Problem-Solving Treatment for People Recently Diagnosed with Visual Impairment: Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial.

Background: Problem-Solving Treatment (PST) has been used to treat and prevent depression in a variety of settings. However, the impact of PST on improving psychological well-being in those with recent vision loss remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether PST may lead to better psychological well-being in people with recent vision loss through a pilot parallel-group randomised controlled trial.

Increased resting cerebral blood flow in adult Fabry disease: MRI arterial spin labeling study.

Objective: To assess resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the whole-brain and cerebral white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) of adults with Fabry disease (FD), using arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI, and to investigate CBF correlations with WM hyperintensity (WMH) volume and the circulating biomarker lyso-Gb3.

Methods: This cross-sectional, case-control study included 25 patients with genetically confirmed FD and 18 age-matched healthy controls. We quantified resting CBF using Quantitative Signal Targeting With Alternating Radiofrequency Labeling of Arterial Regions (QUASAR) ASL MRI.

Cardiac output Optimisation following Liver Transplant (COLT) trial: study protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial.

Background: Patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing liver transplantation have a hyperdynamic circulation which persists into the early postoperative period making accurate assessment of fluid requirements challenging. Goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality in a number of surgery settings. The impact of GDFT in patients undergoing liver transplantation is unknown.

A multicentre randomised controlled trial assessing whether MRI-targeted biopsy is non-inferior to standard transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy for the diagnosis of clinically significant prostate cancer in men without prior biopsy: a study protocol.

Introduction: The classical pathway for the diagnosis of prostate cancer is transrectal ultrasound-guided (TRUS) biopsy of the prostate initiated on the basis of a raised prostate-specific antigen (PSA). An alternative pathway is to perform multi-parametricMRI (MPMRI) to localise cancer and to use this information to influence the decision for, and conduct of, a subsequent biopsy, known as an MPMRI-targeted biopsy. An MPMRI pathway has been shown to detect a similar or greater amount of clinically significant cancer as TRUS biopsy but has several advantages, including the potential to biopsy fewer men with fewer cores.

Characteristics of Unruptured Compared to Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: A Multicenter Case-Control Study.

Background: Only a minority of intracranial aneurysms rupture to cause subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that unruptured aneurysms have different characteristics and risk factor profiles compared to ruptured aneurysms.

Methods: We recruited patients with unruptured aneurysms or aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages at 22 UK hospitals between 2011 and 2014.

The relationship of bilingualism to cognitive decline: The Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Objectives: We wished to clarify the link between bilingualism and cognitive decline, and examine whether improved executive function due to bilingualism may be a factor in preventing cognitive decline.

Methods: We used the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing which collected data on 2087 participants aged over 65 over 20 years. We compared baseline demographics, health, and social characteristics between bilingual and non-bilingual participants.

Genetic testing in intellectual disability psychiatry: Opinions and practices of UK child and intellectual disability psychiatrists.

Background: An increasing number of genetic causes of intellectual disabilities (ID) are identifiable by clinical genetic testing, offering the prospect of bespoke patient management. However, little is known about the practices of psychiatrists and their views on genetic testing.

Method: We undertook an online survey of 215 psychiatrists, who were contacted via the Royal College of Psychiatrist's Child and Adolescent and Intellectual Disability Psychiatry mailing lists.

Leukoaraiosis, intracerebral hemorrhage, and functional outcome after acute stroke thrombolysis.

Objective: To perform a systematic review and pooled meta-analysis of published studies to assess whether the presence of leukoaraiosis on neuroimaging before treatment with thrombolysis (IV or intra-arterial) is associated with an increased risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) or poor functional outcome.

Methods: We included studies of patients with acute ischemic stroke, treated with IV or intra-arterial thrombolysis, which assessed functional outcome (3-month modified Rankin Scale [mRS]) or sICH in relation to leukoaraiosis on pretreatment neuroimaging (CT or MRI). We used random-effects models to calculate pooled relative risks (RR) of sICH and poor functional outcome (mRS ≥ 2) for any vs no leukoaraiosis (using any rating scale) and for no to mild vs moderate to severe leukoaraiosis (using the Van Swieten or Fazekas Schmidt scale).

The Effect of Dutasteride on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Defined Prostate Cancer: MAPPED-A Randomized, Placebo Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Dutasteride, which is licensed for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia, has been associated with a lower progression rate of low risk prostate cancer. We evaluated the effect of dutasteride on prostate cancer volume as assessed by T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

Materials And Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial, men with biopsy proven, low-intermediate risk prostate cancer (up to Gleason 3 + 4 and PSA up to 15 ng/ml) who had visible lesion of 0.

Inverted U-Shaped Relation Between the Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death and Maximal Left Ventricular Wall Thickness in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD). Some studies have shown an association between risk of sudden death and left ventricular maximal wall thickness (MWT), but there are few data in patients with extreme hypertrophy. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between MWT and the risk of SCD.

Corticosteroids for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common muscular dystrophy of childhood. Untreated, this incurable disease, which has an X-linked recessive inheritance, is characterised by muscle wasting and loss of walking ability, leading to complete wheelchair dependence by 13 years of age. Prolongation of walking is a major aim of treatment.

Impaired renal function is related to deep and mixed, but not strictly lobar cerebral microbleeds in patients with ischaemic stroke and TIA.

The vasculature of the brain and kidneys are similarly vulnerable to hypertension, so their microvascular damage may be correlated. We investigated the relationship of renal function to the anatomical distribution of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), a marker of underlying cerebral small vessel disease (hypertensive arteriopathy or cerebral amyloid angiopathy), in a Western patient cohort. This was a retrospective study of referrals to a hospital stroke service.

Jumping to conclusions, neuropsychological functioning, and delusional beliefs in first episode psychosis.

Background: The "jumping to conclusions" (JTC) data-gathering bias is implicated in the development and maintenance of psychosis but has only recently been studied in first episode psychosis (FEP). In this study, we set out to establish the relationship of JTC in FEP with delusions and neuropsychological functioning.

Methods: One hundred and eight FEP patients and 101 age-matched controls completed assessments of delusions, general intelligence (IQ), working memory (WM), and JTC (the probabilistic reasoning "beads" task).

A pilot randomised controlled trial of Problem-Solving Treatment for Visual Impairment (POSITIVE): protocol paper.

Purpose: For visually impaired individuals, motivation to be mobile and the individual's emotional states are predetermining factors of functioning. In addition, loss of confidence at the time of diagnosis could inhibit the ability to make progress. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether Problem-Solving Treatment, a brief, structured psychological intervention, leads to better psychological well-being in people who have been recently diagnosed as blind or partially sighted.

A novel clinical risk prediction model for sudden cardiac death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM risk-SCD).

Aims: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young adults. Current risk algorithms provide only a crude estimate of risk and fail to account for the different effect size of individual risk factors. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new SCD risk prediction model that provides individualized risk estimates.

Out-patient psychological therapies for adults with anorexia nervosa: randomised controlled trial.

Background: Very limited evidence is available on how to treat adults with anorexia nervosa and treatment outcomes are poor. Novel treatment approaches are urgently needed.

Aims: To evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of a novel psychological therapy for anorexia nervosa (Maudsley Model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults, MANTRA) compared with specialist supportive clinical management (SSCM) in a randomised controlled trial.

Understanding service user-defined continuity of care and its relationship to health and social measures: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Despite the importance of continuity of care [COC] in contemporary mental health service provision, COC lacks a clearly agreed definition. Furthermore, whilst there is broad agreement that definitions should include service users' experiences, little is known about this. This paper aims to explore a new construct of service user-defined COC and its relationship to a range of health and social outcomes.

Randomized controlled double-blind trial of optimal dose methylphenidate in children and adolescents with severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and intellectual disability.

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is increased in children with intellectual disability. Previous research has suggested stimulants are less effective than in typically developing children but no studies have titrated medication for individual optimal dosing or tested the effects for longer than 4 weeks.

Method: One hundred and twenty two drug-free children aged 7-15 with hyperkinetic disorder and IQ 30-69 were recruited to a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that randomized participants using minimization by probability, stratified by referral source and IQ level in a one to one ratio.

Evaluation of respondent-driven sampling.

Background: Respondent-driven sampling is a novel variant of link-tracing sampling for estimating the characteristics of hard-to-reach groups, such as HIV prevalence in sex workers. Despite its use by leading health organizations, the performance of this method in realistic situations is still largely unknown. We evaluated respondent-driven sampling by comparing estimates from a respondent-driven sampling survey with total population data.