Search

Background: The aim was to investigate the total prevalence of known and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM), and the association of DM with perioperative complications following elective, infrarenal, open surgical (OSR) or endovascular (EVAR), Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) repair., Methods: In this Norwegian prospective multicentre study, 877 patients underwent preoperative screening for DM by HbA 1c measurements from November 2017 to December 2020. Diabetes was defined as screening detected HbA 1c  ≥ 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) or previously diagnosed diabetes. The association of DM with in-hospital complications, length of stay, and 30-day mortality rate were evaluated using adjusted and unadjusted logistic regression models., Results: The total prevalence of DM was 15% (95% CI 13%,17%), of which 25% of the DM cases (95% CI 18%,33%) were undiagnosed upon admission for AAA surgery. The OSR to EVAR ratio was 52% versus 48%, with similar distribution among DM patients, and no differences in the prevalence of known and undiagnosed DM in the EVAR versus the OSR group. Total 30-day mortality rate was 0.6% (5/877). Sixty-six organ-related complications occurred in 58 (7%) of the patients. DM was not statistically significantly associated with a higher risk of in-hospital organ-related complications (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.57,2.39, p = 0.57), procedure-related complications (OR 1.48, 95% CI 0.79,2.63, p = 0.20), 30-day mortality (p = 0.09) or length of stay (HR 1.06, 95% CI 0.88,1.28, p = 0.54). According to post-hoc-analyses, organ-related complications were more frequent in patients with newly diagnosed DM (n = 32) than in non-DM patients (OR 4.92; 95% CI 1.53,14.3, p = 0.005)., Conclusion: Twenty-five percent of all DM cases were undiagnosed at the time of AAA surgery. Based on post-hoc analyses, undiagnosed DM seems to be associated with an increased risk of organ related complications following AAA surgery. This study suggests universal DM screening in AAA patients to reduce the number of DM patients being undiagnosed and to improve proactive diabetes care in this population. The results from post-hoc analyses should be confirmed in future studies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aims: To examine physical activity patterns over 34 years in a representative adult population in Norway., Methods: Longitudinal data were obtained from the Helseundersøkelsen i Trøndelag (HUNT) study, performed in 1984-1986 (HUNT1), 2006-2008 (HUNT3) and 2017-2019 (HUNT4). There were a total 123,005 participants across all four studies. Physical activity patterns over time are described, in relation to age, gender and body mass index (BMI). Multiple imputation was used to handle missing data., Results: The proportion of adults estimated (using a proxy measure) as being physically active 1 h or more per week increased from 32% in 1984-1986 (HUNT1) to 64% in 2017-2019 (HUNT4). The most frequent pattern was being inactive at HUNT1, becoming active at HUNT3 and staying active (until HUNT4). From HUNT3 to HUNT4, the most frequent pattern was being active at both time points. The adults >50 years old had a similar physical activity pattern from HUNT3 to HUNT4 and were more active than those >50 years. During the period, men were more active than woman, but difference was reduced over time. Both for persons being underweight (BMI ⩽ 18.5) or obese (BMI > 30), the proportion being active at multiple time points was lower than for persons at normal weight., Conclusions: The data indicate a noticeable increase in being physically active for 1 h or more per week during the 34-year study period. Relatively stable patterns of physical activity were identified, with some variations according to age, gender and BMI., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Background: An elevated cardiac troponin concentration is a prognostic factor for perioperative cardiac morbidity and mortality. In elderly patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery, frailty is a recognized risk factor, but little is known about the prognostic value of cardiac troponin in these vulnerable patients. Therefore, we investigated the prognostic significance of elevated high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) concentration and frailty in a cohort of elderly patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery., Methods: We included consecutive patients ≥75 years of age who presented for emergency abdominal surgery, defined as abdominal pathology requiring surgery within 72 hours, in a university hospital in Norway. Patients who underwent vascular procedures or palliative surgery for inoperable malignancies were excluded. Preoperatively, frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), and blood samples were measured for hs-cTnT. We evaluated the predictive power of CFS and hs-cTnT concentrations using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and Cox proportional hazard regression with 30-day mortality as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included (1) a composite of 30-day all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiac event (MACE), defined as myocardial infarction, nonfatal cardiac arrest, or coronary revascularization; and (2) 90-day mortality., Results: Of the 210 screened and 156 eligible patients, blood samples were available in 146, who were included. Troponin concentration exceeded the 99th percentile upper reference limit (URL) in 83% and 89% of the patients pre- and postoperatively. Of the participants, 53% were classified as vulnerable or frail (CFS ≥4). The 30-day mortality rate was 12% (18 of 146). Preoperatively, a threshold of hs-cTnT ≥34 ng/L independently predicted 30-day mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 3.14, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-9.45), and the composite outcome of 30-day mortality and MACE (HR 2.58, 95% CI, 1.07-6.49). In this model, frailty (continuous CFS score) also independently predicted 30-day mortality (HR 1.42, 95% CI, 1.01-2.00) and 30-day mortality or MACE (HR 1.37, 95% CI, 1.02-1.84). The combination of troponin and frailty, 0.14 × hs-cTnT +4.0 × CFS, yielded apparent superior predictive power (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve [AUC] 0.79, 95% CI, 0.68-0.88), compared to troponin concentration (AUC 0.69, 95% CI, 0.55-0.83) or frailty (AUC 0.69, 95% CI, 0.57-0.82) alone., Conclusions: After emergency abdominal surgery in elderly patients, increased preoperative troponin concentration and frailty were independent predictors of 30-day mortality. The combination of increased troponin concentration and frailty seemed to provide better prognostic information than troponin or frailty alone. These results must be validated in an independent sample., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: See Disclosures at the end of the article., (Copyright © 2024 International Anesthesia Research Society.)

Background: In this prospective, observational study, we aimed to investigate epidemiologic and microbial trends of infective endocarditis in western Norway., Methods: Clinical and microbiological characteristics of 497 cases of infective endocarditis from 2016 through 2022 were investigated. Categorical data were analysed using Chi-squared tests. Survival data were analysed using multiple Cox regression and reported using hazard ratios., Results: The mean age was 67 years, and 74% were men. The annual incidence rates varied from 10.4 to 14.1 per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Infective endocarditis on native valves was observed in 257 (52%) of the cases, whereas infective endocarditis on prosthetic valves and/or cardiac implantable electronic devices was observed in 240 (48%) of the cases: infection on surgically implanted bioprostheses was observed in 124 (25%) of the patients, infection on transcatheter aortic valve implantation was observed in 47 (10%) patients, and infection on mechanical valves was observed in 34 (7%) cases. Infection related to cardiac implantable electronic devices was observed in a total of 50 (10%) cases. Staphylococcus aureus and viridans streptococci were the most common microbial causes, and isolated in 145 (29%) and 130 (26%) of the cases, respectively. Enterococcal endocarditis showed a rising trend during the study period and constituted 90 (18%) of our total cases of infective endocarditis, and 67%, 47%, and 26% of the cases associated with prosthetic material, transcatheter aortic valve implantation and cardiac implantable electronic devices, respectively. There was no significant difference in 90-day mortality rates between the native valve endocarditis group (12%) and the group with infective endocarditis on prosthetic valves or cardiac implants (14%), p = 0.522. In a model with gender, age, people who inject drugs, microbiology and type of valve affected, only advanced age was significantly associated with fatal outcome within 90 days., Conclusions: The incidence of infective endocarditis, and particularly enterococcal endocarditis, increased during the study period. Enterococci appeared to have a particular affinity for prosthetic cardiac material. Advanced age was the only independent risk factor for death within 90 days., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Assessment of pain is challenging given its subjective nature. Standard pain assessment tools have limitations. We aimed to compare the verbal numeric rating scale (NRS) and Grasp, a novel handheld electronic device that reports pain by squeezing., Methods: To compare Grasp and NRS, healthy adult volunteers were invited to undergo two subsequent standardised tests of cold-triggered pain using a cold pressor test (CPT) at a temperature of 3°C. Pain intensity was in a randomised manner reported by NRS (scale 0-10) or by squeezing Grasp (0-3 V) during the two CPTs. A third CPT was performed 1 to 14 days later where subjects reported pain by Grasp a second time in order to study the association of repeated Grasp measurements. Acceptable association was a priori considered as mean Kendall's τ - b coefficient ( τ - b ) ≥ 0.7. The subjects reported their experience of using Grasp in a purpose-made questionnaire., Results: In total, 102 subjects were included, and 96 subjects (56 females) completed all three tests. The association of pain intensity reported by Grasp and NRS was moderate with a mean τ - b of 0.53 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.47-0.58). The association between the repeated Grasp measurements was weak with a mean τ - b of 0.43 (95% CI 0.37-0.48). Most subjects reported that Grasp was intuitive and easy to use., Conclusions: Pain intensity reported by squeezing Grasp did not show acceptable association with pain intensity reported by NRS during CPTs. The association between pain intensity reported by Grasp during two CPTs on separate days was weak. Further improvements of the Grasp ball are needed before use in clinical settings., (© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.)

Aims: We aimed to explore (a) how different patterns of physical activity (PA) over time (36 years) were associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality, (b) if the association was similar for males and females and for different body mass levels and (c) how change in PA was associated with mortality for subjects who started out as physically inactive., Methods: The study is based on the prospective population-based cohort Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) from 1984 to 2020, across four study waves. Data were linked to the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry. There were 123,005 participants, divided into three groups: persistently active, persistently inactive and mixed, with two cut-offs for PA: 60 and 150 minutes per week. The results are reported as cumulative incidence and hazard ratios (HRs)., Results: At 60 minutes of PA per week, 8% of participants were persistently inactive, 15% were persistently active and 77% had a mixed pattern. At 150 minutes, the corresponding numbers were 32%, 2% and 65%. Compared to the persistently inactive group, for the 60-minute cut-off, the mixed group had an all-cause mortality HR of 0.83 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70-0.98), and the persistently active group had an HR of 0.51 (95% CI 0.40-0.65). For the 150-minute cut-off, the corresponding HRs were 0.84 (95% CI 0.75-0.94) and 0.48 (95% CI 0.26-0.88). The patterns were similar for males and females and across body mass index levels. Initially inactive participants had lower mortality if they ended up physically active, regardless of their activity level at an intermediate time point., Conclusions: At least 60 minutes of PA per week was associated with a marked reduction in mortality when this was a lasting habit over three decades. Given that six times as many people reach this less ambitious goal, it is vital to encourage all levels of PA in public health promotion. Any increase in PA during the lifespan is beneficial., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Aim: Investigate potential long-term cohort influences on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults born extremely preterm (EP) during the 1980-90s, in view of advancements in neonatal care within that timeframe., Methods: Two cohorts of EP-born adults (82-85 cohort and 91-92 cohort) enrolling matched term controls, were compared. Participants were assessed at 18 years and again in their mid-twenties using the Child Health Questionnaire Children Form-87 (CHQ-CF87) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36)., Results: At 18 years, 77 (90%) EP-born and 75 (93%) term controls had data, followed by 67 (78%) EP-born and 66 (82%) term controls in their mid-twenties. At 18 years, there were no differences across the birth decades, and EP-born and term-born reported relatively similar HRQoL scores. In the mid-twenties, birth decade did also not significantly impact HRQoL scores, although the EP-born 82-85 cohort scored numerically poorer than the 91-92 cohort in three domains. Term controls scored similarly across birth decade in all domains. Regarding influence from neonatal factors, postnatal corticosteroids had a negative impact in some domains., Conclusion: No significant differences in HRQoL were observed between EP-born adults from the 82-85 cohort versus the 91-92 cohort, although the EP-born 82-85 cohort tended to score poorer in their mid-twenties., (© 2024 The Authors. Acta Paediatrica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Foundation Acta Paediatrica.)

Objectives: To investigate the number of children per man and the proportion of childless men as a proxy of fertility in a national cohort of men with inflammatory joint diseases (IJDs), compared with matched controls from the general population., Methods: This is a nationwide, population-based retrospective cohort study. Male patients with IJDs (n = 10 865) in the Norwegian Arthritis Registry were individually matched 1:5 on birth year and county of residence with men without IJDs obtained from the National Population Register (n = 54 325). Birth data were obtained from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. We compared the mean number of children per man and the proportion of childless men and analysed the impact of age and year of diagnosis., Results: The mean number of children per man in the patient group was 1.80 versus 1.69 in the comparison group (p <0.001), and 21% of the patients in the patient group were childless versus 27% in the comparison group (p <0.001). The finding of less childlessness and higher number of children per man remained consistent across age at diagnosis, except for those diagnosed at age 0-19 years. The difference in childlessness was most pronounced for men diagnosed after year 2000, especially when diagnosed at 30-39 years of age (22% vs 32%, p<0.001)., Conclusion: In this large cohort study we found that patients with IJD have a higher number of children and are less likely to be childless compared with controls. Factors associated with developing or having an IJD might influence fertility and this requires further investigation., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Backgrounds: Most countries are facing increased pressure on healthcare resources. A better understanding of how healthcare providers respond to new demands is relevant for future pandemics and other crises., Objectives: This study aimed to explore what nurses and doctors in Norway reported as their main ethical challenges during two periods of the COVID-19 pandemic: February 2021 and February 2022., Research Design: A longitudinal repeated cross-sectional study was conducted in the Western health region of Norway. The survey included an open-ended question about ethical challenges among doctors and nurses in hospital departments. Free-text comments were analysed using Systematic Text Condensation and also presented in a frequency table., Ethical Considerations: Ethical approval was granted by the Regional Research Ethics Committee in Western Norway (131,421). All participants provided consent when participating in the study., Results: In 2021, 249 and in 2022, 163 healthcare professionals responded to the open-ended question. Nurses and doctors reported three main categories of ethical challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) barriers that hindered them in acting as they ethically would have wanted to do; (2) priority-setting dilemmas linked to overtreatment, transfer of resources and ranking patient needs; and (3) workload expansion threatening work-life balance and employees' health. Category one comprised of resource barriers, regulatory barriers, system barriers, and personal barriers. Regulatory barriers, especially visitor restrictions for next-of-kin, were the most frequently reported in 2021. Resource barriers, related to the increased scarcity of qualified staff, were most frequently reported in 2022. Clinicians stretched themselves thin to avoid compromising on care, diagnostics, or treatment., Conclusions: Developing clinicians' ability to handle and cope with limited healthcare resources is necessary. To foster resilience and sustainability, healthcare leaders, in collaboration with their staff, should ensure fair priority-setting and initiate reflections among doctors and nurses on what it implies to provide 'good enough' care., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objectives: Advance care planning (ACP) is not systematically performed in Argentina or Norway. We used the post-bereavement survey of the ERANet-LAC International Care Of the Dying Evaluation (CODE) project (2017-2020) to examine the proportion of relatives who were offered an ACP conversation, the proportion of those not offered it who would have wanted it and whether the outcomes differed between those offered a conversation and those not., Methods: Relatives after cancer deaths in hospitals answered the CODE questionnaire 6-8 weeks post bereavement, by post (Norway) or interview (Argentina). Two additional questions asked if the relative and patient had been invited to a conversation about wishes for the patient's remaining lifetime, and, if not invited, whether they would have wanted such a conversation. The data were analysed using mixed-effects ordinal regression models., Results: 276 participants (Argentina 98 and Norway 178) responded (56% spouses, 31% children, 68% women, age 18-80+). Fifty-six per cent had been invited, and they had significantly more positive perceptions about care and support than those not invited. Sixty-eight per cent of the participants not invited would have wanted an invitation, and they had less favourable perceptions about the care, especially concerning emotional and spiritual support., Conclusions: Relatives who had been invited to a conversation about wishes for the patient's remaining lifetime had more positive perceptions about patient care and support for the relatives in the patient's final days of life. A majority of the relatives who had not been invited to an ACP conversation would have wanted it., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Little is known about mental health following advanced cardiac procedures in the oldest patients., Aims: To study changes in anxiety and depression from baseline to one- and six-month follow-up in older patients following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR)., Methods: Prospective cohort study of patients ≥ 80 years undergoing elective TAVI or SAVR in a tertiary university hospital. Anxiety and depression were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Differences between TAVI/SAVR were analyzed using Welch's t test or chi-squared. Changes over time and group differences were established with longitudinal models using generalized least squares., Results: In 143 patients (83.5 ± 2.7 years), 46% (n = 65) received TAVI. Anxiety was identified in 11% of TAVI patients at baseline. One- and six-months later, percentages were 8% and 9%. In SAVR patients, 18% had baseline scores indicating anxiety. One and six-months later, percentages were 11% and 9%. Depression was identified in 15% of TAVI patients. One- and six-months later, percentages were 11% and 17%. At baseline, 11% of SAVR patients had scores indicating depression. One- and six-months after SAVR, percentages were 15% and 12%. Longitudinal analyses showed reductions (P < 0.001) in anxiety from baseline to one-month, and stable scores between one- and six-months for both treatment groups. There was no change over time for depression among treatment groups (P = 0.21)., Discussion and Conclusions: SAVR or TAVI in patients ≥ 80 years was associated with anxiety reduction between baseline and follow-up. For depression, there was no evidence of change over time in either treatment group., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Importance: Current guidelines for treating small- to medium-sized vestibular schwannoma recommend either upfront radiosurgery or waiting to treat until tumor growth has been detected radiographically., Objective: To determine whether upfront radiosurgery provides superior tumor volume reduction to a wait-and-scan approach for small- to medium-sized vestibular schwannoma., Design, Setting, and Participants: Randomized clinical trial of 100 patients with a newly diagnosed (<6 months) unilateral vestibular schwannoma and a maximal tumor diameter of less than 2 cm in the cerebellopontine angle as measured on magnetic resonance imaging. Participants were enrolled at the Norwegian National Unit for Vestibular Schwannoma from October 28, 2014, through October 3, 2017; 4-year follow-up ended on October 20, 2021., Interventions: Participants were randomized to receive either upfront radiosurgery (n = 50) or to undergo a wait-and-scan protocol, for which treatment was given only upon radiographically documented tumor growth (n = 50). Participants underwent 5 annual study visits consisting of clinical assessment, radiological examination, audiovestibular tests, and questionnaires., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the ratio between tumor volume at the trial end at 4 years and baseline (V4:V0). There were 26 prespecified secondary outcomes, including patient-reported symptoms, clinical examinations, audiovestibular tests, and quality-of-life outcomes. Safety outcomes were the risk of salvage microsurgery and radiation-associated complications., Results: Of the 100 randomized patients, 98 completed the trial and were included in the primary analysis (mean age, 54 years; 42% female). In the upfront radiosurgery group, 1 participant (2%) received repeated radiosurgery upon tumor growth, 2 (4%) needed salvage microsurgery, and 45 (94%) had no additional treatment. In the wait-and-scan group, 21 patients (42%) received radiosurgery upon tumor growth, 1 (2%) underwent salvage microsurgery, and 28 (56%) remained untreated. For the primary outcome of the ratio of tumor volume at the trial end to baseline, the geometric mean V4:V0 was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.66-1.15) in the upfront radiosurgery group and 1.51 (95% CI, 1.23-1.84) in the wait-and-scan group, showing a significantly greater tumor volume reduction in patients treated with upfront radiosurgery (wait-and-scan to upfront radiosurgery ratio, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.23-2.44; P = .002). Of 26 secondary outcomes, 25 showed no significant difference. No radiation-associated complications were observed., Conclusion and Relevance: Among patients with newly diagnosed small- and medium-sized vestibular schwannoma, upfront radiosurgery demonstrated a significantly greater tumor volume reduction at 4 years than a wait-and-scan approach with treatment upon tumor growth. These findings may help inform treatment decisions for patients with vestibular schwannoma, and further investigation of long-term clinical outcomes is needed., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02249572.

A hallmark of patients with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS-1) is serological neutralizing autoantibodies against type 1 interferons (IFN-I). The presence of these antibodies has been associated with severe course of COVID-19. The aims of this study were to investigate SARS-CoV-2 vaccine tolerability and immune responses in a large cohort of patients with APS-1 (N = 33) and how these vaccinated patients coped with subsequent infections. We report that adult patients with APS-1 were able to mount adequate SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific antibody responses after vaccination and observed no signs of decreased tolerability. Compared with age- and gender-matched healthy controls, patients with APS-1 had considerably lower peak antibody responses resembling elderly persons, but antibody decline was more rapid in the elderly. We demonstrate that vaccination protected patients with APS-1 from severe illness when infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus, overriding the systemic danger of IFN-I autoantibodies observed in previous studies., Competing Interests: We confirm that we do not have any financial or other interest related to the submitted work that could affect or have the perception of affecting the authors objectively or could influence or have the perception of influencing the content of the article., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Introduction: Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) and exercise-induced asthma can cause troublesome respiratory symptoms that can be difficult to distinguish between. Further, there is now a growing appreciation that the two conditions may coexist , complicating the interpretation of symptoms. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of EILO in patients with asthma. Secondary aims include evaluation of EILO treatment effects and investigation of comorbid conditions other than EILO in patients with asthma., Methods and Analysis: The study will be conducted at Haukeland University Hospital and Voss Hospital in Western Norway, and enrol 80-120 patients with asthma and a control group of 40 patients without asthma. Recruitment started in November 2020, and data sampling will continue until March 2024. Laryngeal function will be assessed at baseline and at a 1-year follow-up, using continuous laryngoscopy during high-intensity exercise (CLE). Immediately after the EILO diagnosis is verified, patients will be treated with standardised breathing advice guided by visual biofeedback from the laryngoscope video screen. The primary outcome will be the prevalence of EILO in patients with asthma and control participants. Secondary outcomes include changes in CLE scores, asthma-related quality of life, asthma control and number of the asthma exacerbations, as assessed between baseline and the 1-year follow-up., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval has been obtained from the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics, Western Norway, (ID number 97615). All participants will provide signed informed consent before enrolment. The results will be presented in international journals and conferences., Trial Registration Number: NCT04593394., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: The quality of burn care is highly dependent on the initial assessment and care. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the agreement of clinical assessment of burn depth and %TBSA between the referring units and the receiving burn centres., Methods: Included articles had to meet criteria defined in a PICO (patients, interventions, comparisons, outcomes). Relevant databases were searched using a predetermined search string (November 6th 2021). Data were extracted in a standardised fashion. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach for test accuracy was used to assess the certainty of evidence. The QUADAS-2 tool was used to assess the risk of bias of individual studies as 'high', 'low' or 'unclear'., Results: A total of 412 abstracts were retrieved and of these 28 studies with a total of 6461 patients were included, all reporting %TBSA and one burn depth. All studies were cross-sectional and most of them comprising retrospectively enrolled consecutive cohort. All studies showed a low agreement between %TBSA calculations made at referring units and at burn centres. Most studies directly comparing estimations of %TBSA at referring institutions and burn centers showed a proportion of overestimations of 50% or higher. The study of burn depth showed that 55% were equal to the estimates from the burn centre. Most studies had severe study limitations and the risk of imprecision was high. The overall certainty of evidence for accuracy of clinical estimations in referring centres is low (GRADE ⊕⊕ОО) for %TBSA and very low (GRADE ⊕ООО) for burn depth and resuscitation., Conclusion: Overestimation of %TBSA at referring hospitals occurs very frequently. The overall certainty of evidence for accuracy of clinical estimations in referring centres is low for burn size and very low for burn depth. The findings suggest that the burn community has a significant challenge in educating and communicating better with our colleagues at referring institutions and that high-quality studies are needed., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) is a common cause of exertional breathing problems in young adults. Current management generally consists of breathing advice, speech therapy, inspiratory muscle training or supraglottoplasty in highly motivated subjects with supraglottic collapse. Inhaled ipratropium bromide (IB) is a muscarinic receptor antagonist used to treat asthma that is suggested in a few reports to improve EILO symptoms. The aim of the present study was to investigate effects of inhaled IB in EILO diagnosed by continuous laryngoscopy exercise (CLE) test and classified by CLE scores., Methods: A randomised crossover trial was conducted at Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway, enrolling participants diagnosed with EILO defined by characteristic symptoms and CLE score ≥3 (range 0-12). Two consecutive CLE tests were performed within 2 weeks, one test with and one test without prior administration of inhaled IB in a randomised order. Main outcomes were the CLE score, dyspnoea measured using a modified BORG scale (range 0-10) and cardiopulmonary exercise data provided by the CLE test., Results: 20 participants (14 females) aged 12-25 years participated, and all ran to exhaustion on both tests. Mean CLE score, BORG score and peak oxygen consumption were similar in tests performed with and without IB; mean differences (95% confidence interval) were 0.08 (-0.28-0.43), 0.35 (-0.29-0.99) and -0.4 (-1.9-1.1) mL·kg -1 ·min -1 , respectively., Conclusion: Inhaled IB did not improve CLE score, dyspnoea or exercise capacity in subjects with EILO. The study does not support the use of inhaled IB to treat EILO., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright ©The authors 2023.)

Background: Survival of extremely preterm (EP) birth is increasing, but long-term consequences are still largely unknown as their high survival rates are recent achievements., Aims: To examine self-reported mental health, and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in a cohort of adults born EP in the early 1990s and individually matched term-born controls, and to describe development through the transition from teenager to adults., Methods: Thirty-five eligible subjects were born at gestational age ≤ 28 weeks or with birth weight ≤ 1000 g during 1991-1992 in this population-based cohort from Western Norway. We assessed mental health using Youth Self-Report (YSR) at 18 years of age, and Adult Self-Report (ASR) at 27 years, and HRQoL by RAND-36 at 27 years. Data were analysed by unadjusted and adjusted mixed effects models with time by group as interaction term., Results: At 27 years, 24 (69 %) EP-born and 26 (74 %) term-born controls participated. Scores for internalising problems, and syndrome scale anxious/depressed and withdrawn were higher among EP-born compared to term-born controls. For HRQoL, scores were similar in EP-born and term-born groups, except the domain physical functioning where EP-born scored lower. Development over time from 18 to 27 years showed increasing (i.e. deteriorating) scores for internalising, anxious/depressed, somatic complaints, and attention problems in the EP born group. For the term-born, scores for anxious/depression increased over time., Conclusions: At 27 years of age, EP-born adults reported more internalising problems than term-born controls, while HRQoL was relatively similar except physical functioning. Mental health problems in the EP-born increased from adolescence to adulthood., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Lifelong pulmonary consequences of being born extremely preterm or with extremely low birth weight remain unknown. We aimed to describe lung function trajectories from 10 to 35 years of age for individuals born extremely preterm, and address potential cohort effects over a period that encompassed major changes in perinatal care., Methods: We performed repeated spirometry in three population-based cohorts born at gestational age ≤28 weeks or with birth weight ≤1000 g during 1982-85, 1991-92 and 1999-2000, referred to as extremely preterm-born, and in term-born controls matched for age and gender. Examinations were performed at 10, 18, 25 and 35 years. Longitudinal data were analysed using mixed models regression, with the extremely preterm-born stratified by bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)., Results: We recruited 148/174 (85%) eligible extremely preterm-born and 138 term-born. Compared with term-born, the extremely preterm-born had lower z-scores for forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ) at most assessments, the main exceptions were in the groups without BPD in the two youngest cohorts. FEV 1 trajectories were largely parallel for the extremely preterm- and term-born, also during the period 25-35 years that includes the onset of the age-related decline in lung function. Extremely preterm-born had lower peak lung function than term-born, but z-FEV 1 values improved for each consecutive decade of birth (p = 0.009). More extremely preterm-than term-born fulfilled the spirometry criteria for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 44/148 (30%) vs 7/138 (5%), p < 0.001., Conclusions: Lung function after extremely preterm birth tracked in parallel, but significantly below the trajectories of term-born from 10 to 35 years, including the incipient age-related decline from 25 to 35 years. The deficits versus term-born decreased with each decade of birth from 1980 to 2000., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: To compare outcome after less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) and primary endotracheal intubation (non-LISA) in infants born before gestational age (GA) 28 weeks., Setting: All neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Norway during 2012-2018., Methods: Defined population-based data were prospectively entered into a national registry. We compared LISA infants with all non-LISA infants and with non-LISA infants who received surfactant following intubation. We used propensity score (PS) matching to identify non-LISA infants who were similar regarding potential confounders., Main Outcome Variables: Rate and duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), survival, neurological and gastrointestinal morbidity, and need of supplemental oxygen or positive pressure respiratory support at postmenstrual age (PMA) 36 and 40 weeks., Results: We restricted analyses to GA 25-27 weeks (n=843, 26% LISA) because LISA was rarely used at lower GAs. There was no significant association between NICUs regarding proportions treated with LISA and proportions receiving MV. In the PS-matched datasets, fewer LISA infants received MV (61% vs 78%, p<0.001), and they had fewer days on MV (mean difference 4.1, 95% CI 0.0 to 8.2 days) and lower mortality at PMA 40 weeks (absolute difference 6%, p=0.06) compared with all the non-LISA infants, but only a lower rate of MV (64% vs 97%, p<0.001) and fewer days on MV (mean difference 5.8, 95% CI 0.6 to 10.9 days) compared with non-LISA infants who received surfactant after intubation., Conclusion: LISA reduced the rate and duration of MV but had no other clear benefits., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Gas exchange in extremely preterm (EP) infants must take place in fetal lungs. Childhood lung diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide ( D LCO ) is reduced; however, longitudinal development has not been investigated. We describe the growth of D LCO and its subcomponents to adulthood in EP compared with term-born subjects., Methods: Two area-based cohorts born at gestational age ≤28 weeks or birthweight ≤1000 g in 1982-1985 (n=48) and 1991-1992 (n=35) were examined twice, at ages 18 and 25 years and 10 and 18 years, respectively, and compared with matched term-born controls. Single-breath D LCO was measured at two oxygen pressures, with subcomponents (membrane diffusion ( D M ) and pulmonary capillary blood volume ( V C )) calculated using the Roughton-Forster equation., Results: Age-, sex- and height-standardised transfer coefficients for carbon monoxide ( K CO ) and D LCO were reduced in EP compared with term-born subjects, and remained so during puberty and early adulthood (p-values for all time-points and both cohorts ≤0.04), whereas alveolar volume ( V A ) was similar. Development occurred in parallel to term-born controls, with no signs of pubertal catch-up growth nor decline at age 25 years (p-values for lack of parallelism within cohorts 0.99, 0.65, 0.71, 0.94 and 0.44 for z- D LCO , z- V A , z- K CO , D M and V C , respectively). Split by membrane and blood volume components, findings were less clear; however, membrane diffusion seemed most affected., Conclusions: Pulmonary diffusing capacity was reduced in EP compared with term-born subjects, and development from childhood to adulthood tracked in parallel to term-born subjects, with no signs of catch-up growth nor decline at age 25 years., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: E. Satrell has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: H. Clemm has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: O.D. Røksund has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: K.O. Hufthammer has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: E. Thorsen has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: T. Halvorsen has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: M. Vollsæter has nothing to disclose., (Copyright ©The authors 2022.)

Background: Acutely sick or injured patients depend on ambulance and emergency department personnel performing an accurate initial assessment and prioritisation (triage) to effectively identify patients in need of immediate treatment. Triage also ensures that each patient receives fair initial assessment. To improve the patient safety, quality of care, and communication about a patient's medical condition, we implemented a new triage tool (the South African Triage Scale Norway (SATS-N) in all the ambulance services and emergency departments in one health region in Norway. This article describes the lessons we learnt during this implementation process., Methods: The main framework in this quality improvement (QI) work was the plan-do-study-act cycle. Additional process sources were 'The Institute for Healthcare Improvement Model for improvement' and the Norwegian Patient Safety Programme., Results: Based on the QI process as a whole, we defined subjects influencing this work to be successful, such as identifying areas for improvement, establishing multidisciplinary teams, coaching, implementing measurements and securing sustainability. After these subjects were connected to the relevant challenges and desired effects, we described the lessons we learnt during this comprehensive QI process., Conclusion: We learnt the importance of following a structured framework for QI process during the implementation of the SATS-N triage tool. Furthermore, securing anchoring at all levels, from the managements to the medical professionals in direct patient-orientated work, was relevant important. Moreover, establishing multidisciplinary teams with ambulance personnel, emergency department nurses and doctors with various medical specialties provided ownership to the participants. Meanwhile, coaching provided necessary security for the staff directly involved in caring for patients. Keeping the spirit and perseverance high were important factors in completing the implementation. Establishment of the regional network group was found to be important for sustainability and further improvements., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) is a common cause of exertional breathing problems in young individuals, caused by paradoxical inspiratory adduction of laryngeal structures, and diagnosed by continuous visualization of the larynx during high-intensity exercise. Empirical data suggest that EILO consists of different subtypes, possibly requiring different therapeutic approaches. Currently applied treatments do not rest on randomized controlled trials, and international guidelines based on good evidence can therefore not be established. This study aims to provide evidence-based information on treatment schemes commonly applied in patients with EILO., Methods and Analysis: Consenting patients consecutively diagnosed with EILO at Haukeland University Hospital will be randomized into four non-invasive treatment arms, based on promising reports from non-randomized studies: (A) standardized information and breathing advice only (IBA), (B) IBA plus inspiratory muscle training, (C) IBA plus speech therapy, and (D) IBA plus inspiratory muscle training and speech therapy. Differential effects in predefined EILO subtypes will be addressed. Patients failing the non-invasive approach and otherwise qualifying for surgical treatment by current department policy will be considered for randomization into (E) standard or (F) minimally invasive laser supraglottoplasty or (G) no surgery. Power calculations are based on the main outcomes, laryngeal adduction during peak exercise, rated by a validated scoring system before and after the interventions., Ethics and Dissemination: The study will assess approaches to EILO treatments that despite widespread use, are insufficiently tested in structured, verifiable, randomized, controlled studies, and is therefore considered ethically sound. The study will provide knowledge listed as a priority in a recent statement issued by the European Respiratory Society, requested by clinicians and researchers engaged in this area, and relevant to 5-7% of young people. Dissemination will occur in peer-reviewed journals, at relevant media platforms and conferences, and by engaging with patient organizations and the healthcare bureaucracy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer CM declared a shared Committee with one the author J-HH at time of review., (Copyright © 2022 Clemm, Røksund, Andersen, Heimdal, Karlsen, Hilland, Fretheim-Kelly, Hufthammer, Sandnes, Hjelle, Vollsæter, Halvorsen and Bergen ILO-group.)

Background: Left vocal cord paralysis (LVCP) is a known complication of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) surgery in extremely preterm (EP) born neonates; however, consequences of LVCP beyond the first year of life are insufficiently described. Both voice problems and breathing difficulties during physical activity could be expected with an impaired laryngeal inlet. More knowledge may improve the follow-up of EP-born subjects who underwent PDA surgery and prevent confusion between LVCP and other diagnoses. Objectives: Examine the prevalence of LVCP in a nationwide cohort of adults born EP with a history of PDA surgery, and compare symptoms, lung function, and exercise capacity between groups with and without LVCP, and vs. controls born EP and at term. Methods: Adults born EP (<28 weeks' gestation or birth weight <1,000 g) in Norway during 1999-2000 who underwent neonatal PDA surgery and controls born EP and at term were invited to complete questionnaires mapping voice-and respiratory symptoms, and to perform spirometry and maximal treadmill exercise testing. In the PDA-surgery group, exercise tests were performed with a laryngoscope positioned to evaluate laryngeal function. Results: Thirty out of 48 (63%) eligible PDA-surgery subjects were examined at mean (standard deviation) age 19.4 (0.8) years, sixteen (53%) had LVCP. LVCP was associated with self-reported voice symptoms and laryngeal obstruction during exercise, not with lung function or peak oxygen consumption (VO 2 peak). In the PDA-surgery group, forced expiratory volume in 1 second z-score (z-FEV 1 ) was reduced compared to EP-born controls ( n = 30) and term-born controls ( n = 36); mean (95% confidence interval) z-FEV 1 was -1.8 (-2.3, -1.2), -0.7 (-1.1, -0.3) and -0.3 (-0.5, -0.0), respectively. For VO 2 peak, corresponding figures were 37.5 (34.9, 40.2), 38.1 (35.1, 41.1), and 43.6 (41.0, 46.5) ml/kg/min, respectively. Conclusions: LVCP was common in EP-born young adults who had undergone neonatal PDA surgery. Within the PDA-surgery group, LVCP was associated with self-reported voice symptoms and laryngeal obstruction during exercise, however we did not find an association with lung function or exercise capacity. Overall, the PDA-surgery group had reduced lung function compared to EP-born and term-born controls, whereas exercise capacity was similarly reduced for both the PDA-surgery and EP-born control groups when compared to term-born controls., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Engan, Engeset, Sandvik, Gamlemshaug, Engesæter, Øymar, Vollsæter, Røksund, Hufthammer, Halvorsen and Clemm.)

Measurement of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in children by iohexol injection and blood sampling from the contralateral arm is widely used. A single intravenous access for iohexol injection and subsequent blood sampling has the obvious advantages of being less painful and easier to perform. The purpose of our study was to determine if blood samples drawn from the injection access are feasible and accurate for iohexol GFR (iGFR) measurements. Thirty-one children, median age 10.5 (range 6-17) years, with chronic kidney disease were given a bolus of iohexol followed by extended saline flushing and subsequent venous blood samples collected from the injection access as well as from a cannula in the contralateral arm, the latter serving as the reference method. Paired venous blood samples were collected at four time points (2, 3, 3.5 and 4 h) after the iohexol bolus. Blood sample discarding preceded and saline flushing followed each blood sampling to avoid marker contamination. iGFR based on samples drawn from the injection access at 2 and 3 h showed significantly lower iGFR than measurement from the contralateral arm (p < 0.01). Singlepoint iGFR did not differ significantly after 3-4 repeated procedures of blood discarding and saline flusing (3.5 and 4 h). Despite thorough saline flushing there is still a relatively high risk of falsely low iGFR due to marker contamination in blood samples from the injection site. Hence, blood sampling from a second intravenous access is recommended for routine iohexol GFR measurements in children.Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier NCT01092260, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01092260?term=tondel&rank=2 ., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Since patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic joint diseases may be more prone to infections, we wished to investigate the incidence of COVID-19 in this group, and explore the possible significance of factors related to the rheumatic disease, the patient or the treatment., Material and Method: Altogether 27 907 patients registered in the Norwegian Arthritis Registry (NorArthritis) were linked to the Norwegian Surveillance System for Communicable Diseases and the Norwegian Intensive Care and Pandemic Registry in order to find the incidence of COVID-19 in 2020, and the proportion of patients who were hospitalised. A standardised incidence ratio (SIR) was calculated by comparing with sex and age-specific incidence in the general population. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate whether diagnosis, age, sex, disease activity, comorbidity or drug therapy had any bearing on the incidence., Results: A total of 185 of the patients in NorArthritis tested positive for COVID-19, of whom 10 % were hospitalised. The incidence was lower than in the general population (SIR 0.84; 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.72-0.97, P = 0.02). Young age and low disease activity were associated with higher incidence of infection. The other factors had no significant effect., Interpretation: The fact that the incidence of COVID-19 was lower than in the general population, and that within the group it was lower in those with moderate/high disease activity and greater age, is most likely attributable to patients of advanced age with chronic active disease having protected themselves against infection to a greater degree.

Background: Preterm birth and low birthweight have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease in young adults. Endothelial dysfunction is established as an early marker for development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Previous studies of endothelial function in young adults born very preterm or with extremely low birthweight have, however, shown diverging results. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular disease as measured by vascular endothelial function in young adults born very preterm (<29 weeks of gestation) or with extremely low birthweight (<1,000 g), compared with term-born controls. Methods: This study included 50 young adults born very preterm or with extremely low birthweight and 49 term-born controls born in Norway in the periods 1982-1985, 1991-1992, and 1999-2000 at mean age 28 (±6) years. The endothelial function was assessed by ultrasound measured flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the right brachial artery. The arterial diameter was measured at baseline, after release of 5 min of occlusion, and after sublingual administration of nitroglycerine. FMD was reported as absolute and percentage diameter change from baseline and relative to nitroglycerine-induced dilatation. Results: The participants were mainly normal weight non-smokers, without hypertension, diabetes, or established cardiovascular disease. The cases and controls had mean blood pressure 112/71 (SD 12/9) and 112/69 (SD 11/8) mmHg, body mass index 24.0 (SD 4.2) and 24.4 (SD 4.5) kg/m 2 , and HbA1c 32.7 (SD 2.5) and 33.0 (SD 2.6) mmol/mol, respectively. For both groups, 4 (8%) were smokers. Mean FMD for the adults born very preterm or with extremely low birthweight was 0.17 mm (95% CI 0.14, 0.21) vs. 0.24 mm (95% CI 0.20, 0.28) for the controls ( p = 0.01), corresponding to a percentage increase of 5.4% (95% CI 4.2, 6.6) and 7.6% (95% CI 6.2, 8.9), respectively ( p = 0.02). The FMD relative to maximal nitroglycerine-induced dilatation was 20% and 31%, respectively ( p = 0.001). Conclusions: Young adults born very preterm or with extremely low birthweight have significantly lower FMD compared with the term-born controls suggesting an increased risk of cardiovascular disease., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Engan, Engan, Greve, Vollsæter, Hufthammer and Leirgul.)

Background: Frailty status and patient-reported outcomes are especially pertinent in octogenarians following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) to guide treatment decisions and promote patient-centred care., Aim: We aimed to determine if frailty changed 6 months after aortic valve replacement (AVR) in octogenarians, and to describe changes in self-rated health according to frailty status in patients who underwent TAVI or SAVR., Method: In a prospective cohort study, frailty and self-rated health were measured one day prior to and 6 months after AVR. Frailty status was measured with the Study of Osteoporotic Fracture index. Self-rated health was measured comprehensively with the disease-specific Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire, the generic Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-12 questionnaire (SF-12), and two global questions from The World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument Abbreviated., Results: Data were available for 143 consecutive patients (mean age 83±2.7 years, 57% women; 45% underwent TAVI). At baseline, 34% were robust, 27% prefrail, and 39% frail. Overall, there was no change in the distribution of frailty status 6 months after baseline (p=0.13). However, on an individual level 65 patients changed frailty status after AVR (40 patients improved and 25 declined). Improvement in frailty status was common in prefrail (33%; n=13) and frail patients (48%; n=27). Patients had improved self-rated health after AVR, with significant differences between frailty states both at baseline (SF-12 physical: 37.4 [robust], 33.1 [prefrail], 31.6 [frail], p=0.03); SF-12 mental: 51.9 [robust], 50.8 [prefrail], 44.5 [frail], p<0.001); and at the 6-month follow-up (SF-12 physical: 45.4 [robust], 38.3 [prefrail], 32.1 [frail], p<0.001); SF-12 mental: 54.9 [robust], 49.6 [prefrail], 46.8 [frail], p=0.002)., Conclusions: Advanced treatment performed in a high-risk population allowed people to improve their self-rated health. Although frailty is associated with poor self-rated health, frailty status does not equal negative outcomes. The frail patients were those who improved most in self-rated physical and mental health. They had the lowest baseline self-rated health scores and had therefore the most to gain., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Recognized disparities in quality of end-of-life care exist. Our aim was to assess the quality of care for patients dying from cancer, as perceived by bereaved relatives, within hospitals in seven European and South American countries., Materials and Methods: A postbereavement survey was conducted by post, interview, or via tablet in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, U.K., Germany, Norway, and Poland. Next of kin to cancer patients were asked to complete the international version of the Care Of the Dying Evaluation (i-CODE) questionnaire 6-8 weeks postbereavement. Primary outcomes were (a) how frequently the deceased patient was treated with dignity and respect, and (b) how well the family member was supported in the patient's last days of life., Results: Of 1,683 potential participants, 914 i-CODE questionnaires were completed (response rate, 54%). Approximately 94% reported the doctors treated their family member with dignity and respect "always" or "most of the time"; similar responses were given about nursing staff (94%). Additionally, 89% of participants reported they were adequately supported; this was more likely if the patient died on a specialist palliative care unit (odds ratio, 6.3; 95% confidence interval, 2.3-17.8). Although 87% of participants were told their relative was likely to die, only 63% were informed about what to expect during the dying phase., Conclusion: This is the first study assessing quality of care for dying cancer patients from the bereaved relatives' perspective across several countries on two continents. Our findings suggest many elements of good care were practiced but improvement in communication with relatives of imminently dying patients is needed. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03566732)., Implications for Practice: Previous studies have shown that bereaved relatives' views represent a valid way to assess care for dying patients in the last days of their life. The Care Of the Dying Evaluation questionnaire is a suitable tool for quality improvement work to help determine areas where care is perceived well and areas where care is perceived as lacking. Health care professionals need to sustain high quality communication into the last phase of the cancer trajectory. In particular, discussions about what to expect when someone is dying and the provision of hydration in the last days of life represent key areas for improvement., (© 2021 The Authors. The Oncologist published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of AlphaMed Press.)

Background: The most common cause of primary adrenal failure (Addison's disease) in the Western world is autoimmunity characterized by autoantibodies against the steroidogenic enzyme 21-hydroxylase (CYP21A2, 21OH). Detection of 21OH-autoantibodies is currently used for aetiological diagnosis, but how levels of 21OH-autoantibodies vary over time is not known., Setting: Samples from the national Norwegian Addison's Registry and Biobank established in 1996 (n = 711). Multi-parameter modelling of the course of 21OH-autoantibody indices over time., Results: 21OH-autoantibody positivity is remarkably stable, and >90% of the patients are still positive 30 years after diagnosis. Even though the antibody levels decline with disease duration, it is only rarely that this downturn reaches negativity. 21OH-autoantibody indices are affected by age at diagnosis, sex, type of Addison's disease (isolated vs autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type I or II) and HLA genotype., Conclusion: 21OH-autoantibodies are reliable and robust markers for autoimmune Addison's disease, linked to HLA risk genotype. However, a negative test in patients with long disease duration does not exclude autoimmune aetiology., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Aims: The objective of this study was to examine baseline frailty status (including cognitive deficits) and important clinical outcomes, to inform shared decision-making in older adults receiving transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI)., Methods and Results: We conducted a prospective, observational study of 82 TAVI patients, recruited 2013 to 2015, with 2-year follow-up. Mean age was 83 years (standard deviation (SD) 4.7). Eighteen percent of the patients were frail, as assessed with an 8-item frailty scale. Fifteen patients (18%) had a Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) score below 24 points at baseline, indicating cognitive impairment or dementia and five patients had an MMSE below 20 points. Mean New York Heart Association (NYHA) class at baseline and 6 months was 2.5 (SD 0.6) and 1.4 (SD 0.6), (p < 0.001). There was no change in mean Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living (NEADL) scale between baseline and 6 months, 54.2 (SD 11.5) and 54.5 (SD 10.3) points, respectively, mean difference 0.3 (p = 0.7). At 2 years, six patients (7%) had died, four (5%, n = 79) lived in a nursing home, four (5%) suffered from disabling stroke, and six (7%) contracted infective endocarditis., Conclusions: TAVI patients had improvement in symptoms and maintenance of activity of daily living at 6 months. They had low mortality and most patients lived in their own home 2 years after TAVI. Complications like death, stroke, and endocarditis occurred. Some patients had cognitive impairment before the procedure which might influence decision-making. Our findings may be used to develop pre-TAVI decision aids.

Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic has imposed challenges on healthcare systems and professionals worldwide and introduced a ´maelstrom´ of ethical dilemmas. How ethically demanding situations are handled affects employees' moral stress and job satisfaction., Aim: Describe priority-setting dilemmas, moral distress and support experienced by nurses and physicians across medical specialties in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Western Norway., Research Design: A cross-sectional hospital-based survey was conducted from 23 April to 11 May 2020., Ethical Considerations: Ethical approval granted by the Regional Research Ethics Committee in Western Norway (131421)., Findings: Among the 1606 respondents, 67% had experienced priority-setting dilemmas the previous two weeks. Healthcare workers who were directly involved in COVID-19 care, were redeployed or worked in psychiatry/addiction medicine experienced it more often. Although 59% of the respondents had seen adverse consequences due to resource scarcity, severe consequences were rare. Moral distress levels were generally low (2.9 on a 0-10 scale), but higher in selected groups (redeployed, managers and working in psychiatry/addiction medicine). Backing from existing collegial and managerial structures and routines, such as discussions with colleagues and receiving updates and information from managers that listened and acted upon feedback, were found more helpful than external support mechanisms. Priority-setting guidelines were also helpful., Discussion: By including all medical specialties, nurses and physicians, and various institutions, the study provides information on how the COVID-19 mitigation also influenced those not directly involved in the COVID-19 treatment of patients. In the next stages of the pandemic response, support for healthcare professionals directly involved in outbreak-affected patients, those redeployed or those most impacted by mitigation strategies must be a priority., Conclusion: Empirical research of healthcare workers experiences under a pandemic are important to identify groups at risks and useful support mechanisms.

Background: This pilot trial focused on feasibility and safety to provide preliminary data to evaluate the hemostatic potential of cold-stored platelets (2° to 6°C) compared with standard room temperature-stored platelets (20° to 24°C) in adult patients undergoing complex cardiothoracic surgery. This study aimed to assess feasibility and to provide information for future pivotal trials., Methods: A single center two-stage exploratory pilot study was performed on adult patients undergoing elective or semiurgent complex cardiothoracic surgery. In stage I, a two-armed randomized trial, platelets stored up to 7 days in the cold were compared with those stored at room temperature. In the subsequent single-arm stage II, cold storage time was extended to 8 to 14 days. The primary outcome was clinical effect measured by chest drain output. Secondary outcomes were platelet function measured by multiple electrode impedance aggregometry, total blood usage, immediate and long-term (28 days) adverse events, length of stay in intensive care, and mortality., Results: In stage I, the median chest drain output was 720 ml (quartiles 485 to 1,170, n = 25) in patients transfused with room temperature-stored platelets and 645 ml (quartiles 460 to 800, n = 25) in patients transfused with cold-stored platelets. No significant difference was observed. The difference in medians between the room temperature- and cold-stored up to 7 days arm was 75 ml (95% CI, -220, 425). In stage II, the median chest drain output was 690 ml (500 to 1,880, n = 15). The difference in medians between the room temperature arm and the nonconcurrent cold-stored 8 to 14 days arm was 30 ml (95% CI, -1,040, 355). Platelet aggregation in vitro increased after transfusion in both the room temperature- and cold-stored platelet study arms. Total blood usage, number of adverse events, length of stay in intensive care, and mortality were comparable among patients receiving cold-stored and room temperature-stored platelets., Conclusions: This pilot trial supports the feasibility of platelets stored cold for up to 14 days and provides critical guidance for future pivotal trials in high-risk cardiothoracic bleeding patients., (Copyright © 2020, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Emergency laparotomy (EL) is a high-risk procedure. However, available evidence regarding outcome after emergency surgery in very old patients is limited. The aim of this observational study was to investigate outcome following EL in patients ≥80 years of age., Methods: This single-center retrospective study was undertaken at Haukeland University Hospital, Norway. Demographic data, pre-operative risk assessment, surgical procedures, intrahospital logistics, complications, mortality, and discharge data were collected from the medical records. Primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were 90-day mortality, 1-year mortality, post-operative complications, and level of care at discharge., Results: One hundred and six patients aged 80-96 years underwent EL between 2015 and 2016. Of these, 58% had cardiopulmonary disease, and 16% lived in a nursing home before surgery. Resection of colon was performed in 26 cases, adhesiolysis was performed in 24, and resection of small intestine in 18. Within 30 days, 28 patients died (26%), 15 during the first post-operative week. For 82% of the patients, at least one complication occurred, and medical complications were far more frequent than surgical. Post-operatively, pulmonary morbidity was found in 51 patients (48%) and delirium in 42 (40%). The number of intrahospital deaths was 25 (24%). Among the 81survivors, 53 were discharged to a nursing home (65%). One-year mortality was 47% (50/106)., Conclusions: Mortality after EL in octo- and nonagenarians is very high. Medical complications are more common than surgical, and functional decline is frequent. Future studies should focus on the effect of a care bundle including geriatric intervention in these patients., (© 2020 The Authors. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation.)

Self-rated health (SRH) is a marker of future health and a possible predictor of future multimorbidity, which is a major challenge for population health and health care. There is a lack of studies on adolescent SRH and patterns of health problems across the transitional period from adolescence to early adulthood. Therefore, this study aimed to identify groups of people with similar health problems in early adulthood and explore the predictive value of adolescent SRH on the group classification after a period of 10-19 years. Data from 8828 adolescents participating in the Young HUNT-1 survey (1995-1997) were linked to the Norwegian registry of general practitioner (GP) claims, which includes diagnoses recorded in GP consultations in 2006-2014. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify groups of patients with similar health problems in early adulthood and explored SRH as a predictor of class membership using latent class regression, adjusting for baseline chronic disease, frequency of health care attendance, sex and age. The mean age at baseline was 16 years, and 50% of the participants were female. SRH was reported as very good by 28%, good by 61% and not good by 11%. We identified five groups of patient classification ( classes ): Healthy (35%), Infections and general problems (26%), Musculoskeletal problems (21%), Psychological problems (6%) and Multi-illness (13%). We found a gradual increase in the probability of belonging to the Healthy class with better SRH, and an inverse pattern for the Psychological and Multi-illness classes. This pattern remained after adjusting for baseline variables. In conclusion, there is a clear association between adolescent SRH and the risk of having multi-illness in early adulthood, seen as a proxy for later multimorbidity. This finding warrants greater attention to SRH in adolescence as a possible indicator in targeted prevention of future health problems., Competing Interests: None declared by all the authors., (© 2020 The Authors.)

Background: The electronic health record is expected to improve the quality and efficiency of health care. Many novel functionalities have been introduced in order to improve medical decision making and communication between health care personnel. There is however limited evidence on whether these new functionalities are useful. The aim of our study was to investigate how well the electronic health record system supports physicians in performing basic clinical tasks., Methods: Physicians of three prominent Norwegian hospitals participated in the survey. They were asked, in an online questionnaire, how well the hospital's electronic health record system DIPS supported 49 clinical tasks as well as how satisfied they were with the system in general, including the technical performance. Two hundred and eight of 402 physicians (52%) submitted a completely answered questionnaire., Results: Seventy-two percent of the physicians had their work interrupted or delayed because the electronic health record hangs or crashes at least once a week, while 22% had experienced this problem daily. Fifty-three percent of the physicians indicated that the electronic health record is cumbersome to use and adds to their workload. The majority of physicians were satisfied with managing tests, e.g., requesting laboratory tests, reading test results and managing radiological investigations and electrocardiograms. Physicians were less satisfied with managing referrals. There was high satisfaction with some of the decision support functionalities available for prescribing drugs. This includes drug interaction alerts and drug allergy warnings, which are displayed automatically. However, physicians were less satisfied with other aspects of prescribing drugs, including getting an overview of the ongoing drug therapy., Conclusions: In the survey physicians asked for improvements of certain electronic health record functionalities like medication, clinical workflow support including planning and better overviews. In addition, there is apparently a need to focus on system stability, number of logins, reliability and better instructions on available electronic health record features. Considerable development is needed in current electronic health record systems to improve usefulness and satisfaction.

Objectives: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is the most frequently performed bariatric surgery procedure worldwide, but reports on long-term quality of life (QOL) outcomes are scarce. We investigated 5-year trajectories in QOL and their associations with weight loss after SG., Design: A prospective cohort study., Setting: The study was conducted in a single Norwegian bariatric surgery centre., Participants: Out of 150 operated patients, 127 were included. Mean age was 41 years, 68% were women and the follow-up rate at 1 year was 85% and 64% at 1 and 5 years, respectively., Outcome Measures: Data were collected preoperatively, and 1 and 5 years after surgery assessing three different levels of QOL. The main exposure was weight loss after SG, assessed as per cent excess body mass index (kg/m 2 ) loss (%EBMIL). The Obesity-Related Problem (OP) scale was used to measure obesity-specific health-related QOL (HRQOL). Physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) composite summary scores of the Short Form 36 Health Survey were used to capture generic HRQOL and Cantril Ladder was used to assess overall QOL., Results: All HRQOL/overall QOL measures significantly improved at 1 year, followed by modest decline from 1 to 5 years after surgery. Greater %EBMIL 5 years after surgery was significantly associated with improvements in OP and PCS scores, but not with MCS and Cantril Ladder scores. Although significant (p<0.001) and clinically relevant improvements in HRQOL/overall QOL outcomes were observed at 5 years, scores were still below the general population norms., Conclusion: Most patients undergoing SG experience substantial weight loss accompanied by statistically significant and clinically relevant long-term improvements in HRQOL/overall QOL. However, an important minority of patients still report low HRQOL/overall QOL 5 years after SG. Further research should aim to identify other factors that contribute to impaired QOL after bariatric surgery, even in the presence of successful weight control., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Aims: Established surgical scores have limitations in delineating risk among candidates for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Assessment of frailty might help to estimate the mortality risk and identify patients likely to benefit from treatment. The aim of the study was to develop a frailty score to guide the decision for TAVI., Methods and Results: We conducted a prospective observational study in patients ≥70 years referred for TAVI during 2011-15. A Heart Team had declined the patients for open heart surgery due to high risk but accepted them for TAVI. Prior to the procedure, a geriatric assessment (GA) was performed. Based on this, an 8-element frailty score with a 0-9 (least frail-most frail) scale was developed. A total of 142 patients, 54% women, mean age 83 (standard deviation 4) years, with severe and symptomatic aortic stenosis were assessed. All-cause 2 year mortality was 11%. The novel GA frailty score predicted 2-year mortality in Cox analyses, also when adjusted for age, gender, and logistic EuroSCORE [hazard ratio (HR) 1.75, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28-2.42, P < 0.001]. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that a GA frailty score cut-off at ≥4 predicted 2-year mortality with a specificity of 80% (95% CI: 73-86%) and a sensitivity of 60% (95% CI: 36-80%). The area under the curve was 0.81 (95% CI 0.71-0.90)., Conclusion: A novel 8-element GA frailty score identified gradations in survival in patients declined for open heart surgery. Patients with higher GA frailty scores had significantly higher 2-year mortality after TAVI., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.)

Background: Self-rated health (SRH), which is frequently used in epidemiological research, has consistently been shown to be a strong predictor of morbidity and mortality, even after controlling for demographic, social and medical risk factors. However, less is known about the relationship between SRH and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in young adulthood., Objective: To investigate SRH in young people (13-35 years-old) as a predictor of all-cause mortality in young adulthood (deaths before age 54) and examine the associated causes of death., Methods: We used data from two large population-based cohort studies (N = 23,679): Young-HUNT1 (1995-1997, persons 13 to 20 years old, participation rate = 90%) and HUNT2 (1995-1997, persons 20 to 35 years old, participation rate = 70%). These data were linked to the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry up to 2014, and 247 deaths were identified. Other predictors we examined included age, gender, baseline smoking, physical activity and physical and mental disability., Results: Participants reporting 'not so good'/'poor' SRH had approximately twice the risk of death compared to those reporting 'good' or 'very good' SRH at baseline. The association between low SRH and risk of death was attenuated when the models were adjusted for other predictors, but remained statistically significant. The causes of death differed somewhat between SRH levels. Most of the deaths for people reporting 'very good' SRH at baseline were mostly due to neoplasms (34%) and other external causes (30%). The causes of death were more varied for people reporting 'not so good'/'poor' SRH, with suicide (23%), other external causes (21%) and other/unknown causes of death (17%) being the most frequent causes., Conclusion: SRH predicts all-cause mortality in young adulthood, with poor SRH being associated with death in young adulthood. The findings also indicate different causes of death for different SRH. This knowledge is important for identifying groups at risk for later disease, which can potentially be used to prevent morbidity in the adult population.

Objectives: To determine whether an association exists between delirium and length of time indwelling urine catheters (IUC) are used in octogenarian patients treated with surgical aortic valve treatment (SAVR) or transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI)., Design: Prospective cohort study., Setting: Tertiary university hospital covering the western region of Norway., Participants: Octogenarian patients undergoing elective SAVR or TAVI and willing to participate in the study were eligible. Patients unable to speak Norwegian were excluded. Between 2011 and 2013, 143 consecutive patients were included, and data from 136 of them are presented., Primary Outcome: Delirium., Results: Logistic regression analysis shows that lower cognitive function was positively associated with delirium (OR 0.86, CI 0.74 to 0.99, p=0.047). Besides, the interaction term in the model shows that IUC use and delirium differed between SAVR and TAVI patients (p=0.04). The difference corresponded to a weaker association between hours of IUC use and delirium for SAVR (OR 1.01, CI: 0.99 to 1.03, p=0.54) compared with that for TAVI (OR 1.04, CI: 1.01 to 1.08, p=0.004)., Conclusions: The association between IUC use and delirium is stronger for octogenarian patients treated with TAVI than for patients who received SAVR. Our results revealed a previously unknown association between the number of hours an IUC is used and postoperative delirium in octogenarian patients treated with TAVI., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2018. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Purpose: To describe the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR), associated risk factors and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a population-based cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1)., Methods: All patients underwent a general and ophthalmic examination including seven-field stereo fundus photography for grading of DR and diabetic macular oedema (DMO). Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed to evaluate disease progression in relation to diabetes duration, age and year of diabetes onset. HRQoL and its association with DR were assessed by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire., Results: A total of 237 DM1 patients were included. Mean age at inclusion was 34 years (range, 4-75 years), and mean diabetes duration was 19 years (range, 5 months-63 years). A total of 145 patients (61%) had DR. Sixty-two patients (26%) had mild, 39 (16%) moderate and 13 (5%) severe nonproliferative DR, while 31 (13%) had proliferative DR. The prevalence of DMO was 8%. The most important risk factors predicting severity of DR were diabetes duration (p < 0.0001) and HbA1c level (p < 0.0001). Neuropathy (p = 0.006), nephropathy (p = 0.004) and male gender (p = 0.02) were also significant predictors of DR. Compared to normative SF-36 data, there was a linear trend of decreasing HRQoL with increasing severity of DR that was statistically significant for the four physical dimension scores., Conclusion: The prevalence of DR in DM1 was largely within the range of previous reports. Diabetes duration, HbA1c level, neuropathy, nephropathy and male gender were all significant predictors of DR severity. The patients with more severe DR had lower HRQoL., (© 2018 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The non-ionic agent iohexol is increasingly used as the marker of choice for glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measurement. Estimates of GFR in children have low accuracy and limiting the number of blood-draws in this patient population is especially relevant. We have performed a study to evaluate different formulas for calculating measured GFR based on plasma iohexol clearance with blood sampling at only one time point (GFR1p) and to determine the optimal sampling time point., Methods: Ninety-six children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1-5 (median age 9.2 years; range 3 months to 17.5 years) were examined in a cross-sectional study using iohexol clearance and blood sampling at seven time points within 5 h (GFR7p) as the reference method. Median GFR7p was 66 (range 6-153) mL/min/1.73 m 2 . The performances of six different single time-point formulas (Fleming, Ham and Piepsz, Groth and Aasted, Stake, Jacobsson- and Jacobsson-modified) were validated against the reference. The two-point GFR (GFR2p) was calculated according to the Jødal and Brøchner-Mortensen formula., Results: The GFR1p calculated according to Fleming with sampling at 3 h (GFR1p 3h -Fleming) had the best overall performance, with 82% of measures within 10% of the reference value (P10). In children with a GFR ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (n = 78), the GFR1p 3h -Fleming had a P10 of 92.3%, which is not significantly different (p = 0.29) from that of GFR2p (P10 = 96.2%). Considerable differences within and between the different formulas were found for different CKD stages and different time points for blood sampling., Conclusions: For determination of mGFR in children with CKD and an assumed GFR of ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m 2 we recommend GFR1p 3h -Fleming as the preferred single-point method as an alternative to GFR2p. For children with a GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , we recommend the slope-GFR with at least two blood samples., Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov , Identifier NCT01092260, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01092260?term=tondel&rank=2.

Objectives: Generalized tonic-clonic status epilepticus (GTC-SE) is considered a risk for cognitive impairment. Research with standardized tools is scarce and non-conclusive. We systematically assessed short-term and long-term cognitive function after GTC-SE., Materials and Methods: Thirty-three patients were tested after the clinical post-ictal phase of GTC-SE (timepoint 1) and again after 1 year (timepoint 2). Twenty controls were examined with the same tests. Tests from Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery were used. Motor screening test (MOT) assessed motor speed, delayed matching to sample (DMS) and paired associates learning (PAL) assessed memory, and Stockings of Cambridge (SOC) assessed executive function. Estimated premorbid IQ and radiologically visible brain lesions were controlled for in adjusted results. Outcome measures were z-scores, the number of standard deviations a score deviates from the mean of a norm population., Results: At timepoint 1, unadjusted patient results were significantly below both norm and control group performances on all subtests. Patient mean was 1.9 z-scores below controls (P < .001) on PAL total errors. Results remained significant for PAL and DMS after adjustments. Patient results improved at timepoint 2, but memory tests remained lower than norms and for controls. An executive dysfunction emerged on the most complex SOC stage (z-score difference -0.83; P = .008, adjusted difference -0.94; P = .02)., Conclusions: Memory and learning impairment in the early phase after SE and late developing executive dysfunction remained significant after adjusting for estimated premorbid IQ and pre-SE brain lesions. Results suggest that GTC-SE poses a risk for cognitive impairment., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Patients with hip fracture frequently have sarcopenia and are at great risk of loss of mobility. We have investigated if sarcopenia predicts change in mobility after hip fracture., Methods: This is a prospective, multicenter observational study with one-year follow-up. Patients with hip fracture who were community-living and capable of walking before the fracture were included at three hospitals in Norway (2011-2013). The primary outcome of the study was change in mobility, measured by the New Mobility Score (NMS). Sarcopenia was determined postoperatively by anthropometry, grip strength, and NMS., Results: We included 282 participants and sarcopenia status was determined in 201, of whom 38% (77/201) had sarcopenia, 66% (128/194) had low muscle mass, 52% (116/222) had low grip strength and 8% (20/244) had low pre-fracture mobility (NMS < 5). Sarcopenia did not predict change in mobility (effect 0.2 points; 95% CI -0.5 to 0.9, P = 0.6), but it was associated with having lower mobility at one-year (NMS 5.8 (SD 2.3) vs. 6.8 (SD 2.2), P = 0.003), becoming a resident of a nursing home (odds ratio 3.2, 95% CI 0.9 to 12.4, P = 0.048), and the combined endpoint of becoming a resident of a skilled nursing home or death (odds ratio 3.6, 95% CI 1.2 to 12.2, P = 0.02)., Conclusions: Sarcopenia did not predict change in mobility in the year after hip fracture.

Objectives: Status epilepticus (SE) is considered a risk for cognitive impairment. Studies have indicated that SE cause more cognitive decline than multiple lifetime generalized tonic clonic (GTC) seizures. The aim of the study was to investigate whether patients suffering from SE or from multiple lifetime GTC seizures have cognitive dysfunction, and if the disabilities differ between these groups., Materials and Methods: Patients suffering from SE were evaluated shortly after the clinical post-ictal phase and again after one year. Their follow-up results were compared to results from patients with ≥10 GTC seizures and a group of control subjects. Tests from Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were used. Motor Screening Test (MOT) assessed motor speed, Delayed Matching to Sample (DMS) and Paired Associates Learning (PAL) assessed memory, and Stockings of Cambridge (SOC) assessed executive function. Estimated premorbid IQ and radiologically visible brain lesions were controlled for in adjusted results. Outcome measures were z-scores, the number of standard deviations a score deviates from the mean of a norm population. Negative z-scores indicate poor performance., Results: After the clinical post-ictal phase, performances of SE patients were poor on all domains (n = 46). Mean z-scores with 95% confidence intervals were below zero for tests of psychomotor speed, executive thinking times and memory. Both SE patients at follow-up (n = 39) and patients with multiple GTC seizures (n = 24) performed poorer than controls (n = 20) on tests of memory. These group differences remained significant after covariate adjustments. SE patients at follow-up scored below patients with multiple GTC seizures on tests of psychomotor speed (mean difference -0.59, P = 0.020), but after adjusting for covariates this difference was no longer significant., Conclusions: Our data do not allow a firm conclusion as to whether SE is a more pronounced risk factor for cognitive dysfunction than repeated generalized tonic clonic seizures. In both patient groups, memory and learning dysfunction remained significant after adjusting for estimated premorbid IQ and structural brain lesions., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Self-rated health (SRH) is a commonly used health indicator predicting morbidity and mortality in a range of populations. However, the relationship between SRH and medication is not well established. The aim of this study was to examine adolescent SRH as a predictor for prescribed medication later in young adulthood. Eighteen years' prospective data from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) and the Norwegian Prescription Database (NorPD) were analyzed. Baseline data, gathered from 8982 adolescents (mean age 16.0 years) in the Young-HUNT I survey (1995-1997), were linked to individual data from NorPD, including information on all medications prescribed in 2013-2014. Gender-stratified negative binomial regression models were used to investigate the association between SRH and medication, also adjusted for age, baseline self-reported medicine use, physical and mental disability, smoking, and physical activity. Based on the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification System, total consumption and consumption related to various ATC groups were examined. The adjusted analyses showed a dose-response relationship for females, with poorer SRH predicting higher average medication for both total consumption and for the ATC groups "Musculoskeletal system" (M), "Nervous system" (N; Analgesics (N02), Opioids (N02A)) and "Respiratiory system" (R). The predictive power of SRH, as well as the role of the adjustment factors, varies by gender and drug groups. This knowledge is important in order to identify risks for later disease and to capture pathological changes before and beyond the disease diagnosis, potentially preventing morbidity in the adult population.

Background: We present 5-year outcomes after vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), including complications and revisions, weight change, obesity-related diseases and health-related quality of life (HRQOL)., Methods: Patients operated from December 2005 to November 2010 were included. All variables except HRQOL (obtained using Short Form-36) were assessed prospectively. HRQOL data was assessed cross-sectionally, comparing 5-year results to both a baseline cohort of severely obese patients prior to bariatric surgery and to Norwegian norms., Results: Of 168 operated patients (mean age, 40.3 ± 10.5 years; 71% females), 92% completed 2-year and 82% 5-year follow-up. Re-intervention for complications occurred in four patients, whereas revision surgery was performed in six patients for weight regain and in one patient for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Mean body mass index (BMI) decreased from 46.2 ± 6.4 kg/m 2 at baseline to 30.5 ± 5.8 kg/m 2 at 2 years and 32.9 ± 6.1 kg/m 2 at 5 years. Remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension occurred in 79 and 62% at 2 years, and 63 and 60% at 5 years, respectively. The percentage of patients treated for GERD increased from 12% preoperatively to 29% at 2 years and 35% at 5 years. The physical and mental SF-36 summary scores showed significantly better HRQOL at 5 years compared with the baseline cohort, but did not reach population norms., Conclusion: The majority of VSG patients maintained successful weight loss and improvement of T2DM, hypertension and HRQOL at 5 years. Preventing weight regain and GERD are important considerations with this procedure.

Background: The effective treatment of airway compromise in trauma and non-trauma patients is important. Hypoxia and hypotension are predictors of negative patient outcomes and increased mortality, and may be important quality indicators of care provided by emergency medical services. Excluding cardiac arrests, critical trauma and non-trauma patients remain the two major groups to which helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) are dispatched. Several studies describe the impact of pre-hospital hypoxia or hypotension on trauma patients, but few studies compare this in trauma and non-trauma patients. The primary aim was to describe the incidence of pre-hospital hypoxia and hypotension in the two groups receiving pre-hospital tracheal intubation (TI) by physician-staffed HEMS., Methods: Data were collected prospectively over a 12-month period, using a uniform Utstein-style airway template. Twenty-one physician-staffed HEMS in Europe and Australia participated. We compared peripheral oxygen saturation and systolic blood pressure before and after definitive airway management. Data were analysed using Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel methods and mixed-effects models., Results: Eight hundred forty three trauma patients and 422 non-trauma patients receiving pre-hospital TI were included. Non-trauma patients had significantly lower predicted mean pre-intervention SpO 2 compared to trauma patients. Post-intervention and admission SpO 2 for the two groups were comparable. However, 3% in both groups were still hypoxic at admission. For hypotension, the differences between the groups were less prominent. However, 9% of trauma and 10% of non-trauma patients were still hypotensive at admission. There was no difference in short-term survival between trauma (97%) and non-trauma patients (95%). Decreased level of consciousness was the most frequent indication for TI, and was associated with increased survival to hospital (cOR 2.8; 95% CI: 1.4-5.4)., Conclusions: Our results showed that non-trauma patients had a higher incidence of hypoxia before TI than trauma patients, but few were hypoxic at admission. The difference for hypotension was less prominent, but one in ten patients were still hypotensive at admission. Further investigations are needed to identify reversible causes that may be corrected to improve haemodynamics in the pre-hospital setting. We found high survival rates to hospital in both groups, suggesting that physician-staffed HEMS provide high-quality emergency airway management in trauma and non-trauma patients., Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01502111 . Registered 22 Desember 2011.