Publications by authors named "Alan M George"
Purpose: Assess the effects of selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) on motor function and quality of life in children with a Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level of IV or V (non-ambulatory).
Methods: This is a prospective, observational study in three tertiary neurosurgery units in England, UK, performing SDR on children aged 3-18 with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, and a GMFCS level of IV or V, between 2012 and 2019. The primary outcome measure was the change in the 66-item Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66) from baseline to 24 months after SDR, using a linear mixed effects model.
Article Synopsis
- * A systematic review was conducted to analyze patient-reported outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after cranioplasty, with 25 studies included in the review.
- * Results showed improvements in physical and social functioning, cosmetic outcomes, and overall HRQoL, highlighting the need for more longitudinal studies using validated tools to better assess these effects.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in meningioma patients, particularly those with tumors that are monitored but not surgically treated.
- Using patient-reported outcome measures, significant HRQoL impairments were found in various areas, especially for those with lower education levels, unemployment, or who faced postoperative complications.
- The findings emphasize the ongoing burden meningioma has on patients nearly a decade post-diagnosis, suggesting healthcare providers should pay attention to HRQoL and offer support resources accordingly.
Article Synopsis
- Systematic reviews (SR) and systematic reviews with meta-analysis (SRMA) are vital for guiding clinical practice related to meningioma, yet their overall quality and reporting standards were found to be lacking.
- A search of eight databases identified 116 eligible SRs published between 1990 and 2020, with most studies scoring low on various quality assessment tools like PRISMA and AMSTAR 2.
- The findings suggest that improvements in methodological practices and adherence to established guidelines are necessary to enhance the validity and transparency of research in this area.
Molecular Genetics and Targeted Therapies for Paediatric High-grade Glioma.
Cancer Genomics Proteomics
June 2022
Brain tumours are the leading cause of paediatric cancer-associated death worldwide. High-grade glioma (HGG) represents a main cause of paediatric brain tumours and is associated with poor prognosis despite surgical and chemoradiotherapeutic advances. The molecular genetics of paediatric HGG (pHGG) are distinct from those in adults, and therefore, adult clinical trial data cannot be extrapolated to children.
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- Long-standing overt ventriculomegaly in adults (LOVA) involves various conditions with different symptoms, and there's limited research on the effectiveness of surgical treatments like endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS).
- In a study involving 127 adults with LOVA, most patients experienced symptoms such as gait issues, headaches, and cognitive decline, with many undergoing surgical treatment.
- Results showed that 82.4% of those who had surgery experienced clinical improvement, with ETV leading to fewer complications compared to VPS, indicating that ETV is an effective first-line treatment option for LOVA.
Cancer immunotherapy is an evolving field of research. Cytokines have been conceptualized as an anticancer therapy for longer than most other cancer immunotherapy modalities. Yet, to date, only two cytokines are FDA-approved: IFN-α and IL-2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Investigate the effect of age category (1-9 years vs 10-18 years), sex, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level, and presence of dystonia on changes in eight function test parameters 24 months after selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR).
Methods: Prospective, single-center study of all children aged 3-18 years with bilateral cerebral palsy with spasticity who underwent SDR at a tertiary pediatric neurosurgery center between 2012 and 2019. A linear mixed effects model was used to assess longitudinal changes.