Smoking is associated with post-operative complications but smokers
often under-report the amount they smoke. Our objective was to determine
whether a urine dipstick test could be used as a substitute for
quantitative cotinine assays to determine smoking status in patients. Between September 2013 and July 2014 we conducted a prospective
cohort study in which 127 consecutive patients undergoing a planned
foot and ankle arthrodesis or osteotomy were included. Patients
self-reported their smoking status and were classified as: ‘never
smoked’ (61 patients), ‘ex-smoker’ (46 patients), or ‘current smoker’ (20
patients). Urine samples were analysed with cotinine assays and
cotinine dipstick tests.Aims
Patients and Methods
The focus on evidence-based medicine has led to calls for increased levels of evidence in surgical journals. The purpose of the present study was to review the levels of evidence in articles published in the foot and ankle literature and to assess changes in the level of evidence over a decade. All articles from the years 2000 and 2010 in Foot and Ankle International, Foot and Ankle Surgery, and all foot and ankle articles from JBJS A and JBJS B were analysed. Animal, cadaveric, basic science, editorials, surveys, letters to Editor and correspondence were excluded. Articles were ranked by a five-point level of evidence scale, according to guidelines from the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine.Background
Methods
