Objectives To determine the ability and accuracy of the S-100β protein in predicting prognosis after a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury.Design Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and observational studies.Data sources Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, BIOSIS (from their inception to April 2012), conference abstracts, bibliographies of eligible articles, and relevant narrative reviews.Study selection Two reviewers independently reviewed citations and selected eligible studies, defined as cohort studies or randomised control trials including patients with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury and evaluating the prognostic value of S-100β protein. Outcomes evaluated were mortality, score on the Glasgow outcome scale, or brain death.Data extraction Two independent reviewers extracted data using a standardised form and evaluated the methodological quality of included studies. Pooled results were presented with geometric means ratios and analysed with random effect models. Prespecified sensitivity analyses were performed to explain heterogeneity. ResultsThe search strategy yielded 9228 citations. Two randomised controlled trials and 39 cohort studies were considered eligible (1862 patients). Most studies (n=23) considered Glasgow outcome score ≤3 as an unfavourable outcome. All studies reported at least one measurement of S-100β within 24 hours after traumatic brain injury. There was a significant positive association between S-100β protein concentrations and mortality (12 studies: geometric mean ratio 2.55, 95% confidence interval 2.02 to 3.21, I

Despite universal access to treatment, substantial but decreasing small-area variations were observed. Although geographic variations are anticipated initially, their persistence calls for investigation of patient equity and treatment appropriateness as counties seem to have different initiation thresholds.

Nationwide drug dispensing and demographic data may function as quality metrics for coverage and generalisability assessments. Using such data, the coverage of ARTIS was estimated at 87% with no indications of compromised external generalisability regarding demography.

utilization. The registry will enroll patients who are initiating or who have already initiated treatment with commercial voclosporin within 3 months prior to consent. Patients !18 years of age with biopsy-confirmed lupus nephritis are eligible (Table 1). Secondary objectives include describing at baseline and during the study period the clinical characteristics, treatment and response patterns of patients treated with voclosporin.To date, 36 sites in 16 states have been selected to participate in the registry; Enlight-LN is currently enrolling patients.