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Seeley A, Glogowska M, Hayward G. How do primary care clinicians approach the management of frailty? A qualitative interview study. Age Ageing 2024; 53:afae093. [PMID: 38706395 DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afae093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Around 15% of adults aged over 65 live with moderate or severe frailty. Contractual requirements for management of frailty are minimal and neither incentivised nor reinforced. Previous research has shown frailty identification in primary care is ad hoc and opportunistic, but there has been little focus on the challenges of frailty management, particularly within the context of recent introduction of primary care networks and an expanding allied health professional workforce. AIM Explore the views of primary care clinicians in England on the management of frailty. DESIGN AND SETTING Semi-structured interviews were conducted with clinicians across England, including general practitioners (GPs), physician associates, nurse practitioners, paramedics and clinical pharmacists. Thematic analysis was facilitated through NVivo (Version 12). RESULTS A total of 31 clinicians participated. Frailty management was viewed as complex and outside of clinical guidelines with medication optimisation highlighted as a key example. Senior clinicians, particularly experienced GPs, were more comfortable with managing risk. Relational care was important in prioritising patient wishes and autonomy, for instance to remain at home despite deteriorations in health. In settings where more formalised multidisciplinary frailty services had been established this was viewed as successful by clinicians involved. CONCLUSION Primary care clinicians perceive frailty as best managed through trusted relationships with patients, and with support from experienced clinicians. New multidisciplinary working in primary care could enhance frailty services, but must keep continuity in mind. There is a lack of evidence or guidance for specific interventions or management approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Seeley
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care and Health Sciences, University of Oxford
| | - Margaret Glogowska
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care and Health Sciences, University of Oxford
| | - Gail Hayward
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care and Health Sciences, University of Oxford
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Hall JA, Wilkinson K, Haddon C, Barrett G. How, when, and who should ask about pregnancy intentions in primary care? A qualitative study of women's preferences. Fam Pract 2024; 41:131-138. [PMID: 38124485 PMCID: PMC11017777 DOI: 10.1093/fampra/cmad114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND For health services to help people plan for or prevent pregnancy, health professionals need an acceptable way to identify individuals' preferences. OBJECTIVE To assess women's views on the acceptability of specific questions about pregnancy preferences when asked by health professionals in a variety of primary care contexts. METHODS One-to-one in-depth interviews with 13 women aged 18-48 from across the UK, involving role-play scenarios and ranking exercises. Interviews covered a range of settings and health professionals, different question wording, and ways of asking (in person or digitally). We conducted a thematic Framework Analysis, focussing on themes relating to feelings and preferences. RESULTS Women were generally open to being asked about pregnancy preferences if they understood the rationale, it was asked in a relevant context, such as in women's health-related consultations, and there was follow-up. After signposting, an open question, such as 'How would you feel about having a baby in the next year?' was preferred in a face-to-face context as it enabled discussion. While some women valued a face-to-face discussion with a health professional, for others the privacy and convenience of a digital option was preferred; methods should be tailored to the target population. CONCLUSION Discussion of pregnancy preferences via a range of formats is acceptable to, and valued by, women in the UK across a range of primary care settings. Acceptability to health professionals and feasibility of implementation needs further exploration and would benefit from greater public awareness of the benefits of pregnancy planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Hall
- UCL EGA Institute for Women’s Health, Reproductive Health Research Department, Sexual and Reproductive Health Research Team, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Geraldine Barrett
- UCL EGA Institute for Women’s Health, Reproductive Health Research Department, Sexual and Reproductive Health Research Team, London, United Kingdom
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Ren S, Ren S, Welton NJ, Strong M. Advancing unanchored simulated treatment comparisons: A novel implementation and simulation study. Res Synth Methods 2024. [PMID: 38590103 DOI: 10.1002/jrsm.1718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Population-adjusted indirect comparisons, developed in the 2010s, enable comparisons between two treatments in different studies by balancing patient characteristics in the case where individual patient-level data (IPD) are available for only one study. Health technology assessment (HTA) bodies increasingly rely on these methods to inform funding decisions, typically using unanchored indirect comparisons (i.e., without a common comparator), due to the need to evaluate comparative efficacy and safety for single-arm trials. Unanchored matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) and unanchored simulated treatment comparison (STC) are currently the only two approaches available for population-adjusted indirect comparisons based on single-arm trials. However, there is a notable underutilisation of unanchored STC in HTA, largely due to a lack of understanding of its implementation. We therefore develop a novel way to implement unanchored STC by incorporating standardisation/marginalisation and the NORmal To Anything (NORTA) algorithm for sampling covariates. This methodology aims to derive a suitable marginal treatment effect without aggregation bias for HTA evaluations. We use a non-parametric bootstrap and propose separately calculating the standard error for the IPD study and the comparator study to ensure the appropriate quantification of the uncertainty associated with the estimated treatment effect. The performance of our proposed unanchored STC approach is evaluated through a comprehensive simulation study focused on binary outcomes. Our findings demonstrate that the proposed approach is asymptotically unbiased. We argue that unanchored STC should be considered when conducting unanchored indirect comparisons with single-arm studies, presenting a robust approach for HTA decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijie Ren
- School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sa Ren
- School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Nicky J Welton
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Mark Strong
- School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Belder CRS, Marshall CR, Jiang J, Mazzeo S, Chokesuwattanaskul A, Rohrer JD, Volkmer A, Hardy CJD, Warren JD. Primary progressive aphasia: six questions in search of an answer. J Neurol 2024; 271:1028-1046. [PMID: 37906327 PMCID: PMC10827918 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-12030-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Here, we review recent progress in the diagnosis and management of primary progressive aphasia-the language-led dementias. We pose six key unanswered questions that challenge current assumptions and highlight the unresolved difficulties that surround these diseases. How many syndromes of primary progressive aphasia are there-and is syndromic diagnosis even useful? Are these truly 'language-led' dementias? How can we diagnose (and track) primary progressive aphasia better? Can brain pathology be predicted in these diseases? What is their core pathophysiology? In addition, how can primary progressive aphasia best be treated? We propose that pathophysiological mechanisms linking proteinopathies to phenotypes may help resolve the clinical complexity of primary progressive aphasia, and may suggest novel diagnostic tools and markers and guide the deployment of effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R S Belder
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, 8 - 11 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Charles R Marshall
- Preventive Neurology Unit, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Jessica Jiang
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, 8 - 11 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Salvatore Mazzeo
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, 8 - 11 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Italy
| | - Anthipa Chokesuwattanaskul
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, 8 - 11 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand
- Cognitive Clinical and Computational Neuroscience Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jonathan D Rohrer
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, 8 - 11 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Anna Volkmer
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, 8 - 11 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Chris J D Hardy
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, 8 - 11 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Jason D Warren
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, 8 - 11 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
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Simcock IC, Shelmerdine SC, Hutchinson JC, Sebire NJ, Arthurs OJ. Body weight-based iodinated contrast immersion timing for human fetal postmortem microfocus computed tomography. BJR Open 2024; 6:tzad006. [PMID: 38352185 PMCID: PMC10860501 DOI: 10.1093/bjro/tzad006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the length of time required to achieve full iodination using potassium tri-iodide as a contrast agent, prior to human fetal postmortem microfocus computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging. Methods Prospective assessment of optimal contrast iodination was conducted across 157 human fetuses (postmortem weight range 2-298 g; gestational age range 12-37 weeks), following micro-CT imaging. Simple linear regression was conducted to analyse which fetal demographic factors could produce the most accurate estimate for optimal iodination time. Results Postmortem body weight (r2 = 0.6435) was better correlated with iodination time than gestational age (r2 = 0.1384), producing a line of best fit, y = [0.0304 × body weight (g)] - 2.2103. This can be simplified for clinical use whereby immersion time (days) = [0.03 × body weight (g)] - 2.2. Using this formula, for example, a 100-g fetus would take 5.2 days to reach optimal contrast enhancement. Conclusions The simplified equation can now be used to provide estimation times for fetal contrast preparation time prior to micro-CT imaging and can be used to manage service throughput and parental expectation for return of their fetus. Advances in knowledge A simple equation from empirical data can now be used to estimate preparation time for human fetal postmortem micro-CT imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian C Simcock
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom
| | - Susan C Shelmerdine
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom
| | - John Ciaran Hutchinson
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom
- Department of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom
| | - Neil J Sebire
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom
- Department of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom
| | - Owen J Arthurs
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, United Kingdom
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom
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Cong W, Cheng HY, Stuart B, Liu B, Tang Y, Wang Y, AIhusein N, Wang H, Manchundiya A, Lambert H. Prevalence of antibiotic prescribing in COVID-19 patients in China and other low- and middle-income countries during the pandemic (December 2019-March 2021): a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Antimicrob Chemother 2023; 78:2787-2794. [PMID: 37883697 PMCID: PMC10689912 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkad302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are particularly vulnerable to the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Use of antibiotics to treat COVID-19 patients during the pandemic may have contributed to increasing the AMR burden, but systematic evidence is lacking. METHODS We searched Web of Science, EMBASE, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and VIP databases from 1 December 2019 to 31 March 2021. Interventional and observation studies across all settings that reported antibiotic use in at least 10 COVID-19 patients were included. We restricted publications to English and Chinese languages. Screening and data extraction were undertaken by at least two independent reviewers. Results were synthesized using random-effects meta-analyses. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were used to explore heterogeneities. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021288291). RESULTS We included 284 studies involving 210 611 participants in 19 countries. The antibiotic prescribing rates (APRs) in COVID-19 inpatients were 71.7% (95% CI 66.7%-76.5%) in China and 86.5% (77.1%-93.9%) in other LMICs, respectively. APR was lower in mild/moderate cases in China [66.9% (57.9%-75.4%) compared with 91.8% (71.4%-100%) in other LMICs]. High APRs were found among pregnant women and the elderly in China. Disparities in APRs of other patient groups were identified. In studies reporting bacterial infections, the prevalence was 17.3% (10.0%-25.9%) in China and 24.9% (0.1%-68.8%) in other LMICs. Several antibiotics on the WHO 'Watch' and 'Reserve' lists were prescribed frequently in LMICs. CONCLUSIONS Inappropriate antibiotic use and high prevalence of antibiotic prescribing were found in COVID-19 inpatients in many LMICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjuan Cong
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Hung-Yuan Cheng
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Beth Stuart
- Centre for Evaluation and Methods, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Yvonne Carter Building, 58 Turner Street, London E1 2AB, UK
| | - Binjuan Liu
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Yunyi Tang
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Yi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, 130 Dongan Road, Shanghai 200243, China
| | - Nour AIhusein
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Hexing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, 130 Dongan Road, Shanghai 200243, China
| | - Amit Manchundiya
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Helen Lambert
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
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7
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Jiang J, Johnson JCS, Requena-Komuro MC, Benhamou E, Sivasathiaseelan H, Chokesuwattanaskul A, Nelson A, Nortley R, Weil RS, Volkmer A, Marshall CR, Bamiou DE, Warren JD, Hardy CJD. Comprehension of acoustically degraded speech in Alzheimer's disease and primary progressive aphasia. Brain 2023; 146:4065-4076. [PMID: 37184986 PMCID: PMC10545509 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Successful communication in daily life depends on accurate decoding of speech signals that are acoustically degraded by challenging listening conditions. This process presents the brain with a demanding computational task that is vulnerable to neurodegenerative pathologies. However, despite recent intense interest in the link between hearing impairment and dementia, comprehension of acoustically degraded speech in these diseases has been little studied. Here we addressed this issue in a cohort of 19 patients with typical Alzheimer's disease and 30 patients representing the three canonical syndromes of primary progressive aphasia (non-fluent/agrammatic variant primary progressive aphasia; semantic variant primary progressive aphasia; logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia), compared to 25 healthy age-matched controls. As a paradigm for the acoustically degraded speech signals of daily life, we used noise-vocoding: synthetic division of the speech signal into frequency channels constituted from amplitude-modulated white noise, such that fewer channels convey less spectrotemporal detail thereby reducing intelligibility. We investigated the impact of noise-vocoding on recognition of spoken three-digit numbers and used psychometric modelling to ascertain the threshold number of noise-vocoding channels required for 50% intelligibility by each participant. Associations of noise-vocoded speech intelligibility threshold with general demographic, clinical and neuropsychological characteristics and regional grey matter volume (defined by voxel-based morphometry of patients' brain images) were also assessed. Mean noise-vocoded speech intelligibility threshold was significantly higher in all patient groups than healthy controls, and significantly higher in Alzheimer's disease and logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia than semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (all P < 0.05). In a receiver operating characteristic analysis, vocoded intelligibility threshold discriminated Alzheimer's disease, non-fluent variant and logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia patients very well from healthy controls. Further, this central hearing measure correlated with overall disease severity but not with peripheral hearing or clear speech perception. Neuroanatomically, after correcting for multiple voxel-wise comparisons in predefined regions of interest, impaired noise-vocoded speech comprehension across syndromes was significantly associated (P < 0.05) with atrophy of left planum temporale, angular gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus: a cortical network that has previously been widely implicated in processing degraded speech signals. Our findings suggest that the comprehension of acoustically altered speech captures an auditory brain process relevant to daily hearing and communication in major dementia syndromes, with novel diagnostic and therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Jiang
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Jeremy C S Johnson
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Maï-Carmen Requena-Komuro
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
- Kidney Cancer Program, UT Southwestern Medical Centre, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Elia Benhamou
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Harri Sivasathiaseelan
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Anthipa Chokesuwattanaskul
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
- Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Annabel Nelson
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Ross Nortley
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
- Wexham Park Hospital, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, Slough SL2 4HL, UK
| | - Rimona S Weil
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Anna Volkmer
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London WC1H 0AP, UK
| | - Charles R Marshall
- Preventive Neurology Unit, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Doris-Eva Bamiou
- UCL Ear Institute and UCL/UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, National Institute of Health Research, University College London, London WC1X 8EE, UK
| | - Jason D Warren
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Chris J D Hardy
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK
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Chung R, Xu Z, Arnold M, Stevens D, Keogh R, Barrett J, Harrison H, Pennells L, Kim LG, DiAngelantonio E, Paige E, Usher-Smith JA, Wood AM. Prioritising cardiovascular disease risk assessment to high risk individuals based on primary care records. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292240. [PMID: 37773956 PMCID: PMC10540947 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To provide quantitative evidence for systematically prioritising individuals for full formal cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment using primary care records with a novel tool (eHEART) with age- and sex- specific risk thresholds. METHODS AND ANALYSIS eHEART was derived using landmark Cox models for incident CVD with repeated measures of conventional CVD risk predictors in 1,642,498 individuals from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Using 119,137 individuals from UK Biobank, we modelled the implications of initiating guideline-recommended statin therapy using eHEART with age- and sex-specific prioritisation thresholds corresponding to 5% false negative rates to prioritise adults aged 40-69 years in a population in England for invitation to a formal CVD risk assessment. RESULTS Formal CVD risk assessment on all adults would identify 76% and 49% of future CVD events amongst men and women respectively, and 93 (95% CI: 90, 95) men and 279 (95% CI: 259, 297) women would need to be screened (NNS) to prevent one CVD event. In contrast, if eHEART was first used to prioritise individuals for formal CVD risk assessment, we would identify 73% and 47% of future events amongst men and women respectively, and a NNS of 75 (95% CI: 72, 77) men and 162 (95% CI: 150, 172) women. Replacing the age- and sex-specific prioritisation thresholds with a 10% threshold identify around 10% less events. CONCLUSIONS The use of prioritisation tools with age- and sex-specific thresholds could lead to more efficient CVD assessment programmes with only small reductions in effectiveness at preventing new CVD events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Chung
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Zhe Xu
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Arnold
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David Stevens
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Keogh
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jessica Barrett
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah Harrison
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa Pennells
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Lois G. Kim
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and Behaviour, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Emanuele DiAngelantonio
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and Behaviour, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Health Data Research UK Cambridge, Wellcome Genome Campus and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Health Data Science Research Centre, Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
| | - Ellie Paige
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Juliet A. Usher-Smith
- Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Angela M. Wood
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and Behaviour, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Health Data Research UK Cambridge, Wellcome Genome Campus and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cambridge Centre of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Keast T, McErlane J, Kearns R, McKinlay S, Raju I, Watson M, Robertson KE, Berry C, Greenlaw N, Ackland G, McCall P, Shelley B. Study protocol for IMPRoVE: a multicentre prospective observational cohort study of the incidence, impact and mechanisms of perioperative right ventricular dysfunction in non-cardiac surgery. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e074687. [PMID: 37673452 PMCID: PMC10496661 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-074687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Perioperative myocardial injury evidenced by elevated cardiac biomarkers (both natriuretic peptides and troponin) is common after major non-cardiac surgery. However, it is unclear if the rise in cardiac biomarkers represents global or more localised cardiac injury. We have previously shown isolated right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in patients following lung resection surgery, with no change in left ventricular (LV) function. Given that perioperative RV dysfunction (RVD) can manifest insidiously, we hypothesise there may be a substantial burden of covert yet clinically important perioperative RVD in other major non-cardiac surgical groups. The Incidence, impact and Mechanisms of Perioperative Right VEntricular dysfunction (IMPRoVE) study has been designed to address this knowledge gap. METHODS AND ANALYSIS A multicentre prospective observational cohort study across four centres in the West of Scotland and London. One hundred and seventy-five patients will be recruited from five surgical specialties: thoracic, upper gastrointestinal, vascular, colorectal and orthopaedic surgery (35 patients from each group). All patients will undergo preoperative and postoperative (day 2-4) echocardiography, with contemporaneous cardiac biomarker testing. Ten patients from each surgical specialty (50 patients in total) will undergo T1-cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging preoperatively and postoperatively. The coprimary outcomes are the incidence of perioperative RVD (diagnosed by RV speckle tracking echocardiography) and the effect that RVD has on days alive and at home at 30 days postoperatively. Secondary outcomes include LV dysfunction and clinical outcomes informed by Standardised Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine consensus definitions. T1 CMR will be used to investigate for imaging correlates of myocardial inflammation as a possible mechanism driving perioperative RVD. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Approval was gained from Oxford C Research Ethics Committee (REC reference 22/SC/0442). Findings will be disseminated by various methods including social media, international presentations and publication in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT05827315.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Keast
- Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Peri-operative Medicine Research Group, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Department of Anaesthesia, Golden National Jubilee Hospital, Clydebank, UK
| | - James McErlane
- Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Peri-operative Medicine Research Group, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Department of Anaesthesia, Golden National Jubilee Hospital, Clydebank, UK
| | - Rachel Kearns
- Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Peri-operative Medicine Research Group, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Department of Anaesthesia, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK
| | - Sonya McKinlay
- Department of Anaesthesia, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK
| | - Indran Raju
- Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK
| | - Malcolm Watson
- Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK
| | - Keith E Robertson
- Golden Jubilee National Hospital West of Scotland Regional Heart and Lung Centre, Clydebank, UK
| | - Colin Berry
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Nicola Greenlaw
- Robertson Centre for Biostatistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Gareth Ackland
- Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Barts Health NHS Trust, Royal London Hospital, London, UK
| | - Philip McCall
- Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Peri-operative Medicine Research Group, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Department of Anaesthesia, Golden National Jubilee Hospital, Clydebank, UK
| | - Benjamin Shelley
- Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Peri-operative Medicine Research Group, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Department of Anaesthesia, Golden National Jubilee Hospital, Clydebank, UK
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Alwan NA, Clutterbuck D, Pantelic M, Hayer J, Fisher L, Hishmeh L, Heightman M, Allsopp G, Wootton D, Khan A, Hastie C, Jackson M, Rayner C, Brown D, Parrett E, Jones G, Smith K, Clarke R, Mcfarland S, Gabbay M, Banerjee A. Long Covid active case finding study protocol: A co-produced community-based pilot within the STIMULATE-ICP study (Symptoms, Trajectory, Inequalities and Management: Understanding Long-COVID to Address and Transform Existing Integrated Care Pathways). PLoS One 2023; 18:e0284297. [PMID: 37471432 PMCID: PMC10358953 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Long Covid is a significant public health concern with potentially negative implications for health inequalities. We know that those who are already socially disadvantaged in society are more exposed to COVID-19, experience the worst health outcomes and are more likely to suffer economically. We also know that these groups are more likely to experience stigma and have negative healthcare experiences even before the pandemic. However, little is known about disadvantaged groups' experiences of Long Covid, and preliminary evidence suggests they may be under-represented in those who access formal care. We will conduct a pilot study in a defined geographical area in London, United Kingdom to test the feasibility of a community-based approach of identifying Long Covid cases that have not been clinically diagnosed and have not been referred to Long Covid specialist services. We will explore the barriers to accessing recognition, care, and support, as well as experiences of stigma and perceived discrimination. METHODS This protocol and study materials were co-produced with a Community Advisory Board (CAB) made up primarily of people living with Long Covid. Working with voluntary organisations, a study leaflet will be distributed in the local community to highlight Long Covid symptoms and invite those experiencing them to participate in the study if they are not formally diagnosed. Potential participants will be assessed according to the study's inclusion criteria and offered the opportunity to participate if they fit them. Awareness of Long Covid and associated symptoms, experiences of trying to access care, as well as stigma and discrimination will be explored through qualitative interviews with participants. Upon completion of the interviews, participants will be offered a referral to the local social prescribing team to receive support that is personalised to them potentially including, but not restricted to, liaising with their primary care provider and the regional Long Covid clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisreen A. Alwan
- School of Primary Care, Population Sciences and Medical Education, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Wessex, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Donna Clutterbuck
- School of Primary Care, Population Sciences and Medical Education, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Marija Pantelic
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jasmine Hayer
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lere Fisher
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lyth Hishmeh
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
| | - Melissa Heightman
- University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gail Allsopp
- Royal College of General Practitioners, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dan Wootton
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Asad Khan
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
- Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Hastie
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
- Long Covid Support Charity, https://www.longcovid.org/, London, United Kingdom
| | - Monique Jackson
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
| | - Clare Rayner
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
| | - Darren Brown
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
- Long COVID Physio, https://longcovid.physio/, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Parrett
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
| | - Geraint Jones
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kerry Smith
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rowan Clarke
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sammie Mcfarland
- Community Advisory Board (as person with lived experience of Long Covid), STIMULATE-ICP, London, United Kingdom
- Long Covid Kids Charity, https://www.longcovidkids.org/, Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Gabbay
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Amitava Banerjee
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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11
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Cro S, Kahan BC, Patel A, Henley A, C J, Hellyer P, Kumar M, Rahman Y, Goulão B. Starting a conversation about estimands with public partners involved in clinical trials: a co-developed tool. Trials 2023; 24:443. [PMID: 37408080 PMCID: PMC10324181 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-023-07469-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical trials aim to draw conclusions about the effects of treatments, but a trial can address many different potential questions. For example, does the treatment work well for patients who take it as prescribed? Or does it work regardless of whether patients take it exactly as prescribed? Since different questions can lead to different conclusions on treatment benefit, it is important to clearly understand what treatment effect a trial aims to investigate-this is called the 'estimand'. Using estimands helps to ensure trials are designed and analysed to answer the questions of interest to different stakeholders, including patients and public. However, there is uncertainty about whether patients and public would like to be involved in defining estimands and how to do so. Public partners are patients and/or members of the public who are part of, or advise, the research team. We aimed to (i) co-develop a tool with public partners that helps explain what an estimand is and (ii) explore public partner's perspectives on the importance of discussing estimands during trial design. METHODS An online consultation meeting was held with 5 public partners of mixed age, gender and ethnicities, from various regions of the UK. Public partner opinions were collected and a practical tool describing estimands, drafted before the meeting by the research team, was developed. Afterwards, the tool was refined, and additional feedback sought via email. RESULTS Public partners want to be involved in estimand discussions. They found an introductory tool, to be presented and described to them by a researcher, helpful for starting a discussion about estimands in a trial design context. They recommended storytelling, analogies and visual aids within the tool. Four topics related to public partners' involvement in defining estimands were identified: (i) the importance of addressing questions that are relevant to patients and public in trials, (ii) involving public partners early on, (iii) a need for education and communication for all stakeholders and (iv) public partners and researchers working together. CONCLUSIONS We co-developed a tool for researchers and public partners to use to facilitate the involvement of public partners in estimand discussions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzie Cro
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | | | - Akshaykumar Patel
- Critical Care and Perioperative Medicine Research Group, Queen Mary University, London, UK
| | - Ania Henley
- HEALTHY STATS Public Partner Co-Chair with Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Joanna C
- HEALTHY STATS Public Partner with Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Paul Hellyer
- HEALTHY STATS Public Partner with Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Manos Kumar
- HEALTHY STATS Public Partner with Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Yasmin Rahman
- HEALTHY STATS Public Partner with Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Beatriz Goulão
- Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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Menger F, Cresswell H, Lewis J, Volkmer A, Sharp L. Speaking up for the lost voices: representation and inclusion of people with communication impairment in brain tumour research. Support Care Cancer 2023; 31:355. [PMID: 37237058 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-023-07804-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Brain tumours and their associated treatments can lead to progressive impairments of communication, adversely affecting quality-of-life. This commentary explores our concerns that people with speech, language, and communication needs face barriers to representation and inclusion in brain tumour research; we then offer possible solutions to support their participation. Our main concerns are that there is currently poor recognition of the nature of communication difficulties following brain tumours, limited focus on the psychosocial impact, and lack of transparency on why people with speech, language, and communication needs were excluded from research or how they were supported to take part. We propose solutions focusing on working towards more accurate reporting of symptoms and the impact of impairment, using innovative qualitative methods to collect data on the lived experiences of speech, language, and communication needs, and empowering speech and language therapists to become part of research teams as experts and advocates for this population. These solutions would support the accurate representation and inclusion of people with communication needs after brain tumour in research, allowing healthcare professionals to learn more about their priorities and needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Menger
- Speech and Language Sciences, School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK.
| | | | - Joanne Lewis
- Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Anna Volkmer
- Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Linda Sharp
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
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13
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Richards H, Staruch R, King A, Pugh C, Kinsella S, Savović J, Young A. Protocol for a Global Burns Research Priority Setting Partnership to agree the most important unanswered questions in international burns care. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e065120. [PMID: 36104134 PMCID: PMC9476147 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Burns affect 11 million people globally and can result in long-term disability with substantial associated healthcare costs. There is limited research funding to support trials to provide evidence for clinical decision-making. Research prioritisation ensures that research focuses on the topics most important to stakeholders, addressing issues of research waste and evidence gaps. The aim of this project is to agree the global top 10 research priorities important to international patients, carers and clinicians from all income status countries. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The Global Burns Research Priority Setting Partnership will use James Lind Alliance methods to establish the top 10 research priorities in global burns care. An initial international online multilingual survey will collect candidate research priorities from stakeholders. To increase equity in participation, the survey will also be available via the social media app WhatsApp. Additionally, interviews will be conducted. Data will be analysed to identify and collate research questions and to verify that the priorities are true clinical uncertainties. This list will then be ranked by stakeholders in order of importance via a second online survey. Finally, a consensus meeting will identify the top 10 research priorities. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The University of Bristol Medical School Faculty Ethical Committee has approved this project. Research into burn care should be prioritised to ensure that funding is focused where most needed. This should be undertaken internationally, to ensure inclusion of the views of professionals and patients from lower income countries, where the incidence of thermal burns is highest. The involvement of the James Lind Alliance will ensure that the methodology is robust and that the patient voice is heard. The final top 10 priorities will be disseminated to funders, governments and researchers internationally to inform future global burns research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hollie Richards
- Centre for Surgical Research, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre Surgical Innovation Theme, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation and the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Robert Staruch
- Botnar Research Centre, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Anni King
- Centre for Surgical Research, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre Surgical Innovation Theme, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation and the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Catrin Pugh
- Centre for Surgical Research, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Suzannah Kinsella
- James Lind Alliance, National Institute for Health Research, School of Healthcare Enterprise and Innovation, University of Southampton, Alpha House, Enterprise Road, Southampton, UK
| | - Jelena Savović
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration West at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK
| | - Amber Young
- Centre for Surgical Research, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Children's Burns Research Centre Bristol, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK
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Njoku K, Barr CE, Ramchander NC, Crosbie EJ. Impact of pre-treatment prognostic nutritional index and the haemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte and platelet (HALP) score on endometrial cancer survival: A prospective database analysis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272232. [PMID: 35925991 PMCID: PMC9352045 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The Onodera’s prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and the haemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte and platelet (HALP) score are immune-nutritional indices that correlate with survival outcomes in several adult solid malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate whether PNI and HALP are associated with survival outcomes in endometrial cancer. Patients and methods Women undergoing management for endometrial cancer were recruited to a single centre prospective cohort study. Pre-treatment PNI and HALP scores were computed for study participants and analysed as continuous variables and by selecting cut-off values based on previous publications. Both parameters were analysed in relation to overall, endometrial cancer-specific and recurrence-free survival using Kaplan-Meier estimation and multivariable Cox proportional regression. Results A total of 439 women, with a median age of 67 years (interquartile range (IQR), 58, 74) and BMI of 31kg/m2 (IQR 26, 37) were included in the analysis. Most had low-grade (63.3%), early-stage (84.4% stage I/II) endometrial cancer of endometrioid histological subtype (72.7%). Primary treatment was surgery in 98.2% of cases. Adjusted overall mortality hazard ratios for PNI and HALP as continuous variables were 0.97(95%CI 0.94–1.00, p = 0.136) and 0.99(95%CI 0.98–1.01, p = 0.368), respectively. Women with pre-treatment PNI ≥45 had a 45% decrease in both overall (adjusted HR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.33–0.92, p = 0.022) and cancer-specific mortality risk (adjusted HR = 0.55, 95%CI 0.30–0.99, p = 0.048) compared to those with PNI <45. There was no evidence for an effect of PNI on recurrence free survival. HALP scores were associated with adverse clinico-pathologic factors, but not overall, cancer-specific or recurrence-free survival in the multivariable analysis. Conclusion PNI is an independent prognostic factor in endometrial cancer and has the potential to refine pre-operative risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelechi Njoku
- Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, St Mary’s Hospital, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Stoller Biomarker Discovery Centre, Institute of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Chloe E. Barr
- Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, St Mary’s Hospital, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Neal C. Ramchander
- Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, St Mary’s Hospital, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Emma J. Crosbie
- Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, St Mary’s Hospital, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Magrangeas TT, Kolliakou A, Sanyal J, Patel R, Stewart R. Investigating the relationship between thought interference, somatic passivity and outcomes in patients with psychosis: a natural language processing approach using a clinical records search platform in south London. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e057433. [PMID: 35918110 PMCID: PMC9351333 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aimed to apply natural language processing algorithms in routine healthcare records to identify reported somatic passivity (external control of sensations, actions and impulses) and thought interference symptoms (thought broadcasting, insertion, withdrawal), first-rank symptoms traditionally central to diagnosing schizophrenia, and determine associations with prognosis by analysing routine outcomes. DESIGN Four algorithms were developed on deidentified mental healthcare data and applied to ascertain recorded symptoms over the 3 months following first presentation to a mental healthcare provider in a cohort of patients with a primary schizophreniform disorder (ICD-10 F20-F29) diagnosis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS From the electronic health records of a large secondary mental healthcare provider in south London, 9323 patients were ascertained from 2007 to the data extraction date (25 February 2020). OUTCOMES The primary binary dependent variable for logistic regression analyses was any negative outcome (Mental Health Act section, >2 antipsychotics prescribed, >22 days spent in crisis care) over the subsequent 2 years. RESULTS Final adjusted models indicated significant associations of this composite outcome with baseline somatic passivity (prevalence 4.9%; adjusted OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.37 to 1.88), thought insertion (10.7%; 1.24, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.55) and thought withdrawal (4.9%; 1.36, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.69), but not independently with thought broadcast (10.3%; 1.05, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.22). CONCLUSIONS Symptoms traditionally central to the diagnosis of schizophrenia, but under-represented in current diagnostic frameworks, were thus identified as important predictors of short-term to medium-term prognosis in schizophreniform disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Kolliakou
- Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jyoti Sanyal
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Rashmi Patel
- Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Robert Stewart
- Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Usher-Smith J, von Wagner C, Ghanouni A. Behavioural Challenges Associated With Risk-Adapted Cancer Screening. Cancer Control 2022; 29:10732748211060289. [PMID: 34986038 PMCID: PMC8744170 DOI: 10.1177/10732748211060289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer screening programmes have a major role in reducing cancer incidence and mortality. Traditional internationally-adopted protocols have been to invite all 'eligible individuals' for the same test at the same frequency. However, as highlighted in Cancer Research UK's 2020 strategic vision, there are opportunities to increase effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, and reduce harms of screening programmes, by making recommendations on the basis of personalised estimates of risk. In some respects, this extends current approaches of providing more intensive levels of care outside screening programmes to individuals at very high risk due to their family history or underlying conditions. However, risk-adapted colorectal cancer screening raises a wide range of questions, not only about how best to change existing programmes but also about the psychological and behavioural effects that these changes might have. Previous studies in other settings provide some important information but remain to be tested and explored further in the context of colorectal screening. Conducting behavioural science research in parallel to clinical research will ensure that risk-adapted screening is understood and accepted by the population that it aims to serve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet Usher-Smith
- The Primary Care Unit, Department of Public
Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Christian von Wagner
- Research Department of Behavioural Science
and Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care
UCL, London, UK
| | - Alex Ghanouni
- Research Department of Behavioural Science
and Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care
UCL, London, UK
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