OBJECTIVES To estimate annual direct costs in four distinct disease duration groups (0 to < or =2, 2 to < or =6, 6 to < or =10, and >10 years) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), to determine predictors of high costs and to describe characteristics of patients with high and with low costs. METHODS A questionnaire assessing RA related care and resource utilisation rates and costs was c...

BACKGROUND Several review studies have shown that 3.4% to 16.6% of patients in acute care hospitals experience one or more adverse events. Adverse events (AEs) in hospitals constitute a significant problem with serious consequences and a challenge for public health. The occurrence of AEs in Portuguese hospitals has not yet been systematically studied. The main purpose of this study is to estima...

Espírito Santo R, et al. BMJ Case Rep 2017. doi:10.1136/bcr-2017-219882 Description A 30-year-old primigravida was referred to our institution due to an isolated fetal ascites (IFA). The gestation was uneventful until the 32nd week when the mother was hospitalised due to refractory hypertension. An ultrasound revealed a fetal abdominal circumference above percentile 99. Fetal parameters and amn...

Concerns about the environmental effect and the economic burden of methane (CH4) emissions from ruminants are driving the search for ways to mitigate rumen methanogenesis. The use of direct-fed microbials (DFM) is one possible option to decrease CH4 emission from ruminants. Direct-fed microbials are already used in ruminants mainly to increase productivity and to improve health, and are readily...

This study was performed to evaluate the potential costs of a hypothetical novel biological agent (BIO) as a therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), compared with oral methotrexate (MTX) and intramuscular gold (IMG). A decision analysis model was used to compare the total costs of treating a cohort of 10,000 RA patients with each agent for 6 months. Total costs included direct costs and indirect...

OBJECTIVE The identification of precancerous lesions is the basis of an early diagnosis, and of a treatment that allows, in the great part of cases, the preservation of organ functions. The aims of this study were: the evaluation of the less invasive treatment for precancerous lesion of the larynx to minimize the recurrences, the estimation of number of further operation required. METHODS A p...

BACKGROUND Intracameral cefuroxime is recommended as prophylaxis against postoperative endophthalmitis (POE) following cataract surgery. Aprokam is the only licensed product for prophylaxis of POE, although unlicensed intracameral cefuroxime may be administered using pre-filled syringes (PFS), either prepared in hospital by reconstituting cefuroxime via serial dilution (prepared PFS), or commer...

The results of seven serologic tests for diagnosis of human brucellosis were evaluated. The titrated Rose Bengal test, microagglutination test, microtiter-adapted Coombs test, and immunocapture-agglutination test (Brucellacapt) were positive for all sera from patients with acute brucellosis. The immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and IgA commercial enzyme immunoassays (ELISAs) failed to show specific...