BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines for Radical Cystectomy (RC) were published over ten years ago. Aim of this systematic review is to update ERAS recommendations for patients undergoing RC and to give an expert opinion on the relevance of each single ERAS item. METHODS: A systematic review was performed to identify the impact of each single ERAS item on RC outcomes. Embase and Medline (through Pubmed) were searched systematically. Relevant articles were selected and graded. For each ERAS item, a level of evidence was determined. An e-Delphi consensus was then performed amongst an international panel with renowned experience in RC to provide recommendations based on expert opinion. KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: Preoperative medical optimization and avoiding bowel preparation are highly recommended. Robotic-assisted RC with intracorporeal urinary diversion is moderately recommended and can help in applying other ERAS items, such as early mobilization. Medical thromboprophylaxis should be administered and nasogastric tube should be removed at the end of surgery. Perioperative fluid restriction as well as opioid-sparing anesthesia protocols should be implemented. Generally, consensus was reached on most ERAS items, with the exception of epidural anesthesia (no consensus), resection site drainage (consensus against), and type of urinary drainage. Limitations include the lack of a multidisciplinary approach to the present consensus, giving however a highly specialized surgical opinion on ERAS. CONCLUSIONS: and clinical implications: The current study updates ERAS recommendations for patients undergoing RC and suggests application of ERAS by a panel of experts in the field.

• MeSH
• Early Ambulation MeSH
• Surgeons MeSH
• Cystectomy * methods   MeSH
• Urinary Diversion methods   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Urinary Bladder Neoplasms surgery   MeSH
• Robotic Surgical Procedures MeSH
• Practice Guidelines as Topic MeSH
• Enhanced Recovery After Surgery * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Systematic Review MeSH

Asthma is a common, multifaceted respiratory disease with a major impact on quality of life. Despite increased insights into mechanisms underlying various asthma phenotypes and endotypes and the availability of targeted biologic treatment options, the disease remains uncontrolled in a substantial proportion of patients with risk of exacerbations, requiring systemic corticosteroids, and with progressive disease. Current international guidelines advocate for a personalized management approach to patients with uncontrolled severe asthma. The European Forum for Research and Education in Allergy and Airway Diseases (EUFOREA) asthma expert panel was convened to discuss strategies to optimize asthma care and to prevent systemic corticosteroid overuse and disease progression. In this meeting report, we summarize current concepts and recommendations and provide a rationale to implement personalized asthma management at earlier stages of the disease. The ultimate goal is to move away from the current one-size-fits-most concept, which focuses on a symptom-driven treatment strategy, and shift toward a phenotype- and endotype-targeted approach aimed at curbing the disease course by improving clinical outcomes and preserving health-related quality of life. Herein, we provide a consensus view on asthma care that advocates a holistic approach and highlight some unmet needs to be addressed in future clinical trials and population studies.

• MeSH
• Anti-Asthmatic Agents * therapeutic use   MeSH
• Asthma * prevention & control   therapy   drug therapy   MeSH
• Precision Medicine MeSH
• Remission Induction MeSH
• Consensus MeSH
• Quality of Life MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Disease Management MeSH
• Disease Progression MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Consensus Development Conference MeSH

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) still has a relatively high complication rate, underscoring the importance of high-quality training. Despite existing guidelines, real-world data on training conditions remain limited. This pan-European survey aims to systematically explore the perceptions surrounding ERCP training. METHODS: A survey was distributed through the friends of United European Gastroenterology (UEG) Young Talent Group network to physicians working in a UEG member or associated states who regularly performed ERCPs. RESULTS: Of 1035 respondents from 35 countries, 649 were eligible for analysis: 228 trainees, 225 trainers, and 196 individuals who regularly performed ERCP but were neither trainees nor trainers. The mean age was 43 years, with 72.1% identifying as male, 27.6% as female, and 0.3% as non-binary. The majority (80.1%) agreed that a structured training regimen is desirable. However, only 13.7% of trainees and 28.4% of trainers reported having such a structured program in their institutions. Most respondents (79.7%) supported the concept of concentrating training in centers meeting specific quality metrics, with 64.1% suggesting a threshold of 200 annual ERCPs as a prerequisite. This threshold revealed that 36.4% of trainees pursued training in lower-volume centers performing <200 ERCPs annually. As many as 70.1% of trainees performed <50 annual ERCPs, whereas only 5.0% of trainers performed <50 ERCPs annually. A low individual trainee caseload (<50 ERCPs annually) was more common in lower-volume centers than in higher-volume centers (82.9% vs. 63.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The first pan-European survey investigating ERCP training conditions reveals strong support for structured training and the concentration of training efforts within centers meeting specific quality metrics. Furthermore, this survey exposes the low availability of structured training programs with many trainees practicing at lower-volume centers and 71% of all trainees having little hands-on exposure. These data should motivate to standardize ERCP training conditions further and ultimately improve patient care throughout Europe.

• MeSH
• Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde * standards   adverse effects   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Gastroenterology * education   MeSH
• Clinical Competence standards   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Surveys and Questionnaires statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Education, Medical, Graduate * standards   methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Europe MeSH

The 2024 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines for chronic kidney disease (CKD) evaluation and management bring important updates, particularly for European laboratories. These guidelines emphasize the need for harmonization in CKD testing, promoting the use of regional equations. In Europe, the European Kidney Function Consortium (EKFC) equation is particularly suited for European populations, particularly compared to the CKD-EPI 2021 race-free equation. A significant focus is placed on the combined use of creatinine and cystatin C to estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFRcr-cys), improving diagnostic accuracy. In situations where eGFR may be inaccurate or clinically insufficient, the guidelines encourage the use of measured GFR (mGFR) through exogenous markers like iohexol. These guidelines emphasize the need to standardize creatinine and cystatin C measurements, ensure traceability to international reference materials, and adopt harmonized reporting practices. The recommendations also highlight the importance of incorporating risk prediction models, such as the Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE), into routine clinical practice to better tailor patient care. This article provides a European perspective on how these KDIGO updates should be implemented in clinical laboratories to enhance CKD diagnosis and management, ensuring consistency across the continent.

• MeSH
• Renal Insufficiency, Chronic * diagnosis   therapy   MeSH
• Cystatin C blood   MeSH
• Glomerular Filtration Rate * MeSH
• Laboratories, Clinical MeSH
• Creatinine blood   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Practice Guidelines as Topic * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Geographicals
• Europe MeSH

BACKGROUND: The knowledge and proficiency of primary care practitioners (PCPs) in diagnosing and managing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) remain generally low and variable internationally. This variability is partly due to a lack of familiarity with the Rome Foundation diagnostic criteria and treatment guidelines for this condition. METHODS: We conducted an electronic survey of PCPs in the United States and nine European countries to assess their understanding of IBS pathophysiology; the use of Rome IV criteria in diagnosis, knowledge of and frequency in prescribing various recommended treatments; and the likelihood of referring patients with suspected IBS to subspecialists. RESULTS: Most PCPs in the United States and Europe perceive IBS as a diagnosis of exclusion rather than a definitive diagnosis. They also believe IBS is underdiagnosed in primary care and challenging to diagnose confidently. The majority of PCPs consider diet as a crucial component of IBS management. Notably, US PCPs reported greater confidence than their European counterparts in recommending dietary interventions such as increased dietary fiber, a low FODMAP diet, and gluten restriction. Conversely, both groups exhibited moderate to high confidence in recommending over-the-counter treatments. European PCPs showed greater confidence in treating IBS with antispasmodics and secretagogues, while US PCPs expressed greater confidence in prescribing neuromodulators. Additionally, US PCPs were more likely to refer patients with suspected IBS to a gastroenterologist, whereas both US and European PCPs showed similar referral patterns to dietitians and referred very few patients to mental health providers. Both US and European PCPs reported that IBS is moderately to extremely difficult to treat effectively and emphasized the importance of a strong and longitudinal doctor-patient relationship in managing the condition. CONCLUSION: Despite the Rome Foundation recommendations and criteria to support a positive diagnosis of IBS, most PCPs still rely on exclusionary investigations such as endoscopy and a serologic workup, while a significant percentage suggest referring patients to gastroenterologists.

• MeSH
• Physicians, Primary Care MeSH
• Practice Patterns, Physicians' * statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Attitude of Health Personnel MeSH
• Primary Health Care MeSH
• Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome * diagnosis   therapy   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Europe MeSH
• United States MeSH

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe intestinal condition primarily affecting preterm neonates. It has a high mortality rate, particularly in infants with a birthweight of below 1,500 g or for those requiring surgical intervention. The European Reference Network for Inherited and Congenital Anomalies (ERNICA) has developed a clinical practice guideline to aid clinical decision-making pertaining to the surgical treatment and management of NEC in preterm neonates. This guideline was developed in accordance with the Guidelines 2.0 checklist and GRADE methodology. A multidisciplinary group of Europe's top experts collaborated with patient representatives to develop this guideline. After selecting critical points in care for which recommendations are required, a systematic review of the literature and critical appraisal of the evidence was performed. The Evidence to Decision framework was used as a guide to structure the consensus meetings and draft the recommendations. The panel developed seven recommendations and three good practice statements on the following topics: indications for surgery, peritoneal drainage, surgical technique, management of extensive NEC, enteral feeding, and neurodevelopmental outcomes in premature neonates with NEC. The certainty of evidence was graded as (very) low for most recommendations. However, the panel weighed up the benefits and harms in light of all relevant arguments and expert opinion. This guideline provides recommendations on caring for premature neonates with NEC. These recommendations can assist clinicians in their care decisions and can inform families on treatment options and relevant considerations. This guideline will be revised every 5 years to ensure it remains up to date.

• MeSH
• Enteral Nutrition MeSH
• Clinical Decision-Making MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Evidence-Based Medicine MeSH
• Enterocolitis, Necrotizing * surgery   diagnosis   MeSH
• Infant, Premature MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Practice Guideline MeSH
• Systematic Review MeSH
• Geographicals
• Europe MeSH

CONTEXT: Adjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have recently emerged as guideline-recommended treatments of high-risk muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (MIUC). However, there is limited evidence regarding the optimal candidates and the differential efficacy of adjuvant ICI regimens. OBJECTIVE: To synthesize and compare the efficacy and safety of adjuvant ICIs for high-risk MIUC using updated data from phase III randomized controlled trials. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: In April 2024, three databases were searched for eligible randomized controlled trials that evaluated oncologic outcomes in patients with MIUC treated with adjuvant ICIs. Pairwise meta-analysis (MA) and network meta-analyses were performed to compare the hazard ratios of oncological outcomes, including disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events. Subgroup analyses were conducted on the basis of predefined clinicopathological features. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Three randomized controlled trials that assessed the efficacy of adjuvant nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and atezolizumab were included in the MAs and network meta-analyses groups. Pairwise MAs showed that treatment with adjuvant ICIs significantly improved DFS [hazards ratio: 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.66-0.90] as well as OS (hazards ratio: 0.87, 95% CI 0.76-1.00) in patients with MIUC compared with in the placebo/observation group. The DFS benefit was prominent in patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.041) and in those with bladder cancer (P = 0.013) but did not differ across programmed death-ligand 1 and lymph node status. Adjuvant ICI therapy was associated with increased risk of any (OR: 2.98, 95% CI 2.06-4.33) and severe adverse events (OR: 1.78, 95% CI 1.49-2.13). The treatment rankings revealed that pembrolizumab for DFS (84%) and nivolumab for OS (93%) had the highest likelihood of improving survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses demonstrated the DFS and OS benefits of adjuvant ICIs for high-risk MIUC. Furthermore, patients with bladder cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy appeared to be the optimal candidates for adjuvant ICIs regarding prolonged DFS. Adjuvant ICIs are the standard of care for high-risk MIUC, and differential clinical behaviors and efficacy will enrich clinical decision-making.

• MeSH
• Chemotherapy, Adjuvant methods   MeSH
• Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors * therapeutic use   pharmacology   MeSH
• Neoplasm Invasiveness MeSH
• Carcinoma, Transitional Cell drug therapy   pathology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Urinary Bladder Neoplasms drug therapy   pathology   MeSH
• Network Meta-Analysis as Topic MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Meta-Analysis MeSH
• Systematic Review MeSH

INTRODUCTION: Despite national guidelines and use of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP), Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococci (GBS)) is still a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in newborns in Europe and the United States. The European DEVANI (Design of a Vaccine Against Neonatal Infections) program assessed the neonatal GBS infection burden in Europe, the clinical characteristics of colonized women and microbiological data of GBS strains in colonized women and their infants with early-onset disease (EOD). METHODS: Overall, 1083 pregnant women with a GBS-positive culture result from eight European countries were included in the study. Clinical obstetrical information was collected by a standardized questionnaire. GBS strains were characterized by serological and molecular methods. RESULTS: Among GBS carriers included in this study after testing positive for GBS by vaginal or recto-vaginal sampling, 13.4% had at least one additional obstetrical risk factor for EOD. The five most common capsular types (i.e., Ia, Ib, II, III and V) comprised ~ 93% of GBS carried. Of the colonized women, 77.8% received any IAP, and in 49.5% the IAP was considered appropriate. In our cohort, nine neonates presented with GBS early-onset disease (EOD) with significant regional heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: Screening methods and IAP rates need to be harmonized across Europe in order to reduce the rates of EOD. The epidemiological data from eight different European countries provides important information for the development of a successful GBS vaccine.

• MeSH
• Antibiotic Prophylaxis MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Pregnancy Complications, Infectious * epidemiology   microbiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Carrier State epidemiology   microbiology   MeSH
• Streptococcus agalactiae * isolation & purification   classification   MeSH
• Streptococcal Infections * epidemiology   microbiology   prevention & control   MeSH
• Pregnancy MeSH
• Vagina microbiology   MeSH
• Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical statistics & numerical data   prevention & control   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Pregnancy MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Multicenter Study MeSH
• Geographicals
• Europe MeSH

BACKGROUND: Treatment of simple goiter (SG) growing over time with thyroid hormone (TH) therapy is discouraged by international guidelines. PURPOSE: To ascertain views of European thyroid specialists about TH treatment for euthyroid patients with growing SG and explore associations with management choice. METHODS: Online survey on the use of TH for growing SG among thyroid experts from 28 European countries. RESULTS: The response rate was 31.5% (5430/17,247). Most respondents were endocrinologists. Twenty-eight percent asserted that TH therapy may be indicated in euthyroid patients with a growing SG. National and regional differences were noted, from 7% of positive responses in The Netherlands to 78% in Czech Republic (p < 0.0001). TH was more frequently prescribed by respondents over 40 years old (OR 1.77, 2.13, 2.41 if 41-50, 51-60, >60, respectively), and working in areas of former iodine insufficiency (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.03-1.50). TH was less frequently prescribed by endocrinologists (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.62-0.94) and respondents working in Southern Europe (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.33-0.48), Northern Europe (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.22-0.36) and Western Asia (OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.11-0.24) compared to Western Europe. Associations with respondents' sex, country, availability of national thyroid guidelines, and gross national income per capita were absent or weak. CONCLUSIONS: Almost a third of European thyroid specialists support treating SG with TH, contrary to current guidelines and recommendations. This calls for urgent attention.

• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Endocrinologists statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Thyroid Hormones * therapeutic use   MeSH
• Practice Patterns, Physicians' statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
• Goiter * epidemiology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Europe MeSH

BACKGROUND: In patients resuscitated after cardiac arrest, a higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) may increase cerebral perfusion and attenuate hypoxic brain injury. Here we present the protocol of the mean arterial pressure after cardiac arrest and resuscitation (MAP-CARE) trial aiming to investigate the influence of MAP targets on patient outcomes. METHODS: MAP-CARE is one component of the Sedation, Temperature and Pressure after Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation (STEPCARE) 2 x 2 x 2 factorial randomized trial. The MAP-CARE trial is an international, multicenter, parallel-group, investigator-initiated, superiority trial designed to test the hypothesis that targeting a higher (>85 mmHg) (intervention) versus a lower (>65 mmHg) (comparator) MAP after resuscitation from cardiac arrest reduces 6-month mortality (primary outcome). Trial participants are adults with sustained return of spontaneous circulation who are comatose following resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The two other components of the STEPCARE trial evaluate sedation and temperature control strategies. Apart from the STEPCARE trial interventions, all other aspects of general intensive care will be according to the local practices of the participating site. Neurological prognostication will be performed according to European Resuscitation Council and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine guidelines by a physician blinded to allocation group. The sample size of 3500 participants provides 90% power with an alpha of 0.05 to detect a 5.6 absolute risk reduction in 6-month mortality, assuming a mortality of 60% in the control group. Secondary outcomes will be poor functional outcome 6 months after randomization, patient-reported overall health 6 months after randomization, and the proportion of participants with predefined severe adverse events. CONCLUSION: The MAP-CARE trial will investigate if targeting a higher MAP compared to a lower MAP during intensive care of adults who are comatose following resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest reduces 6-month mortality.

• MeSH
• Arterial Pressure * physiology   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Equivalence Trials as Topic MeSH
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation * methods   MeSH
• Coma etiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Multicenter Studies as Topic MeSH
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic MeSH
• Resuscitation * MeSH
• Heart Arrest * therapy   physiopathology   mortality   MeSH
• Treatment Outcome MeSH
• Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest * therapy   physiopathology   mortality   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Clinical Trial Protocol MeSH