts in four subsequent population samples, randomly selected at 8-month intervals, in a recent Schistosoma mansoni focus in northern Senegal. In all four samples, antigen levels showed the same age-intensity profiles as egg counts, with a strong decline in adults. Also across population samples, a consistent relationship was found between egg counts and antigen levels. Assuming the level of CAA to be a direct reflection of worm burden, these findings support the idea that the observed egg count patterns and levels indeed reflect dynamics of worm burdens, and not of egg excretion or worm fecundity. Remarkably similar levels of both egg counts and CAA were observed in the first and last sample, collected in the same season (August--September), but 2 years apart. This suggests that a steady state of S. mansoni infection had already been reached shortly after the onset of the epidemic in this focus (3 years). Significantly lower infection levels were found in the intermediate population samples collected in January and April. The differences in infection levels across the four population samples may be because of seasonal transmission patterns. They would indicate a substantial turnover of worm populations, with an estimated average life span of only 7 months, probably less, in this recently emerged, intense S. mansoni focus.

Adolescent↗

Eating and drinking in labor: the influence of caregiver advice on women's behavior.

BACKGROUND: Although there is much debate about eating and drinking during labor, little scientific data about its influence on the course of labor exist. In The Netherlands, most midwives and obstetricians allow women to eat and drink during normal labor. The objective of this study was to examine whether or not women were actively advised to eat and drink and if this advice affected eating and drinking behavior. METHODS: A randomly selected group of midwives and obstetricians from across The Netherlands identified 211 consecutive nulliparous women to participate in the study. In a questionnaire with open-ended questions, women were asked after their delivery whether or not they were advised about eating and drinking during labor, and if so, about the nature of this advice and what they had consumed. Data were analyzed at the Leyenburg Hospital in The Hague. RESULTS: Sixty-six percent of the women were not given advice about eating and drinking during labor. Women who were given advice usually followed it. In the total group, 37 percent of the women had intake other than water and of these, 75 percent ate solid food. After adjusting for other prognostic factors, the incidence of an instrumental delivery due to a nonprogressing second stage was lower in women with caloric intake (13% vs 24%, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The study design did not enable us to draw conclusions about the cause and effect between caloric intake and labor progress. Scientific data with respect to the giving of evidence-based advice about eating and drinking during labor are lacking. Should such advice become available, women are likely to follow it.

Drinking↗

UVA-1 cold light treatment of SLE: a double blind, placebo controlled crossover trial.

OBJECTIVE: Treatment of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) often implies strong drugs with possibly serious side effects. Thus there is a need for new immunosuppressive treatments. Long wave ultraviolet A (UVA-1) cold light therapy is an anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory treatment with a possible systemic effect and few side effects. In the current study low dose UVA-1 cold light treatment was tested to determine whether it reduces disease activity in SLE. METHODS: Eleven patients with SLE were treated with UVA-1 cold light treatment and a placebo light treatment in a double blind, placebo controlled, crossover study. In two consecutive 12 week periods the patients were treated in the first three weeks with UVA-1 and placebo treatment or vice versa. The primary variables were the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) and SLE Activity Measure (SLAM). RESULTS: The mean SLAM and SLEDAI showed a significant decrease of 30.4% (p=0.0005) and 37.9% (p=0.016) respectively after three weeks of UVA-1 and a non-significant decline of 9.3% (p=0.43) and 12.2% (p=0.54) respectively after three weeks of placebo treatment. In this small trial the difference in reduction of the disease activity indices during UVA-1 compared with during placebo treatment failed to reach the conventional border of significance (p=0.07). The total score of quality of life measure RAND-36 did not improve significantly, but the subscore for vitality did improve. CONCLUSION: Low dose UVA-1 cold light treatment was strongly suggestive of lowering disease activity in this double blind placebo controlled study, and no side effects occurred.

Adolescent↗

A quasi-randomised controlled trial of water as a quick softening agent of persistent earwax in general practice.

BACKGROUND: Earwax is a common problem in general practice. The incidence of complaints owing to earwax in general practice in the Netherlands is 39.3 per 1000 patients. AIM: To determine the feasibility of a strategy using water as a quick dispersant for persistent earwax, compared with the usual strategy using oil as a dispersant for three days in a general practice setting. DESIGN OF STUDY: Practice based, prospective controlled intervention study. SETTING: Forty-two patients (59 ears) in four general practices in the Netherlands. METHOD: Patients with persistent earwax were randomised into an intervention group and a control group. For patients in the intervention group, water drops at body temperature were dropped into the impacted ear and the auditory meatus was blocked with a wet wad of cotton. After the patient had waited for 15 minutes in the waiting room a series of attempts at syringing was completed. Patients in the control group received the usual strategy and were instructed to soften the earwax with oil each night before sleeping and to block the auditory meatus with a wad of cotton, for three days. They were asked to come back after three days for the second attempt of syringing. For both strategies the mean number of syringing attempts (and 95% confidence interval) was calculated and compared by testing the difference between the means using a t-test for independent samples. All ears in which the wax was still persistent after another five syringing attempts were given the value of 6 in the calculations. RESULTS: The mean number of syringing attempts needed per patient in the intervention group was 3.0 (95% CI = 2.4 to 3.6) and for the control group, the mean was 2.4 (95% CI = 1.7 to 3.1). The difference between means (0.6, 95% CI = 0.3 to 1.5) was not statistically significant (P = 0.18). CONCLUSION: A patient with persistent earwax can stay in the waiting room following the initial series of five attempts at syringing, with water instilled in the ear canal. After 15 minutes, the earwax is removed as easily as in the usual strategy using oil instilled for three days. The strategy using water as a dispersant for persistent earwax is quick and more convenient for the patient.

Cerumen↗

Psychological functioning and quality of life following bone marrow transplantation: a 3-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in quality of life and psychological distress following bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and variables related to this change. METHODS: One hundred twenty-five consecutive patients who underwent bone marrow transplantation (BMT) at the Leiden University Medical Centre between 1987 and 1992 filled in questionnaires measuring quality of life, functional limitations, psychological distress, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and health locus of control. Measurements were taken before the BMT; 1 month after discharge; and 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years after the BMT. RESULTS: Three years after BMT, a quarter of the patients continued to experience serious functional limitations. Thirteen percent of the patients scored >4 on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), a percentage comparable to general population prevalence. Quality of life was reported to be good to excellent by almost 90% of the patients at three years. Changes in quality of life could be explained entirely by changes in functional limitations and somatic symptoms. Changes in psychological distress were also related to these measures, and furthermore to baseline psychological functioning. CONCLUSION: Although patients were doing well three years after BMT, there was a group of patients needing help. In interventions special attention should be given to patients with ongoing psychological problems. Emphasis should be on coping with physical limitations.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Newborn assessment and long-term adverse outcome: a systematic review.

The medical literature was searched for publications between 1966 and September 1997 for data on the association of Apgar score, umbilical blood pH, or Sarnat grading of encephalopathy with long-term adverse outcome. Odds ratios for these associations were combined to calculate common odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Our search identified abstracts of 1312 studies and 81 articles with sufficient numeric data to formulate contingency tables. Forty-two of these qualified for inclusion in our meta-analysis. The strongest associations in the prediction of neonatal death were found by comparing umbilical artery pH <7 with pH >/=7 (common odds ratio 43; 95% confidence interval 15-124) and by comparing Sarnat grade III with grade II (common odds ratio 24; 95% confidence interval 13-45). In the prediction of cerebral palsy, the strongest associations were found for Sarnat grade III versus grade II (common odds ratio 20; 95% confidence interval 6-70) and for 20-minute Apgar score 0 to 3 versus 4 to 6 (common odds ratio 15; 95% confidence interval 5-50).

Apgar Score↗

Differences in the valuation of birth outcomes among pregnant women, mothers, and obstetricians.

BACKGROUND: Decisions are usually based on the perceived merits of alternative approaches. This process can be quantified by combining the probabilities of expected outcomes with their desirability. We studied differences in the valuation of birth outcomes among pregnant women, mothers, and obstetricians, and assessed how these would affect a particular obstetric decision. METHODS: In a study conducted at Leiden Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands, 12 obstetricians, 15 pregnant women, and 15 mothers participated in a standard reference gamble to determine the value of 12 different outcomes: 3 types of birth combined with 4 states of infant outcome. These were then applied to an obstetric decision tree based on the Dublin trial of intermittent auscultation versus electronic intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring. RESULTS: Contrary to obstetricians, women valued permanent neurologic handicap significantly higher than neonatal death (p < 0.01). Women expressed no overriding preferences for the type of birth, whereas obstetricians were clearly antipathetic to cesarean section. Within-group consistency was significantly higher for pregnant women and mothers than for obstetricians (p < 0.0001). However, application of the measured values to the obstetric decision tree merely led to marginal changes in overall expected value of the decision alternatives. CONCLUSIONS: Values attached to birth processes and outcomes differ significantly between (expectant) mothers and doctors. These differences should be recognized and respected in obstetric decision making.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Are pretransplant psychological variables related to survival after bone marrow transplantation? A prospective study of 123 consecutive patients.

Few studies have investigated relationships between psychological variables and survival after bone marrow transplantation (BMT). There is some evidence that psychological variables play a role in the course of cancer, and also after BMT. The present study focused on relationships between psychological variables and survival after BMT, in addition to prognostic disease, treatment, and demographic variables. In a consecutive sample of 123 patients undergoing BMT between 1987 and 1992, psychological variables were assessed before BMT. None of the psychological variables was univariately related to survival when entered into a Cox proportional hazards model as continuous variables. When divided into four groups of equal size, based on the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles, low self-esteem tended to be related to shorter survival. In multivariate analyses, none of the psychosocial variables measured before BMT was significant. Our data do not support the view that psychological variables influence survival after BMT.

Adolescent↗