INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to characterize the epidemiology of severe burns in the Netherlands, including trends in burn centre admissions, non burn centre admissions and differences by age. METHODS: Patients with burn-related primary admission in a Dutch centre from 1995 to 2011 were included. …

QUESTION: In adults who experience nocturnal leg cramps, does stretching of the calf and hamstring muscles each day just before sleep reduce the frequency and severity of the cramps? DESIGN: A randomised trial with concealed allocation and intention-to-treat analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty adults aged …

INTRODUCTION: It is difficult to adjust fluid balance adequately in patients with severe burns due to various physical changes. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is emerging as a potential marker of hydration state. Proteinuria is used as a predictor of outcome in severe illness and might correlate to …

Delirium is a serious and frequent psycho-organic disorder in critically ill patients. Reported incidence rates vary to a large extent and there is a paucity of data concerning delirium incidence rates for the different subgroups of intensive care unit (ICU) patients and their short-term health consequences. …

Suitable biomarkers associated with the development of delirium are still not known. Urinary proteomics has successfully been applied to identify novel biomarkers associated with various disease states, but its value has not been investigated in delirium patients. In a prospective explorative study hyperactive …

OBJECTIVES: Patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA) may experience functional limitations in work settings. In the Cohort Hip and Cohort Knee study (CHECK) physical function was both self-reported and measured performance-based, using Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE). Relations between self-reported …

Objective: To systematically describe changes in pain and functioning in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) awaiting total joint replacement (TJR), and to assess determinants of this change. Methods: MEDLINE®, EMBASE, CINAHL® and Cochrane Database were searched through June 2008. The reference lists of …

BACKGROUND: Paratonia, a form of hypertonia, is associated with loss of mobility and with the development of contractures especially in the late stages of the dementia. Passive movement therapy (PMT) currently is the main physiotherapeutic intervention. General doubt about the beneficial effects of this …

BACKGROUND: Itching (pruritus) following burns is a well-known clinical problem. However, there are no long-term prospective studies that document the course and the extent of the problem. Studies on risk factors are anecdotal. OBJECTIVES: To study self-reported itching in a multicentre cohort among …