Justice-Assistance : des accords ou désaccords clairs ?

Conference (2002)

Collaboration entre la première et la deuxième ligne : une analyse. Volet complémentaire du projet de recherche : « Accompagnement ambulatoire des patients à haut risque de réhospitalisation et/ou institutionnalisation ».

Report (2002)

Accompagnement ambulatoire des patients à haut risque de réhospitalisation et/ou institutionnalisation. Synthèse.

Report (2002)

Long-term effects of glucosamine sulphate on osteoarthritis progression: a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial

in Lancet (2001), 357

BACKGROUND: Treatment of osteoarthritis is usually limited to short-term symptom control. We assessed the effects of the specific drug glucosamine sulphate on the long-term progression of osteoarthritis ... [more ▼]

BACKGROUND: Treatment of osteoarthritis is usually limited to short-term symptom control. We assessed the effects of the specific drug glucosamine sulphate on the long-term progression of osteoarthritis joint structure changes and symptoms. METHODS: We did a randomised, double-blind placebo controlled trial, in which 212 patients with knee osteoarthritis were randomly assigned 1500 mg sulphate oral glucosamine or placebo once daily for 3 years. Weightbearing, anteroposterior radiographs of each knee in full extension were taken at enrolment and after 1 and 3 years. Mean joint-space width of the medial compartment of the tibiofemoral joint was assessed by digital image analysis, whereas minimum joint-space width--ie, at the narrowest point--was measured by visual inspection with a magnifying lens. Symptoms were scored by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index. FINDINGS: The 106 patients on placebo had a progressive joint-space narrowing, with a mean joint-space loss after 3 years of -0.31 mm (95% CI -0.48 to -0.13). There was no significant joint-space loss in the 106 patients on glucosamine sulphate: -0.06 mm (-0.22 to 0.09). Similar results were reported with minimum joint-space narrowing. As assessed by WOMAC scores, symptoms worsened slightly in patients on placebo compared with the improvement observed after treatment with glucosamine sulphate. There were no differences in safety or reasons for early withdrawal between the treatment and placebo groups. INTERPRETATION: The long-term combined structure-modifying and symptom-modifying effects of gluosamine sulphate suggest that it could be a disease modifying agent in osteoarthritis. [less ▲]

Ontslagmanagement in Belgische psychiatrische ziekenhuizen : Pilootstudie Twede fase. [Discharge mangement in Belgian psychiatric hospitals : Pilot study Second phase]. Summarizing report, 2001

Report (2001)

Secular increase in the incidence of hip fractures in Belgium between 1984 and 1996: need for a concerted public health strategy.

in Bulletin of the World Health Organization (2001), 79(10), 942-6

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of hip fractures (at the proximal end of the femur) in Belgium from 1984 to 1996. METHODS: Use was made of information from the national database on hospital bills ... [more ▼]

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of hip fractures (at the proximal end of the femur) in Belgium from 1984 to 1996. METHODS: Use was made of information from the national database on hospital bills, which fully covers the annual hospital stays in the whole of the country. FINDINGS: The mean annual incidence of hip fractures increased from 107.8 to 140.5 per 100,000 inhabitants between 1984 and 1996. The incidence of fractures of the femoral shaft (diaphysis), taken as a control, remained stable. The female to male ratio of these hip fractures was 2.3:1. Although the incidence by age group was identical for males and females, the fractures occurred approximately seven years earlier in women than in men. The demographic changes observed in Belgium during this period accounted for only 10% of the observed increase in the number of hip fractures. CONCLUSION: If no comprehensive preventive policy is set up promptly, there will be a sevenfold increase in the incidence of hip fractures between now and the year 2050 in Belgium. [less ▲]

Evaluation des traitements par méthadone dans le cadre des cures de substitution en province de Liège

Report (2001)

Intensive and Prolonged Health Promotion Strategy May Increase Awareness of Osteoporosis among Postmenopausal Women

in Osteoporosis International (2001), 12(2), 131-5

The aim of the study was to measure the results of a 15-year health promotion strategy towards osteoporosis, in an urban community of subjects over 45 years old, in terms of osteoporosis awareness and ... [more ▼]

The aim of the study was to measure the results of a 15-year health promotion strategy towards osteoporosis, in an urban community of subjects over 45 years old, in terms of osteoporosis awareness and handling. To this end an ancillary study to a large survey of the Belgian population's self-perceived health status was carried out. A rectangular sample of 4800 individuals over 45 years old was randomly selected in two Belgian cities, among the affiliates of the two main health insurance providers. One of the cities (Liege) had been, since the early 1980s, the target of a constant health promotion strategy, directed to both the medical community and the general population, aimed at increasing osteoporosis awareness in women after the menopause. During the same period, no particular steps were taken in the other city (Aalst) to increase osteoporosis awareness in the community. In our study, the participants were asked to spontaneously report any chronic, serious and/or severe disorders that they had been suffering from, for at least 6 months, during the previous 12 months. They also provided a list of drugs they were taking at the time of the survey. Osteoporosis was reported to be a disease affecting 1.5% of men in Aalst and 1.3% of men in Liege (p = 0.61). For women, osteoporosis was reported to be present in 4.8% in Aalst and 10.8% in Liege (p<0.001). Self-reporting of osteoporosis prevalence in Liege was statistically significantly higher in women aged 45-64 years, 65-74 years or over 75 years (p<0.001). Obesity, alcohol consumption or physical activity were equally distributed between women from Liege and Aalst. Prescription drugs used for osteoporosis had been delivered to a similar proportion of men in Aalst and Liege. In women, a statistically significant difference in these prescription drugs was observed between Liege and Aalst, both for the overall population (p<0.001) and in each of the age classes (p<0.001 for 45-64 years and 65-74 years; p<0.009 for over 75 years). A continuous long-term health promotion strategy, directed toward both physicians and the general population, thus appears to increase awareness about osteoporosis in women over 45 years and/or in the medical community. This is reflected by an increase in self-reported prevalence of osteoporosis and in the prescription of drugs aimed at prevention and treatment of this disorder. Whether these observations reflect an appropriate diagnosis and a proper handling of the disease remains to be evaluated by objective diagnostic tools such as bone densitometry and by an evaluation of the effectiveness of prescription practices in postmenopausal women. [less ▲]

Long-term disease modifying effect by glucosamine sulfate in knee osteoarthritis : relationship between structure and symptom changes

in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2000), 59(S1), 55

Glucosamine sulfate significantly reduces progression of knee osteoarthritis over 3 years : a large randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, prospective trial

in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage (2000), 8