OBJECTIVE To study the levels and causes of maternal mortality in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation. METHODS We collected data about all pregnancy-related deaths in St. Petersburg over the period 1992-2003 using several sources of information. An independent research group reviewed and classified all cases according to ICD-10 and the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths in the United ...

PURPOSE This study evaluates the effectiveness of total pelvic exenteration with distal sacrectomy for fixed recurrent tumor that developed from primary rectal cancer. METHODS We investigated surgical indications, techniques to minimize blood loss and reduce complications, and oncological outcomes in 57 patients who underwent total pelvic exenteration with distal sacrectomy between 1983 and 2...

OBJECTIVES To map the pattern of survival and epidemiology of patients admitted to accident and emergency, at a regional neurosciences unit with an isolated head injury, over a 12 year period. METHODS The TARN database of a regional neuroscience referral centre was analysed to identify patients who where admitted after a significant, isolated head injury between January 1990 and December 2001...

BACKGROUND There has been concern that the incidence of autism and other pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) is increasing. Previous studies have been smaller, restricted to autism (excluding other pervasive developmental disorders such as Asperger's syndrome), included boys only, or have not been based on a national sample. We investigated time trends in the rates of diagnosis of pervasiv...

AIM To analyze the frequency and distribution of human brucellosis in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period 2001-2008, and measures and activities undertaken for prevention and control of the disease. METHOD In this descriptive, retrospective study, we used official reports on infectious diseases from public health institutes at the federal and cantonal level, as well as epid...

BACKGROUND Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the more frequent reasons diabetic patients are admitted to hospital, and there are reports that the long-term prognosis after an AMI is much worse in these patients than in non-diabetic patients. This study aims to compare hospital admissions and costs in Spanish diabetic and non-diabetic subjects due to AMI during the period 2001-2006. ...

BACKGROUND Concussion in the National Football League (NFL) remains an important issue. An initial description of the injury epidemiology involved 6 years from 1996 to 2001. HYPOTHESIS The increased attention to concussions may have resulted in team physicians being more conservative in treating players in recent years. STUDY DESIGN Two consecutive 6-year periods (1996-2001 and 2002-2007) w...