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Social and economic background influences survival in intensive care: Research with societal impact

Social and economic background influences survival in intensive care: Research with societal impact

18 August 2026

A large-scale study by researchers from Maastricht UMC+ and Amsterdam UMC demonstrates that lower socioeconomic status (SES) of patients admitted to Dutch intensive care units contributes to worse survival.

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Fatma Karapinar appointed as Professor in Medication Safety

Fatma Karapinar appointed as Professor in Medication Safety

12 August 2026

As of 1 June 2026, Dr Fatma Karapinar has been appointed Professor of Medication Safety at Maastricht University.

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Carim Maastricht
Carim Maastricht

Yannick Nielen

Assistant Professor

Yannick Nielen studied Pharmacy at the University of Groningen and obtained his degree in 2013, following a research internship at the University of Sydney. He subsequently earned his PhD at Maastricht University, conducting research on the relationship between osteoarthritis and diabetes mellitus.

After completing his PhD, he trained as a hospital pharmacist and clinical pharmacologist at Maastricht UMC+ and VieCuri Medical Center. In addition, he completed his epidemiology training in 2025.

Since 2022, Yannick has been working as a hospital pharmacist at Maastricht UMC+, where he combines his clinical responsibilities with scientific research and teaching.

His current research focuses on medication safety, pharmacoepidemiology and data-driven approaches to improving medication use. The focus of his research is the recognition, prevention and management of prescribing cascades. These are situations in which adverse drug reactions are mistaken for new medical conditions and subsequently treated with additional medication. He contributes to projects investigating the real-world occurrence and complexity of prescribing cascades, patient perspectives, and the development and evaluation of tools to support healthcare professionals in identifying and managing these events.In 2026, he obtained ZonMw funding for “Early Detection and Management of Adverse Drug Reactions in Primary Care”, focusing on earlier recognition and reporting of medication-related problems.

An important emerging research line is the use of artificial intelligence and advanced data-driven methods to detect medication-related problems in real-world healthcare data. This includes algorithmic detection of prescribing cascades and the development of approaches for earlier identification of adverse drug reactions and other medication-related problems.

Department of Clinical Pharmacy


  • 2026
    • Spronk, S. H., Nielen, J. T. H., Heier, L., Jessurun, N., Kant, A., & Karapinar-Carkit, F. (2026). Secondary data analysis of Adverse Drug Reactions reported by healthcare professionals and patients: interventions to manage ADRs of ACE inhibitors and ARBs. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 82(6), Article 162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-026-04088-6
  • 2025
    • Werkman, N. C. C., Nielen, J. T. H., Tapia-Galisteo, J., Somolinos-Simon, F. J., Hernando, M. E., Wang, J., Jiu, L., Goettsch, W. G., Bosma, H., Schram, M. T., van Greevenbroek, M. M. J., Wesselius, A., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Driessen, J. H. M., & Garcia-Saez, G. (2025). Prediction of glycaemic control and quality of life in people with type 2 diabetes using glucose-lowering drugs with machine learning-The Maastricht study. Diabetes Obesity & Metabolism, 27(10), 5524-5537. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.16598
    • Nielen, J. T. H., van der Walle, K., Spronk, S., Magdelijns, F., Denig, P., & Karapinar, F. (2025). Real-World Complexity of Prescribing Cascades. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, 137(1), Article e70063. https://doi.org/10.1111/bcpt.70063
  • 2024
    • Werkman, N. C. C., Driessen, J. H. M., Klungel, O. H., Schaper, N. S., Souverein, P. C., Stehouwer, C. D. A., & Nielen, J. T. H. (2024). Incretin-based therapy and the risk of diabetic foot ulcers and related events. Diabetes Obesity & Metabolism, 26(9), 3764-3780. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.15721
    • Werkman, N. C. C., García-Sáez, G., Nielen, J. T. H., Tapia-Galisteo, J., Somolinos-Simón, F. J., Hernando, M. E., Wang, J., Jiu, L., Goettsch, W. G., van der Kallen, C. J. H., Koster, A., Schalkwijk, C. G., de Vries, H., de Vries, N. K., Eussen, S. J. P. M., Driessen, J. H. M., & Stehouwer, C. D. A. (2024). Disease severity-based subgrouping of type 2 diabetes does not parallel differences in quality of life: the Maastricht Study. Diabetologia, 67(4), 690-702. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-023-06082-4
  • 2023
    • Werkman, N. C. C., Driessen, J. H. M., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Vestergaard, P., Schaper, N. C., van den Bergh, J. P., & Nielen, J. T. H. (2023). The use of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists versus sulfonylureas and the risk of lower limb amputations: a nation-wide cohort study. Cardiovascular Diabetology, 22(1), Article 160. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12933-023-01897-2
  • 2022
    • Clemmensen, K. K. B., Koster, A., Nielen, J. T. H., Dagnelie, P. C., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Bosma, H., Wesselius, A., Færch, K., & Eussen, S. J. P. M. (2022). Role of weekday variation on glucose, insulin, and triglyceride: A cross-sectional analysis from The Maastricht Study. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 107(8), E3145-E3151. https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgac286
    • Røikjer, J., Werkman, N. C. C., Ejskjaer, N., van den Bergh, J. P. W., Vestergaard, P., Schaper, N. C., Jensen, M. H., Klungel, O., de Vries, F., Nielen, J. T. H., & Driessen, J. H. M. (2022). Incidence, hospitalization and mortality and their changes over time in people with a first ever diabetic foot ulcer. Diabetic Medicine, 39(4), Article e14725. https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.14725
  • 2021
    • van Veelen, A., Nielen, J. T. H., van Geel, R., & Croes, S. (2021). Comment on “Hydrochlorothiazide use and risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer: A nationwide case–control study from Denmark”. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 85(6), E357-E357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2019.01.087
    • Werkman, N. C. C., Nielen, J. T. H., van den Bergh, J. P. W., Ejskjaer, N., Røikjer, J., Schaper, N. C., Rossi, B., Klungel, O., Vestergaard, P., de Vries, F., & Driessen, J. H. M. (2021). Use of Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter-2-Inhibitors (SGLT2-Is) and Risk of Lower Limb Amputation. Current Drug Safety, 16(1), 62-72. https://doi.org/10.2174/1574886315666200805103053
  • 2020
    • van Durme, C., Spaetgens, B., Driessen, J., Nielen, J., Sastry, M., Boonen, A., & de Vries, F. (2020). Obstructive sleep apnea and the risk of gout: a population-based case-control study. Arthritis Research & Therapy, 22(1), Article 92. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13075-020-02176-1
    • Nielen, J. T. H., Driessen, J. H. M., Dagnelie, P. C., Boonen, A., van den Bemt, B., van Onzenoort, H. A. W., Neef, C., Henry, R. M. A., Burden, A. M., Sep, S. J. S., van der Kallen, C. J., Schram, M. T., Schaper, N., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Smits, L., & de Vries, F. (2020). Drug utilization in the Maastricht Study: A comparison with nationwide data. Medicine, 99(1), Article 18524. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000018524
  • 2019
    • Denissen, K. F. M., Boonen, A., Nielen, J. T. H., Feitsma, A. L., van den Heuvel, E. G. H. M., Emans, P. J., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Sep, S. J. S., van Dongen, M. C. J. M., Dagnelie, P. C., & Eussen, S. J. P. M. (2019). Consumption of dairy products in relation to the presence of clinical knee osteoarthritis: The Maastricht Study. European Journal of Nutrition, 58(7), 2693-2704. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-018-1818-7
    • Nielen, J. T. H., Dagnelie, P. C., Boonen, A., Klungel, O., van den Bemt, B., & de Vries, F. (2019). Impact of the definition of osteoarthritis and of the timing of its onset on the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and osteoarthritis: Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 148, 240-248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2019.01.021
    • Nielen, J. T. H., de Vries, F., van der Velde, J. H. P. M., Savelberg, H. H. C. M., Schaper, N. C., Dagnelie, P. C., Henry, R. M. A., Schram, M., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Boonen, A., Koster, A., & van den Bemt, B. J. F. (2019). The Association Between β-Blocker Use and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: The Maastricht Study. Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 24(1), 37-45. https://doi.org/10.1177/1074248418778551
  • 2018
    • Nielen, J. T. H., Emans, P. J., van den Bemt, B., Dagnelie, P. C., Schram, M. T., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Schaper, N. C., Denissen, K. F. M., de Vries, F., & Boonen, A. (2018). Association of type 2 diabetes mellitus with self-reported knee pain and clinical knee osteoarthritis: The Maastricht Study. Diabetes & Metabolism, 44(3), 296-299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabet.2018.01.013
    • Keyany, A., Nielen, J. T. H., Souverein, P. C., de Vries, F., & van den Bemt, B. (2018). Use of parenteral glucocorticoids and the risk of new onset type 2 diabetes mellitus: A case-control study. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 139, 100-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2018.02.010
    • Nielen, J. T. H., Boonen, A., Dagnelie, P. C., van den Bemt, B. J. F., Emans, P. J., Lafeber, F. P. J. G., van Spil, W. E., de Vries, F., & Welsing, P. M. J. (2018). Disease burden of knee osteoarthritis patients with a joint replacement compared to matched controls: a population-based analysis of a Dutch medical claims database. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 26(2), 202-210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2017.11.012
  • 2016
    • Nielen, J. T. H., Dagnelie, P. C., Emans, P., Veldhorst-Janssen, N., Lalmohamed, A., van Staa, T.-P., Boonen, A., van den Bemt, B., & de Vries, F. (2016). Safety and efficacy of new oral anticoagulants and low-molecular-weight heparins compared with aspirin in patients undergoing total knee and hip replacements. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 25(11), 1245-1252. https://doi.org/10.1002/pds.4089
    • de Jong, R. G. P. J., Nielen, Y., Masclee, A. A. M., Janssen-Heijnen, M. L. G., & de Vries, F. (2016). Comments on "Use of metformin and risk of kidney cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes", Chin-Hsiao Tseng, Eur J Cancer, 2016, No. 52, pp. 19-25. European Journal of Cancer, 61, 157-158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejca.2016.03.065
    • Nielen, Y., Oshagbemi Ayodele, F., de Vries, F., & Burden, A. M. (2016). Effects of colchicine on risk of cardiovascular events and mortality among patients with gout: the effect of index date selection?Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 75(5), E26-E26. https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-209224
    • Nielen, J. T. H., Emans, P. J., Dagnelie, P. C., Boonen, A., Lalmohamed, A., de Boer, A., van den Bemt, B. J. F., & de Vries, F. (2016). Severity of Diabetes Mellitus and Total Hip or Knee Replacement A Population-Based Case-Control Study. Medicine, 95(20), Article e3739. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000003739
    • Nielen, J. T., de Vries, F., Dagnelie, P. C., van den Bemt, B. J., Emans, P. J., Lalmohamed, A., de Boer, A., & Boonen, A. E. (2016). Use of thiazolidinediones and the risk of elective hip or knee replacement: a population based case-control study. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 81(2), 370-378. https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.12786
  • 2015
    • Pont, L. G., Nielen, J. T. H., McLachlan, A. J., Gnijdic, D., Chan, L., Cumming, R. G., & Taxis, K. (2015). Measuring anticholinergic drug exposure in older community-dwelling Australian men: a comparison of four different measures. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 80(5), 1169-1175. https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.12670
    • Nielen, J. T. H., & Burden, A. M. (2015). Cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric risks of varenicline: too good to be true?The Lancet Respiratory medicine, 3(12), e38-e39. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(15)00467-1
    • Nielen, J. T. H., van den Bemt, B. J. F., Boonen, A., Dagnelie, P. C., Emans, P. J., Veldhorst, N., Lalmohamed, A., van Staa, T. P., & de Vries, F. (2015). Identification of antithrombotic drugs related to total joint replacement using anonymised free-text notes: a search strategy in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. BMJ Open, 5(11), Article e009017. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009017
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