Psychological interventions for weight reduction and sustained weight reduction in adults with overweight and obesity: a scoping review.

Introduction: Overweight and obesity are growing public health problems worldwide. Both diet and physical activity have been the primary interventions for weight reduction over the past decade. With increasing rates of overweight and obesity, it is evident that a primary focus on diet and exercise has not resulted in sustained obesity reduction within the global population.

Social media influencers in the space of pregnancy and parenting: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Social media influencers (SMIs) are popular sources of online information on various topics, including many aspects of health. Recently, there has been an upsurge in SMIs creating content about pregnancy and parenting, including from midwives, pregnant women and parents. Despite its popularity, SMI content on pregnancy and parenting is not currently regulated, which allows for misinformation and potential harm to women and their children.

Fidelity to and utility of a home blood pressure self-monitoring regime in people with pre-hypertension: results from the REVERSE study.

Introduction: Around 40% of adults have pre-hypertension (120-139/80-89mmHg) increasing their risk of developing hypertension and associated cardiovascular conditions. Guidance on pre-hypertension management focuses on improving lifestyle. Self-monitoring may improve awareness and understanding of blood pressure (BP) for people with pre-hypertension, allowing them to modify their lifestyle risks.

Non-pharmacological interventions for the reduction and maintenance of blood pressure in people with prehypertension: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: Prehypertension is defined as blood pressure that is above the normal range but not high enough to be classed as hypertension. Prehypertension is a warning of development of hypertension as well as a risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. In the UK, non-pharmacological interventions are recommended for prehypertension management but no reviews have focused on the effectiveness of these types of interventions solely in people with prehypertension.

Psychological interventions for weight reduction and sustained weight reduction in adults with overweight and obesity: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Overweight and obesity are growing public health problems worldwide. Both diet and physical activity have been the primary interventions for weight reduction over the past decade. With increasing rates of overweight and obesity, it is evident that a primary focus on diet and exercise has not resulted in sustained obesity reduction within the global population.

Risk reduction intervention for raised blood pressure (REVERSE): protocol for a mixed-methods feasibility study.

Introduction: Around 40% of adults have pre-hypertension (blood pressure between 120-139/80-89), meaning they are at increased risk of developing hypertension and other cardiovascular disease-related conditions. There are limited studies on the management of pre-hypertension; however, guidance recommends that it should be focused on lifestyle modification rather than on medication. Self-monitoring of blood pressure could allow people to monitor and manage their risk status and may allow individuals to modify lifestyle factors.

Etiologic Workup in Cases of Cryptogenic Stroke: A Systematic Review of International Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Background and Purpose- Identifying the etiology of acute ischemic stroke is essential for effective secondary prevention. However, in at least one third of ischemic strokes, existing investigative protocols fail to determine the underlying cause. Establishing etiology is complicated by variation in clinical practice, often reflecting preferences of treating clinicians and variable availability of investigative techniques.

Factors influencing implementation of aerobic exercise after stroke: a systematic review.

Objectives: This systematic review aimed to explore the perspectives of healthcare, exercise, and fitness professionals working with people post-stroke regarding the factors affecting the implementation of aerobic exercise after stroke.

Data Sources: OVID SP MEDLINE, OVID SP EMBASE, and CINAHL were searched from inception to December 2018 using a combination of search terms with synonyms of stroke, aerobic exercise and barriers/facilitators.

Review Methods: Studies focusing on the factors affecting implementation of aerobic exercise after stroke from staff perspectives were included with no restriction on the types of study design.

Etiologic workup in cases of cryptogenic stroke: protocol for a systematic review and comparison of international clinical practice guidelines.

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Identifying the aetiology of ischaemic stroke is essential in order to initiate appropriate and timely secondary prevention measures to reduce the risk of recurrence. For the majority of ischaemic strokes, the aetiology can be readily identified, but in at least 30% of cases, the exact aetiology cannot be determined using existing investigative protocols.

Schedules for Self-monitoring Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review.

Background: Self-monitoring of blood pressure better predicts prognosis than clinic measurement, is popular with patients, and endorsed in hypertension guidelines. However, there is uncertainty over the optimal self-monitoring schedule. We therefore aimed to determine the optimum schedule to predict future cardiovascular events and determine "true" underlying blood pressure.

Do patients actually do what we ask: patient fidelity and persistence to the Targets and Self-Management for the Control of Blood Pressure in Stroke and at Risk Groups blood pressure self-management intervention.

Objective: Self-management of hypertension can reduce and control blood pressure (BP) compared with clinic monitoring. However, self-management relies on patients following an algorithm, which may be variably adhered to. This study reports fidelity of high-risk patients to the self-management algorithm set by the TASMIN-SR trial.

Self-monitoring of blood pressure in hypertension: A systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

Background: Self-monitoring of blood pressure (BP) appears to reduce BP in hypertension but important questions remain regarding effective implementation and which groups may benefit most. This individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis was performed to better understand the effectiveness of BP self-monitoring to lower BP and control hypertension.

Methods And Findings: Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomised trials comparing self-monitoring to no self-monitoring in hypertensive patients (June 2016).

BKV-specific T cells in the treatment of severe refractory haemorrhagic cystitis after HLA-haploidentical haematopoietic cell transplantation.

Background: Haemorrhagic cystitis caused by BK virus (BKV) is a known complication of allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and is relatively common following HLA-haploidentical transplantation. Adoptive immunotransfer of virus-specific T cells from the donor is a promising therapeutic approach, although production of these cells is challenging, particularly when dealing with low-frequency T cells such as BKV-specific T cells.

Case Report: Here, we present a patient who, following haploidentical HCT, developed severe BKV haemorrhagic cystitis, resistant to standard therapy.

Self-monitoring blood pressure in patients with hypertension: an internet-based survey of UK GPs.

Background: Previous research suggests that most GPs in the UK use self-monitoring of blood pressure (SMBP) to monitor the control of hypertension rather than for diagnosis. This study sought to assess current practice in the use of self-monitoring and any changes in practice following more recent guideline recommendations.

Aim: To survey the views and practice of UK GPs in 2015 with regard to SMBP and compare them with a previous survey carried out in 2011.

What Drives Responses to Willingness-to-pay Questions? A Methodological Inquiry in the Context of Hypertension Self-management.

The use of economic evaluation to determine the cost-effectiveness of health interventions is recommended by decision-making bodies internationally. Understanding factors that explain variations in costs and benefits is important for policy makers. This work aimed to test a priori hypotheses defining the relationship between benefits of using self-management equipment (measured using the willingness-to-pay (WTP) approach) and a number of demographic and other patient factors.

Cost-effectiveness of self-management of blood pressure in hypertensive patients over 70 years with suboptimal control and established cardiovascular disease or additional cardiovascular risk diseases (TASMIN-SR).

Background: A previous economic analysis of self-management, that is, self-monitoring with self-titration of antihypertensive medication evaluated cost-effectiveness among patients with uncomplicated hypertension. This study considered cost-effectiveness of self-management in those with raised blood pressure plus diabetes, chronic kidney disease and/or previous cardiovascular disease.

Design And Methods: A Markov model-based economic evaluation was undertaken to estimate the long-term cost-effectiveness of self-management of blood pressure in a cohort of 70-year-old 'high risk' patients, compared with usual care.

Individual patient data meta-analysis of self-monitoring of blood pressure (BP-SMART): a protocol.

Introduction: Self-monitoring of blood pressure is effective in reducing blood pressure in hypertension. However previous meta-analyses have shown a considerable amount of heterogeneity between studies, only part of which can be accounted for by meta-regression. This may be due to differences in design, recruited populations, intervention components or results among patient subgroups.

Effect of self-monitoring and medication self-titration on systolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease: the TASMIN-SR randomized clinical trial.

Importance: Self-monitoring of blood pressure with self-titration of antihypertensives (self-management) results in lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension, but there are no data about patients in high-risk groups.

Objective: To determine the effect of self-monitoring with self-titration of antihypertensive medication compared with usual care on systolic blood pressure among patients with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease.

Design, Setting, And Patients: A primary care, unblinded, randomized clinical trial involving 552 patients who were aged at least 35 years with a history of stroke, coronary heart disease, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease and with baseline blood pressure of at least 130/80 mm Hg being treated at 59 UK primary care practices was conducted between March 2011 and January 2013.

Predicting out-of-office blood pressure level using repeated measurements in the clinic: an observational cohort study.

Objectives: Identification of people with lower (white-coat effect) or higher (masked effect) blood pressure at home compared to the clinic usually requires ambulatory or home monitoring. This study assessed whether changes in SBP with repeated measurement at a single clinic predict subsequent differences between clinic and home measurements.

Methods: This study used an observational cohort design and included 220 individuals aged 35-84 years, receiving treatment for hypertension, but whose SBP was not controlled.

Telemonitoring and self-management in the control of hypertension (TASMINH2): a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Aims: Self-monitoring and self-titration of antihypertensives (self-management) is a novel intervention which improves blood pressure control. However, little evidence exists regarding the cost-effectiveness of self-monitoring of blood pressure in general and self-management in particular. This study aimed to evaluate whether self-management of hypertension was cost-effective.

Patient self-monitoring of blood pressure and self-titration of medication in primary care: the TASMINH2 trial qualitative study of health professionals' experiences.

Background: Self-monitoring with self-titration of antihypertensives leads to reduced blood pressure. Patients are keen on self-monitoring but little is known about healthcare professional views.

Aim: To explore health professionals' views and experiences of patient self-management, particularly with respect to future implementation into routine care.

Targets and self-management for the control of blood pressure in stroke and at risk groups (TASMIN-SR): protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Self-monitoring of hypertension with self-titration of antihypertensives (self-management) results in lower systolic blood pressure for at least one year. However, few people in high risk groups have been evaluated to date and previous work suggests a smaller effect size in these groups. This trial therefore aims to assess the added value of self-management in high risk groups over and above usual care.

Patients' experiences of self-monitoring blood pressure and self-titration of medication: the TASMINH2 trial qualitative study.

Background: Self-management of hypertension, comprising self-monitoring of blood pressure with self-titration of medication, improves blood pressure control, but little is known regarding the views of patients undertaking it.

Aim: To explore patients' views of self-monitoring blood pressure and self-titration of antihypertensive medication.

Design And Setting: Qualitative study embedded within the randomised controlled trial TASMINH2 (Telemonitoirng and Self Management in the Control of Hypertension) trial of patient self-management of hypertension from 24 general practices in the West Midlands.

Telemonitoring and self-management in the control of hypertension (TASMINH2): a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Control of blood pressure is a key component of cardiovascular disease prevention, but is difficult to achieve and until recently has been the sole preserve of health professionals. This study assessed whether self-management by people with poorly controlled hypertension resulted in better blood pressure control compared with usual care.

Methods: This randomised controlled trial was undertaken in 24 general practices in the UK.

Does self-monitoring reduce blood pressure? Meta-analysis with meta-regression of randomized controlled trials.

Introduction: Self-monitoring of blood pressure (BP) is an increasingly common part of hypertension management. The objectives of this systematic review were to evaluate the systolic and diastolic BP reduction, and achievement of target BP, associated with self-monitoring.

Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane database of systematic reviews, database of abstracts of clinical effectiveness, the health technology assessment database, the NHS economic evaluation database, and the TRIP database were searched for studies where the intervention included self-monitoring of BP and the outcome was change in office/ambulatory BP or proportion with controlled BP.