P M Bossuyt

..To evaluate the relation between delay in surgery because of preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) and survival in patients scheduled for surgery for pancreatic head cancer...

..It is unclear yet how these evaluations can and should be combined in the appraisal of the strength of the existing evidence...

..We show how diagnostic accuracy can be linked to clinical utility through an appropriate definition of the target condition in diagnostic-accuracy studies...

..This study evaluates the effectiveness of a web-based health risk assessment with individually-tailored feedback on lifestyle behaviour, conducted in a worksite setting...

..In this study we aim to assess whether adding laparoscopy to the diagnostic work-up of patients suspected of advanced ovarian carcinoma may prevent unsuccessful primary debulking surgery for ovarian cancer...

..Anticipating 3% unclassifiable diagnostic images because of technical reasons, and a further safety margin of 10% we plan to recruit 140 patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Nederlands trial register NTR2220...

..The anal fistula plug trial is designed to compare the anal fistula plug with the mucosal flap advancement in the treatment of high perianal fistula in terms of success rate, continence, postoperative pain, and quality of life...

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..However, it is unknown whether screening for a short cervix and subsequent treatment in mid trimester pregnancy is effective in low risk women...

..In this study we will examine these potential benefits in four clinical diagnostic problems in the field of gynaecology, obstetrics and reproductive medicine...

..Although QUADAS has been used in several systematic reviews, it has not been formally validated. The objective was to evaluate the validity and usefulness of QUADAS...

..The aim of this project was to combine empirical evidence and expert opinion in a formal consensus method to develop a tool to be used in systematic reviews to assess the quality of primary studies of diagnostic accuracy...

..We designed a study to investigate the inter-assessment reproducibility, and intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of the items in the STARD statement...

..Our aim was to study the evolvement of evidence from placebo-controlled and head-to-head trials on the effects of antibiotics for the treatment of mild to moderate exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease...

..As a consequence, early shockroom CT scanning provides an all-inclusive multifocal diagnostic modality that can detect (potentially life-threatening) injuries in an earlier stage, so that therapy can be directed based on these findings...

..The multicenter OPTIMAP study was designed to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of MRI in patients with suspected acute appendicitis in the general population...

..Nevertheless, attention should be paid to the parties that will bear the healthcare costs generated by the replacement of inpatient care by outpatient care...

..We discuss the relativity of the claim that likelihood ratios are a superior way of expressing diagnostic accuracy, and defend the use of the sometimes downgraded sensitivity and specificity...

..Family screening programs for intracranial aneurysms have been considered but there are concerns about raised anxiety and depression, inadequate risk perception, and the principle of informed choice...

..Complete and informative reporting can only lead to better decisions in health care...

..The way in which new medical tests are evaluated can be improved, as well as the level of independence from conflicting interests...

..Complete and informative reporting can only lead to better decisions in health care...

..Complete and informative reporting can only lead to better decisions in healthcare...

..These complex health care matters require complex answers, which have to be found before any population screening for cancer of prostate, colon or lung can be implemented...

..The authors provide examples from test evaluations in the literature to illustrate how these additional effects can be important in the evaluation of testing or indeed any health intervention...

..We discuss the relativity of the claim that likelihood ratios are a superior way of expressing the accuracy of biomarkers, and defend the use of the sometimes downgraded statistics sensitivity and specificity...

..Guidelines for clinical practice should reflect the results of clinical research, as well as the priorities that have been set and the trade-offs that have been made...

..Many biomarker studies have major methodological shortcomings, in particular in the selection of appropriate study groups. Strong associations cannot always be replicated in later research...

..To improve the accuracy and completeness of reporting of studies of diagnostic accuracy in order to allow readers to assess the potential for bias in a study and to evaluate the general isability of its results...

..We evaluated the discriminative capacity of transvaginal sonography in combination with hCG measurement in the diagnosis of EP after IVF-ET...

..We compared systemic methotrexate and laparoscopic salpingostomy in the treatment of tubal pregnancy. Outcome measures were treatment success, tubal preservation, and homolateral tubal patency...

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..To investigate patient preferences for systemic methotrexate therapy relative to laparoscopic salpingostomy in the treatment of tubal pregnancy...

..The percentage of patients in whom a cause could be found increased from 29% to 53%. No severe underlying illnesses were missed by using this approach...

..To determine whether physical examination is useful for patients with suspected ectopic pregnancy (EP) for whom transvaginal sonography is performed and serum hCG levels are measured...

..Laparoscopy has generally replaced open surgery in the treatment of ectopic pregnancy. This study assesses the impact of the introduction of laparoscopy in the surgical treatment of tubal pregnancy on costs...

..To evaluate the ability of noninvasive diagnostic tools to predict tubal rupture and active bleeding in patients with tubal pregnancy...

..To compare gestational age and endometrial stripe thickness measurement with serum hCG measurement as criteria for the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy (EP)...

..The benefits of preoperative biliary drainage, which was introduced to improve the postoperative outcome in patients with obstructive jaundice caused by a tumor of the pancreatic head, are unclear...

..5%) and in 3 nerve roots (0.7%). For radiological evaluation of lumbar herniated discs, we found no evidence that spiral CT is inferior to MRI. For evaluating lumbar nerve root compression, spiral CT is less reliable than MRI...

..To determine the prognostic significance of hysterosalpingography (HSG) for fertility outcome...

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..To compare patients' health-related quality of life after systemic methotrexate therapy versus laparoscopic salpingostomy for tubal pregnancy...

..The literature contains a large number of potential biases in the evaluation of diagnostic tests. Strict application of appropriate methodological criteria would invalidate the clinical application of most study results...

..To assess whether the quality of reporting of diagnostic accuracy studies has improved since the publication of the Standards for the Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy studies (STARD statement)...

..Furthermore, trial efficiency can be improved by moving the point of randomization from the decision point, whether or not to test, to the point where a decision has to be made regarding what to do with the positive test results...

..To identify additional factors, such as maternal age or factors related to previous reproductive outcome or family history, and the corresponding probability of carrying a chromosome abnormality in couples with two or more miscarriages...

..Women becoming pregnant after sterilization or while currently using an IUCD are at an increased risk. The IUCD is the only contraceptive method associated with an increased risk after discontinuation of its use...

..To assess the discriminative capacity of Chlamydia antibody titers in the diagnosis of tubed pathology in subfertile patients...

..A systematic review of the effectiveness, safety, and applicability of autologous transplantation methods in vitiligo...

..To compare reproductive outcomes in couples carrying a structural chromosome abnormality and non-carrier couples referred for chromosome analysis after two or more miscarriages...

..The aim of the present study was to evaluate the associations between the frequency of clinical symptoms and anatomic and functional characteristics of the anorectum of patients with severe fecal incontinence...

..In this study, we assess risk factors for non-adherence to tailored expectant management...

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..Use of the checklist and flow diagram will improve the quality of reports produced, to the advantage of clinicians, researchers, reviewers, journal editors and other interested parties...

..To assess the effectiveness and safety of nonsurgical repigmentation therapies in localized and generalized vitiligo by means of a meta-analysis...

..To develop and introduce evidence-based guidelines for the selection of 5 commonly used treatment modalities--UV-B, photochemotherapy, methotrexate, acitretin, and cyclosporine--for adult patients with severe plaque form psoriasis...

..Their implementation would have a substantial effect on patients' daily lives and would increase costs. The guidelines are largely opinion-based, because evidence is still lacking...

..The aim of the current study was to perform a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled clinical trials of existing treatment strategies for acute ruptures of the lateral ankle ligaments...

..It consisted of (a) describing the diagnostic work-up in the area, (b) developing the guidelines, (c) spreading the recommendations. The implementation and application of the guidelines are currently being evaluated...

..To investigate the sensitivity and specificity of polyp detection and the image quality of computed tomographic (CT) colonography at different radiation dose levels and to study effective doses reported in literature on CT colonography...

..Conclusions from earlier research on presymptomatic genetic testing cannot be generalized to patients, and more standardized research is needed...

..Our objective was to determine the rate of symptom resolution using validated patient-based outcome measures, and to assess HRQL 18 months after the episode...

..Results of such analyses will help understand problems with the transferability of diagnostic tests and to point out flaws in primary studies. As such, they can guide the design of future studies...

..The Calgary Syncope Symptom Score (Calgary Score) is a tool developed for this purpose. We studied its performance in a series of patients presenting with T-LOC...

..Prediction models have been developed in reproductive medicine to help assess the chances of a treatment-(in)dependent pregnancy. Careful evaluation is needed before these models can be implemented in clinical practice...

..To compare the effectiveness of clomifene citrate plus metformin and clomifene citrate plus placebo in women with newly diagnosed polycystic ovary syndrome...

..To evaluate to what extent couples carrying a balanced structural chromosome abnormality follow up the advice to opt for invasive prenatal diagnosis (PND) in subsequent pregnancies...

..Experienced CTC readers agree to a considerable extent when matching polyps between CTC and subsequent OC, but non-negligible disagreement exists...

..To assess whether pregnancy history can predict the occurrence of a spontaneous ongoing pregnancy in subfertile couples...

..To prospectively evaluate participants' experience and preference of magnetic resonance (MR) colonography with limited bowel preparation compared with full-preparation colonoscopy in participants at increased risk for colorectal cancer...

..In this process, staging information is lost and under- and overstaging can not be adequately expressed...

..Therefore, both US and CT can be used as initial diagnostic tool until new evidence is brought forward. However, CT is more likely to identify alternative diseases...

..To assess the effectiveness of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in intrauterine insemination (IUI) for subfertile couples with an abnormal postcoital test and a poor prognosis...

..001). CT colonography without cleansing is preferred to colonoscopy and shows sufficient image quality and moderate sensitivity, without impaired diagnostic value at dose-levels as low as 0.7 mSv...

..6; 95% confidence interval, 0.91 to 2.8). There was one multiple pregnancy in the group that was allocated to intrauterine insemination. This trial suggests a beneficial effect of IUI in couples with an isolated cervical factor...

..Several studies and systematic reviews have reported results that indicate that sensitivity and specificity may vary with prevalence...

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..Reported use and interpretation of PIVM assessment and related perceptions could only partly be substantiated by evidence. Results from this survey will help researchers design studies better reflecting daily practice in MT...

..The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of radiographers with that of radiologists in the interpretation of CT colonographic images...

..Gynaecologists overestimate the importance of FSH concentration, but underestimate that of a previous pregnancy, as compared with their importance reported in prediction models and guidelines...

..Such case-control designs are intuitively appealing, but they have also been criticized for leading to inflated estimates of accuracy...

..To compare ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis and determination of resectability of pancreatic adenocarcinoma...

..We correlated the pre-operative CTs with survival to find criteria that have prognostic value. To establish the prognostic value of CT in patients with potentially resectable pancreatic head carcinoma...

..Studies in which the additional benefit of COH on IUI for cervical factor subfertility is assessed are lacking. We assessed whether COH in IUI improved pregnancy rates in cervical factor subfertility...

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..To assess the performance and clinical value of the postwash total motile sperm count (postwash TMC) as a test to predict intrauterine insemination (IUI) outcome...

..Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a commonly used treatment in subfertile couples. We assessed patients' preferences for IUI relative to expectant management...

..Due to the substantial and unpredictable variability in valuations and treatment preferences, recommendations regarding treatment duration should be tailored to patients' specific values and concerns...

..Midgestation is a period of rapid increase in nephron number, which is critical in determining nephron endowment at birth. Fetal undernutrition may lead to lower nephron endowment with consequent MA in adult life...

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..CONCLUSIONS: More than half of total costs of fecal incontinence are made up of indirect non-medical costs. The costs associated with the use of incontinence material and other personal expenses are limited...

..The aim of this study was to identify patients in whom the clinical diagnosis of diverticulitis can be made with a high certainty, distinguishing them from patients requiring imaging...

..We assessed the effects of SDD on intensive-care-unit (ICU) and hospital mortality, and on the acquisition of resistant bacteria in adult patients admitted to intensive care...

..A disadvantage is the impossibility of weighing the true positive and false positive rate separately. In this article the application of the diagnostic odds ratio in test evaluation is illustrated...