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Selected Publications

Bally-von Passavant, E. D., Joseph, N., Kräutler, N. J., McCarthy-Pontier, D., Lüthi-Corridori, G., Jaun, F., Leuppi, J. D., & Boesing, M. (2025). Burden and Characteristics of RSV-Associated Hospitalizations in Switzerland: A Nationwide Analysis from 2017 to 2023. 17. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17111407

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Selected Projects & Collaborations

COVID-19 – in-hospital course, treatment strategies, and outcome: A Swiss retrospective single-center cohort study

Research Project | 2 Project Members

Ziel dieser Studie ist es, ein besseres Verständnis von Risikofaktoren, protektiven Faktoren, Komplikationen, therapeutischem Nutzen verschiedener Behandlungsstrategien, sowie dem generellen Verlauf von COVID-19 von am KSBL hospitalisierten Patienten zu erlangen. Zu diesem Zweck möchten wir eine umfassende Datenbank mit Daten von Patienten, die am Kantonsspital Baselland (KSBL) während der Pandemie aufgrund von COVID-19 hospitalisiert waren anlegen. Diese Datenbank soll als Grundlage für die explorative retrospektive Untersuchung der o.g. Fragestellungen dienen.
Diese Studie ist eine retrospektive single-center Kohortenstudie. Die Studienpopulation wird definiert durch alle aufgrund von COVID-19 am KSBL hospitalisierten Patienten zwischen Januar 2020 und August 2022. Es sollen keine genetischen Daten oder zusätzliches biologisches Material untersucht werden. Diese Daten sollen zunächst deskriptiv zusammengefasst und dann explorativ analysiert werden.

QUA-DIT - Quality evaluation of hospital care through audits

Research Project | 3 Project Members

Background: The recent increasing complexity in internal medicine and the concurrent demand for improving quality while cutting down resources represent a major challenge for healthcare providers. Disease-specific clinical guidelines for diagnostic and therapeutic management provide support in this demanding situation. However, according to previous studies, guideline adherence is often poor in clinical practice. Clinical audits are a powerful instrument in the evaluation of guideline adherence and can ultimately improve quality of hospital care.
Objectives: With the QUA-DIT project we seek to identify disease-specific areas of in-hospital management where diagnostic and/or therapeutic guideline-adherence is poor. Furthermore, we plan to investigate the effect of guideline-adherence on patient outcome related quality indicators. By establishing a sustainable quality control program addressing these areas, we intend to lay the foundation for the overall improvement of hospital care.
Methods: The QUA-DIT project consists of seven clinically driven audits in typical acute diagnoses in the department of internal medicine at the Cantonal Hospital Baselland. Recent clinical routine data concerning diagnostic workup, treatment, and other measures of care will be collected and descriptively compared to the established national and international disease-specific guidelines. Ultimately, association of guideline-adherence with quality indicators mortality, length of hospital stay, and rehospitalization will be assessed by multivariable regression models. We expect to include data of 2410 patients into our analyses.
Relevance: Establishing a series of clinical audits with the same methodology and the aim to improve quality in different fields of internal medicine is an innovative approach. Based on the audit findings, we plan to implement several measures to achieve improvement in the evidence-based management of our patients. Being transparent about the results with the intention of publication is a way of creating awareness in the internal medicine community and may serve as a motivation for other hospitals to follow the example. The QUA-DIT project represents a significant step for improvement of the overall healthcare system, and ultimately for the health of the population.

POC-HF - Point of care with serial NT-proBNP measurement in patients with acute decompensation of heart failure during hospitalization as a therapy-monitoring: A prospective, unblinded, randomized controlled, pilot trial

Research Project | 4 Project Members

Background and Rationale: Despite important advances in the medical therapy of heart failure (HF), therapy monitoring is still based on signs and symptoms of this syndrome. NT-proBNP was repeatedly demonstrated to be a strong and independent predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients with HF. Only few - and conflicting - data are available on the efficacy of serial measurement of NT-proBNP as a tool for treatment monitoring in HF. In addition, these data are limited to the outpatient setting. Currently, no data are available on the effects of this approach in patients hospitalized for acute decompensated HF. Objective(s): The goal of this study is to explore whether the availability of serial NT-proBNP measurements together with safety parameters such as electrolytes and creatinine may influence treatment decision in patients with acute decompensated heart failure leading to more rapid and faster dose increase of prognostic therapies and earlier hospital discharge. Endpoint(s): Primary endpoint: The effect of therapy monitoring with NT-proBNP on the change of the NT-proBNP at discharge and the dosing of heart failure medication from admission to hospital discharge compared to the control group. Secondary endpoints: Incidence of electrolyte imbalances, renal failure, weight changes, dose and variations made to medical heart failure therapies, QoL, length of hospital stay, adverse events and mortality Inclusion / Exclusion criteria: Inclusion criteria: Informed consent as documented by the patient's signature, history of acute deterioration of signs and symptoms of chronic HF indicating acute decompensated HF (NYHA functional classes II-IV), such as dyspnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, reduced exercise tolerance, fatigue, peripheral edema (lower leg, ankle), elevated jugular venous pressure, displacement of the apical impulse, crackles, wheezing (cardiac asthma), third/fourth heart sound, lung congestion or cardiomegaly in chest x-ray, electrocardiographic abnormalities, and an NT-proBNP >300 pg/ml Exclusion criteria: Age <18 years, NT-proBNP <1200 pg/ml with creatinine clearance <60 ml/min, pregnant or breast feeding women, lack of safe contraception, known or suspected non-compliance, drug or alcohol abuse, inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, psychological disorders, dementia, etc.