DEUTSCHES �RZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL is a peer-reviewed, weekly, open-access,
internet journal of medicine and public health. It is the international (English)
version of the science section of Deutsches �rzteblatt, the official journal of
the German Medical Association (Bundes�rztekammer) and the National Association
of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Kassen�rztliche Bundesvereinigung).
CHIEF SCIENTIFIC EDITOR: Prof. Dr. Christopher Baethge
DEPUTY SCIENTIFIC EDITOR: Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Welte, Pneumology
EDITORIAL BOARD:
Prof. Dr. Gerhard Adam, Hamburg, Radiology
Prof. Dr. Klaus Berger, Muenster, Epidemiology
Prof. Dr. Wolf Bechstein, Frankfurt / Main, Surgery
Prof. Dr. Ingolf Cascorbi, Kiel, Pharmacology
Prof. Dr. Hans Clusmann, Aachen, Neurosurgery
Prof. Dr. Christoph Correll, Berlin, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Prof. Dr. Marianne Dieterich, Munich, Neurology
Prof. Dr. Andreas Dietz, Leipzig, Otolaryngology
Prof. Dr. Peer Eysel, Cologne, Orthopedics
Prof. Dr. Petra Gastmeier, Berlin, Microbiology, Hygiene
Prof. Dr. Bernd Gerber, Rostock, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Prof. Dr. Marc-Oliver Grimm, Jena, Urology
Prof. Dr. Christian Hagl, Munich, Cardiology
Prof. Dr. Andreas Heinz, Berlin, Psychiatry
Prof. Dr. Thea Koch, Dresden, Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine
Prof. Dr. Markus M. Lerch, Munich, Gastroenterology
Prof. Dr. Dr. Dieter Leyk, Cologne/Koblenz, Sports Medicine
Prof. Dr. Wolf-Dieter Ludwig, Berlin, Hematology, Pharmacology
Prof. Dr. Markus M. N�then, Bonn, Genetics
Prof. Dr. Dennis Nowak, Munich, Occupational Medicine
Prof. Dr. Thomas Reinhard, Freiburg, Ophthamology
Prof. Dr. Markus A. Rothschild, Cologne, Forensic Medicine
Prof. Dr. Antonius Schneider, Munich, Primary Care Medicine
Prof. Dr. Martin Schuler, Essen, Oncology
Prof. Dr. Esther von Stebut-Borschitz, Cologne, Dermatology
Prof. Dr. Andrea Tannapfel, Bochum, Pathology
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Weber, Marburg, Pediatrics and Pediatric Nephrology
Prof. Dr. Andrea Wittig, W�rzburg, Radiation Therapy and Radiation Oncology
Prof. Dr. Tobias Welte, Hannover, Pneumology
Prof. Dr. Dirk Westermann, Bad Krozingen, Cardiology
Prof. Dr. Antonia Zapf, Hamburg, Statistics
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, Deutsches �rzteblatt: Michael Schmedt, responsible in law for overall editorial content
EDITORIAL STAFF: Elke Bartholom�us M.A., Dr. Sandra Goldbeck-Wood, Dr. med. Gunver Sophia Kienle, Catrin Marx, Dr. sc. nat. Stephan Mertens, Dipl.-Biol. Gabriele
Seger, Meike Sewering M.A.
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT: Ralf Brunner, Michael Nardella
ADDRESS OF THE EDITORIAL OFFICES: Dieselstra�e 2, 50859 Cologne, Germany; P.O. Box 40 02 43, 50832 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 (0) 22 34/70 11-1 20; fax: +49 (0) 22 34/70 11-1 42; email: [email protected];
www.aerzteblatt-international.de
The instructions for authors are available at: www.aerzteblatt-international.de/int/forauthors.asp
Articles appearing in DEUTSCHES �RZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL are indexed in the following databases:
Carelit, CINAHL, Compendex,
DOAJ, EMBASE, EMNursing, GEOBASE, HINARI, Index Copernicus, Medline,
Medpilot, PsycINFO, Science Citation Index expanded and Scopus.
Articles represent the views of authors and not necessarily those of the editorial team. Any quoted dosages, indications or applications of treatments, particularly in the case of newly licensed products, must be checked against information supplied by the manufacturer.
DEUTSCHES �RZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL reserves all rights, in particular the right to reproduce, microcopy, save to electronic databases, or translate into other languages, material published therein. Reprints and inclusion in electronic databases is permitted, whether wholly or in part, only with the permission of the publisher. We cannot guarantee to return unsolicited, submitted manuscripts. Submission of material to the editorial team implies agreement to its full or partial publication unless wishes to the contrary are clearly expressed at the time of submission.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER DEUTSCHER �RZTEVERLAG GMBH: Joachim Herbst
BUSINESS MANAGER PUBLISHING GROUP: Marek Hetmann
PUBLISHER: Deutscher �rzte-Verlag GmbH, Dieselstra�e 2, 50859 Cologne, Germany; P.O. Box 40 02 54, 50832 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 (0) 22 34/70 11-0; fax: +49 (0) 22 34/70 11-4 60, www.aerzteblatt.de; email: [email protected]
TAX REFERENCE: USt. IdNr. DE 123474208
PRODUCTION: L. N. Schaffrath DigitalMedien GmbH, Geldern
ISSN 1866-0452
