Wouden, J.C. van der

Comprehension and retention of study-information: Further studies needed (Article)

2012-03-01T00:00:00Z

Sublingual immunotherapy in children with allergic rhinitis: Quality of systematic reviews (Article)

2011-09-01T00:00:00Z

Systematic reviews have gained popularity as a way to combine the increasing amount of research information. This study assessed the quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for allergic rhinitis in children, published since 2000. Eligible reviews were identified by searching Medline/Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, from 2000 through 2008. Methodological quality was assessed using the assessment of multiple systematic reviews instrument. Ten systematic reviews were included, one of which was published in the Cochrane Library. Eight reviews gave some details about the search strategy. None of the reviews included measures to avoid selection bias. In 60% of the reviews, the methodological quality of the included studies was (partly) assessed. Four reviews pooled the results of individual studies, neglecting clinical heterogeneity. Three of the 10 reviews provided information about sources of funding or grants from industry. Of the 10 reviews, the six reviews with the highest overall score scored 5-8 points, indicating moderate quality. Systematic reviews are useful to evaluate the efficacy of SLIT in children. Although more reviews have become available, the methodological quality could be improved. SLIT for children could be promising, but methodological flaws in the reviews and individual studies are too serious to draw definite conclusions.

Asthma-like symptoms in the first year of life and health-related quality of life at age 12 months: the Generation R study (Article)

2011-07-27T00:00:00Z

Purpose: This study compares HRQOL among subgroups of infants with asthma-like symptoms to a subgroup without such symptoms and examines independent associations between asthma-like symptoms during the first year of life and HRQOL at age 12 months. Methods: Our study sample included 5,000 infants participating in the Generation R study. Their parents completed structured questionnaires to obtain information on asthma-like symptoms, HRQOL, infants', and maternal characteristics. Asthma-like symptoms were defined according to the number of positive answers to 12 items on lower respiratory symptoms. HRQOL was measured using the ITQOL. Higher scores indicated better HRQOL. Results: Infants with asthma-like symptoms had significantly lower HRQOL scores for all ITQOL scales. Among the subgroup with severe symptoms (4% of the infants), relevant deficits in HRQOL were observed for most ITQOL scales, particularly for General Health, Bodily Pain, and Family Activities (effect sizes ≥ 0.8). In multivariate linear models, asthma-like symptoms were independently associated with 6 ITQOL scales. The population attributable risks were especially high for Family Activities, General Health, Parental Emotional, and Parental Time. Conclusions: Asthma-like symptoms during the first year of life are associated with impaired quality of life at age 12 months. At population level, asthma-like symptoms were associated with lower HRQOL, regardless of symptom severity.

Childhood nonspecifi c abdominal pain in family practice: Incidence, associated factors, and management (Article)

2011-07-01T00:00:00Z

PURPOSE Nonspecifi c abdominal pain (NSAP) is a common complaint in childhood. In specialist care, childhood NSAP is considered to be a complex and time-consuming problem, and parents are hard to reassure. Little is known about NSAP in family practice, but the impression is that family physicians consider it to be a benign syndrome needing little more than reassurance. This discrepancy calls for a better understanding of NSAP in family practice. METHODS Data were obtained from the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice (2001). Using registration data of 91 family practices, we identifi ed children aged 4 to 17 years with NSAP. We calculated the incidence, and we studied factors associated with childhood NSAP, referrals, and prescriptions. RESULTS The incidence of NSAP was 25.0 (95% confi dence interval [CI], 23.7- 26.3) per 1,000 person years. Most children (92.7%) with newly diagnosed NSAP (N = 1,480) consulted their doctor for this condition once or twice. Factors independently associated with NSAP were female sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.3-1.5), nongastrointestinal-nonspecifi c somatic symptoms (OR = 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.5), and health care use (OR = 1.04; 95% CI, 1.03-1.05). When NSAP was diagnosed at the fi rst visit, 3% of the patients were referred to specialist care, and 1% received additional testing. Family physicians prescribed medication in 21.3% of the visits for NSAP. CONCLUSIONS Childhood NSAP is a common problem in family practice. Most patients visit their doctor once or twice for this problem. Family physicians use little additional testing and make few referrals in their management of childhood NSAP. Despite the lack of evidence for effectiveness, family physicians commonly prescribe medication for NSAP.

ENT problems in Dutch Children: Trends in incidence rates, antibiotic prescribing and referrals 2002-2008 (Article)

2011-06-01T00:00:00Z

Background. Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) problems are common in childhood and are important reasons to visit the general practitioner. Objective. To examine trends in incidence rates, antibiotic prescribing, and referrals of five common ENT problems in children. Design. Netherlands Information Network of General Practice (LINH), a nationally representative general practice database. Setting. A total of 50 000 children, aged 0-17 years, registered in Dutch general practice over the period 2002-2008. Methods. Incidence rates were calculated and trends were analysed using linear regression analysis, with incidence rates per age group, proportion treated with antibiotics, and referrals as dependent variables and year of observation as independent variable. Results. In general, incidence rates of acute otitis media, serous otitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, and tonsil hypertrophy remained stable over the period 2002--2008. An increasing trend was observed for serous otitis media in children aged 0-4 years (RR == 1.04, p < 0.001). A decreasing trend was observed for sinusitis in children aged 5-11 and for tonsillitis in children aged 11-17 years (RR 0.99, p < 0.001 and RR 0.94, p < 0.001, respectively). Antibiotics were prescribed in 10-60% of the diagnoses. An increasing trend for antibiotic prescription was found for acute otitis media (beta == 0.07, p < 0.001), mainly on account of amoxicillin. Although antibiotic treatment of tonsillitis remained stable, pheneticillin prescriptions showed a downward trend (beta == −−0.10, p < 0.001). First-choice antibiotics were prescribed in >80% of cases. Conclusions. This study showed remarkably stable trends in incidence rates, antibiotic prescribing, and referrals of common ENT problems. The low proportion of antibiotic treatment in ENT problems did not show negative consequences.

Duration of fever and serious bacterial infections in children: A systematic review (Article)

2011-05-18T00:00:00Z

Background: Parents of febrile children frequently contact primary care. Longer duration of fever has been related to increased risk for serious bacterial infections (SBI). However, the evidence for this association remains controversial. We assessed the predictive value of duration of fever for SBI. Methods. Studies from MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases (from January 1991 to December 2009) were retrieved. We included studies describing children aged 2 months to 6 years in countries with high Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination coverage. Duration of fever had to be studied as a predictor for serious bacterial infections. Results: Seven studies assessed the association between duration of fever and serious bacterial infections; three of these found a relationship. Conclusion: The predictive value of duration of fever for identifying serious bacterial infections in children remains inconclusive. None of these seven studies was performed in primary care. Studies evaluating the duration of fever and its predictive value in children in primary care are required.

Television viewing and asthma: Spurious relationship? (Article)

2011-05-01T00:00:00Z

Children in general practice: An exciting area for research. Reflections on the EGPRN meeting in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, May 2010 (Article)

2011-03-01T00:00:00Z

The European General Practice Research Network organized an international research conference on 'Children in General Practice' in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, in May 2010. Two of the authors were keynote speakers at the workshop, tasked with summarizing the theme research presentations on each of the two days of the meeting. The theme of the meeting 'Children in General Practice' refers to the primary aim for timely and high quality health care for every child and the related general practitioners' activities. The meeting was an important event, especially for young doctors and investigators from different countries, because they were informed of good practices from other European countries in preventive work with children. All participants shared and learned a lot of good ideas beyond the standards and quality management. Examples of ideas for new research questions that emerged were to study differences in routine check-ups during childhood between European countries; to study the effectiveness of advices given by GPs to (parents of) obese children; and to study adverse events of medication in general practice. Conclusion: At a European level, the diversity of the ways health care systems deal with health problems in children is striking. We felt great enthusiasm to further develop this research area. Interested family doctors are invited to attend future conferences to develop collaborative research projects on this topic.

Delayed therapy for otitis media (Article)

2010-12-01T00:00:00Z

Asthma prescription patterns for children: can GPs do better? (Article)

2010-11-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract Background: Assessing prescription patterns of asthma medication for children is helpful to optimize prescribing by general practitioners (GPs). The aim was to explore prescription patterns in children with physician-diagnosed asthma and its determinants in general practice. Methods: We used the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice (DNSGP-2) with children aged 0-17 years registered in 87 general practices. All children with at least one asthma prescription were included (n = 2993). Prescription rates and prescription of continuous (≥3 prescriptions/year) versus intermittent asthma medication were calculated. Data, including several GP characteristics, were analysed using multivariate logistic regression accounting for clustering within practices. Results: During one year, 16% of the children with physician-diagnosed asthma (n = 3562) received no asthma medication. Of the 2993 children with asthma receiving asthma medication (on average 2.9 prescriptions/year), 61% received one or two prescriptions, 39% received three or more. Continuous medication with a bronchodilator and/or a corticosteroid was prescribed in 22% of these children. One out of 5 children receiving continuous medication was prescribed a bronchodilator only. In 7.5% of the prescriptions, asthma medications other than bronchodilators or corticosteroids were prescribed. Prescribing asthma medication varied widely between practices, but none of the children and GP determinants had an independent effect on prescribing continuous versus intermittent medication. Conclusion: In general practice, the annual number of asthma prescriptions per child with asthma is relatively low. One in 20 children is prescribed bronchodilators only continuously, indicating room for improvement. Child and GP characteristics cannot be used for targeting educational efforts.

Low hospital admission rates for respiratory diseases in children (Article)

2010-10-12T00:00:00Z

Background. Population-based data on hospital admissions for children aged 0-17 years concerning all respiratory diseases are scarce. This study examined hospital admissions in relation to the preceding consultations in general practice in this age group. Methods. Data on children aged 0-17 years with respiratory diseases included in the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice (DNSGP-2) were linked to all hospital admissions in the Dutch National Medical Registration. Admission rates for respiratory diseases were calculated. Data were analysed using multivariate logistic regression. Results. Of all 79,272 children within the DNSGP-2, 1.8% were admitted to hospital for any respiratory diagnosis. The highest admission rates per 1000 children were for chronic disease of tonsils and adenoids (12.9); pneumonia and influenza (0.97); and asthma (0.92). Children aged 0-4 years and boys were admitted more frequently. Of children with asthma, 2.3% were admitted for respiratory diseases. For asthma, admission rates varied by urbanisation level: 0.47/1000 children/year in cities with 30,000 inhabitants, 1.12 for cities with 50,000 inhabitants, and 1.73 for the three largest cities (p = 0.002). Multivariate logistic regression showed that within two weeks after a GP consultation, younger age (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.76-0.88) and more severe respiratory diseases (5.55, 95% CI 2.99-8.11) predicted hospital admission. Conclusions. Children in the general population with respiratory diseases (especially asthma) had very low hospital admission rates. In urban regions children were more frequently admitted due to respiratory morbidity. For effectiveness studies in a primary care setting, hospital admission rates should not be used as quality end-point.

Low hospital admission rates for respiratory diseases in children (Article)

2010-10-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract BACKGROUND: Population-based data on hospital admissions for children aged 0-17 years concerning all respiratory diseases are scarce. This study examined hospital admissions in relation to the preceding consultations in general practice in this age group. METHODS: Data on children aged 0-17 years with respiratory diseases included in the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice (DNSGP-2) were linked to all hospital admissions in the Dutch National Medical Registration. Admission rates for respiratory diseases were calculated. Data were analysed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Of all 79,272 children within the DNSGP-2, 1.8% were admitted to hospital for any respiratory diagnosis. The highest admission rates per 1000 children were for chronic disease of tonsils and adenoids (12.9); pneumonia and influenza (0.97); and asthma (0.92). Children aged 0-4 years and boys were admitted more frequently. Of children with asthma, 2.3% were admitted for respiratory diseases. For asthma, admission rates varied by urbanisation level: 0.47/1000 children/year in cities with ≤ 30,000 inhabitants, 1.12 for cities with ≥ 50,000 inhabitants, and 1.73 for the three largest cities (p = 0.002). Multivariate logistic regression showed that within two weeks after a GP consultation, younger age (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.76-0.88) and more severe respiratory diseases (5.55, 95% CI 2.99-8.11) predicted hospital admission. CONCLUSIONS: Children in the general population with respiratory diseases (especially asthma) had very low hospital admission rates. In urban regions children were more frequently admitted due to respiratory morbidity. For effectiveness studies in a primary care setting, hospital admission rates should not be used as quality end-point.

Effect of Oral Glucosamine on Pain-Related Disability in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain (Letter To Editor)

2010-10-01T00:00:00Z

Early detection and counselling intervention of asthma symptoms in preschool children: Study design of a cluster randomised controlled trial (Article)

2010-09-17T00:00:00Z

Background. Prevention of childhood asthma is an important public health objective. This study evaluates the effectiveness of early detection of preschool children with asthma symptoms, followed by a counselling intervention at preventive child health centres. Early detection and counselling is expected to reduce the prevalence of asthma symptoms and improve health-related quality of life at age 6 years. Methods/design. This cluster randomised controlled trial was embedded within the Rotterdam population-based prospective cohort study Generation R in which 7893 children (born between April 2002 and January 2006) participated in the postnatal phase. Sixteen child health centres are involved, randomised into 8 intervention and 8 control centres. Since June 2005, an early detection tool has been applied at age 14, 24, 36 and 45 months at the intervention centres. Children who met the intervention criteria received counselling intervention (personal advice to parents to prevent smoke exposure of the child, and/or referral to the general practitioner or asthma nurse). The primary outcome was asthma diagnosis at age 6 years. Secondary outcomes included frequency and severity of asthma symptoms, health-related quality of life, fractional exhaled nitric oxide and airway resistance at age 6 years. Analysis was according to the intention-to-treat principle. Data collection will be completed end 2011. Discussion. This study among preschool children provides insight into the effectiveness of early detection of asthma symptoms followed by a counselling intervention at preventive child health centres. Trial registration. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN15790308.

Re: Does patient feedback improve the consultation skills of general practice trainees? (Article)

2010-08-01T00:00:00Z

A comparison of parent-reported wheezing or shortness of breath among infants as assessed by questionnaire and physician-interview: The Generation R study (Article)

2010-05-01T00:00:00Z

Purpose The prevalence of asthma symptoms among preschool children is difficult to determine with accuracy because no gold standard is available for diagnosis. The aim of this study was to compare parent-reported wheezing or shortness of breath among infants as assessed by questionnaire and physician-interview. Methods We studied 1,202 children participating in the Generation R study. Their parents completed a written questionnaire at home when the infant was 12 months old, including items on wheezing or shortness of breath. During the regular free-of-charge youth healthcare visit at age 14 months, the physician interviewed the parents to assess the presence of wheezing or shortness of breath. Results The prevalence of wheezing or shortness of breath estimated from questionnaire was significantly higher than from physician-interview (36% vs. 20%; P < 0.001): observed agreement 73% (kappa 0.36). Only 41% of questionnaire-reported symptoms were assessed through the physician-interview, while 73% of physician-interviewed symptoms were reported in the questionnaire. Compared with infants in the subgroup with agreement on the presence of wheezing or shortness of breath, the infants in the subgroups without agreement significantly less often received anti-asthma medication and significantly less often had abnormal respiratory sounds or bronchiolitis or croup, and their mothers were significantly less often working. The proportion of infants receiving anti-asthma medication was higher in interview-data compared with questionnaire-data (22.7% vs. 3.9%; P < 0.001). Conclusions Questionnaire yielded higher prevalence rates for wheezing or shortness of breath than physician-interview. Physician-reported symptoms are associated with a higher proportion of infants receiving anti-asthma medication. Parent-reported asthma symptoms should be confirmed by pediatricians whenever possible. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2010; 45:500-507.

Adequate use of asthma inhalation medication in children: More involvement of the parents seems useful (Article)

2009-12-01T00:00:00Z

Background. Asthma and other chronic airway diseases can be effectively treated by inhaler therapy. Inhaler therapy depends on appropriate use of the inhaler. This study evaluates the knowledge among Dutch children and their parents regarding asthma inhaler therapy and appropriateness of its use. Findings. Five general practices selected all children aged 0 to 12 years on asthma inhalation medication. Children demonstrated inhaler use and were interviewed with their parents. 46 subjects were enrolled; mean age 5.5 years (SD 3.4) years; 26 (57%) were boys. Of the children using one inhaler only, 70% used the inhaler as indicated and of those using more than one inhaler 46%. On average 2.6 mistakes were made during demonstration of the technique, and 2 mistakes were reported in the interview. In total, 87% of the parents decided when and how the inhaler had to be used. Spacer cleaning was performed correctly by 49%; 26% reported a correct way of assessing how many doses were remaining. Conclusion. Dutch children make essential mistakes related to inhaler use that are easy to avoid. We recommend a better explanation and demonstration of the technique, and recommend involvement of the parents during instruction.

Decreasing incidence of adenotonsillar problems in Dutch general practice: Real or artefact? (Article)

2009-12-01T00:00:00Z

Background: The incidence of hypertrophy and recurrent infections of the tonsils/adenoids appears to be decreasing in the Netherlands. It is uncertain whether this is a 'real' decrease in the incidence of disease or an 'artefact'. Aim: To investigate possible causes of the decreasing Incidence of adenotonsillar problems among Dutch children. Design of study: Observational. Setting: A nationally representative general practice database. Method: Incidence rates were calculated over 2002-2005 among children aged 0-14 years. Multilevel Poisson regression analyses were used to examine the following possible causes of changing incidence rates: change in recording (more substitution codes), change in the demand for care (fewer visits to the GP), and change in the supply of care (fewer antibiotic prescriptions and retenais). Indications for a 'real' change in the incidence of disease were examined by calculating incidence rates of other clinical manifestations of microbial pathogens that may cause adenotonsillar problems. Results: The incidence rate decreased significantly (P = 0.017) from 3.0 to 1.3 per 1000 children per year. Correcting for demand for and supply of care led to a smaller decline in yearly incidence, from 2.9 to 1.7 per 1000 children per year (P = 0.105). No clearly similar trend was found in other clinical manifestations of viruses and bacteria that may cause adenotonsillar problems. Conclusion: Part of the declining trend can be explained by a change in the demand for and supply of care, but no apparent causal clue emerged for the residual declining trend in the incidence of disease.

Manipulative interventions for reducing pulled elbow in young children (Article)

2009-09-21T00:00:00Z

Determining the severity of atopic dermatitis in children presenting in general practice: an easy and fast method (Article)

2009-09-10T00:00:00Z

Assessment of the severity of atopic dermatitis (AD) is necessary to evaluate the disease process. This study evaluates and validates the TIS in children with AD presenting in general practice. Independent investigators determined the severity of AD using the TIS and the objective SCORAD. The interobserver agreement for the TIS and SCORAD was calculated, as was the correlation between TIS and SCORAD. The mean time to assess the TIS was less than one minute. A moderate-to-good agreement between the observers was found for the TIS (kappa = 0.604 or 0.464), or SCORAD (kappa = 0.695 or 0.700). There was an excellent correlation between TIS and SCORAD (r(s) = 0.755-0.839). In conclusion, the TIS is an easy and fast method to score AD. Because of the moderate to good interobserver agreement and the high correlation with the SCORAD, we recommend the TIS to determine the severity of AD in general practice.

Allergic rhinitis in children: Incidence and treatment in Dutch general practice in 1987 and 2001 (Article)

2009-09-01T00:00:00Z

Allergic rhinitis is a common chronic disorder in children, mostly diagnosed in primary health care. This study investigated the national incidence and treatment of allergic rhinitis among children aged 0-17 yr in Dutch general practice in 1987 and 2001 to establish whether changes have occurred. A comparison was made with data from the first (1987) and second (2001) Dutch national surveys of general practice on children aged 0-17 yr. Incidence rates were compared by age, sex, level of urbanization and season. The management of the general practitioner was assessed regarding drug prescriptions and referrals to medical specialists, and compared with the clinical guideline issued in 1996. The incidence rate of allergic rhinitis increased from 6.6 (1987) to 9.2 (2001) per 1000 person-years. We found a male predominance with a switch in adolescence to a female predominance at both time points. The increase in incidence was the highest in rural (<30,000 inhabitants) and suburban areas (30,000-50,000 inhabitants). Compared to 1987, there was a significant increase in incidence in the central part of the Netherlands in 2001. In both years, the incidence was higher in spring compared with the other seasons. In 2001, children of natives and western immigrants visited the general practitioner more often with complaints of allergic rhinitis compared to 1987. In 1987, prescribed medication consisted mainly of nasal corticosteroids (36%) and in 2001 of oral antihistamines (45%). Although a clinical guideline was not issued until 1996, overall, the treatment of allergic rhinitis by general practitioners was in both years in accordance with the current clinical guideline, but with a stronger adherence in 2001. The results show an increased incidence in the past decades of allergic rhinitis in children in Dutch general practice. The shift to a smaller spectrum of prescriptions in 2001 may be a result of the 1996 clinical guideline.

Caesarean section and asthma: Alternative explanations? (Article)

2009-09-01T00:00:00Z

Determinants of regional differences in the incidence of impetigo (Article)

2009-07-01T00:00:00Z

Impetigo is a common contagious skin infection, mostly seen in children and caused by Staphylococcus aureus and/or group A B-hemolytic Streptococcus. Two surveys performed in general practice showed a strong geographical gradient in the incidence rates among children in the Netherlands. The incidence in the south was approximately twice as high as in the rest of the Netherlands. We hypothesized that this difference could be explained by differences in the presence of animal farms and differences in temperature. This study examined whether there is a relationship with the numbers of bovines, pigs, sheep, and poultry per km2, and temperature, which could explain the observed regional gradient in the incidence of impetigo.

Musculoskeletal problems in overweight and obese children (Article)

2009-07-01T00:00:00Z

PURPOSE: The obesity epidemic in children is spreading at alarming rates. Because musculoskeletal problems can influence physical activity, we compared the frequency of musculoskeletal problems in overweight and obese children with that in normal-weight children. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional database and face-to-face interview study that included 2,459 children aged 2 to 17 years from Dutch family practices. We collected data on self-reported height and weight (body mass index), self-reported musculoskeletal problems in the 2 weeks before the interview, number of family physician consultations for musculoskeletal problems in 1 year, and age (2 age-groups were analyzed: 2 to 11 years and 12 to 17 years, because of the proxy interview in the youngest age-group). We calculated the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for musculoskeletal problems in overweight and obese children, compared with normal-weight children. RESULTS: Overweight and obese children in both age-groups (2 to 11 years and 12 to 17 years) reported significantly more musculoskeletal problems (OR = 1.86; 95% CI, 1.18-2.93; and OR = 1.69; 95% CI, 1.08-2.65, respectively) than normal-weight children. The total group of children who were overweight or obese reported more lower extremity problems than did the normal-weight children (OR = 1.62; 95% CI, 1.09-2.41); furthermore, they reported more ankle and foot problems than children who were of normal weight (OR = 1.92; 95% CI, 1.15-3.20). Overweight and obese children aged 12 to 17 years consulted their family physicians more often with lower extremity problems than did the normal-weight children (OR = 1.92; 95% CI, 1.05-3.51). CONCLUSION: This study shows that overweight and obese children more frequently experience musculoskeletal problems than do normal-weight children.

Foot problems in children presented to the family physician: A comparison between 1987 and 2001 (Article)

2009-06-15T00:00:00Z

Background. In recent decades, studies on the management of common foot problems in children have suggested that in many cases, there is no indication for treatment. It is not known whether these studies have changed daily practice. Objective. Our aim was to establish and compare incidence and referral rates for foot problems in children in 1987 and 2001. Methods. A comparison was made of two large consecutive surveys in Dutch general practice performed in 1987 (86 577 children aged 0-17 years) and 2001 (87 952 children aged 0-17 years), which were carried out by The Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research. Both surveys included a representative sample of the Dutch population. Incidence and referral rates were calculated and, data were stratified for age group and gender. Results. Compared to 1987, in 2001 the overall incidence rate of foot problems presented to the family physician (FP) decreased substantially from 80.0 [95% confidence interval (CI) 77.0-84.7] to 17.4 (95% CI 16.5-18.3) per 1000 person-years (P < 0.0001). The incidence rate of flat feet decreased from 4.9 (95% CI 4.0-5.9) per 1000 person-years in 1987 to 3.4 (95% CI 3.0-3.8) per 1000 person-years in 2001 (P = 0.001). The distribution of referrals to other primary health care professionals and medical specialists has almost reversed in favour of primary health care professionals. Conclusion. Total incidence rate of musculoskeletal foot problems seen by the FP has decreased substantially, between 1987 and 2001.

How do Dutch general practitioners diagnose children's urinary tract infections? (Article)

2009-06-01T00:00:00Z

Objective To study which tests general practitioners used to diagnose a urinary tract infection (UTI) in children and which patient characteristics were associated with test choice. Design Retrospective chart review on the diagnosis of UTIs in children in Dutch general practices who were diagnosed as having a UTI. A total of 49 general practices participated in the study, and provided information on 148 children aged 0-12 years old. Results The nitrite test, which is recommended as first step, was performed in 87% of the children during the first contact. Less than 30% of the children had a dipslide and 37% a cultured urine. About half of all children with a UTI diagnosis had a follow-up contact in general practice, and an average of 83% of these children had their urine tested. The recommended test, a dipslide, was performed in 26% of the children with a follow-up contact. Patient age and UTI history were associated with choice of test. Conclusions The diagnostic procedures for UTIs in children in general practices could be improved, with focus on the importance of an accurate UTI diagnosis in all children, and explaining which tests should be performed and what the test results mean.

Management of childhood urinary tract infections: An economic modeling study (Article)

2009-06-01T00:00:00Z

Childhood urinary tract infections (UTIs) can lead to renal scarring and ultimately to terminal renal failure, which has a high impact on quality of life, survival, and health-care costs. Variation in the treatment of UTIs between practices is high. Objective: To assess the cost-effectiveness of a maximum care model for UTIs in children, implying more testing and antibiotic treatment, compared with current practice in primary care in The Netherlands. Methods: We performed a probabilistic modeling study using Markov models. Figures used in the model were derived from a systematic review of the research literature. Multidimensional Monte Carlo simulation was used for the probabilistic analyses. Results: Maximum care gained 0.00102 (males) and 0.00219 (girls) QALYs (quality-adjusted life-years) and saved 42.70 (boys) and 77.81 (girls) in 30 years compared with current care, and was thus dominant. Net monetary benefit of maximum care ranged from 20 to 200 for a willingness to pay for a QALY ranging from 0 to 80,000, respectively. Maximum care was also dominant over improved current care, although less dominant than to current care. Conclusions: This study suggested that maximum care for childhood UTI was dominant in the long run to current care, meaning that it delivered more quality of life at lower costs. Nevertheless, making firm conclusions is not possible, given the limitations of the input data.

Skin tests, T cell responses and self-reported symptoms in children with allergic rhinitis and asthma due to house dust mite allergy (Article)

2009-02-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract BACKGROUND: In allergic responses, a distinction is made between an early-phase response, several minutes after allergen exposure, and a late-phase response after several hours. During the late phase, eosinophils and T cells infiltrate the mucosa and play an important role in inflammation. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between allergen-induced late-phase skin responses and in vitro T cell reactivity. In addition, the relationship between allergen-induced skin or T cell responses and the severity of self-reported symptoms was studied in children with house dust mite allergy. METHODS: A total of 59 house dust mite-allergic children (6-18 years) were recruited in general practice. These children or their parents rated their nasal and asthma symptoms on diary cards during 1 month. Allergen skin tests were performed and read after 15 min (early phase) and 6 h (late phase). Allergen-specific T cell proliferation was determined, and Th2 cytokine (IL-5 and IL-13) secretion was analysed. RESULTS: The size of the late-phase skin response correlated with in vitro T cell proliferation (r(s)=0.38, P=0.003) but not with Th2 cytokine secretion (r(s)=0.16, P=0.2 for both IL-5 and IL-13). Moreover, the late-phase skin response and T cell proliferation correlated with asthma symptoms (r(s)=0.30, P=0.02 for skin response and r(s)=0.28, P=0.03 for T cell proliferation) but not with nasal symptoms (r(s)=0.19, P=0.15 for skin response and r(s)=0.09, P=0.52 for T cell proliferation). The early-phase skin response correlated with the nasal symptom score (r(s)=0.34, P=0.01) but not with asthma symptom scores (r(s)<0.005, P=0.97). CONCLUSION: In this study, the late-phase skin test response correlated with in vitro T cell proliferation but not with Th2 cytokine secretion. We found weak or no correlations between late-phase skin responses and symptoms of asthma or rhinitis in children with house dust mite allergy. This suggests that late-phase skin responses reflect certain T cell properties but are of limited value for the evaluation of airway symptoms in atopic children.

Skin tests, T cell responses and self-reported symptoms in children with allergic rhinitis and asthma due to house dust mite allergy (Article)

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of sublingual immunotherapy in children with house dust mite allergy in primary care: Study design and recruitment (Article)

2008-11-17T00:00:00Z

Background. For respiratory allergic disorders in children, sublingual immunotherapy has been developed as an alternative to subcutaneous immunotherapy. Sublingual immunotherapy is more convenient, has a good safety profile and might be an attractive option for use in primary care. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study was designed to establish the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy with house dust mite allergen compared to placebo treatment in 6 to18-year-old children with allergic rhinitis and a proven house dust mite allergy in primary care. Described here are the methodology, recruitment phases, and main characteristics of the recruited children. Methods. Recruitment took place in September to December of 2005 and 2006. General practitioners (in south-west Netherlands) selected children who had ever been diagnosed with allergic rhinitis. Children and parents could respond to a postal invitation. Children who responded positively were screened by telephone using a nasal symptom score. After this screening, an inclusion visit took place during which a blood sample was taken for the RAST test. Results. A total of 226 general practitioners invited almost 6000 children: of these, 51% was male and 40% <12 years of age. The target sample size was 256 children; 251 patients were finally included. The most frequent reasons given for not participating were: absence or mildness of symptoms, absence of house dust mite allergy, and being allergic to grass pollen or tree pollen only. Asthma symptoms were reported by 37% of the children. Of the enrolled children, 71% was sensitized to both house dust mite and grass pollen. Roughly similar proportions of children were diagnosed as being sensitized to one, two, three or four common inhalant allergens. Conclusion. Our study was designed in accordance with recent recommendations for research on establishing the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy; 98% of the target sample size was achieved. This study is expected to provide useful information on sublingual immunotherapy with house dust mite allergen in primary care. The results on efficacy and safety are expected to be available by 2010. Trial registration. the trial is registered as ISRCTN91141483 (Dutch Trial Register).

Inhaled sodium cromoglycate for asthma in children (Article)

2008-11-05T00:00:00Z

Background: Sodium cromoglycate has been recommended as maintenance treatment for childhood asthma for many years. Its use has decreased since 1990, when inhaled corticosteroids became popular, but it is still used in many countries. Objectives: To determine the efficacy of sodium cromoglycate compared to placebo in the prophylactic treatment of children with asthma. Search strategy: We searched the Cochrane Airways Group Trials Register (October 2007), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2007), MEDLINE (January 1966 to November 2007), EMBASE (January 1985 to November 2007) and reference lists of articles. We also contacted the pharmaceutical company manufacturing sodium cromoglycate. In 2007 we updated the review. Selection criteria: All double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trials, which addressed the effectiveness of inhaled sodium cromoglycate as maintenance therapy, studying children aged 0 up to 18 years with asthma. Data collection and analysis: Two authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. We pooled study results. Main results: Of 3500 titles retrieved from the literature, 24 papers reporting on 23 studies could be included in the review. The studies were published between 1970 and 1997 and together included 1026 participants. Most were cross-over studies. Few studies provided sufficient information to judge the concealment of allocation. Four studies provided results for the percentage of symptom-free days. Pooling the results did not reveal a statistically significant difference between sodium cromoglycate and placebo. For the other pooled outcomes, most of the symptom-related outcomes and bronchodilator use showed statistically significant results, but treatment effects were small. Considering the confidence intervals of the outcome measures, a clinically relevant effect of sodium cromoglycate cannot be excluded. The funnel plot showed an under-representation of small studies with negative results, suggesting publication bias. Authors' conclusions: There is insufficient evidence to be sure about the efficacy of sodium cromoglycate over placebo. Publication bias is likely to have overestimated the beneficial effects of sodium cromoglycate as maintenance therapy in childhood asthma.

Measles, mumps and rubella infections and atopic disorders in MMR-unvaccinated and MMR-vaccinated children (Article)

2008-09-01T00:00:00Z

Vaccinations have been incriminated in the increase of atopic disorders. Especially the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination is often refused by people having a notion that these infectious diseases are beneficial for a healthy development of a child's immune system. This practice endangers herd immunity and is the cause of repeated outbreaks. As the clinical course of infections and also its possible impact on the development of atopy may be different in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, we explored in vaccinated and unvaccinated children associations of MMR infection with atopic disorders. Using data from a previously conducted study on the relationship between the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-(inactivated) poliomyelitis vaccination in the first year of life and atopic disorders, the study population of 1872 8-12-yr-old was divided as children MMR-unvaccinated and children MMR-vaccinated in the first year of life. Within each group the association between MMR infections and atopic disorders (both as reported by the parents) was assessed. We found a statistically significant positive association between measles infection and 'any atopic disorder' [adjusted odds ratio, OR (95% confidence interval, CI): 1.77 (1.20-2.61)] in the MMR-vaccinated group, mainly because of the relationship with eczema. For rubella there was a negative association with eczema and food allergy in the unvaccinated group: adjusted OR (95% CI): 0.57 (0.38-0.85) and 0.23 (0.07-0.76), respectively. All other associations were not statistically significant. We found a positive relationship between measles infection and any atopy in a group of MMR-vaccinated children and a negative association between rubella infection and eczema and food allergy in unvaccinated children. However, we cannot conclude that these relationships are causal. The negative association with rubella may be an artefact. This study shows no evidence for any protective effects from MMR diseases for the development of atopy and therefore supports conclusions found elsewhere that childhood vaccinations do not cause atopy.

Self-reported prevalence of warts in children and GP consultation (Article)

2008-07-18T00:00:00Z

Antibiotics for acute rhinosinusitis (Article)

2008-07-14T00:00:00Z

Vitamin E concentration and physical decline in older persons (Article)

2008-05-07T00:00:00Z

Efficacy and safety of retapamulin ointment as treatment of impetigo: randomized double-blind multicentre placebo-controlled trial (Article)

2008-05-01T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: Impetigo is a common skin infection, primarily caused by Staphylococcus aureus and mainly occurring in children. It is usually treated topically with antibiotics to achieve a quick cure and prevent spread of the infection. Worldwide, resistance rates of S. aureus against commonly used antibiotics are rising. Retapamulin belongs to a newly developed class of antibiotics for the treatment of uncomplicated skin infections. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of topical application of retapamulin ointment with topical placebo ointment in the treatment of primary impetigo. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, multicentre study, patients received either topical retapamulin ointment 1% twice daily for 5 days or topical placebo. Patients were enrolled into the study for 14 days and attended the clinic for three visits during which clinical and laboratory evaluations were performed. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirteen patients were randomized, with 139 evaluable patients in the retapamulin group and 71 in the placebo group. Based on the primary efficacy endpoint of clinical response after 7 days (intention to treat), retapamulin ointment was superior to placebo (success rate 85.6% vs. 52.1%; P<0.0001). Similar results were found in the per protocol analysis and in the subgroup of patients who had a pathogen isolated at baseline. The most common adverse effect, pruritus at the application site, was reported by 6% and 1% of patients in the retapamulin and placebo groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that topical retapamulin is effective and safe in the treatment of primary impetigo, offering a new treatment option.

Characteristics of children consulting for cough, sore throat, or earache (Article)

2008-04-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract BACKGROUND: GPs are often consulted for respiratory tract symptoms in children. AIM: To explore characteristics of children, their parents, and their GPs that are correlated with consulting a GP for cough, sore throat, or earache. DESIGN OF STUDY: Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice (DNSGP-2) with a health interview and an additional questionnaire. SETTING: Children aged 0-17 years registered with 122 GPs in Dutch general practice. METHOD: Characteristics of patients and their GPs were derived from the DNSGP-2 health interview and a questionnaire, respectively. Characteristics of the illness symptoms and GP consultation were acquired by means of an additional questionnaire. Data were analysed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Of all children who completed the questionnaire, 550 reported cough, sore throat, or earache in the 2 weeks preceding the interview with 147 of them consulting their GP. Young children more frequently consulted the GP for respiratory symptoms, as did children with fever, longer duration of symptoms, those reporting their health to be 'poor to good', and living in an urban area. When parents were worried, and when a child or their parents were cued by someone else, the GP was also consulted more often. GP-related determinants were not associated with GP consultation by children. CONCLUSION: This study emphasises the importance of establishing the reasons behind children with respiratory tract symptoms consulting their GP. When GPs are aware of possible determinants of the decision to consult a GP, more appropriate advice and reassurance can be given regarding these respiratory symptoms, which are generally self-limiting.

Prescription of respiratory medication without an asthma diagnosis in children: A population based study (Article)

2008-02-26T00:00:00Z

Background. In pre-school children a diagnosis of asthma is not easily made and only a minority of wheezing children will develop persistent atopic asthma. According to the general consensus a diagnosis of asthma becomes more certain with increasing age. Therefore the congruence between asthma medication use and doctor-diagnosed asthma is expected to increase with age. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between prescribing of asthma medication and doctor-diagnosed asthma in children age 0-17. Methods. We studied all 74,580 children below 18 years of age, belonging to 95 GP practices within the second Dutch national survey of general practice (DNSGP-2), in which GPs registered all physician-patient contacts during the year 2001. Status on prescribing of asthma medication (at least one prescription for beta2-agonists, inhaled corticosteroids, cromones or montelukast) and doctor-diagnosed asthma (coded according to the International Classification of Primary Care) was determined. Results. In total 7.5% of children received asthma medication and 4.1% had a diagnosis of asthma. Only 49% of all children receiving asthma medication was diagnosed as an asthmatic. Subgroup analyses on age, gender and therapy groups showed that the Positive Predictive Value (PPV) differs significantly between therapy groups only. The likelihood of having doctor-diagnosed asthma increased when a child received combination therapy of short acting beta2-agonists and inhaled corticosteroids (PPV = 0.64) and with the number of prescriptions (3 prescriptions or more, PPV = 0.66). Both prescribing of asthma medication and doctor-diagnosed asthma declined with age but the congruence between the two measures did not increase with age. Conclusion. In this study, less than half of all children receiving asthma medication had a registered diagnosis of asthma. Detailed subgroup analyses show that a diagnosis of asthma was present in at most 66%, even in groups of children treated intensively with asthma medication. Although age strongly influences the chance of being treated, remarkably, the congruence between prescribing of asthma medication and doctor-diagnosed asthma does not increase with age.

Reported pertussis infection and risk of atopy in 8- to 12-yr-old vaccinated and non-vaccinated children (Article)

2008-02-01T00:00:00Z

Pertussis infection has been suspected to be a potential causal factor in the development of atopic disease because of the effect of pertussis immunization on specific IgE antibodies. Although several studies found a positive association between pertussis infection and atopic disorders, this relationship has not yet been studied in a population stratified by vaccination status. To assess the association between pertussis infection and atopic disorders in pertussis-unvaccinated children and in pertussis-vaccinated children. Using data from a previously conducted study on the relationship between the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-(inactivated) poliomyelitis vaccination in the first year of life and atopic disorders, the study population of 1872 8-12 yr old was divided into children pertussis-unvaccinated and children pertussis-vaccinated in the first year of life. Within each group, the association between pertussis infection and atopic disorders (both as reported by the parents) was assessed. In the unvaccinated group, there were no significant associations between pertussis infection and atopic disorders. In the vaccinated group, all associations between pertussis infection and atopic disorders were positive, the associations with asthma [odds ratio (OR) = 2.24, 95% confidence interval (CI95%): 1.36-3.70], hay fever (OR = 2.35, CI95%: 1.46-3.77) and food allergy (OR = 2.68, CI95%: 1.48-4.85) being significant. There was a positive association between pertussis infection and atopic disorders in the pertussis vaccinated group only. From the present study, it cannot be concluded whether this association is causal or due to reverse causation.

Kinderen met hoesten, keelpijn en oorpijn: wie raadpleegt de huisarts? (Article)

2008-01-01T00:00:00Z

Samenvatting Inleiding: Luchtwegklachten als hoesten, keelpijn en oorpijn komen bij kinderen vaak voor en gaan meestal vanzelf over. Toch raadplegen veel (ouders van) patiënten hiervoor de huisarts. We onderzochten welke kenmerken van kinderen, hun ouders en hun huisartsen samenhangen met het besluit om voor deze klachten naar de huisarts te gaan. Methode: We gebruikten de Tweede Nationale Studie naar ziekten en verrichtingen in de huisartspraktijk om kenmerken van kinderen van nul tot zeventien jaar en hun huisartsen in kaart te brengen. We stuurden een vragenlijst naar patiënten om de aanwezigheid van luchtwegklachten te achterhalen en na te gaan of ze er hun huisarts voor hadden bezocht. We analyseerden de gegevens aan de hand van een multivariate logistische regressieanalyse. Resultaten: Van de 550 kinderen die in de twee weken voorafgaande aan het interview hoestten, of keelpijn of oorpijn hadden, bezochten er 147 hun huisarts. Jonge kinderen gingen vaker naar de huisarts voor respiratoire symptomen dan oudere kinderen. Dit gold tevens voor kinderen bij wie sprake was van koorts, langere ziekteduur, en voor kinderen die hun gezondheid als ‘slecht’ tot ‘goed’ beoordeelden of die in een stedelijk gebied woonden. Ook gingen kinderen vaker naar de huisarts als de ouders ongerust waren en als de kinderen of de ouders door iemand anders waren geadviseerd om naar de huisarts te gaan. Huisartskenmerken hingen niet samen met de mate van consultatie. Beschouwing: Dit onderzoek benadrukt hoe belangrijk het is om na te gaan waarom (de ouders van) kinderen met luchtwegklachten de huisarts raadplegen. Wanneer de huisarts zich bewust is van de mogelijke determinanten van het besluit om de huisarts te raadplegen, zal deze vaker een passend advies kunnen geven en patiënten gerust kunnen stellen. Luchtwegklachten zijn immers meestal self-limiting.

Reported incidence and treatment of dermatophytosis in children in general practice: A comparison between 1987 and 2001 (Article)

2007-12-01T00:00:00Z

Introduction: Dermatophytosis is a common skin infection in children. Although the epidemiology is relatively unknown it is becoming a major health problem in some countries. We determine the incidence and management of dermatophytosis in Dutch general practice in 1987 and 2001. Methods: We used data of all children aged 0-17 years derived from two national surveys performed in Dutch general practice in 1987 and 2001 respectively. All diagnoses, prescriptions and referrals were registered over a 12 months period by the participating general practitioners (GPs), 161 and 195 respectively. Data were stratified for socio-demographic characteristics. Results: Compared to 1987, in 2001 the total reported incidence rate of dermatophytosis in children in general practice increased from 20.8 [95%CI 18.9-22.8] to 24.6 [95%CI 23.5-25.7] per 1,000 person years. Infants (<1 year), girls, children in rural areas and children of non-western immigrants more often consulted the GP for dermatophytosis in 2001. In both surveys GPs treated the majority of children with dermatophytosis with topical drugs, especially with azoles. Conclusions: The reported incidence rate of dermatophytosis in children in general practice increased; however it is unclear whether this is a consequence of an increasing prevalence in the population or a changing help seeking behaviour. GPs generally follow the national guideline for the treatment of dermatophytosis in children.

Neonatal BCG vaccination protective for wheeze: Residual confounding? (Article)

2007-11-01T00:00:00Z

Increased plasma leptin levels and valproate use in patients with Rett syndrome (Article)

2007-10-01T00:00:00Z

Breathing techniques in the management of asthma [3] (Article)

2007-09-01T00:00:00Z

Survey among 78 studies showed that Lasagna's law holds in Dutch primary care research (Article)

2007-08-01T00:00:00Z

Objective: Research in general practice has grown considerably over the past decades, but many projects face problems when recruiting patients. Lasagna's Law states that medical investigators overestimate the number of patients available for a research study. We aimed to assess factors related to success or failure of recruitment in general practice research. Study Design and Setting: Survey among investigators involved in primary care research in The Netherlands. Face-to-face interviews were held with investigators of 78 projects, assessing study design and fieldwork characteristics as well as success of patient recruitment. Results: Studies that focused on prevalent cases were more successful than studies that required incident cases. Studies in which the general practitioner (GP) had to be alert during consultations were less successful. When the GP or practice assistant was the first to inform the patient about the study, patient recruitment was less successful than when the patient received a letter by mail. There was a strong association among these three factors. Conclusion: Lasagna's Law also holds in Dutch primary care research: many studies face recruitment problems. Awareness of study characteristics affecting participation of GPs and patients may help investigators to improve their study design.

Parents' awareness of and knowledge about young children's urinary tract infections (Article)

2007-05-01T00:00:00Z

Objective: To provide insight into parents' awareness of and knowledge about urinary tract infections (UTIs) in young children. Methods: Twenty interviews with parents who had a child recently diagnosed with a UTI were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and qualitatively analysed. Results: Most parents knew the typical symptoms related to UTI. But, according to the parents, neither they nor all general practitioners (GPs) thought of a UTI in case of atypical symptoms. The awareness that UTI can be a serious illness usually came to parents later, partly because health care workers often did not explicitly mention this. According to the parents, health care workers should be more aware of UTIs in children. Parents felt that health education or mass screening might not be desirable because it would increase anxiety or would be perceived as not relevant. Conclusion: Parents could not consistently recognise UTI in their children and were most times unaware of the possible consequences of a UTI. Nevertheless, parents were sceptical about health education and mass screening. Practice implications: There seems little scope for health education addressed at parents or screening for UTI in young children. Instead, physicians and nurses should be alert for the possibility of UTIs in young children, and more information should be given once a UTI is diagnosed.

What is the role of virus vaccination in patients with asthma? (Article)

2007-04-01T00:00:00Z

It is estimated that viruses play a role in 30% to 80% of asthma exacerbations. Thus, virus vaccination in patients with asthma could play an important role in preventing asthma exacerbations and other complications. Influenza is the only agent for which a routine vaccine is currently available. This article discusses whether influenza vaccination in patients with asthma, based on the available evidence, is justified. Cost-effectiveness of (influenza) vaccination for patients with asthma is questionable. For the other major viruses involved, the present state of affairs is described. Although progress is being made, a vaccine may be available in the near future only for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Meanwhile, clinicians and patients should aim for an optimal treatment with the currently available asthma medication. Copyright

Management of children's urinary tract infections in Dutch family practice: A cohort study (Article)

2007-03-26T00:00:00Z

Background. Optimal clinical management of childhood urinary tract infections (UTI) potentiates long-term positive health effects. Insight into the quality of care in Dutch family practices for UTIs was limited, particularly regarding observation periods of more than a year. Our aim was to describe the clinical management of young children's UTIs in Dutch primary care and to compare this to the national guideline recommendations. Methods. In this cohort study, all 0 to 6-year-old children with a diagnosed UTI in 2001 were identified within the Netherlands Information Network of General Practitioners (LINH), which comprises 120 practices. From the Dutch guideline on urinary tract infections, seven indicators were derived, on prescription, follow-up, and referral. Results. Of the 284 children with UTI who could be followed for three years, 183 (64%) were registered to have had one cystitis episode, 52 (18%) had two episodes, and 43 (15%) had three or more episodes. Another six children were registered to have had one or two episodes of acute pyelonephritis. Overall, antibiotics were prescribed for 66% of the children having had ≤ 3 cystitis episodes, two-thirds of whom received the antibiotics of first choice. About 30% of all episodes were followed up in general practice. Thirty-eight children were referred (14%), mostly to a paediatrician (76%). Less than one-third of the children who should have been referred was actually referred. Conclusion. Treatment of childhood UTIs in Dutch family practice should be improved with respect to prescription, follow-up, and referral. Quality improvement should address the low incidence of urinary tract infections in children in family practice.

Association between skin diseases and severe bacterial infections in children: case-control study. (Article)

2006-08-31T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: Sepsis or bacteraemia, however rare, is a significant cause of high mortality and serious complications in children. In previous studies skin disease or skin infections were reported as risk factor. We hypothesize that children with sepsis or bacteraemia more often presented with skin diseases to the general practitioner (GP) than other children. If our hypothesis is true the GP could reduce the risk of sepsis or bacteraemia by managing skin diseases appropriately. METHODS: We performed a case-control study using data of children aged 0-17 years of the second Dutch national survey of general practice (2001) and the National Medical Registration of all hospital admissions in the Netherlands. Cases were defined as children who were hospitalized for sepsis or bacteraemia. We selected two control groups by matching each case with six controls. The first control group was randomly selected from the GP patient lists irrespective of hospital admission and GP consultation. The second control group was randomly sampled from those children who were hospitalized for other reasons than sepsis or bacteraemia. We calculated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI). A two-sided p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant in all tests. RESULTS: We found odds ratios for skin related GP consultations of 3.4 (95% CI: [1.1-10.8], p = 0.03) in cases versus GP controls and 1.4 (95% CI: [0.5-3.9], p = 0.44) in cases versus hospital controls. Children younger than three months had an odds ratio (cases/GP controls) of 9.2 (95% CI: [0.81-106.1], p = 0.07) and 4.0 (95% CI: [0.67-23.9], p = 0.12) among cases versus hospital controls. Although cases consulted the GP more often with skin diseases than their controls, the probability of a GP consultation for skin disease was only 5% among cases. CONCLUSION: There is evidence that children who were admitted due to sepsis or bacteraemia consulted the GP more often for skin diseases than other children, but the differences are not clinically relevant indicating that there is little opportunity for GPs to reduce the risk of sepsis and/or bacteraemia considerably by managing skin diseases appropriately.

Incidence rates and management of urinary tract infections among children in Dutch general practice: results from a nation-wide registration study. (Article)

2006-04-04T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate incidence rates of urinary tract infections in Dutch general practice and their association with gender, season and urbanisation level, and to analyse prescription and referral in case of urinary tract infections. METHOD: During one calendar year, 195 general practitioners in 104 practices in the Netherlands registered all their patient contacts. This study was performed by the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) in 2001. Of 82,053 children aged 0 to 18 years, the following variables were collected: number of episodes per patient, number of contacts per episode, month of the year in which the diagnosis of urinary tract infection was made, age, gender, urbanisation level, drug prescription and referral. RESULTS: The overall incidence rate was 19 episodes per 1000 person years. The incidence rate in girls was 8 times as high as in boys. The incidence rate in smaller cities and rural areas was 2 times as high as in the three largest cities. Throughout the year, incidence rates varied with a decrease in summertime for children at the age of 0 to 12 years. Of the prescriptions, 66% were in accordance with current guidelines, but only 18% of the children who had an indication were actually referred. CONCLUSION: This study shows that incidence rates of urinary tract infections are not only related to gender and season, but also to urbanisation. General practitioners in the Netherlands frequently do not follow the clinical guidelines for urinary tract infections, especially with respect to referral.

Increasing incidence of skin disorders in children? A comparison between 1987 and 2001. (Article)

2006-03-21T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: The increasing proportion of skin diseases encountered in general practice represents a substantial part of morbidity in children. Only limited information is available about the frequency of specific skin diseases. We aimed to compare incidence rates of skin diseases in children in general practice between 1987 and 2001. METHODS: We used data on all children aged 0-17 years derived from two consecutive surveys performed in Dutch general practice in 1987 and 2001. Both surveys concerned a longitudinal registration of GP consultations over 12 months. Each disease episode was coded according to the International Classification of Primary Care. Incidence rates of separate skin diseases were calculated by dividing all new episodes for each distinct ICPC code by the average study population at risk. Data were stratified for socio-demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The incidence rate of all skin diseases combined in general practice decreased between 1987 and 2001. Among infants the incidence rate increased. Girls presented more skin diseases to the GP. In the southern part of the Netherlands children consulted their GP more often for skin diseases compared to the northern part. Children of non-Western immigrants presented relatively more skin diseases to the GP. In general practice incidence rates of specific skin diseases such as impetigo, dermatophytosis and atopic dermatitis increased in 2001, whereas warts, contact dermatitis and skin injuries decreased. CONCLUSION: The overall incidence rate of all skin diseases combined in general practice decreased whereas the incidence rates of bacterial, mycotic and atopic skin diseases increased.

Impetigo: incidence and treatment in Dutch general practice in 1987 and 2001 - results from two national surveys. (Article)

2006-02-01T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: Impetigo is a common skin infection in children. The epidemiology is relatively unknown, and the choice of treatment is subject to debate. OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to determine the incidence and treatment of impetigo in Dutch general practice, and to assess trends between 1987 and 2001. METHODS: We used data from the first (1987) and second (2001) Dutch national surveys of general practice. All diagnoses, prescriptions and referrals were registered by the participating general practitioners (GPs), 161 and 195, respectively. RESULTS: The incidence rate of impetigo increased from 16.5 (1987) to 20.6 (2001) per 1000 person years under 18 years old (P < 0.01). In both years, the incidence was significantly higher in summer, in rural areas and in the southern region of the Netherlands, compared with winter, urban areas and northern region, respectively. Socioeconomic status was not associated with the incidence rate. From 1987 to 2001, there was a trend towards treatment with a topical antibiotic (from 43% to 64%), especially fusidic acid cream and mupirocin cream. Treatment with oral antibiotics (from 31% to 14%) and antiseptics (from 11% to 3%) was prescribed less often. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown an increased incidence of impetigo in the past decade, which may be the result of an increased tendency to seek help, or increased antibiotic resistance and virulence of Staphylococcus aureus. Further microbiological research on the marked regional difference in incidence may contribute to understanding the factors that determine the spread of impetigo. Trends in prescribing for impetigo generally follow evidence-based knowledge on the effectiveness of different therapies, rather than the national practice guideline.

Prescribing antibiotics for respiratory tract infections by GPs: management and prescriber characteristics (Article)

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: Due to clinical and non-clinical factors, considerable variation exists in the prescribing of antibiotics for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) by GPs based in the Netherlands. AIM: To assess, in patients with RTIs in Dutch general practice: the prescribing rates of antibiotics; the relationship between GP characteristics and antibiotic prescribing; and the type of antibiotics prescribed. DESIGN OF STUDY: Descriptive and prognostic. SETTING: Eighty-four GPs in the middle region of the Netherlands. METHOD: All patient consultations for RTIs were registered by 84 GPs during 3 weeks in autumn and winter 2001 and 2002. In addition, all GPs completed a questionnaire related to individual and practice characteristics. RESULTS: The mean proportion of consultations in which GPs prescribed antibiotics was 33% (95% CI = 29 to 35%) of all RTIs. This proportion varied from 21% for patients with upper RTIs or an exacerbation of asthma/COPD, to about 70% when patients had sinusitis-like complaints or pneumonia. Amoxycillin and doxycycline were the most frequently prescribed antibiotics, while 17% of the antibiotics prescribed were macrolides. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the longer GPs had practised, the more frequently they prescribed antibiotics, especially in combination with relatively little knowledge about RTIs or the less time GPs felt they had available per patient. The final model, with seven factors, explained 29% of the variance of antibiotic prescribing. CONCLUSION: The prescribing behaviour of Dutch GPs might be improved with regard to choice of type and indication of antibiotics.

Epidemiology of unintentional injuries in childhood: a population-based survey in general practice (Article)

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

This study aimed to assess the incidence of unintentional injuries presented in general practice, and to identify children at risk from experiencing an unintentional injury. We used the data of all 0-17-year-old children from a representative survey in 96 Dutch general practices in 2001. We computed incidence rates and multilevel multivariate regression analysis in different age strata and identified patient and family characteristics associated with an elevated injury risk. Nine thousand four hundred and eighty-four new injury episodes were identified from 105 353 new health problems presented in general practice, giving an overall incidence rate of 115 per 1000 person years (95% confidence interval [CI] = 113 to 118). Sex and residence in rural areas are strong predictors of injury in all age strata. Also, in children aged 0-4 years, a higher number of siblings is associated with elevated injury risk (> or =3 siblings odds ratio [OR] = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.19 to 2.08) and in the 12-17-year-olds, ethnic background and socioeconomic class are associated with experiencing an injury (non-western children OR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.54 to 0.81; low socioeconomic class OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.22 to 1.58). Unintentional injury is a significant health problem in children in general practice, accounting for 9% of all new health problems in children. In all age groups, boys in rural areas are especially at risk to experience an injury.

Influenza vaccination in asthmatic children: effects on quality of life and symptoms. (Article)

2004-12-01T00:00:00Z

This study aimed to detect the effect of influenza vaccination on quality of life, symptomatology and spirometry in asthmatic children. A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial in 696 (296 in 1999-2000 and 400 in 2000-2001) asthmatic children aged 6-18 yrs, which were vaccinated with either vaccine or placebo, was performed. Children participated for only one influenza season. They recorded symptoms in a diary and reported when symptom scores reached a predefined severity level. If this occurred research nurses visited them twice, first to take a pharyngeal swab and spirometry, and a week later to assess quality of life over the past illness week. Compared with placebo, vaccination improved health-related quality of life in the weeks of illness related to influenza-positive swabs. However, no effect was found for respiratory symptoms recorded in the diaries during those weeks. Similarly, no differences were found for quality of life in all weeks of illness or for respiratory symptoms throughout the seasons. Influenza vaccination was found to have a moderately beneficial effect on quality of life in influenza-positive weeks of illness in children with asthma.

Does influenza vaccination exacerbate asthma in children? (Article)

2004-11-15T00:00:00Z

Background: The risks of influenza vaccination in asthmatic children are still being discussed. Especially, the risk that influenza vaccination may exacerbate asthma is an issue in this debate. Methods: We conducted a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial in 696 children 6–18 years of age with asthma recruited in general practice during two influenza seasons, 1999–2000 and 2000–2001. Children participated for only one season. During the first week after vaccination, participants recorded local, influenza like and asthma symptoms as well as use of medication, health care use and absenteeism. Results: Except for cough during the day in the first season, favouring placebo, there were no differences indicating that vaccination exacerbates asthma. Conclusions: Influenza vaccination does not seem to exacerbate asthma.

Dutch general practitioners' referral of children to specialists: a comparison between 1987 and 2001 (Article)

2004-01-01T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: Although children are frequently referred to specialists, detailed information on referral patterns of them is scarce. Even less information is available on how referral patterns evolve over time. AIMS: To examine current referral patterns for children aged 0-17 years and compare these with referral patterns reported for 1987.Design of study: Data were analysed from two national cross-sectional surveys, performed in 2001 (91 general practices) and in 1987 (103 general practices).SETTING: Dutch general practice.METHOD: All new referrals to specialists were assessed by age, sex, International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) category, specialty referred to, and specific episodes of disease. Referral measures were quantified as new referrals per 1000 person-years and per 100 new episodes, a measure of likelihood of a young person with a specific diagnosis to be referred. Rates in 2001 were compared with those from 1987. RESULTS: Referral rates decreased from 138 per 1000 person-years in 1987, to 84 per 1000 person-years in 2001. Age differences in referral rates were similar in both surveys. Compared with 1987, more boys than girls were referred to specialists. The overall likelihood of a condition being referred decreased from 8.0 per 100 episodes in 1987 to 6.5 per 100 episodes in 2001. Reasons for referral had also changed by 2001, particularly for the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist and ophthalmologist. Moreover, referral rates for acute otitis media, refractive disorders, and vision problems decreased two- to fourfold in 2001. CONCLUSION: Presently, Dutch general practitioners tend to manage more health problems themselves and refer less young people to specialists.

Influenza vaccination in children with asthma: randomized double-blind placebo- controlled trial. (Article)

2004-01-01T00:00:00Z

There is little evidence that influenza vaccination reduces asthma exacerbations. We determined whether influenza vaccination is more effective than placebo in 6-18-year-old children with asthma. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Parenteral vaccination with inactivated influenza vaccine or placebo took place approximately November 1, and children were followed until April 1 of the next year. Airway symptoms were reported in a diary. When symptom scores reached a predefined level, a pharyngeal swab was taken. Primary outcome was the number of asthma exacerbations associated with virologically proven influenza infection. Three hundred forty-nine children were assigned placebo, and 347 were assigned vaccine. Pharyngeal swabs positive for influenza were related to 42 asthma exacerbations, 24 in the vaccine group and 18 in the placebo group, a difference of 33% favoring placebo (31% after adjustment for confounders; 95% confidence interval, -34% to 161%). Influenza-related asthma exacerbations were of similar severity in both groups; they lasted 3.1 days shorter in the vaccine group (95% confidence interval, -6.2 to 0.002 days, p = 0.06). We conclude that influenza vaccination did not result in a significant reduction of the number, severity, or duration of asthma exacerbations caused by influenza. Additional studies are warranted to justify routine influenza vaccination of children with asthma.

Severity of nonbullous Staphylococcus aureus impetigo in children is associated with strains harboring genetic markers for exfoliative toxin B, Panton-Valentine leukocidin, and the multidrug resistance plasmid pSK41 (Article)

2003-01-01T00:00:00Z

Nonbullous impetigo is a common skin infection in children and is frequently caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcal toxins and especially exfoliative toxin A are known mediators of bullous impetigo in children. It is not known whether this is also true for nonbullous impetigo. We set out to analyze clonality among clinical isolates of S. aureus from children with nonbullous impetigo living in a restricted geographical area in The Netherlands. We investigated whether staphylococcal nasal carriage and the nature of the staphylococcal strains were associated with the severity and course of impetigo. Bacterial isolates were obtained from the noses and wounds of children suffering from impetigo. Strains were genetically characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis-mediated typing and binary typing, which was also used to assess toxin gene content. In addition, a detailed clinical questionnaire was filled in by each of the participating patients. Staphylococcal nasal carriage seems to predispose the patients to the development of impetigo, and 34% of infections diagnosed in the Rotterdam area are caused by one clonal type of S. aureus. The S. aureus strains harbor the exfoliative toxin B (ETB) gene as a specific virulence factor. In particular, the numbers (P = 0.002) and sizes (P < 0.001) of the lesions were increased in patients infected with an ETB-positive strain. Additional predictors of disease severity and development could be identified. The presence of a staphylococcal plasmid encoding multiple antibiotic resistance traits, as detected by binary typing, was associated with a reduction in the cure rate. Our results recognize that a combination of staphylococcal virulence and resistance genes rather than a single gene determines the development and course of nonbullous impetigo. The identification of these microbial genetic markers, which are predictive of the severity and the course of the disease, will facilitate guided individualized antimicrobial therapy in the future.

Lower risk of atopic disorders in whole cell pertussis-vaccinated children (Article)

2003-01-01T00:00:00Z

This study addressed whether whole cell pertussis-vaccinated children have a different risk of atopic disorders compared with children who did not receive this vaccination. Data on vaccination status, atopic disorders and child and family characteristics of the children of 700 families were collected in this retrospective study. A minority of these 700 families refused vaccinations for religious reasons. The relation between pertussis-vaccination status and atopic disorders was analysed by means of adjusted logistic regression for repeated measurements in order to account for the correlation between sibship members. The 700 families included 1,961 children. Data on vaccination status and atopic disorders were available for 1,724 children. Vaccinated children had a reduced risk of atopic disorders. Whole cell pertussis vaccination is associated with a lower risk of atopic disorders, though other vaccine components (diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis) or other vaccinations may also be involved.

Fusidic acid cream in the treatment of impetigo in general practice: double blind randomised placebo controlled trial (Article)

2002-01-01T00:00:00Z

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that fusidic acid would not increase the treatment effect of disinfecting with povidone-iodine alone in children with impetigo. DESIGN: Randomised placebo controlled trial. SETTING: General practices in Greater Rotterdam. PARTICIPANTS: 184 children aged 0-12 years with impetigo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical cure and bacterial cure after one week. RESULTS: After one week of treatment 55% of the patients in the fusidic acid group were clinically cured compared with 13% in the placebo group (odds ratio 12.6, 95% confidence interval 5.0 to 31.5, number needed to treat 2.3). After two weeks and four weeks the differences in cure rates between the two groups had become smaller. More children in the placebo group were non-compliant (12 v 5) and received extra antibiotic treatment (11 v 3), and more children in the placebo group reported adverse effects (19 v 7). Staphylococcus aureus was found in 96% of the positive cultures; no strains were resistant to fusidic acid. CONCLUSIONS: Fusidic acid is much more effective than placebo (when both are given in combination with povidone-iodine shampoo) in the treatment of impetigo. Because of the low rate of cure and high rate of adverse events in the placebo group, the value of povidone-iodine in impetigo can be questioned.

Comparison between children and adolescents with and without chronic benign pain: consultation rate and pain characteristics (Article)

2002-01-01T00:00:00Z

The aim of the study was to determine whether children with chronic benign pain are in contact with their general practitioner (GP) more frequently than those without chronic benign pain. A random sample of children and adolescents aged between 0 and 18 years of age was drawn from the records of ten general practices. According to their responses to a pain questionnaire, subjects were assigned to the chronic benign pain group (n = 95) if they had pain of more than three months' duration, or to the control group (n = 105) if they had pain of less than three months' duration or no pain at all. All the subjects had an average GP consultation rate of 2.6 contacts per year. No significant age and sex differences were found. Chronic benign pain in childhood and adolescence is not related to increased use of healthcare services, suggesting that somatisation does not play a major role in children with chronic benign pain.

Chronic pain and its impact on quality of life in adolescents and their families (Article)

2001-01-01T00:00:00Z

OBJECTIVE: To study chronic pain not caused by somatic disease in adolescents and the effect of pain on the quality of life of the adolescents and their families. METHODS: One hundred twenty-eight youngsters (12-18 years) who had reported chronic pain kept a 3-week diary of their pain and completed a questionnaire on quality of life. Their mothers completed a questionnaire on the impact of their youngster's pain on the family. RESULTS: The most prevalent pains were limb pain, headache, abdominal, and back pain. The pain increased during the day, with the highest frequency around dinner time and the highest intensity around bedtime. Girls reported more intense and more frequent pain than boys. The higher the intensity and frequency of the pain, the lower the self-reported quality of life of the female or male adolescent, especially regarding psychological functioning (e.g. feeling less at ease), physical status (a greater incidence of other somatic complaints), and functional status (more impediments to leisure and daily activities). Chronic pain also had a negative impact on family life. The mothers reported restrictions, particularly in social life, and problems dealing with the stress of the adolescent's pain. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic pain, not caused by somatic disease, was present to a higher degree in girls; the pain increased during the day and had a negative impact on quality of life of the adolescents and the family. There is a need for future research aimed at identifying risk factors for chronic pain and pain-associated quality of life in children and adolescents.

Inhaled disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) as maintenance therapy in children with asthma: a systematic review (Article)

2000-01-01T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: Disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) is included in the BTS guidelines on the treatment of asthma for use in children, but is now used only infrequently. We have identified and interpreted the findings of all published randomised, placebo controlled trials of DSCG in the prophylactic treatment of children with asthma. METHODS: Several databases were searched to identify trials. Studies were included if they investigated subjects with asthma aged 0-18 years old, addressed maintenance treatment with inhaled DSCG, and were published in English. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed independently by three reviewers. The 95% confidence intervals (CI) of differences in the treatment effect for cough and wheeze between placebo and treatment with DSCG were computed. The estimates were pooled and tested for homogeneity and, to assess possible publication bias, a funnel plot was made and tested for symmetry. RESULTS: Of the 24 randomised, placebo controlled trials identified, the methodological scores varied widely. The null hypothesis of homogeneity was rejected. Under the assumption of heterogeneity the overall CI for wheeze was 0.11 to 0.26 and for cough was 0.13 to 0.27. The overall tolerance intervals (-0.11 to 0. 48 and -0.04 to 0.43 for wheeze and cough, respectively) both included zero, so it cannot be concluded that future studies will show an effect of DSCG compared with placebo. Older studies were more often in favour of DSCG. The funnel plots suggest publication bias; small studies with negative or equal outcomes are lacking. CONCLUSION: Given the apparent publication bias, the small overall treatment effect, and the tolerance interval including zero, there is insufficient evidence that DSCG has a beneficial effect as maintenance treatment in children with asthma.

Preschool children with asthma: Do their GPs know? (Miscellaneous)

1999-01-01T00:00:00Z

Objective: To answer the following question: Are children with asthma known to their GP? Methods: Parents of all 464 children, 1-3 years of age and registered with five general practices, received a postal questionnaire asking about asthma symptoms of the child, and past and present asthma medication. Thus, children were classified as having no, mild, moderate or severe asthma. The GPs' records were checked for recorded asthma symptoms, medication and asthma-related diagnoses. The presence of these items was compared with asthma severity. Results: Eighty-seven percent of parents responded to the questionnaire (mean age of children 30.1 months). For all classes of severity, 75% of children with asthma were known to their GP. Although all children with severe asthma were known to their GP, the proportion of asthmatic children known to their GP fell with decreasing severity. Symptoms and medication were recorded more often than asthma-related diagnoses. Conclusions: Most preschool children with asthma are known to their GP. The diagnosis is recorded less often than asthma symptoms and medication.

General practice registration networks in the Netherlands: a brief report (Article)

1999-01-01T00:00:00Z

In the Netherlands, several general practice registrations exist. Groups of general practitioners register elements of patient care according to agreed-upon criteria, and these data are collected in a central database. By means of a questionnaire the authors interviewed the managers of all nine computerized registration networks extensively about the possibilities and limitations of their registration. In addition, respondents answered some questions with data from the central database of their network. Various items are collected by nearly all the registration networks, while other items are collected by only one network. Answering questions with data from the central database turned out to be difficult. Organization and manpower are the main obstacles.

Measuring morbidity of children in the community: a comparison of interview and diary data (Article)

1998-01-01T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the validity of estimates of morbidity experienced at home. METHODS: In the Dutch National Survey of Morbidity and Interventions in General Practice mothers of 1630 children answered a health interview and kept a health diary for 3 weeks (only the first 2 weeks were used). Children's symptoms were recorded during the interview using a check list and monitored in the health diary through open-ended questions. RESULTS: In the interview parents reported symptoms for 65% of their children and in the diary for 54% of children. Ear problems, colds, fever and weakness and anxiety were reported more often in the interview. Mother's mental health was assessed by the General Health Questionnaire; those scoring >4 were assessed as having impaired mental health and these parents reported symptoms for more children in the interview (81%) than in the diary (65%). For similar reference periods, the least educated mothers reported fewer children with symptoms in the diary (45%) than in the interview (66%). More highly educated mothers reported similarly in the diary (67%) and the interview (70%). CONCLUSION: Both data collection methods yield different estimates of community morbidity. Explanations such as telescoping, the seriousness of the symptoms, the amount of psychological distress of the respondent, forgetfulness and literacy limitations are discussed. We recommend that diaries should not be used in less educated populations.

Validity and accuracy of interview and diary data on children's medical utilisation in The Netherlands (Article)

1998-01-01T00:00:00Z

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity and accuracy of children's medical utilisation estimates from a health interview and diary and the possible consequences for morbidity estimates. The influence of recall bias and respondent characteristics on the reporting levels was also investigated. DESIGN: Validity study, with the medical record of the general practitioner (GP) as gold standard. In a health interview and three week diary estimates of medical utilisation of children were asked and compared with a GP's medical record. SETTING: General community and primary care centre in the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: Parents of 1,805 children and 161 GPs. MAIN RESULTS: The sensitivity of the interview (0.84) is higher than the diary (0.72), while specificity and kappa are higher in the diary (0.96; 0.64) than in the interview (0.91; 0.5-8). Recall bias, expressed as telescoping and heaping, is present in the interview data. Prevalence estimates of all morbidity are much higher in the interview, except for skin problems. Compared with a parental diary more consultations are reported exclusively by the GP for children from ethnic minorities (OR 1.6), jobless (OR 2.3), and less educated mothers (OR 2.6). CONCLUSIONS: Estimates of medical utilisation rates of children are critically influenced by the method of data collection used. Interviews are prone to introduce recall bias, while diaries should only be used in populations with an adequate level of literacy. It is recommended that medical records are used, as they produce most consistent estimates.

Everyday symptoms in childhood: occurrence and general practitioner consultation rates (Article)

1998-01-01T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: Fewer than 20% of all illnesses that occur in the home require the attention of a general practitioner (GP). Whether specific illnesses in children are more likely to need the attention of a GP is poorly understood, as is the influence of various other factors. Health diaries are the most suitable method of collecting comprehensive information about children's health problems at home and in general practice simultaneously. AIM: To investigate the occurrence of, and consultation rates for, specific symptoms in childhood in relation to age, sex, birth order, and place of residence of the child, and season of the year. METHOD: The parents of 1805 children kept a health diary over three weeks and recorded symptoms and consultation behaviour. The symptoms were later combined into illness episodes. RESULTS: Over three weeks, colds/flu (157/1000 children) and respiratory symptoms (114/1000 children) occurred most frequently. More young children (0-4 years) suffered from illness generally. Eleven per cent of all illness episodes required the attention of a GP. Consultation rates differed greatly according to symptoms. A GP was consulted most often for ear (36%) and skin (28%) problems, and least often for headaches (2%) and tiredness (1%). Regardless of symptoms, young children (0-4 years) were taken to a GP twice as often as older children (10-14 years). CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasizes the enormous amount of illness that occurs in children and the fact that more than 80% of all illnesses are dealt with by parents without reference to the professional health care system.

Randomised placebo-controlled trial of inhaled sodium cromoglycate in 1-4-year-old children with moderate asthma (Article)

1997-10-01T00:00:00Z

Abstract BACKGROUND: Inhalation therapy with sodium cromoglycate is recommended as the first-line prophylactic treatment for moderate asthma in children. The availability of spacer devices with face-masks has extended the applicability of metered-dose inhalers to younger children. We studied the feasibility and effects of this therapy compared with placebo in children aged 1-4 years. METHODS: 218 children aged 1-4 years with moderate asthma were recruited through 151 general practitioners between March, 1995, and March, 1996. They were randomly assigned sodium cromoglycate (10 mg three times daily) or placebo, given by inhaler with spacer device and face-mask for 5 months. Rescue medication (ipratropium plus fenoterol aerosol) was available during the baseline period of 1 month and the intervention period. Parents completed a daily symptom-score list. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of symptom-free days in months 2 to 5. Analysis was by both intention to treat and on treatment. FINDINGS: 167 (77%) children completed the trial. 131 (78%) of these children used at least 80% of the recommended dose. Of the 51 children who stopped prematurely, 23 had difficulties with inhaled treatment. The mean proportion of symptom-free days for both groups was greater for the treatment period than for the baseline period (95% CI for mean difference 5.1 to 17.5 cromoglycate, 11.9 to 23.3 placebo). However there were no differences between the sodium cromoglycate and placebo groups in the proportion of symptom-free days (mean 65.7 [SD 25.3] vs 64.3 [24.5]%; 95% CI for difference -8.46 to 5.70) or in any other outcome measure. INTERPRETATION: Our study in a general practice setting shows that inhalation therapy with a spacer device and face-mask is feasible in a majority of children below the age of 4 years. However, long-term prophylactic therapy with inhaled sodium cromoglycate is not more effective than placebo in this age-group.

Children referred for specialist care: a nationwide study in Dutch general practice (Article)

1997-01-01T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: Insight into referral patterns provides general practitioners (GPs) and specialists with a frame of reference for their own work and enables assessment of the need for secondary care. Only approximate information is available. AIM: To determine how often, to which specialties and for what conditions children in different age groups are referred, as well as how often a condition is referred given the incidence in general practice. METHOD: From data of the Dutch National Survey of Morbidity and Interventions in General Practice, 63,753 new referrals (acute and non-acute) were analysed for children (0-14 years) from 103 participating practices (161 GPs) who registered. Practices were divided into four groups. Each group of practices participated for three consecutive months covering a whole year altogether. We calculated referral rates per 1000 children per year and referability rates per 100 episodes, which quantifies the a priori chance of a condition being referred for specialist care. RESULTS: The referral rate varied by age from 231 for children under 1 year old to 119 for those aged 10-14 years (mean 159). The specialties mainly involved were ENT, paediatrics, surgery, ophthalmology, dermatology and orthopaedics. Referrals in the first year of life were most frequently to paediatricians (123); among older children the referral rate to paediatricians decreased (mean 36). Referrals to ENT specialists were seen particularly in the age groups 1-4 (71) and 5-9 (53). For surgery, the referral rate increased by age from 19 to 34. Differences between boys and girls were small, except for surgery. The highest referral rates were for problems in the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) chapters: respiratory (28); musculoskeletal (25); ear (24) and eye (21). Referability rates were, in general, low for conditions referred to paediatrics and dermatology and high for surgery and ophthalmology. The variation in problems presented to each specialty is indicated by the proportion of all referrals constituted by the 10 most frequently referred diagnoses: from 35% for paediatrics to 81% for ENT; for ophthalmology, five diagnoses accounted for 83% of all referrals. CONCLUSIONS: The need for specialist care in childhood is clarified with detailed information for different age categories, specialties involved and variation in morbidity presented to specialists, as well as the proneness of conditions to be referred.

Molluscum contagiosum in Dutch general practice (Article)

1994-01-01T00:00:00Z

BACKGROUND: While molluscum contagiosum is considered to be a frequently encountered disease, few data on its incidence are known. AIM: The objective of this study was to describe the incidence of molluscum contagiosum in Dutch general practice and to assess the importance of venereal molluscum contagiosum. METHOD: Data were taken from the national survey of morbidity and interventions in general practice, drawn from 103 practices across the Netherlands, with a study population of 332300. RESULTS: The infection appeared to be common in childhood (cumulative incidence 17% in those aged under 15 years); the adult, sexually transmitted, form was rare. Incidence was higher between January and June than between July and December. Cases were unequally divided between recording practices, which is though to have been caused by the occurrence of small epidemics. CONCLUSION: The incidence of molluscum contagiosum in Dutch general practice was found to be 2.4 per 1000 person years. Molluscum contagiosum should still be considered as a mainly paediatric disease.

Taakopvattingsonderzoek bij huisartsen (Doctoral Thesis)

1993-11-25T00:00:00Z

General practitioners have different opinions about what duties belong to their task. These opinions affect their professional behaviour. This dissertation is about research into task conceptions of general practitioners.