Erasmus MC

International best practice in the cessation of vaping and non-combustible nicotine use, and barriers, facilitators and treatment preferences: A rapid review

Introduction: Increasing use of e-cigarettes and forms of non-combustible nicotine consumption, especially among children and young people who do not smoke, is an emerging challenge for traditional services oriented to stop smoking care. However, as services struggle to manage th...

Direct probabilistic IMPT treatment planning with setup and range errors for neuro-oncological patients

Abstract Objective . To show computational feasibility of a previously proposed probabilistic planning approach on a neuro-oncological patient group, we compared probabilistic plans with (automated) robust plans for one patient (group A) that could achieve sufficient clinical tar...

Avian cholera causes mass mortality at penguin mega-colonies amid H5N1 HPAI outbreaks in Antarctica

The characterization of pathogens affecting Antarctic wildlife has been historically limited and sporadic. With the introduction of H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) in Antarctica in the austral summer 2023/2024, concerns about the health of Antarctic seabirds...

Molecular mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of triiodothyroacetic acid (Triac) in patients with resistance to thyroid hormone β (RTHβ): a multicentre, international, retrospective cohort study

Background Disease features in resistance to thyroid hormone beta (RTHβ), caused by THRB mutations, arise from insensitivity to thyroid hormone in tissues expressing thyroid hormone receptor (TR)β and from lifelong thyrotoxic effects in TRα1-expressing tissues, posing substantial...

Association of sulfur microbial diet with lung cancer incidence and lung cancer-related mortality in 95,612 American adults: a prospective cohort study from the PLCO trial

The sulfur microbial diet (SMD) score is a microbiome-related dietary proxy derived from food groups associated with sulfur-metabolizing bacteria. Whether it is associated with lung cancer remains unclear. We analyzed 95,612 participants from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and O...

Cholangioscopy in the diagnostic and therapeutic work-up of intraductal papillary neoplasms of the bile duct: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Intraductal Papillary Neoplasms of the Bile Duct (IPNB) are rare and diagnostically challenging, particularly in assessing invasiveness and intraductal spread. Cholangioscopy offers promise through direct visualization and targeted biopsies. The aim of this study was...

Does EQ-5D measure the most relevant aspects of health across cultures? Findings from a multi-country qualitative and card-sorting study

The EQ-5D is a widely used measure of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in health services and economic evaluations globally. However, its cross-cultural content validity remains underexplored. This study assesses the relevance and adequacy of EQ-5D across diverse cultural c...

The association between COVID-19 pandemic-related birth plan changes and birth trauma symptoms in a New York City cohort

Abstract Background COVID-19-related changes to maternity care have frequently resulted in deviations from planned birth experiences. Discrepancies between expected and actual birth experiences are a risk factor for birth trauma. This study examined the associations between pande...

Titanium and polyetheretherketone for spinal fusion cages: a comparative narrative review of material behavior, structural design, and clinical translation

Cage material selection in spinal fusion requires a trade-off among biological fixation, mechanical compatibility, subsidence resistance, and postoperative imaging. This structured narrative review compares titanium and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages across seven domains: osse...

Pharmacological Analysis of P2Y Purinergic Receptors That Modulate the Rat Vasopressor Sympathetic Tone

Background/Objectives: Adenosine 5′-O-(β-thio)-diphosphate (ADPβS) is a stable analogue of adenosine diphosphate (ADP). In pithed rats, ADPβS produces (i) inhibition of both the cardioaccelerator sympathetic tone (via prejunctional P2Y12/P2Y13 receptors) and the vasodepressor sen...

Umbilical cord red blood cell transfusions in very premature neonates: A physiologically aligned transfusion strategy

The authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Infection of macrophages by mpox virus activates inflammasome and cell death, informing multitarget therapeutic strategies

Severe mpox virus (MPXV) infection causes immunopathological manifestations in patients. Here, we provide clinical evidence of MPXV-induced inflammation in a large patient cohort and demonstrate direct macrophage infection in skin tissues from an autopsied mpox patient. In human...

Thymic health and ageing of the T cell system; impact of loss of kidney function

Loss of kidney function is associated with premature immunological aging involving loss of naïve T cells and expansion of pro-inflammatory memory T cells. The changes in the adaptive T cell system contribute to the uremia-related complications of increases susceptibility for infe...

Comparative Associations of Inflammation and Nutrition-Based Indices with No-Reflow and Mortality After Primary PCI for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background/Objectives: Acute myocardial infarction is accompanied by thromboinflammation, immune-cell redistribution and changes in nutritional reserve. We compared six routinely calculable indices under a common modelling strategy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial...

Clinical Implications of Preoperative Thoracic Spine Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Percutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation Procedures: A Large Retrospective Cohort Study

ABSTRACT Introduction Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an effective method for pain relief in patients with Persistent Spinal Pain Syndrome (PSPS) type II. International guidelines recommend preoperative imaging to assess spinal anatomy for placement of thoracic SCS leads. This s...

Navigating an Inevitable Transformation: A Reflection on Responsible Scientific Writing Large Language Models Integration and the RULE-AP Consensus

Large language models (LLMs) are reshaping scientific communication in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. The RULE-AP Delphi consensus – convening 53 editors-in-chief – proposes a regulatory framework that distinguishes legitimate assistance from intellectual abdication. We argue...

Viral pneumonia in older adults: from immunosenescence and chronic disease to vaccine-modifiable risk

In older adults, respiratory viral infections should not be viewed solely as isolated acute events, but as part of a broader vaccine-modifiable clinical burden shaped by immunosenescence, multimorbidity and frailty. These interconnected factors increase susceptibility to respirat...

EXPRESS: Bayesian networks to estimate prognosis in vascular cognitive impairment and small vessel disease: integrated analyses of interdependent contributors to multiple outcomes

BACKGROUND: Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and small vessel disease (SVD) involve interconnected factors influencing multiple outcomes, also beyond cognitive decline. Bayesian networks (BNs) can help unravel these complex interrelations, which we demonstrate in this proof-of...

International Modified Delphi Consensus on Assessment and Management of Covert Brain Infarction

BackgroundCovert brain infarction (CBI) is a frequent incidental neuroradiological finding increasingly recognized as clinically relevant due to its association with stroke, cognitive decline, and other adverse outcomes. However, substantial uncertainty remains regarding its opti...

Automatic quantification of thermographic images of complex regional pain syndrome using radiomics and deep learning.

Introduction: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a complication after trauma or surgery. Skin temperature asymmetry is one of the few symptoms that can be measured, for which thermography can be used. However, the current assessment of thermograms relies on manual interpret...