Articles: cross-over-studies.
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In the last decades, a sustained increment of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) production in the world has been accompanied by a growing concern about their quality. Many studies related to quality assessment of guidelines produced in High Income Countries were published; however, evidence on this topic is scarce in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC). The objectives of this research were: a) to describe guideline production in Argentina at different levels of the health system (macro, meso and micro) from 1994 to 2004; and b) to assess their quality by using the AGREE instrument. ⋯ This study has systematically employed the AGREE instrument for the critical assessment of guidelines produced in a LMIC. Guideline development and diffusion in Argentina from 1994 to 2004 shows a constant increment, although quality of reporting did not improve; moreover, in some aspects it seemed to decline. Much room for improvement of the guideline development process was found at all levels of the health system.
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In Crossing the Quality Chasm, the Institute of Medicine recommended that patient-centered care should not waste patients' time and should recognize the involvement of family and friends. Studies have documented the time spent by physicians on outpatient visits, but not that spent by patients and their companions. The patient's perspective provides an important yet overlooked indicator of healthcare effectiveness. ⋯ Outpatient visits are time intensive for American patients and their families: the equivalent of 207 million 40-hour work-weeks each year. Patients and their families spend substantially more time on outpatient visits than the time with the physician reported by the annual National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Further research is needed on the components of outpatient visits that do not directly involve physicians. Efforts to improve care should address waiting times and recognize the involvement of family members. The ATUS could provide periodic benchmarks of patient time use as a supplement to other indicators of patient-centered care in the annual National Healthcare Quality Report.
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Study Design. A retrospective design comparing three matched groups was used to evaluate the application of a multidimensional approach to outcomes analysis using a variety of disease-specific and generic outcome measures to assess three treatments for failed back surgery syndrome. Objective. The objective of this study was to explore the use of a multidimensional analysis of outcomes to compare and contrast the effects of three different treatments: 1) intrathecal therapy using an implantable drug administration system (DAS), 2) standard medical therapy emphasizing the use of oral opioids (OO), and 3) residential pain and rehabilitation program (RPRP) for the treatment of chronic low back pain. Summary of Background Data. The incidence of low back pain in patients with prior back surgery remains significant. ⋯ No one treatment emerged as the most effective across all of the disease-specific and generic measures. However, patients in the DAS group tended to report greater improvement. Overall, although generally "satisfied" with treatment, they were generally "satisfied" with treatment despite continuing to report significant levels of pain, disability, and impaired QoL.
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The insertion of a Totally Implantable Access Port (TIAP) is a routinely employed technique in patients who need a safe and permanent venous access. The number of TIAP implantations is increasing constantly mainly due to advanced treatment options for malignant diseases. Therefore it is important to identify the implantation technique which has the optimal benefit/risk ratio for the patient. ⋯ The trial will be conducted in compliance with the protocol and in accordance with the moral, ethical, and scientific principles governing clinical research as set out in the Declaration of Helsinki (1989) and Good Clinical Practice (GCP). The trial will also be carried out in keeping with local and regulatory requirements. The Klinisches Studienzentrum Chirurgie (KSC)--Centre of Clinical Trials in Surgery at the Department of Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg is responsible for planning and conduction of the trial. Documentation of patient's data will be accomplished via electronical Case Report Files (eCRF) with MACRO-Software by the KSC. Randomization, data management, monitoring and biometry are provided by the independent Koordinierungszentrum für Klinische Studien (KKS)--Coordination Centre for Clinical Trails at the University of Heidelberg.
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In patients presenting with possible rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which diagnostic test can provide an accurate diagnosis during the physical examination? ⋯ Based on predictive value statistics, it can be concluded that during the physical examination, a positive result for the pivot shift test is the best for ruling in an ACL rupture, whereas a negative result to the Lachman test is the best for ruling out an ACL rupture. It can also be concluded that, solely using sensitivity and specificity values, the Lachman test is a better overall test at both ruling in and ruling out ACL ruptures. The anterior drawer test appears to be inconclusive for drawing strong conclusions either way.