Background: The objectives of this study were to determine observer variation in the assessment of the histopathologic diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Methods: Two consultant pathologists independently evaluated 415 appendectomy specimens (set I). After a consensus conference at which the observers unified the criteria of the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, another 396 appendectomy specimens (se

Alcohol abusers have a threefold increased risk of post-operative morbidity after surgery. The most frequent complications are infections, cardiopulmonary insufficiency, and bleeding episodes. Pathogenesis is suppressed immune capacity, subclinical cardiac dysfunction, and haemostatic imbalance. The economic implications of alcohol abuse in surgical patients are tremendous. Interventional studies

Objective: To find out whether the biological marker, carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT), was helpful in the detection of alcoholic patients in a surgical unit. Design: Prospective open study. Setting: Teaching hospital, Denmark. Subjects: 286 men and 248 women admitted to the department of surgical gastroenterology between March and July 1996. Main outcome measures: Specific interview about

Background: Preoperative risk assessment has become part of daily clinical practice, but preoperative alcohol abuse has not received much attention. Methods: A Medline search was carried out to identify original papers published from 1967 to 1998. Relevant articles on postoperative morbidity in alcohol abusers were used to evaluate the evidence. Results: Prospective and retrospective studies demon

Background: Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is often accompanied by tachycardia, which may lead to myocardial ischaemia. The pathogenesis for tachycardia is unknown, but the classic endocrine stress response may be of importance. Methods: Seventeen patients (median age, 60 years) undergoing diagnostic gastroscopy without sedation or supplemental oxygen therapy were monitored by means of electroca

Objective. To evaluate the influence of preoperative abstinence on postoperative outcome in alcohol misusers with no symptoms who were drinking the equivalent of at least 60 g ethanol/day. Design. Randomised controlled trial. Setting. Copenhagen, Denmark. Subjects. 42 alcoholic patients without liver disease admitted for elective colorectal surgery. Interventions. Withdrawal from alcohol consumpti

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is an asymptomatic colonizer of the nasopharynx in most individuals but can progress to a pulmonary and systemic pathogen upon influenza A virus (IAV) infection. Advanced age enhances host susceptibility to secondary pneumococcal pneumonia and is associated with worsened disease outcomes. The host factors driving those processes are not well defined, in part

Objective: To examine the relation between different types of alcoholic drinks and upper digestive tract cancers (oropharyngeal and oesophageal). Design: Population based study with baseline assessment of intake of beer, wine, and spirits, smoking habits, educational level, and 2-19 years' follow up on risk of upper digestive tract cancer. Setting: Denmark. Subjects: 15,117 men and 13,063 women ag

The present population based cohort study investigates the association between alcohol intake and cancer of the upper digestive tract. The design was prospective with baseline assessment of intake of beer, wine and spirits, smoking habits, educational level and 2-19 years' follow up on risk of upper digestive tract cancer (oropharyngeal and oesophageal). During a mean follow up of 13.5 years, 156

The case of 43 year old man who had numerous contacts with the health care system is reported. Since 1984 he had been treated 95 times for testicular problems at 45 different hospitals including 36 operations for torsion. Computer record systems had only once stopped the patient from going through another unnecessary operation. An alarm in the computer record system with reference to a contact pla

This chapter reviews the data on occurrence of cancers that are potentially caused by alcohol drinking (cancers of the upper gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, and liver cancer) in relation to social class. In order to assess the role of alcohol drinking in the observed social class gradients of these cancers, we have particularly looked for consistency in the gradients of different alcohol-

Background: The frequency of intestinal obstruction varies in the literature (0.2-10.7%) and requires evaluation in a proper design. Methods: From 1978 to 1985, 1951 patients underwent appendectomy; 58 patients were excluded because of appendectomy per occasionem, 156 because of previous laparotomy, and 190 because of simultaneous major surgery. Three foreigners were lost to follow-up. The cohort

Thromboembolism is a serious complication of surgery and prophylaxis is therefore recommended. This study examines a new aspect of the problem, the incidence of thromboembolism after day-case surgery. From 1982 to 1992, 2281 patients underwent day-case repair for inguinal hernia management. Hospital admission for thromboembolism within the first 30 days after surgery was identified by computer lin

Thromboembolism is a serious complication of surgery and prophylaxis is therefore recommended. This study examines a new aspect of the problem, the incidence of thromboembolism after day-case surgery. From 1982 to 1992, 2281 patients underwent day-case repair for inguinal hernia management. Hospital admission for thromboembolism within the first 30 days after surgery was identified by computer lin

Data on the association between alcohol abuse and cancer morbidity are scarce in large cohorts of non-hospitalized alcoholic men an women. Of 18,368 alcohol abusers who entered an out-patient clinic in Copenhagen between 1954-1987, 18,307 were followed. Their cancer incidence was compared to that of the total Danish population. The overall morbidity of cancer was significantly increased among alco