Objectives: To assess the epidemiology of ALS in Austria and to evaluate the long-term effect of riluzole treatment on survival. Methods: Hospital discharge and riluzole prescription databases were used to identify ALS cases from January 2008 to June 2012. Using the capture-recapture method we evaluated the incidence and prevalence of ALS and patients' survival in dependence of age, gender and riluzole treatment. Results: The corrected incidence and prevalence of ALS were 3.13/100,000 person-years (95% CI, 2.77 to 3.50) and 9.14/100,000 persons (95% CI, 8.53 to 9.79), respectively. Median survival from diagnosis was 676 days (95% CI, 591 to 761). A younger age at diagnosis was associated with a longer survival. Gender did not appear to affect survival time. Riluzole therapy was associated with a survival advantage only for the initial treatment period. The adjusted hazard ratio of mortality for using riluzole increased continually over time resulting in an apparent reversal of its beneficial effect after 6 months of therapy. Conclusions: We report incidence and prevalence estimates that are on the upper end of the wide range discussed in literature. Riluzole seems to exert a beneficial effect only in the first 6 months of therapy.

The results from this study support the notion that the prevalence rate of MG in Austria is rising and near the higher end of the wide range discussed in the literature. Our data argue for the importance of specialist neurological care for the diagnosis of this disease.

All probable cases of meningococcal disease, even those (still) lacking microbiological confirmation, should be reported to the public health authorities as soon as possible, in order to ensure the necessary prompt prophylactic action (e.g., chemoprophylaxis).

Introduction Rates and routes of hysterectomy have implications for quality, costs and training. This study analyzed rates of benign hysterectomy and surgical approaches for benign hysterectomy in Austria from 2002 to 2014. Material and Methods This was a population-based retrospective observational study of coding data from all acute care hospitals (public and private) in Austria. Main outcome measures were numbers of women undergoing hysterectomy for benign indications in Austria per year and the route of hysterectomy for benign indications. Results The number of benign hysterectomies performed per year declined from 10 675 in 2002 to 7747 in 2014, a decline of 27%. The use of vaginal hysterectomy was stable (53% and 47%, respectively). Use of laparoscopic techniques increased (5% in 2002, 32% in 2014) whereas use of abdominal hysterectomy decreased (41% and 20%, respectively). Conclusions Numbers of benign hysterectomies performed per year in Austria declined substantially between 2002 and 2014. Use of vaginal hysterectomy was stable at about 50%, whereas increased use of laparoscopic techniques was associated with lower rates of open hysterectomy.

From 1993 to 2000 in Austria, the notification system registered 2232 cases of hepatitis C whereas 10 607 hospital cases were reported in the hospital discharge register (HDR). These differences can be explained by under–reporting due to lax reporting behaviour and stigma associated with this disease. The distribution of HCV infection varied geographically. The notification data showed the highest incidence rates in Tyrol, while HDR data showed highest hospitalisation rates in Vienna and Lower Austria. This study highlights the urgent need for a clear case definition at the national level and an electronic reporting system.

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Aim To identify effects of 'needs planning' for doctors under contract with statutory health insurance in Austria and in Germany on the evenness of doctors' geographical distribution. Subjects and methods Based on a description of 'needs planning' methods in both countries, the uneven regional distribution of general practitioners (n=59.724), ophthalmologists (n=5.789), otorhinolaryngologists (n=4.326) and urologists (n=2.903) is evaluated at the NUTS-3 level by ascertaining the respective Gini coefficients as well as by presentation of the Lorenz curve and cartographic analysis for ophthalmologists to serve as an example. Results The regional distribution disparity in all four specialities is less pronounced in Germany than in Austria. This difference can be seen most clearly for ophtalmologists (Gini coefficient 0.166 in Germany, 0.226 in Austria). However, a different result is obtained when ratios in Germany are compared with those of the contract specialists in Austria. In this comparison the regional distribution disparity for the general practitioners and otorhinolaryngologists in Germany is more pronounced than for the equivalent contract specialists in Austria. For ophthalmologists and urologists the situation is reversed, the difference for the urologists being the most striking (Gini coefficient 0.177 in Germany, 0.202 in Austria). Conclusion Practice planning for contract statutory health insurance doctors in Austria has an effect on the evenness of geographical distribution similar to that of needs planning in Germany. The role of needs planning in promoting an even geographical distribution of office-based doctors in Germany and Austria thus appears clear.

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