Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Primary finger and thumb joint arthritis is common, with a markedly rising prevalence from age 50 onward. As the population as a whole ages, the need for effective, stage-appropriate treatment of this condition is increasing. ⋯ The efficacy of conservative treatment has been documented in high-quality clinical trials, while that of surgical treatment has not. The various surgical methods have yielded benefits in routine clinical use, but these remain to be assessed in randomized and controlled trials.
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Current data on tobacco use are a necessary prerequisite for the study of the implementation of tobacco control measures in the general population. The German Study on Tobacco Use (Deutsche Befragung zum Rauchverhalten, DEBRA) provides previously lacking data on key indicators of smoking behavior and on the consumption of new products such as e-cigarettes. The continual acquisition and accumulation of data permits the analysis of trends and precise statistical evaluation. ⋯ Tobacco consumption is very high in Germany compared to other countries in Western and Northern Europe, and its distribution across the population is markedly uneven, with a heavy influence of socioeconomic status.