Health Care Industry Payments to Editorial Board Members of Major Neurosurgery Journals Between 2017 and 2022.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Financial conflicts of interest between editorial board members and industry could lead to biases and impartial editorial decisions. We aimed to evaluate the frequency, amount, and characteristics of payments to editorial board members of neurosurgery journals over a 6-year period. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, editorial board members were derived from the top 10 neurosurgery journals based on Google Scholar metrics. The Open Payments database by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services was accessed to evaluate industry payments to editorial board members from 2017to 2022. Descriptive analyses were performed on payment data, adjusted for inflation using the consumer price indices. RESULTS: We included 805 editorial board members. After excluding duplicate names, 342 (53.9%) of 634 had received payments between 2017 and 2022. Eight of 10 journals had more than 50% of editorial board members listed in the Open Payments database. Between 2017 and 2022, the total number of payments to editorial board members was $143 732 057, encompassing $1 323 936 in research payments, $69 122 067 in associated research funding, $5 380 926 in ownership and investment interests, and $67 905 128 in general payments. General payments decreased from $13 676 382 in 2017 to $8 528 003 in 2022. Royalties ($43 393 697) and consulting ($13 157 934) contributed the most to general payments between 2017 and 2022. Four journals had a percentage increase in total payments, whereas general payments decreased for 6 journals. CONCLUSION: Around 54% of editorial board members of neurosurgical journals received industry payments between 2017 and 2022. We identified journal-specific trends in industry payments and highlighted the importance of transparency and disclosure of financial conflicts of interests for neurosurgery journals.

Alleged Malpractice in Orthopedic Surgery in The Netherlands: Lessons Learned from Medical Disciplinary Jurisprudence.

BACKGROUND: Orthopedic surgery is a specialty at risk for medical malpractice claims. We aimed to assess the frequency of alleged malpractice cases related to orthopedic surgery in the Netherlands from the last 15 years. METHODS: We systematically searched the database of the Dutch Medical Disciplinary Court for verdicts related to orthopedic surgery between January 2009 and July 2023 and extracted case data and data on allegations and outcomes. RESULTS: We identified 158 verdicts (mean of 10.5 per year), of which 151 (96%) were filed against specialists and 7 (4%) against residents. Cases were most frequently classified as incorrect treatment/diagnosis (n = 107, 67.7%). Cases were related to the subspecialties of knee (n = 34, 21.5%), hip (n = 31, 19.6%), ankle (n = 25, 15.8%), spine (n = 22, 13.9%), and shoulder (n = 19, 12.0%). A total of 32 cases (20.3%) were judged as partially founded and 9 (6%) as founded. The Dutch Medical Disciplinary Court imposed 28 warnings, 10 reprimands, and 3 temporary suspensions. A total of 68 appeals were submitted, of which 95% were rejected for filing patients. In three instances, unfounded verdicts were changed to two warnings and a reprimand. In four appeals by an orthopedic surgeon, a warning and reprimand were dismissed, and two reprimands were changed to warnings. CONCLUSIONS: The amount of malpractice cases against orthopedic surgeons in the Netherlands is relatively low. The cases in our study may improve our understanding of allegations against physicians and improve the quality of patient care.

Patient characteristics, surgical treatment, and outcomes in spinal gout: a systematic review of 315 cases.

PURPOSE: To systematically investigate all published literature on spinal gout regarding location demographics, patient characteristics, treatment, and outcomes. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature search of Medline and EMBASE from inception until April 15, 2023. Two investigators performed data extraction and quality assessment of location demographics and patient characteristics and outcomes of all article types describing spinal gout. RESULTS: A total of 214 articles (204 case reports and 10 case series) were included, encompassing 315 subjects with spinal gout (81% male, mean age 58.1 years; range: 16-92). Most cases (36%) were between the age of 60-69 years. We observed an increase in publications and cases from 1950 to the present. Most patients were from institutions in Asia (n = 119, 37.8%) and North America (n = 96, 30.5%). Reported symptoms frequently included back pain (75%), radiating pain to extremities (27.3%), and weakness in the extremities (26.3%). The lumbar spine was most often affected. Pharmacological treatment was described for 108 (34.2%) patients. Surgery was performed for 146 (46.3%) of patients, of which 4.8% had postoperative complications. Three patients (2%) required secondary surgery for recurrence. CONCLUSION: Published cases of spinal gout have increased over the last decades. Patient characteristics of spinal gout were similar to findings in systemic gout. Trends identified in patient characteristics and treatment outcomes may help guide patient management and improve our understanding of spinal gout.

Time from submission to publication in urology journals: A look at publication times before and during Covid-19.

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic impacted scientific publishing, though it's effect on publication times in urology literature is unknown. The objective of our study were to determine and compare acceptance and publication times in general and specific urology journals, and to quantify these times before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: We identified all original articles published in seven urology journals in 2019 and 2021, and extracted data on submission, acceptance, online, and in-print publication times. Differences between groups were compared using Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: A total of 2880 articles were included, comprising 1601 articles published in 2021 and 1279 in 2019. Less experimental/animal studies were published in 2021 compared to 2019 (197 vs. 289). Time between submission and online publication was longer in 2021 (median 4.4 vs 3.3 months, p < 0.001), though acceptance times were not different (median 3.3 vs 3.3 months, p = 0.25). Prostate (median: 2.8 months, Neurourology and Urodynamics (median: 2.8 months) and Word Journal of Urology (median 2.9 months) had the shortest acceptance time in 2021. Time between submission and in-print publication ranged from 4.6 months (IQR: 3.6-6.8) for Prostate to 11.9 months (IQR: 9.8-13.2) for World Journal of Urology. Acceptance times were significantly longer in 2021 compared to 2019 for Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, Journal of Sexual Medicine, and Prostate. Moreover, time between submission and in print publication was longer in 2021 compared to 2019 for Journal of Sexual Medicine and Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations, and shorter for Neurourology and Urodynamics. The median time to in print publication was lower for publications from US institutions (median 7.0 vs. 7.7 months in 2019 and 8.7 months vs 9.1 months in 2021). Conclusions: We identified journal specific acceptance and publication times and observed substantial differences between urology journals for the years 2019 and 2021.