Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Chronic wounds on the leg (below the knee) are called leg ulcers. They have many causes, and thus patients with leg ulcers are treated by many different kinds of medical specialist. Appproximately 80% of sufferers have chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and/or peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). Knowledge of the relevant differential diagnoses is important for appropriate treatment, particularly for patients with atypical findings or an intractable course. ⋯ A timely differential-diagnostic evaluation for the many diseases that can cause leg ulcers, which require treatment from representatives of many different medical specialties and health professions, is a prerequisite for their effective individualized treatment.
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Observational epidemiologic studies often yield different results on the same question. In this article, we explain how this comes about. ⋯ The above reasons why epidemiologic study results can be heterogeneous are explained in this review. Quantitative bias analyses and sensitivity analyses with alternative data evaluation strategies can help explain divergent results on one and the same question.
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The treatment options for patients with progressive malignant tumors despite primary radiotherapy are often limited. In selected cases, re-irradiation can be offered. This article concerns the selection criteria and results of re-irradiation for certain types of cancer. ⋯ Re-irradiation is a treatment option for selected cancer patients. As the available scientific evidence is limited, multidisciplinary collaboration and participatory decision-making are particularly important.