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Jes Sloth Mathiesen,1,2 Jens Peter Kroustrup,3 Peter Vestergaard,3,4 Kirstine Stochholm,5,6 Per Løgstrup Poulsen,5 Åse Krogh Rasmussen,7 Ulla Feldt-Rasmussen,7 Sten Schytte,8 Henrik Baymler Pedersen,9 Christoffer Holst Hahn,10 Jens Bentzen,11 Sören Möller,2,12 Mette Gaustadnes,13 Maria Rossing,14 Finn Cilius Nielsen,14 Kim Brixen,2 Anja Lisbeth Frederiksen,2,15 Christian Godballe1 1Department of ORL Head & Neck Surgery and Audiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; 2Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 3Department of Clinical Medicine and Endocrinology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; 4Steno Diabetes Center North Jutland, Aalborg, Denmark; 5Department of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark; 6Center for Rare Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark; 7Department of Medical Endocrinology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; 8Department of ORL Head and Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; 9Department of ORL Head and Neck Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; 10Department of ORL Head and Neck Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; 11Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark; 12Odense Patient data Explorative Network (OPEN), Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; 13Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; 14Center for Genomic Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; 15Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark Background: The incidence and prevalence of multiple endocrine neoplasia 2A (MEN2A) have only been reported once in a nationwide setting. However, it is unclear whether the figures are representative of other populations, as the major component of the syndrome, hereditary medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), has been reported as rare in the same country. We conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study of MEN2A in Denmark from 1901 to 2014, aiming to describe the incidence and prevalence. Methods: This study included 250 unique MEN2A patients born or resident in Denmark before December 31, 2014. Patients were identified through the Danish REarranged during Transfection (RET) cohort, linkage of MEN2A pedigrees, the Danish MTC cohort, a nationwide collaboration of MEN2 centers, cross-checking of other relevant cohorts, and a systematic literature search. Results: The incidence from 1971 to 2000 was 28 (95% CI: 21–37) per million live births per year. Incidence for the specific mutations or for the overall MEN2A group did not change significantly from 1901 to 2014 (P>0.05). Point prevalence at January 1, 2015, was 24 per million (95% CI: 20–28). Conclusion: The incidence and prevalence of MEN2A in Denmark seem higher than those reported in other countries. This is likely explained by the Danish C611Y founder effect. Also, our data indicate no significant change in MEN2A incidence during the last century. Keywords: multiple endocrine neoplasia 2A, incidence, prevalence, Denmark

Flemming Witt Udsen,1 Pernille H Lilholt,2 Ole K Hejlesen,2 Lars H Ehlers1 1Danish Centre for Healthcare Improvements, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark; 2Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark Purpose: Results from the Danish cluster-randomized trial of telehealthcare to 1,225 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the Danish Telecare North Trial, concluded that the telehealthcare solution was unlikely to be cost-effective, by applying international willingness-to-pay threshold values. The purpose of this article was to assess potential sources of variation across subgroups, which could explain overall cost-effectiveness results or be utilized in future economic studies in telehealthcare research. Methods: First, the cost-structures and cost-effectiveness across COPD severities were analyzed. Second, five additional subgroup analyses were conducted, focusing on differences in cost-effectiveness across a set of comorbidities, age-groups, genders, resource patterns (resource use in the social care sector prior to randomization), and delivery sites. All subgroups were ­investigated post hoc. In analyzing cost-effectiveness, two separate linear mixed-effects models with treatment-by-covariate interactions were applied: one for quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gain and one for total healthcare and social sector costs. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was used for each subgroup result in order to quantify the uncertainty around the cost-effectiveness results. Results: The study concludes that, across the COPD severities, patients with severe COPD (GOLD 3 classification) are likely to be the most cost-effective group. This is primarily due to lower hospital-admission and primary-care costs. Telehealthcare for patients younger than 60 years is also more likely to be cost-effective than for older COPD patients. Overall, results indicate that existing resource patterns of patients and variations in delivery-site practices might have a strong influence on cost-effectiveness, possibly stronger than the included health or sociodemographic sources of heterogeneity. Conclusion: Future research should focus more on sources of heterogeneity found in the implementation context and the way telehealthcare is adopted (eg, by integrating formative evaluation into cost-effectiveness analyses). Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01984840. Keywords: COPD, telemonitoring, telehealth, health economics, heterogeneity, Denmark

Lisbet Rosenkrantz Hölmich,1 Siri Klausen,2 Eva Spaun,3 Grethe Schmidt,4 Dorte Gad,5 Inge Marie Svane,6,7 Henrik Schmidt,8 Henrik Frank Lorentzen,9 Else Helene Ibfelt10 1Department of Plastic Surgery, 2Department of Pathology, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, 3Institute of Pathology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, 4Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Breast Surgery and Burns, Rigshospitalet – Glostrup, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 5Department of Plastic Surgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense, 6Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Hematology, 7Department of Oncology, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, 8Department of Oncology, 9Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, 10Registry Support Centre (East) – Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Glostrup – Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark Aim of database: The aim of the database is to monitor and improve the treatment and survival of melanoma patients.Study population: All Danish patients with cutaneous melanoma and in situ melanomas must be registered in the Danish Melanoma Database (DMD). In 2014, 2,525 patients with invasive melanoma and 780 with in situ tumors were registered. The coverage is currently 93% compared with the Danish Pathology Register.Main variables: The main variables include demographic, clinical, and pathological characteristics, including Breslow’s tumor thickness, ± ulceration, mitoses, and tumor–node–metastasis stage. Information about the date of diagnosis, treatment, type of surgery, including safety margins, results of lymphoscintigraphy in patients for whom this was indicated (tumors > T1a), results of sentinel node biopsy, pathological evaluation hereof, and follow-up information, including recurrence, nature, and treatment hereof is registered. In case of death, the cause and date are included. Currently, all data are entered manually; however, data catchment from the existing registries is planned to be included shortly.Descriptive data: The DMD is an old research database, but new as a clinical quality register. The coverage is high, and the performance in the five Danish regions is quite similar due to strong adherence to guidelines provided by the Danish Melanoma Group. The list of monitored indicators is constantly expanding, and annual quality reports are issued. Several important scientific studies are based on DMD data.Conclusion: DMD holds unique detailed information about tumor characteristics, the surgical treatment, and follow-up of Danish melanoma patients. Registration and monitoring is currently expanding to encompass even more clinical parameters to benefit both patient treatment and research. Keywords: melanoma, malignant melanoma, clinical database, quality database, melanoma registry, Denmark

Implementing cognitive services in community pharmacies faces certain obstacles. One approach aimed at improving long-term implementation is to consider the implementation process as consisting of different stages, all of which require tailored initiatives. Taking this approach into account, there is a marked need for increased knowledge regarding the initiatives necessary to support especially the later phases of the implementation process. Objective: The aim of this project was to develop insight into factors pertaining to the later phases of implementing cognitive services in community pharmacies.Methods: A qualitative study was conducted, consisting of semi-structured interviews with 12 Danish pharmacy staff members, who were all in charge of improving the implementation of the Inhaler Technique Assessment Service (ITAS) in the 5 years following its introduction. The interviews were used to explore which implementation barriers had been identified by the staff and how they had sought to overcome them. The interviews were analyzed by combining content and critical common sense analysis with theoretical interpretations based on Rogers “Diffusion of innovation” theory.Results: The most predominant long-term barrier was the staff members’ adoption of the ITAS at very different rates. The problem of laggards was not lack of competencies, but a lack of self-efficacy in believing that their actual competencies were sufficient to provide the service. Lack of time and attention to the service and obtaining support from the more senior members of the pharmacy were also problematic. Both individual and group activities were launched to overcome the identified challenges belonging to different phases of the implementation process. Conclusion: Those in charge of ensuring long term implementation of cognitive services in community pharmacies should consider the necessity to handle several simultaneous actions of both an individual and collective kind at the same time. Hence, the implementation process should be perceived as a series of interrelated stages rather than a linear process where one stage succeeds the other.

Porphyrias are rare diseases caused by altered haem synthesis leading to the accumulation of different haem intermediates. Neurovisceral attacks may occur in acute porphyrias, while photosensitivity is the presenting symptom in cutaneous porphyrias. We present here an overview of symptoms and a flowchart for the diagnosis of cutaneous porphyrias, with recommendations for monitoring and an update of treatment options. From the Danish Porphyria Register, we present the incidences and approximate prevalences of cutaneous porphyrias within the last 25 years. A total of 650 patients with porphyria cutanea tarda were identified, 73 with erythropoietic protoporphyria, 9 with variegate porphyria, 4 with hereditary coproporphyria and one with congenital erythropoietic porphyria. The total incidence of all porphyrias was ~0.52/100,000 per year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Recently, the use of benzodiazepines (BZD) and cyclopyrrolones (CP) has drawn a great deal of attention. About 100,000 patients - approximately 2% of the Danish population - are believed to be addicted to BZD. This article describes a simple and effective method of reducing the use of dependency-producing drugs in clinical practice. Methods: Design: Local rules were implemented according to Danish directive CIR nr 12 13/01/2003 regarding addictive drugs. Prescriptions for BZD and CP were only issued on a monthly basis, and only following personal consultation. This monthly requirement forced the physician as well as the patient to evaluate whether the existing prescription pattern was indicated, or whether a drug-reducing regime should be introduced. The prescription pattern was monitored using the Ordiprax System (Institute for Rational Pharmacotherapy, IRF), which records pharmacy's sales of prescription drugs as prescribed by clinical practices. Two individual clinics in Thyborøn - Harboøre Community, covering some 2300 patients, were surveyed. All patients using BZD or CP were included in this study, with the exception of patients suffering from serious psychiatric or physical disorders. Results: After 15 months, the use of BZD and CP was reduced by 50% and 75%, respectively. The process of changing prescription habits was far easier than expected. A whole group of patients, initially invisible to the physician, was exposed. During the first three months, as few as 4-5 additional consultations for every 1000 patients was required. There was essentially no need for assistance from our usual partners, including psychiatrists, hospitals, specialist units for addictive treatment. Conclusion: We strongly recommend that these simple procedures be incorporated into daily routine when prescribing either a BD or a CP.

A new species of the morphogenus Rhysocaryoxylon Dupéron (Rhysocaryoxylon madsenii Sakala & Gryc sp. nov.) is described from the Lower Eocene of the Fur Formation, Mors island, Denmark. This permineralized fossil angiosperm wood is semi-ring-porous with distinct growth ring boundaries, vessels solitary or in radial multiples of 2-5, perforation plates exclusively simple, and tyloses abundant. Rays are 1-5-seriate and heterocellular with a body composed of procumbent cells and 1-4 rows of upright marginal cells. Axial parenchyma is reticulate with numerous prismatic crystals both in chambered cells and idioblasts, forming long chains up to 12 cells high. Its equivocal botanical affinities within the family Juglandaceae are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiproxy palaeoecological data for lake Dallund Sø, Denmark, were synthesized to explore the link between changes in the terrestrial environment (from pollen, and sediment physical properties) with those in the aquatic environment (from diatom, macrofossil, zooplankton and Pediastrum data) since the introduction of agriculture c. 6000 years ago. The lake was relatively insensitive to catchment disturbance during the Neolithic (3870–1700 BC) and Early Bronze Age (1700–1000 BC) periods but was dramatically impacted by environmental changes associated with a major deforestation phase at the transition from the Late Bronze Age (1000–500 BC) to the Pre-Roman Iron Age (500 BC–AD 0). A major eutrophication of the lake took place as a result of a changing agricultural system and also the retting of flax and hemp during the Mediaeval period (AD 1050–1536). Analyses of the data sets representing the terrestrial and aquatic environments demonstrate that human activities over thousands of years have not only impacted and shaped the Danish landscape but have also played a major role in lake development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study set out to examine whether women victimized by domestic violence in a given year subsequently have more health problems measured by amount of hospital contacts due to disease than non-victimized women. Methods: A case control study was carried out, based on data in the Danish National Patient Register, which covers all hospital contacts, identified by the unique citizen number. Three age groups were included: 15-19, 20-29, and 30-49 years. Cases were women with any hospital contact as a result of intentional injuries, defined as domestic violence, in 1995, and controls were women with all other reasons for hospital contact in 1995. The Nordic Classification of External Causes of Injuries classified reason for contact, place of occurrence, and mechanism of injury. Domestic violence was defined as intentional injury by blunt force and occurring in a residential area. The rate of subsequent hospital contacts because of any disease, induced abortions, gynaecological diseases, and mental illness among cases and controls in 1996-98 was compared. Results: 1,815 women victimized by domestic violence and 388,366 controls were identified. In the entire period, the victims of violence presented significantly more health problems than the controls, as measured by hospital contacts due to any disease. The rate of contacts due to induced abortions, gynaecological diseases, and mental illness was significantly higher among the victims in all three age groups in the first year following the identified violence. In the entire period, victims of violence aged 20-49 presented a significantly higher rate of contacts due to mental illness, and victims aged 20-29 years a higher rate of induced abortions. Conclusions: Registration practice of all hospital contacts in Denmark facilitates nationally representative analyses of associations between violence and health problems. The observed differences among women victimized by domestic violence and controls point to violence against women as a major public health problem. Proper registration of hospital contacts due to intentional injury may both guarantee adequate follow-up of the individual victim, and serve as a useful tool in the monitoring of general violence prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seventy-three 1-year-experienced Danish soldiers were examined for tinea pedis as well as onychomycoses before and after a duty period of 6 months in ex-Yugoslavia. The incidence of fungal infections was 16.4% before and 32.3% after their duty period abroad. At first investigation Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagrophytes were dominant but onychomycosis and tinea pedis were found as well. In contrast, Candida albicans was the predominant pathogen in the second investigation. We explain this by means of the more aggressive nature that yeasts can show when host–parasite relations are disturbed or compromised. Twelve soldiers with positive mycology were offered treatment and the final investigation showed a cure rate of 50%. This result is satisfactory in view of the difficult sanitary conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrespective of structural and other changes, today the healthcare sectors in all countries share many common problems, particularly in regard to: whether to allow private financing via insurance or public financing via taxation; higher consumer demand and expectations; greater opportunities for medical science interventions; and prioritizing treatment and patient categories. Below, how the Danish healthcare sector is facing these challenges and what it means for nurses. INSET: The Rationing Debate.