Search

Background: eHealth provides a viable option to facilitate type-2 diabetes mellitus self-management and adherence. To this end, a web-based computer-tailored eHealth programme, My Diabetes Profile (MDP), was developed and implemented in Dutch diabetes care. To fully utilize the potential of eHealth, the reach of effective programmes like MDP should be maximized. Therefore, it is vital to explore perceptions of general practitioners (GPs) regarding eHealth and factors that influence GPs' decision to adopt eHealth programmes., Objective: To shed light on Dutch GPs' perceptions towards eHealth in general and specifically, the adoption of MDP., Methods: Interviews were conducted among a heterogeneous sample of 16 Dutch GPs. The interview guide, based on the Diffusion of Innovations Theory, addressed perceptions about eHealth in general, characteristics of MDP, organizational characteristics, and external influences on adoption. Audio-recordings were transcribed and analysed using deductive coding in NVivo., Results: Nearly all GPs used some form of eHealth and listed many benefits and few drawbacks about eHealth. Sometimes, GPs were unaware of what eHealth encompassed; programmes resembling MDP were not mentioned. COVID-19 immensely increased eHealth uptake, especially for remote communication. Regarding MDP, the organizational and external influences on adoption were limited, while characteristics of the innovation were deemed more important. GPs expressed benefits of MDP (e.g. uncomplex, user-friendly, tailored) other than attributed to eHealth in general and fewer drawbacks., Conclusion: While GPs' opinions about eHealth and MDP were positive, the concept of MDP was relatively unfamiliar. Future research should focus on targeting GPs' awareness of eHealth possibilities., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Objective: The aim of the study reported here was to assess the serum concentration of B-cell activating factors, B lymphocyte stimulators (BLyS), and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) in Behçet disease (BD) patients in order to evaluate their role and study their relation to uveitis subtype and disease activity., Methods: The study included 58 consecutively recruited BD patients with a mean age of 35.54 ± 8.85 years and disease duration of 8.33 ± 5.84 years and 30 age- and sex-matched controls. Disease activity was assessed using the BD current activity form score. Patients were subclassified according to the presence and type of uveitis. Serum BLyS and APRIL were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay., Results: Recurrent uveitis was present in 42 (72.41 %) patients, of whom 19 had the anterior form, 13 had the posterior form, and ten had a combined anterior with posterior form; 16 had no eye involvement. Serum APRIL (60.29 ± 57.99 ng/ml) and BLyS (2.31 ± 1.97 ng/ml) levels were significantly higher in the BD patients than in the controls (4.14 ± 4.31 and 0.49 ± 0.39 ng/ml, respectively; P < 0.0001). The levels were clearly higher in those with combined uveitis. The BLyS level significantly correlated with disease activity., Conclusions: The overexpression of BLyS and APRIL in BD patients supports the notion of a critical role for B cell activation factors in BD, particularly in terms of uveitis and disease activity. This provides an interesting prospect for the use of anti-BLyS/APRIL antibodies against future therapeutic targets.