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Objectives: To conduct a systematic review to compare the efficacy of surgical versus non-surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). MethOds: We searched Embase, Medline & Cochrane databases from January 2000 to June 2015 and included all randomised controlled trials comparing any surgical versus nonsurgical therapies in patients with CTS. Two authors independently assessed the eligibility of the trials and performed all the necessary steps of a systematic review. A qualitative analysis of the results was done. Results: From the 112 studies retrieved, five studies reached the stage of data extraction. Three studies compared decompressive surgery with local steroid injection, one study compared surgical versus non-surgical (hand therapy and ultrasound) and the last study compared surgery versus splinting, respectively. The studies included 95 wrists, 163 wrists, 50 patients, 116 patients and 176 patients. The study with 50 patients reported that at 20 weeks patients who underwent surgery had greater symptomatic improvement than those who were injected with steroids. The mean improvement in GSS after 20 weeks was 24.2 (SD 11.0) in the surgery group vs 8.7 (SD 13.0) in the injection group (p < 0.001). Similarly, the other two trials comparing surgery with steroid injection reported that surgery has additional benefits in improving CTS. The trial comparing surgery with splinting reported a success rate of 90% with surgery as compared to 75% with splinting. The trial with surgery versus non-surgery revealed a significant 12-month adjusted advantage for surgery in function (CTSAQ function score: Delta -0.40, 95% CI 0.11-0.70, p= 0.0081) and symptoms (CTSAQ symptom score: 0.34, 0.02-0.65, p= 0.0357). cOnclusiOns: Surgical treatment of CTS relieves symptoms significantly better compared to non-surgical treatment. Further, the surgical treatment was a better option as compared to local steroid injections and splinting.

and it concluded in April 2012. Socioeconomic costs per patient were calculated. Costs were divided in 4 categories: direct health care costs (drugs, medical visits, exams, material), direct non-health care formal costs (professional carers, social services), direct non-health care informal costs (unpaid carers) and indirect costs (patient's and carer's productivity loss). Both patients and their carers completed a generic scale EQ-5D to measure HRQOL. RESULTS: A total of 697 patients and their carers responded the questionnaire, 28% affected by Cystic Fibrosis, 21% by Scleroderma and 11% by X-Fragile Syndrome. For most of the diseases an important part of the total costs were the direct non-health care informal costs, i.e. time of patient's main carer and other unpaid carers. Total annual cost per patient oscillated between 20.000 € (Haemophilia) and 200.000 € (Mucopolysaccharidosis). Regarding the HRQOL measured by EQ-5D, the most affected patients were those with Mucopolysaccharidosis and Duchenne Muscular Distrophy, which correlated with the HRQOL of their carers and total costs. CONCLUSIONS: Besides results on costs and HRQOL presented, the main outcome of BURQOL-RD is an integrated and harmonized set of instruments to assess and monitor socioeconomic burden and HRQOL of patients affected by rare diseases and their carers. The tools developed by BURQOL-RD will also improve RD awareness and literacy among European citizens.

classes that HIV patients were receiving in the two groups were recorded. T-test, Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used for the statistical analysis between two groups. Results: A total of 65 patients were in the MDM group and 864 patients were in PHM group. The TNMC that the HIV patients were on had no significant difference between the PHM and the MDM groups (6.77±2.56 vs 6.2±2.91, p= 0.1268). The PHM group had significantly higher rates of HIV patients who were on antihyperlipidemics (p=0345), dermatologicals (p< 0.0003), endocrine (p= 0.0014), and gastrointestinal (p=0.0003) than the PHM group. PHM group had a higher rate of genitourinary medications than the MDM group (p= 0.0378). ConClusions: The PHM HIV patients in correctional facilities were less likely to be on multiple medication classes than MDM. Medications for chronic conditions and antibiotics were more common in the MDM group. More analysis is needed to examine the differences between the groups to clearly articulate the role of the pharmacists versus the physicians in HIV management in the correctional facilities. In addition, it would be important to identify areas where pharmacists can have the greatest impact.

objeCtives: The Start Excursion Balance test (SEBT) is commonly used to assess the dynamic stability of the trunk and lower extremities in which eight times three (8x3) measurements are made, this means a total of 48 measurements on the two sides. The aim of this research is to create a simpler and faster balance test and to compare this with other validated balance tests. Methods: The study was implemented in August 2014 at the University of Pécs Faculty of Health Sciences Zalaegerszeg Training Centre in which 11 adult and 30 youth basketball players players were involved (mean age: 14.9 year, mean height: 179.9cm). The Dynamic Lateral Balance Test (DLBT) is based on a newly developed methodology and use a simple calliper to measure the values. To assess the strength of the relationship between the specific tests ( SEBT, Flamenco Test and DLBT) Pearson correlation coefficients were computed. Statistical significance was established at the α -level of 0.05 for all analyses, and IBM SPSS, Inc., 20.0v was used. Results: We found moderate correlation between the values of the DLBT and the body height(p< 0.001), therefore we expressed the values correlated with body height(DLBT / body height x 100). There wasa moderate negative correlate between the values of the Flamenco Test and the DLBT test (left side: r = -0.424, p = 0.006; right side: r = -0.432, p = 0.005). There was a moderate positive correlation between the DLBT and the SEBT regarding some directions (p < 0.05), for example: right DLTB -right posteromedial: r = 0.480, p = 0.002; left DLBT -left posteromedial: r = 0.491, p = 0.002. ConClusions: The present pilot study confirmed the correlation between the newly developed DLBT and other validated tests; consequently this new test can become a fast, simple and informative solution for testing the dynamic balance.