BackgroundNon‐melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and actinic keratosis (AK) are very common among fair‐skinned individuals. A disease continuum from AK to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has been frequently postulated. AK and NMSC may influence quality of life (QL) of patients, and it can be suspected that disease progression entails a QL reduction. The purpose of this study was to document QL in patients with NMSC and AK using the health‐outcome questionnaire EQ‐5D‐5L.MethodsThe study was designed as a non‐interventional, prospective, cross‐sectional study. Patients with AK, SCC, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) or multiple diagnoses were enrolled in this study in 29 dermatological centres across Germany. Patients were asked to complete the EQ‐5D‐5L (compromising EQ Index and EQ VAS), and the dermatologists provided diagnosis, disease history and treatment data.ResultsA total of 1184 patients were enrolled and diagnosed as follows: 73% AK, 49% BCC and 17% SCC. 66% had a single diagnosis, 28% two different diagnoses and 6% three different diagnoses. QL was strongly associated with patients’ diagnosis. Patients with a single AK diagnosis had significantly higher mean EQ VAS (78) than patients with BCC (74), SCC (72), and BCC plus SCC (69), P < 0.050. When the effects of disease progression were calculated, patients with AK plus SCC reported significantly less mean EQ VAS (71) than patients with a single AK diagnosis (78), P < 0.011.ConclusionsWhile rarely being imminently life‐threatening, NMSC and AK have an impact on QL as quantified by the EQ‐5D‐5L. This impact is associated with diagnosis (AK vs. NMSC) and clinical progression (AK vs. AK plus SCC). Both lead to a clear decline in QL. This shows that disease progression is perceived and judged as detrimental by patients and that AK and NMSC should be diligently treated to preserve and restore QL.

Background: Due to the lack of objective measures for assessing tinnitus, its clinical evaluation largely relies on the use of questionnaires and psychoacoustic tests. A global assessment of tinnitus burden would largely benefit from holistic approaches that not only incorporate measures of tinnitus but also take into account associated fears, emotional aspects (stress, anxiety, and depression), and quality of life. In Sweden, only a few instruments are available for assessing tinnitus, and the existing tools lack validation. Therefore, we translated a set of questionnaires into Swedish and evaluated their reliability and validity in a group of tinnitus subjects.Methods: We translated the English versions of the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI), the Fear of Tinnitus Questionnaire (FTQ), the Tinnitus Catastrophizing Scale (TCS), the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-30), and the Tinnitus Sample Case History Questionnaire (TSCHQ) into Swedish. These translations were delivered via the internet with the already existing Swedish versions of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQoL-BREF). Psychometric properties were evaluated by means of internal consistency [Cronbach's alpha (α)] and test–retest reliability across a 9-week interval [Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), Cohen's kappa] in order to establish construct as well as clinical validity using a sample of 260 subjects from a population-based cohort.Results: Internal consistency was acceptable for all questionnaires (α > 0.7) with the exception of the “social relationships” subscale of the WHOQoL-BREF. Test–retest reliability was generally acceptable (ICC > 0.70, Cohens kappa > 0.60) for the tinnitus-related questionnaires, except for the TFI “sense of control” subscale and 15 items of the TSCHQ. Spearmen rank correlations showed that almost all questionnaires on tinnitus are significantly related, indicating that these questionnaires measure different aspects of the same construct. The data supported good clinical validity of the tinnitus-related questionnaires.Conclusion: Our results suggest that most Swedish adaptations of the questionnaires are suitable for clinical and research settings and should facilitate the assessment of treatment outcomes using a more holistic approach by including measures of tinnitus fears, emotional burden, and quality of life.

Background: Patient Reported Outcome (PRO) measurements have become an important tool to evaluate disease-related quality of life. The "International Hip Outcome Tool" (iHOT12) is a self-administered patient-reported outcome tool, which includes questions on the patient's symptoms, functional and sports limitations as well as social, emotional, and occupational limitations. The purpose of this study was to adapt and validate a German version of the iHOT12 according to the COSMIN checklist.

Purpose: To identify potential risk factors related to the opacification of a hydrophilic–hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) model. Setting: University Hospital Regensburg, Department of Ophthalmology, Regensburg, Germany. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: All patients with a Lentis LS-502-1 IOL implanted at the Department of Ophthalmology were identified. Existing medical records and information from the treating ophthalmologists were reviewed to determine the IOL status (clear or opacified). Potential risk factors were analyzed using binary logistic regression models. Results: A total of 223 IOLs of 199 patients were included. Sixty-seven (30.0%) opacified (calcified) IOLs were identified and compared with a control group of 156 IOLs. Statistical analyses revealed age at IOL implantation (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, P = .012) to be associated with an increased risk of calcification. Posterior capsulotomy (OR = 0.45, P = .011) was found to have a protective influence. No other ophthalmic or systemic condition showed a significant association. Mean corrected distance visual acuity diminished significantly under opacification from 0.21 ± 0.25 logarithm of the correct minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) to 0.42 ± 0.32 logMAR (P < .001). IOL exchange in 55 of 67 cases at 45.8 ± 20.5 months after initial implantation yielded significant visual recovery (P = .001). Conclusions: Age at implantation might be a risk factor of IOL calcification, whereas posterior capsulotomy might be a protective factor. Calcification of the LS-502-1 IOL might be caused by the interaction of 3 main factors: IOL material traits, manufacturing-associated contamination, and patients’ individual factors altering intraocular ion concentrations.

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) has been investigated with promising results for peri-implant diseases treatment. However, prior to in-vivo applications of CAP sources in humans, short-term harmful mucosal damage or other unwanted side effects have to be reviewed. 180 male mice (B6C3F1) were divided into twelve treatment groups (n = 15). The right buccal cheek mucosa was treated with CAP. The first and second group each received continuous 10 sec irradiation with 2 different plasma sources (kINPen09, PS-MWM). The third group was treated with the kINPen09 for one minute. Control groups were treated with a corresponding dose of ultraviolet light for 8 seconds or 48 seconds and the other one was left untreated. The animals were weighed before and after treatment. The animals were sacrificed one day or one week after exposure. Stained tissue samples were histologically examined for tissue damage independently by two experienced pathologists. One day after CAP treatment histological analysis showed focal mucosal erosion with superficial ulceration and necrosis accompanied by a mild inflammatory reaction. One week after CAP treatment, the mucosal defects were completely re-epithelialized, associated with remnants of granulation tissue in the stroma irrespective of treatment duration. Furthermore, no cytological atypia was found and no severe weight loss occurred. The control groups did not show any alterations at all. CAP treatment led to a superficial mucosal damage that healed within few days. Nonetheless, further long-term experiments are necessary to exclude undesirable side effects after longer observation time. Particularly, potential carcinogenic effects must be ruled out prior to the application of CAP treatment in daily dental practice.