Paul Hakendorf

Scleroderma in South Australia: epidemiological observations of possible pathogenic significance

Background: Scleroderma is an autoimmune disorder of unknown cause. Previous epidemiological studies have suggested some regional clustering and associations with occupations involving exposure to silica dusts and hydrocarbons.

South Australian Scleroderma Register: autoantibodies as predictive biomarkers of phenotype and outcome

Aim:  To investigate the relationship between scleroderma‐specific autoantibodies and clinical phenotype and survival in South Australian patients with scleroderma.

Survival in scleroderma: results from the population‐based South Australian Register

Aim:  To ascertain the mortality risk and investigate clinical and serological factors influencing survival of patients listed on the South Australian Scleroderma Register (SASR).

Incidence and prevalence of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies in South Australia: a 30-year epidemiologic study of histology-proven cases

Aim:  To describe the epidemiology of biopsy‐proven idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) in South Australia (SA).

Scleroderma in South Australia: further epidemiological observations supporting a stochastic explanation

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, prevalence, survival and selective demographic characteristics of scleroderma occurring in South Australia over the 10‐year period 1993–2002.

Mortality and its predominant causes in a large cohort of patients with biopsy-determined inflammatory myositis.

Background:  There is a paucity of literature on the patterns and predictors of mortality in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM).

Interpretation of an Extended Autoantibody Profile in a Well-Characterized Australian Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma) Cohort Using Principal Components Analysis

To determine the relationships between systemic sclerosis (SSc)–related autoantibodies, as well as their clinical associations, in a well‐characterized Australian patient cohort.

Characteristics and outcomes of discharges against medical advice among hospitalised patients

Discharge against medical advice (DAMA) occurs when an in‐patient chooses to leave the hospital before discharge is recommended by the treating clinicians. The long‐term outcomes of patients who DAMA are not well documented.

Medication prescription among elderly patients admitted through an acute assessment unit

Aim:  This study assessed medication use patterns and polypharmacy in patients who were admitted through an acute assessment unit (AAU) and stratified results according to patient age. This study also examined risk factors associated with polypharmacy and consequences of polypharmacy, namely prescription writing errors, drug–drug interaction and geriatric syndrome.

Adhesional small bowel obstruction after colorectal surgery

Background:  Acute clinical indicators of complications in colorectal surgery can be readily attained but it is much harder to gather indicators of long‐term outcomes such as small bowel obstruction (SBO). However, with improved in‐hospital data collection and coding such information is becoming available. The aim of the present study was to examine our own hospital database for SBO rates post‐colorectal surgery.