European guidelines for quality assurance in colorectal cancer screening and diagnosis: Overview and introduction to the full Supplement publication
Population-based screening for early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) and precursor lesions, using evidence-based methods, can be effective in populations with a significant burden of the disease provided the services are of high quality. Multidisciplinary, evidence-based guidelines for quality assurance in CRC screening and diagnosis have been developed by experts in a project co-financed by the European Union. The 450-page guidelines were published in book format by the European Commission in 2010. They include 10 chapters and over 250 recommendations, individually graded according to the strength of the recommendation and the supporting evidence. Adoption of the recomme…
EAN/ERS/ESO/ESRS statement on the impact of sleep disorders on risk and outcome of stroke.
BACKGROUND Sleep disorders are highly prevalent in the general population and may be linked in a bidirectional fashion to stroke, which is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. AIM Four major scientific societies established a task force of experts in neurology, stroke, respiratory medicine, sleep medicine and methodology to critically evaluate the evidence regarding potential links and the impact of therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirteen research questions were evaluated in a systematic literature search using a stepwise hierarchical approach: first, systematic reviews and meta-analyses; second, primary studies post-dating the systematic reviews/meta-analyses. A total of 4…