Publications

BACKGROUND: Patients at the end-of-life may experience refractory symptoms of which pain, delirium, vomiting and dyspnea are the most frequent. Palliative sedation can be considered a last resort option to alleviate one or more refractory symptoms. There are only a limited number of (qualitative) studies exploring the experiences of relatives of sedated patients and their health care professionals (HCPs). The aims of this study protocol are: 1) ...

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that an exaggerated immune response to fungi is crucial in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Based on this rationale, the use of topical antifungals (amphotericin B) has been advocated. Studies on its clinical effectiveness are, however, contradictory. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of nasal antifungal treatment on secreted mediators in samples of nasal lavage fluid from patients with CRS with ...

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of a topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug, topical corticosteroid, and a combination of both drugs to prevent the occurrence of cystoid macular edema (CME) after cataract surgery in nondiabetic patients. Setting: Twelve European study centers. Design: Randomized clinical trial. Methods: Nondiabetic patients having uneventful cataract surgery were included in this study. Patients were randomized to receive ...

The aim of the study was to describe the current situation on knowledge and use of quality tools by head nurses and medical staff of five departments (orthopedics, cardiology, maternity, pediatrics and radiology) in Flemish, acute hospitals. 58 Flemish, acute hospitals were invited to participate in an anonymous online questionnaire. 1,123 persons were contacted resulting in 350 usefully filled out questionnaires including 142 head nurses, 63 ...

OBJECTIVE: In this multicenter cross-sectional study, the quality of patient-centered education and counseling for patients treated with oral anticancer drugs was examined. METHODS: The CONTACT-Patient-Centered Care Questionnaire was administered to 266 patients, recruited in 11 Flemish hospitals. The questionnaire consists of 80 items, each evaluating the degree of performance of a key element in patient-centered education and counseling. ...

OBJECTIVES: Postcardiotomy extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be initiated intraoperatively or postoperatively based on indications, settings, patient profile, and conditions. The topic of implantation timing only recently gained attention from the clinical community. We compare patient characteristics as well as in-hospital and long-term survival between intraoperative and postoperative ECMO. METHODS: The retrospective, multicenter, ...

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of an ab interno subconjunctival gelatin implant as primary surgical intervention in reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) and IOP-lowering medication count in medically uncontrolled moderate primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). METHODS: In this prospective, non-randomized, open-label, multicenter, 2-year study, eyes with medicated baseline IOP 18-33 mmHg on 1-4 topical medications were implanted with ...

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of perioperative treatment strategies, in addition to topical bromfenac 0.09% and dexamethasone 0.1%, to reduce the risk for developing cystoid macular edema (CME) after uneventful cataract surgery in diabetic patients. Setting: Twelve European study centers. Design: Randomized clinical trial. Methods: Diabetic patients having phacoemulsification cataract surgery were randomly allocated to receive no additional ...

Background: In 2006, a consensus was made on management and follow up of children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection (cCMV) in Flanders, Belgium. Since 2007 systematic registration of those children was initiated. In this report, focus is on the perinatal data of our population. Study design: Children with confirmed diagnosis of cCMV were eligible for registration. Information on prenatal/ neonatal investigations, management and therapy ...