The European journal of general practice
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Observational Study
Management and characteristics of patients suffering from Clostridiodes difficile infection in primary care.
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is rising and increases patient healthcare costs due to extended hospitalisation, tests and medications. Management of CDI in French primary care is poorly reported. ⋯ GPs provide relevant ambulatory care for mild primary episodes of CDI using oral metronidazole. Persistent diarrhoea despite an appropriate anti-Clostridiodes regimen should be interpreted as an early predictor of relapse.
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Rotavirus is a common cause of acute gastroenteritis in young children in the Netherlands, where rotavirus vaccination has not yet been implemented. ⋯ In out-of-hours primary care, rotavirus is common but not associated with increased severity and higher referral rates in children with acute gastroenteritis.
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Obesity poses severe challenges for the health care system. GPs are in an advantageous position to contribute to preventing obesity by diagnosing patients and initiating treatment. Sporadic studies have shown that attitudes towards obesity management in primary care can have a major influence on treating patients successfully. ⋯ Depending on which (proto-)type a patient visits, different focuses and strategies are pursued for obesity management and doctor-patient communication. This results in different perspectives and chances of success about therapeutic measures.
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Growing prevalence of chronic diseases is a rising challenge for healthcare systems. The Primary Care Practice-Based Care Management (PraCMan) programme is a comprehensive disease management intervention in primary care in Germany aiming to improve medical care and to reduce potentially avoidable hospitalisations for chronically ill patients. ⋯ This study showed that the PraCMan intervention may be associated with a lower rate of hospital admissions and hospitalisation costs than usual care. Further studies may assess long-term effects of PraCMan and its efficacy in preventing known complications of chronic diseases.