Search

Diagnosing mild intellectual disability (ID) in children is very often challenging and may require multiple assessments over time to confirm the diagnosis with confidence. In Sweden, this diagnosis is typically made within the school health services, where close collaboration between psychologists, school doctors, and educators is essential. Children diagnosed with mild ID are entitled to attend specially adapted schools. It is important to recognise that many children with mild ID also experience other developmental, neurological, or neuropsychiatric conditions (ESSENCE). Beyond the initial evaluation in school health services, it is crucial that children be referred to specialised paediatric clinics for further investigation of potential underlying causes. In some cases, a child psychiatry consultation may also be necessary. Given the frequent presence of comorbidities, children with mild ID require ongoing clinical follow-up to support their development over time.

In Region Sörmland, the burden of critical illness during the first wave of Covid-19 in april 2020 lead to a 25-fold increase in the number of patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. The decision was made that quantity should be prioritised before individual quality. This led to a highly standardised care during the intensive care period. All patients admitted to any of the county's three hospitals were assessed as regarded their ability to survive invasive mechanical ventilation. The assessment was based on the Charlson Age-adjusted Comorbidity Index and the Clinical Frailty Scale. Of all >2000 admitted patients with Covid-19, 37% were assessed as not to benifit from mechanical ventilation. The outcome of intensive care patients was very good in Region Sörmland compared to the rest of Sweden, with a 30-day mortality rate of 14% following intensive care. The outcome after Covid-19-associated intensive care in Sweden differed highly between ICUs, with a span of 7-58% 30-day mortality rate.

Eating disorders are common disorders that cause significant suffering and functional impairment for those affected. They often emerge in adolescence and can go undetected for many years before an individual presents to services. Early diagnosis and treatment have been shown to significantly improve the prognosis, highlighting the need for proactive screening. This study compared the frequency of self-reported eating disorder symptoms in (n = 2137) outpatients at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic (BUP) in Region Västmanland, Sweden between 2018 and 2022. The results showed that the proportion of young people reporting frequent eating disorder symptoms increased from 16% to 28% over this time period. This result is in line with previous research describing an increase in the prevalence of eating disorder symptoms among different groups in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic. It underscores the importance of screening for eating disorder symptoms to better address care needs.

HPV 18 caused 19  percent of all cervical cancer cases in Sweden, in particular adenocarcinomas. High vaccination coverages are required to eliminate the most oncogenic HPV types like HPV 16 and HPV 18, while medium-oncogenic viruses such as HPV 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58 are easier to eliminate due to their lower reproduction number. Women born 1994-1998 were offered catch-up vaccination against HPV 16 and HPV 18 at ages 13-18, but only about 55 percent participated, which is insufficient to eliminate these viruses. Offering vaccination against HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58 to women born in 1994-1998 and achieving around 70 percent participation should eliminate the medium-oncogenic viruses and achieve population immunity also for HPV 16/18. A national project offering free vaccines and screening against these HPV types is ongoing since 2021. Already at the start of the project, there was only a single case of HPV 18 in age groups with high vaccination coverage, implying that extinction of this virus is imminent.

Despite improved survival of extremely preterm infants born at <28 weeks gestational age (GA) since the 1990s, only few reports on long-term outcomes have been published. The aim of our study was to determine risk factors among mothers and outcomes for their children born at the limit of viability (GA 22 + 0 - 23 + 6 weeks) at the Karolinska university hospital in 2009-19, before and after the introduction of new national interventionist guidelines in 2016. We hypothesized that infant survival, morbidity and cognitive functions at 2 years' corrected age had improved after the new clinical practice. Maternal risk factors were identified, which emphasize the need of standardized follow-up and counseling for women at increased risk of extreme preterm birth. The intrauterine fetal death rates were unchanged. Among births at 22 weeks, the neonatal mortality tended to decrease 96 vs. 76 percent of live births (p = 0,05), and the 2-year survival tended to increase 4 vs 24 percent (p = 0,05). At 23 weeks, the neonatal mortality decreased 56 vs 27 percent of live births (p = 0,01), and the 2-year survival increased 42 vs 64 percent (p = 0,03). In contrast, the morbidity and cognitive disability at 2 years' corrected age were unchanged. Our results were in accordance with previous reports where no substantial improvement in cognitive functions are reported among infants born at GA <24 weeks since the 1990s. They highlight the importance of comprehensive ethical considerations before active interventions at threatening preterm birth < 24 weeks.

Hip and knee arthroplasties are mostly successful procedures; however, patient injuries may occur and should be reported to Löf, the Swedish patient insurance. This study investigated the incidence of patient injuries after primary total hip and knee arthroplasty in the Swedish regions, differences in incidence depending on annual surgical volume, and types of approved injuries. Approved patient injuries were related to the total number of hip and knee arthroplasties registered in the Swedish Arthroplasty Register 2012-2021. The national incidence was 11.4 and 8.1 per 1,000 hip and knee arthroplasties respectively and varied in the regions from 30.4 to 4.9 and 15.4 to 5.4 per 1,000 hip and knee arthroplasties respectively. Orthopedic departments with higher annual volumes of performed arthroplasties had a lower proportion of patient injuries. Infection was the most common patient injury, followed by nerve lesions and mechanical complications. The differences may be due to underreporting and varying quality of care in the regions. A centralization of hip and knee arthroplasties may be beneficial.

This article introduces a series of articles covering some of the most important aspects of contemporary prostate cancer care. After the introduction of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and systematic prostate biopsies in the early 1990s, the incidence of localised prostate cancer and the use of radical treatment rose dramatically. Improved diagnostic methods and understanding of the tumour biology now reduce overdiagnosis and pave the way for organised screening. New and more effective treatments, in combination with the stage shift from advanced to localised disease at the time of diagnosis, have reduced the age-standardised prostate cancer specific mortality by half in men under the age of 85 years. The National Prostate Cancer Register of Sweden (NPCR) has evolved over the past 25 years and now comprehensively supports clinical care and is an invaluable research data source. Patients' organisations have emerged as important players on the national arena.

In medical research as a whole, frequent inaccurate or biased findings are of international concern. One measure against reporting biases is study registration before the start of data collection (preregistration), preferably together with the statistical analysis plan. This meta-research study systematically evaluated registration of Swedish observational research based on national health registries. In a random sample of registry-based observational studies published 2010-2022, very few were preregistered with a publicly available analysis plan (<1 procent). Ideas from the meta-research literature can be leveraged to strengthen the brand of Swedish registry-based observational studies and counteract reporting bias.

The Swedish Perioperative Registry (SPOR) offers a unique opportunity for monitoring the peri- and early postoperative processes. It can be utilized for quality monitoring within individual clinics or for epidemiological studies. Combining SPOR's data with organ-specific registries provides a more comprehensive understanding of the overall peri- and early postoperative care and outcomes of surgical procedures. In our example, we present the expected patient profile for gall bladder surgery in Sweden. Inhalation anesthesia is the dominant technique, but Total Intravenous Anesthesia (TIVA) is showing an increasing trend in usage. There are minimal differences between the techniques in terms of early complications, with a mere 8-minute variation in recovery time. The mortality rate for cholecystectomy in Sweden is reassuringly low, with 0.02% of patients passing away within 24 hours and a 30-day mortality rate of 0.13%. As expected, advancing age and higher ASA class increase the risk of mortality within 30 days. Additionally, there is a clear area for improvement identified in increasing the utilization of LÖF's Safe Surgery Checklist.

This review summarizes data collected by the Swedish National Cataract Register (NCR), which by the end of 2022 contained data on more than 2.6 million cataract surgeries between 1992-2022. During these 31 years, the cataract surgery rate (CSR) rose from 3 700 to 14 407. The coverage of NCR is very high, including 93% of all cataract procedures in Sweden during the last decade. A clear trend is that the procedure is performed in eyes with increasingly high visual acuity. The proportion of patients with Snellen 0.5 or worse in the first eye at surgery has decreased from 88% in 2007 to 69% in 2022. Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROM) have been registered with the Catquest-9SF questionnaire since 2008, demonstrating stable favorable outcomes. Surgical complications have decreased; endophthalmitis has decreased from 0.10% to below 0.02%, and posterior capsule rupture from 2.8% to 0.6%.

Radical cystectomy (RC) for bladder cancer is a complex procedure with an inherent risk of complications and even postoperative mortality. Historically, RC was performed in 44 hospitals in Sweden, which gradually decreased over time, and since a formal regional centralisation of these operations in 2017, cystectomy care is currently provided by nine hospitals. In the Swedish national urinary bladder cancer register (SNRUBC), complications after RC has been registered with high coverage since 2012, with data presented in an interactive online data resource (RODRET). Over time, an increased median age and proportion of patients with significant comorbidity (ASA 3 or 4) were observed between 2012 and 2022. A simultaneous decrease in 90-day mortality from 7 percent to 2 percent was noted, as well as a decreased need for reoperations within 90 days of RC from 11 percent to 7 percent. It is likely that the regionalization of the cystectomy care in Sweden has contributed to these improved outcomes.

The nationwide Swedish Medical Birth Register (MBR) includes more than 98% of all births in Sweden since 1973. The MBR is updated annually, and is based on information from antenatal, obstetric, and neonatal records. Maternal information includes self-reported medical history, socio-demographic factors, smoking and snuff use, medication use, height and measured weight. Birth and neonatal/postpartal data include birth date, mode of delivery, singleton or multiple birth, gestational age, stillbirth, birth weight, birth length, head circumference, infant sex, Apgar scores, and maternal and infant diagnoses/procedures. The overall quality of the MBR is very high, partly due to the semi-automated data extraction from the standardized regional electronic health records. The MBR can be linked to other health registers through the unique personal identity numbers of mothers and live-born offspring. More than 1000 scientific publications have used MBR as a data source.

CPUP is a combined follow-up program and national quality registry for cerebral palsy (CP). Since its inception in southern Sweden in 1994, CPUP has expanded geographically to cover all of Sweden, and similar programs are used in several northern European countries. Over 95% of all children with CP in Sweden, and a growing proportion of adults, are followed according to CPUP. The content of CPUP has been developed to involve most professions working with CP. CPUP has led to significant medical improvements. As an example, the percentage of individuals developing hip dislocation has decreased from 10% to 0.5%. The program's strengths include its interdisciplinary collaboration, user involvement, and the ability to inform and improve the quality of care systematically. Nevertheless, challenges include the need for ongoing funding and support. CPUP's success exemplifies how national quality registers can integrate into healthcare, enabling a shift from reactive to proactive care.

Statistics from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency show a sharp increase in the number of sick leave cases with the diagnoses Concussion, S06.0, and Postconcussional syndrome, F07.2, between the years 2010 and 2022. The reason for the increase has not been established and needs further investigation. One possible reason is that the acute phase treatment recommendations of individuals with mild traumatic brain injury have changed during the relevant time period. Future guidelines must ensure that treatment and management recommendations are based on controlled studies of an adequate population and that treatment outcomes are continuously evaluated.

Case and Deaton have introduced the term »Death of Despair« to describe the increased mortality in the United States in young adults and middle-aged persons due to suicide and alcohol and drug use. A corresponding development is found in Sweden among young adults, in contrast to other parts of Western Europe. In Sweden, the disadvantageous development has been particularly evident in the sparsely populated regions in the north of Sweden. The explanation for the adverse development, both in the US and Sweden, might be the ongoing de-industrialization which especially affects young, low-educated men in sparsely populated areas.

Mpox (monkeypox) is an infection caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the same family as the smallpox virus. Sporadic infections in humans have been known since the 1970s. Since spring 2022 there has been a global epidemic. The large majority of the mpox cases in the ongoing epidemic have been reported in adult men, the number of infected children is small.  The typical manifestation of mpox includes a rash that initially presents as maculopapular lesions and then develops into vesicles and eventually crusts. Transmission of the virus primarily occurs through close contact with infected individuals, particularly through contact with unhealed blisters or wounds, as well as through sexual contacts and exposure to body fluids.  In cases of documented close contact with an infected individual, post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended and may also be administered to children whose guardians have contracted mpox.

Allergic rhinitis is the most common chronic disease in Sweden, with impact on quality of life and with a heavy economic burden for the society. More than 20 years have passed since national recommendations were launched, and meanwhile both ARIA (Allergic rhinitis and its impact of asthma) and EUFOREA (The European Forum for Research and Education in Allergy and Airway Diseases) have presented international guidelines which in this article have been adapted to the clinical situation in Sweden. Visual analogue scale (VAS) is recommended for symptom evaluation, and the importance of correct allergen analysis and examination for coexisting asthma is emphasized. Treatment is recommended according to EUFOREA. Follow-up is important, and if VAS is ≥5 the disease is regarded as uncontrolled and must lead to a change of treatment. Since self-treatment is common in allergic rhinitis the importance of patient cooperation and information is underlined.

In Sweden, approximately 350 children and teenagers up to 18 years of age are diagnosed with cancer each year. The survival rate is high, above 80%, but the majority of those who survive will experience at least one late complication. The risk of late complications after treatment are mainly related to cumulative dose exposure of specific chemotherapeutic agents as well as radiation doses to certain organs at risk. A Swedish national working group has developed a national care program with recommendations for follow-up during childhood and adult life after childhood cancer treatment. Besides specific follow-up recommendations, the long-term follow-up care program describes both the organization needed to ensure adequate information to patients during their teenage years as well as the basic resources needed to provide a proper follow-up service for adults who survived childhood cancer.

There is limited research about how age and ASA-physical status (PS) have changed among women undergoing caesarean sections (CS) and how these characteristics have affected all-cause 30-day mortality in Sweden during recent years. The aim of this study was to determine change in age and ASA-PS and impact on all-cause 30-day mortality among CS in Sweden between 2016 and 2022. Data regarding CS performed from 1 Jan 2016 to 30 Jun 2022 were collected from the Swedish Peri-Operative Register (SPOR). The study cohort included 102,965 CS; 44,404 (43.1%) elective, 47,158 (45.8%) emergency and 11,403 (11.1%) crash emergency CS. Age, ASA-PS, 30-day mortality, and year of procedure were primary study variables. Continuous numerical variables were analysed with ANOVA and categorical data with Chi-2-tests or Fishers-exact-test, in SPSS. The mean age for the entire cohort was 32.1 years and increased by 0.8 years (P<0.001). A shift to higher ASA-PS was seen over the study period (P<0.001). The all-cause 30-day mortality rate found was 0.014% (14/102,965). No significant difference was seen in maternal mortality over the study period. Of the 14 mothers who deceased within 30 days, 5 were classified as ASA III-V, the majority were 31-40 years of age and 7 of them underwent emergency CS. Emergency CS decreased (15.2% to 10.1%), use of neuraxial anaesthesia increased and general anaesthesia (GA) decreased. We conclude that CS mothers in Sweden have become older and have higher ASA-PS during the last 6.5 years. Emergency CS have decreased, as has the use of GA. High ASA-PS and CS with a higher degree of urgency were associated with all-cause 30-day mortality. All-cause mortality associated to CS is reassuringly low in Sweden.

Pulmonary embolism during pregnancy is a potentially life-threatening condition and the second leading cause of maternal mortality in Sweden. Diagnosis during pregnancy is challenging, and radiologic diagnostic modality is important. The incidence of pulmonary embolism among pregnant women in the Swedish region of Dalarna was 47.8/100 000 women aged 15-49 years in 2016, compared with 5.4/100 000 women in the region of Värmland, which is a region comparable in size and population. This study aimed to investigate differences in clinical practice and choice of imaging modality among pregnant women with suspected pulmonary embolism in the two regions during 2013-2017. There was no difference in background maternal characteristics, but the primary modality of diagnostic imaging was lung scintigraphy in Dalarna (79 percent), whereas computed tomography pulmonary angiography was performed in 75 percent of the cases in Värmland (P < 0.01). There were more women with a confirmed diagnosis of pulmonary embolism after diagnostic imaging in Dalarna (25 percent, n = 65) compared to Värmland (5 percent, n = 8) (P < 0,.01). Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed in more than one quarter of women investigated with scintigraphy, compared to 6 percent when computed tomography was performed.

We report a sudden increase in the number of cases of C. canimorsus bacteremia during 3 months in 2022 at Östersund Hospital, Sweden. Prior to these cases, the most recent one in the region occurred in 2015. Among the five cases, one suffered from meningitis and one was diagnosed as endocarditis. Dog contact was present in all cases, although dog bites could only be verified in two. Improved diagnostics could not be an explanation to the surge, since the analysis method for blood culture had been the same since 2015. No corresponding increase was noted nationally, according to the Public Health Agency of Sweden. The isolates have been included in the ongoing global study with the aim to explore Capnocytophaga in humans and animals using comparative genomics and genome wide association studies. The study is supported by several ESCMID (European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases) study groups.

Children born before 24 gestational weeks had high neonatal morbidity and a majority had one or more neurodevelopmental disorders in addition to somatic diagnoses in childhood. Active Swedish perinatal care of infants with gestational age <24 weeks has resulted in a survival rate of more than 50 percent. Resuscitation of these immature infants is controversial, and some countries offer comfort care only. In a retrospective review of medical files and registries of 399 Swedish infants born before 24 gestational weeks, a majority had severe prematurity-related neonatal diagnoses. In childhood (2-13 years), 75 percent had at least one neurodevelopmental disorder and 88 percent had one or more prematurity-related somatic diagnosis (permanent or transient) that was likely to affect their quality of life. Long-term consequences for surviving infants should be considered in general recommendations as well as in parental information.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death among the young, and has an increasing incidence among the elderly. In Sweden there are 20 000 new TBI cases each year, of which most are mild. The primary impact can lead to different types of brain hemorrhages, fractures and diffuse axonal injuries. The level of consciousness is used to define injury severity. Of all TBIs,  4-5 percent require surgical intervention. The primary impact initiates injury processes exacerbating the initial brain injury, and the goal of the acute management and neurointensive care treatment is to prevent these secondary insults. Among unconscious TBI patients, monitoring of intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP, defined as the difference between the mean arterial pressure and intracranial pressure) is routine. In this article we present an overview on different types of TBI, and describe the treatment of patients in the acute setting.

This study aimed to analyse any differences regarding limitations of life-sustaining treatment (LLST) in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 among three hospitals in a Swedish healthcare region during the first year of the pandemic. All patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 from March 15th, 2020 to March 14th, 2021 were retrospectively analysed. A total of 1 819 patients were included and 546 (30 percent) patients had a documented decision about LLST. After adjusting for age, comorbidities and body mass index in a multivariable logistic regression model, there was no significant difference in the ratio of patients with LLST among the hospitals in the region. The physicians' assessments regarding this important decision are similar across units regionally. Further involvement of patients and their relatives in these decisions is warranted.

The Nordic EpiLung study is a research project with the aim of studying socioeconomic aspects of obstructive lung diseases in Sweden, Finland and Norway. Surveys of the general populations in different areas of the countries, using similar methods, have been performed since the 1990s. Data from more than 37,000 participating individuals in Sweden, 12,000 in Finland, and 65,000 in Norway have been linked to national registers in the three countries, including data on educational level, income, hospitalizations, sick leave and early retirement, dispensed medications for obstructive airway diseases and mortality. The collaboration has not only yielded important scientific results until today, it has also created an arena for further joint research projects - both ongoing and future planned.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in Sweden. Several decades ago it was recognized that the Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is involved in a critical growth system for breast cancer cells. Overexpression of HER2 (immunohistochemistry [IHC] 2+/3+, in situ hybridization [ISH] positive) is present in 15 percent of all breast cancers. HER2-low breast cancer has been discovered as a separate entity; the most commonly used definition so far is IHC 1+/2+ and ISH negative, but general consensus is still lacking. Clinical studies with the HER2 antibody drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu) have shown impressive antitumor activity among women with advanced HER2-low breast cancer and this is expected to become part of routine treatment in the near future. Research is needed to establish refined ways to define HER2-low breast cancer, and a possible role lies in new imaging methods such as HER2 positron emission tomography (PET) with a [68Ga]Ga-ABY-025 tracer.

One million Health Profile Assessments (HPB) have been carried out in Sweden since 1988. HPB includes questions about health habits and health experiences. Furthermore some physiological and medical measurements have been carried out.  Data from completed HPB:s have been registered since 1988 in a database, which is used for statistical analyzes and research. Health outcomes have been obtained from several national registers.  Since 2018, 20 papers have been published internationally. Low physical fitness, overweight and obesity have increased in the Swedish working population. Higher prevalence of severe illness is seen among those with one or more of these risk factors.

In the early 2000s, some children in asylum seeking families in Sweden showed severe reduction in function, including pervasive refusal to eat, drink, walk, talk or care for themselves. In 2014 this was to be named the resignation syndrome (ICD-10 F32.3A). The purpose of our study was to compare education and health-related outcomes over time between those with and without these symptoms, in a group of children from Central Asia who have been asylum seekers and received a residence permit in Sweden. We found that between the years 2005-2012, in the child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in the Stockholm Region, 103 children showed symptoms of resignation, of whom 43 (43%) showed the most severe symptoms. Children with resignation syndrome assessed and cared for by CAMHS had similar need of outpatient care as other children of the same origin who had been treated by CAMHS for other conditions. They did not have an increased need for inpatient care compared with other children of the same origin, and they passed upper secondary school and past-secondary education to the same extent as other children of the same origin.

The covid-19 pandemic has necessitated reallocation of health care resources. This has raised concerns about the risks associated with postponing surgery for benign conditions that are given low priority. Data from the population-based Swedish National Register for Gallstone Surgery (GallRiks) show that the total number of procedures carried out during the initial months of each wave of the pandemic decreased. This was followed by a moderate increase in the number of procedures performed for acute cholecystitis, biliary pancreatitis, and obstructive jaundice. The consequences of the delayed surgery in the community at large and how this has affected health-related quality of life for patients having their procedure postponed remain to be evaluated, but so far it does not seem to have caused a major impact on public health.

Tetanus (lockjaw) is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by a neurotoxin produced by the spore forming bacterium Clostridium tetani. The incidence has decreased substantially the last decades in most high-income countries, much due to well established vaccination programs. However, although uncommon, tetanus still remains a reality in Sweden. The condition is diagnosed based on clinical parameters and is hard to distinguish from many other more common differential diagnoses. Lack of vaccine induced antibodies is the most important risk factor for developing tetanus. Here we present a patient who developed tetanus two weeks following a puncture wound, but who was initially misdiagnosed with wake-up stroke. The case illustrates the importance of reviewing a patient's tetanus vaccine history, which determines what prophylactic measures are adequate to take, especially following potentially contaminated wounds.

Data from the Swedish Renal Registry (SRR) show that during the period March 16, 2020 to March 15, 2021 0.4% of all renal transplant recipients and 3% of all dialysis patients died due to COVID-19 in Sweden. Of all registered deaths, 20% were attributed to COVID-19.  In the age group 50-59 years the risk ratio for COVID-19 related mortality was 16 (95% CI 6.5-38) among transplant recipients and 22 (95% CI 7.1-69) among dialysis patients, compared to the background population in the same age group. Excess mortality, compared to the five years preceding the pandemic, was 30% for transplant recipients and 8.7% for dialysis patients, compared to 7.7% for the entire Swedish population. Detailed reports were sent to SRR for 864 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection representing 5.0% of all transplant recipients and 13% of all dialysis patients. The case fatality rate was 7.0% and 21% respectively.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea, which can result in serious complications, e.g. infertility and ectopic pregnancy. The incidence of gonorrhoea is high internationally and has dramatically increased in Sweden during the last 10 years. Gonorrhoea mostly manifests as urethritis, cervicitis, and/or extragenital infections (in pharynx, rectum and eye). Urogenital infections in women and particularly pharyngeal and rectal gonorrhoea are frequently asymptomatic. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are recommended for diagnostics, but culture remains imperative for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae is a major concern, which compromises management and control of gonorrhoea globally. Diagnosed gonorrhoea should always be treated and the recommended first-line treatment is an injection with a high dose of ceftriaxone. Test-of-cure is recommended for all cases approximately two weeks after treatment.

Mycoplasma genitalium is a common sexually transmitted infection, probably as common in Swedish STI clinics as Chlamydia trachomatis. M. genitalium may cause urethritis in men and and urethritis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infertility in women. The proportion of PID and its implications need further studies. The prevalence of M. genitalium infection in a general population and in asymptomatic patients is estimated to be low and general screening is not recommended. Antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) including resistance testing for macrolides are available in Sweden. The first-line treatment in the absence of macrolide resistance is with azithromycin, but not as a single dose. Pretreatment with doxycycline to lower bacterial load and reduce risk of macrolide resistance during treatment is under discussion.

Purpose: To investigate Swedish immigrants to the United States debarred for medical reasons, with particular focus on trachoma., Method: Annual official reports of debarred immigrants have been compiled to compare reasons for debarment among Scandinavian immigrants vs. immigrants from all countries. Individual cases of trachoma among Swedish immigrants have been searched for in contemporary newspaper articles and combined with personal sources such as passenger lists and church records., Result: Between 1900-1925 about 1% of 850 000 Scandinavian immigrants to the United States were debarred, compared to 2,3% for migrants from all nations. The most common reason for Scandinavians to be debarred was likelihood to become a public charge, which included both poverty and several chronic diseases (46%). The share of individuals with contagious diseases among the debarred was 8%. Mental defects accounted for 3 %, the same number as trachoma during the time this was reported 1908-1925. Three cases of Swedes debarred from emigration due to trachoma are presented.  Conclusion: Scandinavian immigrants could be debarred due to trachoma but were less affected than other nationalities by the restrictions launched in the late 19th century.  Keywords: Emigration, trachoma, Ellis Island, debarment.

Childhood obesity is an increasing global health problem. Prevention and early treatment is crucial. The Swedish child health care targets almost all children and iso-BMI is assessed from the age of two. National reports on the prevalence of obesity are scarce. In this report data from the Swedish child health care on 105 445 four year olds was collected. Overweight (9 %) and obesity (2 %) was registered in 11 % of the children, which is in line with earlier, smaller, reports. More girls than boys were overweight or obese.  To improve the situation, the problem needs to be addressed by the entire society. Further evidence-based methods on prevention and early treatment need to be established. The Swedish child health care registry will enable follow-up on prevalence data.

Yearly 16 000 osteoporosis related hip fractures occur in Sweden. They cause suffering for patients and high costs for society. Subsequent fractures can be reduced with osteoporosis diagnostics and treatment. 4 322 patients from two hospitals using Fracture Liaisson Services in Sweden were included to identify the rate of osteoporosis diagnostics and treatment during the first year after a hip fracture. Data between 2010-01-01 and 2018-12-31 were included from the Swedish National Hip Fracture Registry (Rikshöft). 99.2 % of all patients underwent FRAX risk assessment and DEXA was conducted on 17.3 % of patients. Women were more frequently examined with DEXA than men (21% vs 10.2 %). 6% received medical osteoporosis treatment after the fracture, women were treated more often than men (7% vs 4%). Conclusions: less than 10% received drug therapy after the first year after the hip fracture. Men underwent diagnostics and received treatment at a lower rate than women.

Overdoses with the sedating antihistamines alimemazine, hydroxyzine, promethazine and propiomazine have received attention in recent years in Sweden. The Poisons Information Center has noted an increase in calls regarding intoxications, and the National Board of Forensic Medicine has concluded that these substances have directly contributed to a large number of poisoning deaths. When prescribing alimemazine, hydroxyzine, promethazine and propiomazine, their pharmacological properties, such as antihistaminergic and anticholinergic effects, and their anti-arrhythmic potential must be considered. Furthermore, it is important to also consider the risks of severe intoxication in case of overdose. The lowest possible amount should be prescribed. Special attention is required when prescribing alimemazine oral solution.

Workplace alcohol and drug testing is increasingly used at employment, for regular checks, and in case of accident, incident, or suspicion of drug exposure. The test results provide valuable objective information about drug use in the society. At the Karolinska University Laboratory (Stockholm, Sweden), the number of samples from drug testing in the workplace has quadrupled in the last decade. Almost all urine samples are tested for amphetamines (amphetamine, methamphetamine and MDMA), benzodiazepines (prescribed substances), cannabis, cocaine and opiates, and some also for alcohol (i.e. the metabolites ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate) and drugs such as tramadol and oxycodone. The proportion of samples that test positive for one or more drugs has increased steadily in recent years to over 5%. Substances commonly detected are, in order of appearance, cannabis, amphetamines (amphetamine and MDMA), benzodiazepines, opiates (mainly codeine and only few due to heroin use), and cocaine. Other common substances are alcohol, tramadol, and oxycodone, but these are only tested for in a limited, and possibly selected, proportion of samples. After an MRO has reviewed the positive laboratory results, about 30% of cases are excluded mainly due to legal prescription as medicine. In 2020, the proportion of positive test results decreased, possibly due to reduced access to illicit drugs during the corona pandemic. In summary, results from drug testing in the workplace indicate that illicit use of drugs shows an increasing trend in Sweden.

Breast cancer prevention must include interventions aiming at both reducing the risk of breast cancer (primary prevention) and identifying cancers at an early stage (secondary prevention). Sweden has one of the best breast cancer screening programs globally, but women are still screened without taking risk of breast cancer or difficulties diagnosing a cancer into consideration. Today it is possible to identify women at high risk of breast cancer and those women that have high mammographic density. These women should be offered individualised screening.  Women at very high risk of breast cancer should be offered primary preventive initiatives.

Infection fatality ratio (IFR) in covid-19 is highly debated in international and Swedish press. In Sweden, three different estimates have been used to estimate mortality, based on statistics either from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, and the Public Health Agency of Sweden, whereas excess mortality calculated by EuroMOMO. Mortality is based on death certificates, which can be accurate or erroneous, but previous analyses have suggested that over- and underdiagnosis usually even out. EuroMOMO on the other hand reports all-cause mortality compared to an estimated baseline. In view of high correlation between the different measures, we suggest that mortality is relatively correctly reported in Sweden. We discuss IFR internationally  and in Sweden, and suggest that IFR in the Western world is approximately 0.5-1%. However, these numbers will change over time depending on immunity induced by vaccination efforts, but also the potential spread of new virus variants.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent group of disorders and among the most common causes of chronic pain and disability globally. First-line evidence-based treatments for hip and knee OA, two of the most common variants, are available in Sweden with the potential for wide national reach through face-to-face and digital platforms. Research results suggest important reductions in symptoms in patients with knee or hip OA. Despite evidence, availability and low cost, first-line evidence-based treatments are not utilized to the full extent to reduce the burden of OA.

The aim of this study was to estimate the number of treatments for varicose veins (VV) performed in Sweden annually and the proportion of these unknown to the National Board of Health and Welfare or to the Swedish National Registry for Vascular Surgery, Swedvasc. Aggregated data was collected from the National Patient Registry (NPR), Swedvasc and inquiries sent to hospitals and private clinics for the years 2016-2018, the calculated volumes from these three sources were comparable with extrapolated volumes obtained from a coverage control between NPR and Swedvasc for treatments of the great saphenous vein. The approximated volumes of VV interventions annually were 8 650, 10 750 and 12 250, the proportion not registered in NPR 29%, 51% and 58% respectively, the corresponding figures for Swedvasc 56%, 33% and 20%. Interventions for VV are thus underreported in Sweden and this has implications for allocation of resources and quality control.

In a local and national quality control study based on Swespine the rate of satisfied patients and the rate of patients with reduced leg pain after surgery for spinal stenosis at Nacka Hospital was 70,5 % and 62,3 %, respectively, compared to 67,8 % and 60,5 % nationally. The rate was unchanged locally as well as nationally 2009-2019. Controlling for mix of patients by multiple regression analysis greatly reduced all differences between Swedish clinics with no statistically significant differences between them. Private clinics, assessed as a group, had a slight but significant improved outcome compared to public hospitals, 68,8 % compared to 64,8 % satisfied patients. PROMs are to a substantial degree affected by factors other than the surgical procedure per se, and should be interpreted with great caution in outcome assessments of degenerative spine surgery. The study underlines the need of objective outcome measures.

Postpartum hemorrhage is responsible for one fourth of the maternal mortality worldwide. In high resource countries there is an increasing trend in frequency of postpartum hemorrhage and need of blood transfusions. The reason for this increase is probably multifactorial. Major bleeding requires massive blood transfusion (MT), defined as transfusion of >10 units of erythrocytes within 24 hours. In Sweden the incidence of MT due to obstetric hemorrhage is reported to be 53 per 100 000 deliveries and the majority of the cases are due to placental complications, such as placenta previa and placenta accreta. These placental complications have increased over the past years as a consequence of a higher rate of cesarean deliveries. To reduce the number of deliveries requiring blood transfusion postpartum, prophylactic measures such as identification of women at increased risk, optimizing management of hemorrhage and evaluating the effect of every transfused unit of erythrocytes is important.

The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has led to a sharp rise in intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and consequently a need to perform tracheotomies on patients with Covid-19. A number of guidelines have been published with recommendations for the timing of tracheostomy in Covid-19 patients, suggesting tracheotomy should be delayed until day 14-21 of mechanical ventilation.  We present the first 66 patients treated in the ICU at Södra Älvsborg hospital in Sweden as a result of Covid-19. A total of 29 patients received a tracheostomy, median time 9 days post oral intubation, which is earlier than recommended. The mortality rate was 21%, which is slightly lower than reported from The Swedish Intensive Care Registry (25%). None of the doctors performing tracheotomies developed Covid-19 linked to the tracheotomy procedure.

Non-western immigrants have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes and earlier onset than non-immigrant Swedes. In this 10-year follow-up including all people in Sweden diagnosed with type 2 diabetes from 2006 onwards (i.e. prescribed glucose lowering medication for type 2 diabetes), the total and cause-specific mortality of first-generation immigrants with type 2 diabetes is lower than in non-immigrant Swedes. However, the higher survival rates in first generation immigrants disappear over time and second-generation immigrants rather show higher all-cause mortality rates than native Swedes. Contributing causes may be related to acculturation to the western lifestyle and gene environment interactions but remains to be further investigated.

While no European country has legalized recreational use of cannabis, several countries, but not Sweden, have decriminalized it. Although we hitherto have a relatively low prevalence of users compared to other countries, Swedish policy is criticized. Strong voices advocate legalization. It is hypothesized that a legalization would minimize adolescent access, ensure quality control, make consumption safer and raise tax revenue. Furthermore, it is assumed to diminish the illicit drug market and drug related crimes. However, the legalization in the US and Canada has instead made cannabis more available to users by innovative marketing and product development, while the illegal market persists. Meanwhile the price of cannabis decreases and potency, which are related to many of the risks, increases. Cannabis-related harms include e.g. cognitive impairment, psychosis and psychosocial problems. The long-term effects from legalization is yet to be seen.

In this investigation performed in pediatric patients in Västra Götalandsregionen in Sweden we concluded that as many as 20 % of the children had long-term and/or more extensive contact with the health care system. We used two different methods, combining professional clinical judgement with data from the health care production register in Västra Götalandsregionen, to define the incidence of chronic diseases among the pediatric population. The spectrum of diseases observed is broad, spanning up to 20 different diagnostic areas. Furthermore, the number of children with special health care needs increases over time. The high incidence and definition of chronic illness and complex needs amongst our children and adolescents need to be taken into consideration.

Studies show that very low birthweight can be an important risk factor for mental problems, disturbed fertility and neuroendocrine dysregulation. In a regional long-term study 56 of 86 adult individuals 27 to 28 years of age with a very low birthweight were compared with normal birthweight controls. Analyses of self-reported mental health, socio-demographic factors, sex hormone levels, and hair cortisol levels showed no significant differences between the groups. However, in order to analyse subgroups with different risk factors from the newborn period or children with a variety of social background factors, larger patient groups are needed.