Peer review is considered the gold standard of scientific publishing. Trust in the traditional system of editor – blind-reviewer – author is still high, but it’s authority is in decline and alternative methods are on the rise. The current study investigates opinions of alternative peer review methods, the arguments for and against, and the reasons why academics are searching for new approaches. The opinions were analysed by applying qualitative content analysis to online discussions. The findings were interpreted using two different sociological theories: the Mertonian sociology of science and social constructivism. The results of the study show that the most discussed method was also the most traditional one: closed pre-publication peer review comprised of single blind, double-blind and open peer review (non blinded). Discussions of open peer review (both open publishing of reports and open discussions) were also common. All other alternative methods were discussed much less. But the discussions were lively and each method was discussed in both positive and negative terms. The reasons for preferring certain methods were also manifold, but dominant topics were bias and fairness, quality issues (regarding reviews and publications), issues concerning human resources and communication and exchange among people. The results of this study demonstrate that while ethical norms seems to be a scientific ideal, human nature makes it impossible to accomplish this goal.

Introdução: A ressecão hepática é considerada um tratamento potencialmente curativo para metástases hepáticas de câncer colorretal (MHCCR), mas os benefícios a longo prazo oferecidos pela complementação do tratamento com quimioterapia sistêmica não foram completamente comprovados. Existe ganho já bem estabelecido para sobrevida livre de doença com o uso de quimioterapia perioperatória, mas não existe ganho de sobrevida global demonstrado em ensaios clínicos randomizados (ECR). Objetivo: Comparar sobrevida global e livre de doença em pacientes com MHCCR submetidos apenas ao tratamento cirúrgico com intenção curativa com aqueles que além da cirurgia também receberam tratamento complementar com quimioterapia sistêmica, independentemente do regime utilizado. Métodos: Construção de revisão sistemática com meta-análise avaliando estudos publicados entre 1991 e 2013 e que compararam o tratamento cirúrgico isolado ao associado à quimioterapia sistêmica para o tratamento de MHCCR ressecáveis. Os ECR foram avaliados através da ferramenta Cochrane para detecção de viéses, e os estudos observacionais comparativos (EOC) de boa qualidade foram incluídos no processo meta-analítico após terem sido selecionados seguindo a metodologia MINORS (índice metodológico para análise de ensaios clinicos não randomizados). Sobrevidas global e livre de doença foram comparadas utilizando modelos fixos e randômicos de efeitos de tratamento e razão de riscos (RR). Resultados: Na avaliação de sobrevida global foram incluídos 5 estudos (3 ECR e 2 EOC), compreendendo 2475 pacientes, com 1024 pacientes recebendo quimioterapia complementar e apresentando ganho relativo de sobrevida global de 23 % quando comparados com cirurgia isolada (RR 0.77, 95% IC. 0.67 - 0.88, p < 0.001). Quatro estudos reportaram sobrevida livre de doença e foram incluídos nesta análise (3 ECR e 1 EOC) totalizando 1592 pacientes e nestes, o uso de quimioterapia (702 pacientes) também reduziu o risco de recidiva em 29% (RR 0.71, 95% IC 0.61 - 0.83, p < 0.001). Conclusões: Esta revisão sistemática com meta-análise demonstrou que o uso de quimioterapia para pacientes submetidos à hepatectomia com intenção curativa como tratamento de MHCCR é uma estratégia terapêutica que propicia ganho de sobrevida global e livre de doença / Introduction: Hepatic resection is considered a potentially curative treatment for patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). The benefits of the use systemic chemotherapy in these patients have not been proven. It is likely to improve recurrence free-survival (RFS); however, no differences in overall survival (OS) have been demonstrated yet. Objective: Comparison between surgery plus systemic chemotherapy, regardless of the timing of administration, with surgery alone looking for long term outcomes in patients with CRLM who underwent curative-intent liver resection. Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published from January 1991 to December 2013 that compared surgery alone and surgery plus chemotherapy for patients with CRLM who underwent curative-intent liver resection. Randomized clinical trials (RCT\'s) were evaluated by Cochrane risk of bias tool. Selection of high-quality observational comparative studies (OCS) was based on a validated tool (Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies - MINORS). RFS and OS were compared using fixed and random effects model and Hazard Ratio (HR). Results: Concerning OS, 5 studies (3 RCT and 2 OCS), comprising 2475 patients were analyzed and chemotherapy (750 patients) relatively improved OS rates in 23% when compared to surgery alone (HR of 0.77, 95% C.I. 0.67 - 0.88, p < 0.001). Four studies described RFS (3 RCT and 1 OCS), totalizing 1592 patients, and chemotherapy (702 patients) also decreased the risk of recurrence in 29% (HR 0.71, 95% C.I 0.61 - 0.83, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis has demonstrated that the use of chemotherapy for patients with CRLM who underwent curative-intent resection is a worthwhile strategy to improve both RFS and OS

The general aim of this thesis is to describe and analyse the role of primary care in health care systems in terms of health, health care utilisation and costs, and to study the feasibility of retrieval of data from computerised medical records to monitor medical quality. The thesis includes five studies, a systematic literature review, a register study of utilisation of hospital and primary care, a study based on data from computerised medical records of individual patients cost for primary care, and two studies of management of respiratory infections in primary care based on data from computerised medical records of twelve health centres. The general findings of the literature review were that an expansion of the primary care component of the health care system would most likely result in better health, lower hospital care consumption and lower expenses for care. The personal physician and continuity of care were core elements to achieve this, and the significance of the way primary care is organised and funded was evident. In the register study fifty health centres were compared. Age and rates of outpatient hospital visits were the most important factors explaining the variation of rates of hospitalisations between the health centres’ areas. Hospital district also influenced hospitalisation rates in the different health centres’ areas, indicating that the health care structure in the district per se was an important factor. The rates of visits to general practitioners correlated negatively with rates of hospitalisations. The study of costs in primary care showed that the variation in the costs of the individual patients was substantial, also within age groups and within the diagnosis-related Adjusted Clinical Groups (ACG). Age and gender explained a smaller part of the variation in costs per patient in primary care. Adding the ACG weight had a major influence on improving the ability to explain the variation in costs at patient level. The ACG system might be of value in the calculation of weighted capitation in Swedish primary care, but appears to be sensitive to the thoroughness with which physicians register diagnoses. The retrieval of data from computerised medical records comprised a total number of 19 965 encounters for respiratory tract infections i.e. 199 per 1000 inhabitants during the year 2001. Most frequent diagnoses were common cold, acute tonsillitis, and acute bronchitis. The number of antibioticprescriptions was 7 961, accounting for 47% of the episodes. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics were phenoxymethylpenicillin (61%), tetracyclines (18%) and macrolides (8%). A rapid test was performed in 43% of the encounters: for C-reactive protein (CRP) in 31%; for Group A beta-haemolytic streptococci (StrepA) in 22%; and both tests were performed in 10% of the encounters. The findings in the study indicate that StrepA and CRP tests were used too frequently and often with minor contributions to patient management. The frequencies of tests and of antibiotic prescriptions varied greatly between health centres in a way that hardly could be explained by differences in morbidity. Computerised medical records provided a source of clinical information, which might be a feasible and pragmatic method for studying daily practice, and for follow-up of adherence to guidelines in general practice.

Introdução: A ressecão hepática é considerada um tratamento potencialmente curativo para metástases hepáticas de câncer colorretal (MHCCR), mas os benefícios a longo prazo oferecidos pela complementação do tratamento com quimioterapia sistêmica não foram completamente comprovados. Existe ganho já bem estabelecido para sobrevida livre de doença com o uso de quimioterapia perioperatória, mas não existe ganho de sobrevida global demonstrado em ensaios clínicos randomizados (ECR). Objetivo: Comparar sobrevida global e livre de doença em pacientes com MHCCR submetidos apenas ao tratamento cirúrgico com intenção curativa com aqueles que além da cirurgia também receberam tratamento complementar com quimioterapia sistêmica, independentemente do regime utilizado. Métodos: Construção de revisão sistemática com meta-análise avaliando estudos publicados entre 1991 e 2013 e que compararam o tratamento cirúrgico isolado ao associado à quimioterapia sistêmica para o tratamento de MHCCR ressecáveis. Os ECR foram avaliados através da ferramenta Cochrane para detecção de viéses, e os estudos observacionais comparativos (EOC) de boa qualidade foram incluídos no processo meta-analítico após terem sido selecionados seguindo a metodologia MINORS (índice metodológico para análise de ensaios clinicos não randomizados). Sobrevidas global e livre de doença foram comparadas utilizando modelos fixos e randômicos de efeitos de tratamento e razão de riscos (RR). Resultados: Na avaliação de sobrevida global foram incluídos 5 estudos (3 ECR e 2 EOC), compreendendo 2475 pacientes, com 1024 pacientes recebendo quimioterapia complementar e apresentando ganho relativo de sobrevida global de 23 % quando comparados com cirurgia isolada (RR 0.77, 95% IC. 0.67 - 0.88, p < 0.001). Quatro estudos reportaram sobrevida livre de doença e foram incluídos nesta análise (3 ECR e 1 EOC) totalizando 1592 pacientes e nestes, o uso de quimioterapia (702 pacientes) também reduziu o risco de recidiva em 29% (RR 0.71, 95% IC 0.61 - 0.83, p < 0.001). Conclusões: Esta revisão sistemática com meta-análise demonstrou que o uso de quimioterapia para pacientes submetidos à hepatectomia com intenção curativa como tratamento de MHCCR é uma estratégia terapêutica que propicia ganho de sobrevida global e livre de doença / Introduction: Hepatic resection is considered a potentially curative treatment for patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). The benefits of the use systemic chemotherapy in these patients have not been proven. It is likely to improve recurrence free-survival (RFS); however, no differences in overall survival (OS) have been demonstrated yet. Objective: Comparison between surgery plus systemic chemotherapy, regardless of the timing of administration, with surgery alone looking for long term outcomes in patients with CRLM who underwent curative-intent liver resection. Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published from January 1991 to December 2013 that compared surgery alone and surgery plus chemotherapy for patients with CRLM who underwent curative-intent liver resection. Randomized clinical trials (RCT\'s) were evaluated by Cochrane risk of bias tool. Selection of high-quality observational comparative studies (OCS) was based on a validated tool (Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies - MINORS). RFS and OS were compared using fixed and random effects model and Hazard Ratio (HR). Results: Concerning OS, 5 studies (3 RCT and 2 OCS), comprising 2475 patients were analyzed and chemotherapy (750 patients) relatively improved OS rates in 23% when compared to surgery alone (HR of 0.77, 95% C.I. 0.67 - 0.88, p < 0.001). Four studies described RFS (3 RCT and 1 OCS), totalizing 1592 patients, and chemotherapy (702 patients) also decreased the risk of recurrence in 29% (HR 0.71, 95% C.I 0.61 - 0.83, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis has demonstrated that the use of chemotherapy for patients with CRLM who underwent curative-intent resection is a worthwhile strategy to improve both RFS and OS