Supervised walking in comparison with fitness training for chronic back pain in physiotherapy: results of the SWIFT single-blinded randomized controlled trial (ISRCTN17592092).

Effectiveness of brief/minimal contact self-activation interventions that encourage participation in physical activity (PA) for chronic low back pain (CLBP >12 weeks) is unproven. The primary objective of this assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial was to investigate the difference between an individualized walking programme (WP), group exercise class (EC), and usual physiotherapy (UP, control) in mean change in functional disability at 6 months. A sample of 246 participants with CLBP aged 18 to 65 years (79 men and 167 women; mean age ± SD: 45.

Utilities and disutilities for attributes of injectable treatments for type 2 diabetes.

Introduction: Although cost-utility models are frequently used to estimate treatment outcomes for type 2 diabetes, utilities are not available for key attributes of injectable treatments. The purpose of this study was to identify the utility or disutility of three injection-related attributes (dose frequency, dose flexibility, injection site reaction) that may influence patient preference.

Methods: Patients with type 2 diabetes in Scotland completed standard gamble (SG) interviews to assess the utility of hypothetical health states and their own current health state.

Survival as a function of HbA(1c) in people with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Results of intervention studies in patients with type 2 diabetes have led to concerns about the safety of aiming for normal blood glucose concentrations. We assessed survival as a function of HbA(1c) in people with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Two cohorts of patients aged 50 years and older with type 2 diabetes were generated from the UK General Practice Research Database from November 1986 to November 2008.

Characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus initiating insulin therapy: baseline data from the INSTIGATE study.

Objective: To describe the characteristics at baseline of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are initiating insulin.

Methods: Prospective, observational multi-centre, open-label study in five European countries of patients with type 2 diabetes who were initiating insulin as part of their usual care.

Results: A total of 1172 patients were enrolled, with mean age 63.

Characterization of patients in the European Forsteo Observational Study (EFOS): postmenopausal women entering teriparatide treatment in a community setting.

Objective: The European Forsteo Observational Study (EFOS) study was primarily designed to assess fracture incidence, degree of pain, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and compliance in women prescribed teriparatide in a community setting. This report describes the design of the study and characteristics of the patients at entry.

Methods: At entry, 1645 postmenopausal women with a diagnosis of osteoporosis and about to initiate teriparatide treatment were enrolled in eight European countries.

Adherence of Irish general practitioners to European guidelines for acute low back pain: a prospective pilot study.

There are no national low back pain (LBP) clinical guidelines in Ireland, and neither the level of adherence of General Practitioners (GPs) to the European guidelines, nor the cost of LBP to the patient and the state, have been investigated. A prospective pilot study was conducted on 54 consenting patients (18M, 36F: mean age (SD): 40.5 (14.

COPD: illness severity, resource utilisation and cost.

COPD is a major source mortality and morbidity International evidence suggests the associated financial burden substantial. This research was undertaken to capture the costs associated with COPD in an Irish secondary care setting. 150 COPD patients attending a respiratory clinic were interviewed.