Are work return and leaves of absence after acetabular fractures predictable? : A retrospective study of 108 patients.

BACKGROUND: To test if complexity of acetabular fractures, pre-trauma health status, time from trauma to definitive surgery, severity of injury or job characteristics influence work resumption, return to the same professional position and time out of work. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study on patients with surgically treated acetabular fractures. Medical records were reviewed to analyse demographics, follow-up, diagnosis (Letournel classification), type of surgical treatment, co-morbidities, time from trauma to definitive surgery, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification (ASA) and associated injuries. Patients were interviewed about the amount of leaves of absence and whether they returned to the same professional position. RESULTS: The study included 108 patients whose mean age was 44 ± 11 years. Median time out of work was 180 days. Eleven patients lost their job and 23 patients returned to a different professional position. Univariable analysis showed: (a) the risk of losing the job was higher for patients who had been admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) (p = 0.018), (b) returning to the identical position was more likely in patients who were older (p = 0.006), sedentary workers (p = 0.003), and with shorter time from trauma to definitive surgery (p = 0.003). Multivariable linear regression showed that leaves of absence were longer in patients with higher ASA scores, who had been admitted to ICU, or were not sedentary workers. CONCLUSIONS: Work reintegration after acetabular fractures is a main issue for the patient and social systems: only 69 % of patients returned to their previously held professional position. Time out of work was not found to be related to fracture type but to pre-trauma health status, ICU admission and sedentary jobs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Epidemiological, clinical, and virological characteristics of women with genital warts in Greece.

This is a prospective study of the epidemiological, clinical, and virological characteristics of cases of genital warts in a Greek University Hospital. The women completed a questionnaire regarding their medical and sexual history and underwent cervical cytology, HPV DNA typing, mRNA testing, colposcopy, Chlamydia testing, and proctoscopy. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. The most commonly detected types were type 6 (36.1%) and 16 (24.3%). E6/E7 mRNA testing was positive in 21.5%. Concurrent cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse was found in 11.1% and intra-anal warts in 10.4%. For chlamydial infection the number of sexual partners was a significant predictor. Women with warts infected with types 6 and 11 constituted only 37.5% of the total. This could have a negative effect on the efficacy of vaccination in reducing the incidence of the disease. Based on the present findings the authors recommend cytology and colposcopy for all women with genital warts.

Seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis A, B, and C among Roma and non-Roma children in a deprived area of Athens, Greece.

The prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis A, B, and C (HAV, HBV, and HCV) markers were compared in non-Roma and Roma children who lived in a deprived suburb of Athens, Greece. The study included 216 children, 118 Roma and 98 non-Roma of 9 years median age (range 5-15 years). Among Roma children 98.3% had detectable antibodies to HAV, compared with 32.7% among non-Romas (P < 0.0001). Regarding HBV, 22% Roma children were identified with evidence of past infection (anti-HBc(+)), among whom five (4% of the total) were chronic carriers (HBsAg(+)), whereas no past infection was detected among the non-Romas (P < 0.0001). Markers of past HBV vaccination (anti-HBs(+), anti-HBc(-)) were detected in only 14% Roma but 96% non-Roma children (P-value < 0.0001). There was some indication for intrafamilial transmission of HAV and HBV in Roma school children. Unfavorable living conditions, frequent residency change, lack of child insurance and primary healthcare delivery were significantly associated with seroprevalence of HBV infection among Romas. No child in either group was found positive for HCV markers. These findings document high socioeconomic differentials with regards to preventable communicable diseases, such as HAV and HBV and underline the need for enhancing health policy action targeting pockets of minority childhood populations. Whereas, uptake of HBV vaccination is rather optimal in this general population, the high seroprevalence of HAV among Romas, also calls for implementing general vaccination for HAV, early in life.