MS is a chronic, increasingly disabling disease whose long-term outcomes determine the key social, medical and economic impact of this disease. Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis (MS) are prescribed to delay disease progression and to protect a patient's functional capability. The concepts of escalation and induction immunotherapy in MS represent different therapeutic str...

The issue of relative adrenocortical insufficiency (RAI) in septic shock is confused and uncertain. Multiple definitions of RAI have been proposed, but it is most commonly defined as an increment of less than 250 nmol/L in total serum cortisol level after administration of 250 microg corticotropin. RAI is associated with an increased risk of death, after adjustment for other factors that might ...

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2002; 20 (Suppl. 28): S187. © Copyright CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RHEUMATOLOGY 2002. H aving read the pap e rs published in this supplement it becomes clear that we need guidelines for the therapy of s p o n dy l o a rt h ritides (SpA) with antiTNF agents. This is especially true for ankylosing spondylitis (AS), the most frequent subset with the most severe outcome. In the ab...

Various approaches have been proposed to face the difficulties related to constructing and maintaining modern software systems. Often, they incorporate models in some part of the development or evolution process. Even the use of models at runtime seems to receive more and more attention as a way to enable the quick, systematic and automated application of change operations on software as it exe...

Management of benign biliary stricture remains a challenge for both surgeons and therapeutic endoscopists. Traditionally, surgery is considered the mainstay of treatment, but it is associated with significant morbidity and variable long-term outcome. With advances in endoscopic techniques and accessories, endoscopic management is emerging as an effective option. Outcome of endoscopic management...

BACKGROUND The aim of this collaborative study was to compare the long term results of hepatic resection (Hx) with those of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx) in large numbers of cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to delineate the roles of these two surgical treatments. METHODS The databases of the National Cancer Center Hospital in Japan and the University of Pit...

W hite coat hypertension, which should be more descriptively termed “isolated clinic hypertension” (1), consists of a condition in which clinic (or office) blood pressure is repeatedly 140 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic, whereas 24-h mean blood pressure is below its generally accepted upper limit of normality, i.e., 125/80 mmHg (1,2). This article will first show evidence from the PAMELA (P...

The prevalence of diabetes for all agegroups worldwide was estimated to be 2.8% (171 million) in the year 2000, and the projected number could rise to 4.4% (366 million) in 2030 (1). This rapid rise is mainly attributable to the increase of diabetes. The continuing escalation of obesity and the metabolic syndrome contribute to the upsurge in frequency of diabetes (2,3). Interestingly, the appre...

Acute stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and as the most important cause of morbidity and long-term disability imposes an enormous economic burden. Stroke units (SU) are an effective option to fight stroke. According to the European Stroke Organization, SU should provide coordinated multidisciplinary care provided by medical personnel specialized in stroke...