Specific Behaviors of Young Healthy Children During Toilet Training and Their Associations With Functional Constipation: A Cohort Study.

Objectives: To assess the association between specific toilet training (TT) behaviors and functional constipation (FC) in young, healthy children.

Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study distributed 2917 questionnaires to parents of healthy children across 38 nursery schools in Flanders. Parents were given questions regarding their child's TT and TT-related behaviors such as stool toileting refusal (STR), hiding, and requesting a diaper for defecation, along with questions about current stool issues, which involved assessing stool consistency using the Bristol Stool Chart.

Multidisciplinary Approach to Spinal Cord Stimulation for Persistent Spinal Pain Syndromes: A 65-Month Integrated Data Collection From the Belgian Neuro-Pain® Real-World Data Register.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) serves as a treatment option for neuropathic pain conditions. Despite its widespread use and technological advancements over the last decade, the long-term efficacy of SCS remains a topic of debate. Consequently, there is an increasing demand for real-world, long-term data regarding its effectiveness.

A Novel Presurgical Risk Prediction Model for Chronic Post-Surgical Pain in Adults Undergoing Surgical Procedures: Development and Internal Validation of the P-Prevoque Questionnaire [PERISCOPE Trial].

Background: Despite extensive research efforts into risk factors and management strategies, the prevalence of chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) remains high. Additionally, the treatment of chronic pain is often complex, with outcomes frequently falling short of expectations. As chronic pain continues to be a significant global problem affecting medical, psychological and socioeconomic aspects, and with the growing number of surgeries performed, there is a pressing need for an early, comprehensive model to predict CPSP.

Somatostatin analogue continuation upon progression in patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumour (SAUNA trial): a randomised controlled trial protocol.

Introduction: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP NET) are malignant neoplasms that impact survival. Somatostatin analogues (SSA) are used for treating hormonal symptoms caused by GEP NET and have antiproliferative effects. They are used as first-line therapy in patients with advanced GEP NET, but disease control is limited to a median progression-free survival (mPFS) of 14-32 months.

Cracking the code of a correlate of protection against SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection in cancer patients.

The level of protection against SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections conferred by the presence of anti-S1 SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (IgGs) in cancer patients is still understudied. This work examines the existence of an anti-S1 immunoglobulin G (IgG) -based correlate of protection (CoP) established by prospectively collected observational data about breakthrough infections with different SARS-CoV-2 variants in a large cohort study with vaccinated cancer patients. 760 cancer patients were longitudinally followed-up, starting before first vaccination until six months after second booster.

Integration of the PD-L1 inhibitor atezolizumab and WT1/DC vaccination into standard-of-care first-line treatment for patients with epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma-Protocol of the Immuno-MESODEC study.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive cancer with a very poor prognosis. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) has taken center stage in the currently ongoing revolution that is changing standard-of-care treatment for several malignancies, including MPM. As multiple arguments and accumulating lines of evidence are in support of the existence of a therapeutic synergism between chemotherapy and immunotherapy, as well as between different classes of immunotherapeutics, we designed a multicenter, single-arm, phase I/II trial in which both programmed-death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibition and dendritic cell (DC) vaccination are integrated in the first-line conventional platinum/pemetrexed-based treatment scheme for epithelioid MPM patients (Immuno-MESODEC, ClinicalTrials.

Treatment for preschool age children who stutter: Protocol of a randomised, non-inferiority parallel group pragmatic trial with Mini-KIDS, social cognitive behaviour treatment and the Lidcombe Program-TreatPaCS.

Stuttering is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions of sounds, syllables, words or phrases, stretched sounds or silent pauses in which the person is unable to produce sounds and sound transitions. Treatment success is the highest if stuttering is treated before the age of 6 years, before it develops into "persistent" stuttering. Stuttering treatment programs that focus directly on the speech of the child, like the Lidcombe Program, have shown to be effective in this age group.

Long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic for patients with cancer.

Introduction: Long COVID is defined as the continuation of symptoms, unexplainable by alternative diagnosis, longer than four weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection. These symptoms might hinder daily activities and overall well-being, ultimately impacting quality of life (QoL). Several studies have reported fatigue as the most common symptom, followed by dyspnoea, headache and myalgia.

A metformin add-on clinical study in multiple sclerosis to evaluate brain remyelination and neurodegeneration (MACSiMiSE-BRAIN): study protocol for a multi-center randomized placebo controlled clinical trial.

Introduction: Despite advances in immunomodulatory treatments of multiple sclerosis (MS), patients with non-active progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS) continue to face a significant unmet need. Demyelination, smoldering inflammation and neurodegeneration are important drivers of disability progression that are insufficiently targeted by current treatment approaches. Promising preclinical data support repurposing of metformin for treatment of PMS.

Large-scale real-world data on a multidisciplinary approach to spinal cord stimulation for persistent spinal pain syndromes: first evaluation of the Neuro-Pain nationwide screening and follow-up interactive register.

Introduction: Spinal cord stimulation is a common treatment option for neuropathic pain conditions. Despite its extensive use and multiple technological evolutions, long term efficacy of spinal cord stimulation is debated. Most studies on spinal cord stimulation include a rather limited number of patients and/or follow-ups over a limited period.

Adjuvant Wilms' tumour 1-specific dendritic cell immunotherapy complementing conventional therapy for paediatric patients with high-grade glioma and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma: protocol of a monocentric phase I/II clinical trial in Belgium.

Introduction: Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and paediatric high-grade glioma (pHGG) are aggressive glial tumours, for which conventional treatment modalities fall short. Dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy is being investigated as a promising and safe adjuvant therapy. The Wilms' tumour protein (WT1) is a potent target for this type of antigen-specific immunotherapy and is overexpressed in DIPG and pHGG.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment as an essential tool to register or update DNR codes in a tertiary care hospital.

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of Do not Resuscitate (DNR) code registration in patients with a geriatric profile admitted to Antwerp University Hospital, a tertiary care hospital in Flanders, Belgium, and the impact of comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) on DNR code registration.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective analysis of a population of 543 geriatric patients (mean age 82.4 ± 5.

Evaluation of the learning effect on the 6-min walk distance in adults with long COVID.

https://bit.ly/3H70G1r.

Evaluating the Predictive Value of a Short Preoperative Holistic Risk Factor Screening Questionnaire in Preventing Persistent Pain in Elective Adult Surgery: Study Protocol for a Prospective Observational Pragmatic Trial [PERISCOPE].

Background: The global incidence of persistent pain after surgery is approximately 10%, with considerable clinical and socioeconomic impacts. Despite identifying many risk factors in its development and the challenging management of the often neuropathic pain complaints, preoperative recognition of high-risk patients in various surgical populations using a standardized risk factor assessment questionnaire is lacking. This study evaluates the predictive value of a short holistic risk factor screening questionnaire as a first step in preventing and treating persistent pain in adults undergoing elective surgery.

The impact of need-based care on formal caregivers' wellbeing in nursing homes: A cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: Need-based care is a structured and standardized model that supports formal caregivers in nursing homes in delivering person-centered care by responding with tailored non-pharmacological interventions on residents' unmet needs as well as having positive effects on behavioral and psychological symptoms on residents with dementia. However, limited resources as well as the shortage of caregivers in nursing homes make the implementation of need-based care challenging, especially when it comes to finding ways to spend more time with residents. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of the implementation of need-based care in nursing homes on formal caregivers' wellbeing.

Concurrent and Predictive Validity of the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability in Belgian Acute Stroke Patients Based on a 1-Year Follow-Up Study.

Introduction: The Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (MASA) is a standardized clinical swallowing examination, specifically developed as a diagnostic test for the presence of oropharyngeal dysphagia and aspiration in the early period after stroke onset. In the original validation study, cutoff scores of <178 and <170 points, respectively, for the identification of dysphagia and aspiration risk are reported. However, a literature search revealed that alternative cutoff scores for dysphagia and/or aspiration provide better diagnostic accuracy.

Fatigue and Physical Activity Patterns in Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Objectives: Fatigue is a common symptom in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Diagnostic tests to evaluate biological causes of fatigue commonly include markers of inflammation and hemoglobin (Hb), yet functional parameters have been inadequately studied in pediatric IBD. In this study, we compared fatigued and non-fatigued children with IBD from both a biological and functional point of view.

Effect of need-based care on behavioural and psychological symptoms in residents with dementia and formal caregivers' distress in nursing homes: a three-arm cluster randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: To evaluate to what extent the standardized concept of need-based care on Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD), and formal caregiver distress, is superior when compared to spending more time or standard care with residents with BPSD.

Methods: A longitudinal cluster randomized controlled study in 23 nursing homes in Belgium with 3 parallel groups was set up. A total of 481 residents with dementia participated.

Randomised, controlled, open-label pragmatic trial evaluating changes in functional exercise capacity after primary care lmonary habilitation in patients with long COVID: protocol of the PuRe-COVID trial in Belgium.

Introduction: Long COVID is a prevalent condition with many multisystemic symptoms, such as fatigue, dyspnoea, muscle weakness, anxiety, depression and sleep difficulties, impacting daily life and (social and physical) functioning. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) may improve physical status and symptoms of patients with long COVID, yet the evidence is limited. Therefore, this trial aims to study the effect of primary care PR on exercise capacity, symptoms, physical activity and sleep in patients with long COVID.

Regional Citrate Anticoagulation in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: Is Metabolic Fear the Enemy of Logic? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.

Background: Anticoagulation is recommended to maintain the patency of the circuit in continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). However, anticoagulation-associated complications can occur. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of citrate anticoagulation to heparin anticoagulation in critically ill patients treated with CRRT.

Considerations on the Obstacles That Lead to Slow Recruitment in a Pain Management Clinical Trial: Experiences from the Belgian PELICAN (PrEgabalin Lidocaine Capsaicin Neuropathic Pain) Pragmatic Study.

Background: A qualitative evaluation study of the prematurely terminated PrEgabalin Lidocaine Capsaicin Neuropathic Pain (PELICAN) study was performed. The PELICAN study aimed to examine pain management for localized neuropathic pain (LNP), as epidemiological figures have shown a high percentage of LNP patients in Belgium. The study compared systemic and topical medications according to pain relief, adverse effects, and several measures of quality of life.

Is There a Relationship between Sperm DNA Fragmentation and Intra-Uterine Insemination Outcome in Couples with Unexplained or Mild Male Infertility? Results from the ID-Trial.

Background: Sperm DNA fragmentation has been proposed as a candidate test for the assessment of sperm function on the premise that damage to the sperm chromatin is associated with a detrimental reproductive outcome. The objective of our study was to investigate whether sperm DNA fragmentation testing has a prognostic value, and thus can play a pivotal role in selecting future patients for intra-uterine insemination (IUI) therapy.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study conducted in a University Hospital setting.

Predictive model for BNT162b2 vaccine response in cancer patients based on blood cytokines and growth factors.

Background: Patients with cancer, especially hematological cancer, are at increased risk for breakthrough COVID-19 infection. So far, a predictive biomarker that can assess compromised vaccine-induced anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity in cancer patients has not been proposed.

Methods: We employed machine learning approaches to identify a biomarker signature based on blood cytokines, chemokines, and immune- and non-immune-related growth factors linked to vaccine immunogenicity in 199 cancer patients receiving the BNT162b2 vaccine.

Audit of a computerized version of the Manchester triage system and a SIRS-based system for the detection of sepsis at triage in the emergency department.

Background And Importance: Different triage systems can be used to screen for sepsis and are often incorporated into local electronic health records. Often the design and interface of these digitalizations are not audited, possibly leading to deleterious effects on screening test performance.

Objective: To audit a digital version of the MTS for detection of sepsis during triage in the ED.