Electroencephalography in young onset dementia.

Background: Young onset dementia (YOD) is a major diagnostic and management problem.

Methods: We set out to explore if electroencephalography (EEG) might be useful in the diagnosis of young onset Alzheimer's disease (YOAD) and young onset frontotemporal dementia (YOFTD). The ARTEMIS project is a 25-year prospective study of YOD based in Perth, Western Australia.

A global online study of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Background: The objective of this study was to understand the uptake of hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in neuroimmunological disorders like multiple sclerosis (MS).

Method: An independent University affiliated research organization conducted a global online survey of people having had HSCT, examining demographics, treatment protocol, and effectiveness.

Results: Of 271 participants, useful data were available in 223; women aged 35-54 accounted for 73.

Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease and cancer.

Neurodegenerative disorders and cancer are two of the most common groups of conditions in our world. Some studies have proposed that neurodegenerative disorders may be protective of the development of cancer. We tested this hypothesis using two neurodegenerative disorders with different molecular pathophysiology - Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Huntington's disease (HD) - to see if the inverse relationship between cancer and neurodegeneration was generalizable.

A comparison of the Cox model to the Fine-Gray model for survival analyses of re-fracture rates.

Unlabelled: We compared the Cox model with the Fine-Gray model when assessing the risk of low-trauma re-fractures. The risk of re-fracture was consistently higher when using the Cox model compared with the Fine-Gray model. The Fine-Gray model more accurately assesses the risk of re-fracture when a competing risk is present.

Is the weekend effect really ubiquitous? A retrospective clinical cohort analysis of 30-day mortality by day of week and time of day using linked population data from New South Wales, Australia.

Objective: To examine the associations between day of week and time of admission and 30-day mortality for six clinical conditions: ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke, acute myocardial infarction, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure.

Design: Retrospective population-based cohort analyses. Hospitalisation records were linked to emergency department and deaths data.

The Role of Ethnicity in Alzheimer's Disease: Findings From The C-PATH Online Data Repository.

Background: Ethnic minorities seem to be at an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, little is known about ethnic differences and the risks of early onset AD (EOAD).

Objective: Cognitive function changes over time and odds of EOAD by ethnicity were analyzed by the mixed model and the logistic regression.

High alcohol use a strong and significant risk factor for repetitive self-harm in female and male youth: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is reported by between 5 and 17% of youth aged 14-25 years. Current management measures focus on repetition prevention in high-risk groups.

Objectives: To examine risk factors and predictors of DSH and DSH repetition in a community sample, by gender.

Statins and memory loss: An Australian experience.

Background: Statins are a first-line drug treatment for hypercholesterolaemia. Recently there has been general public and media interest surrounding uses and side effects of statins, including memory loss.

Aims: We analysed an Australian experience in statin usage in an attempt to improve understanding of the relationship between statins and memory-related adverse events.

Factors influencing the clinical expression of intermediate CAG repeat length mutations of the Huntington's disease gene.

Our aim is to elucidate the clinical variables associated with the development of manifest HD in patients with intermediate CAG repeat lengths. 2,167 participants were seen throughout 44 research sites in the United States, Canada or Australia over a five-year natural history observational study (2006-2011) (Trial # NCT00313495). The Chi-square test and a generalised linear model were used to examine the differences in demographics and cognitive tests among three groups of CAG repeat length.

The patterns of inheritance in early-onset dementia: Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia.

Aim: To investigate the patterns of inheritance and gene mutation status in early-onset dementia (EOD).

Methods: Data were collected on 202 consecutive patients presenting to an EOD clinic. Early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD, n = 120) and early-onset frontotemporal dementia (EOFTD, n = 82) were studied.

Assessing the test-retest repeatability of the Vietnamese version of the National Eye Institute 25-item Visual Function Questionnaire among bilateral cataract patients for a Vietnamese population.

Aim: To determine the test-retest repeatability of the National Eye Institute 25-item Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) for use with older Vietnamese adults with bilateral cataract.

Methods: The questionnaire was translated into Vietnamese and back-translated into English by two independent translators. Patients with bilateral cataract aged 50 and older completed the questionnaire on two separate occasions, one to two weeks after first administration of the questionnaire.

Differences between early and late onset Alzheimer's disease.

Previous studies comparing early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD) and late-onset AD (LOAD) have been limited by cross-sectional design and a focus on isolated clinical variables. This study aims to explore differentials in clinical features between EOAD and LOAD and to examine longitudinally trends in cognitive function. Data from 3,747 subjects with AD from C-Path Online Data Repository was used to compare demographics, body mass index (BMI), mean arterial pressure (MAP), biochemistry and cognitive assessments, including mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog), between EOAD and LOAD.

Multidisciplinary care: experience of patients with complex needs.

The rapidly increasing prevalence of diabetes with its high morbidity and mortality raises the need for an integrated multidisciplinary service from health care providers across health sectors. The aim of this study was to explore the diabetic patients' experience of multidisciplinary care, in particular their perceptions, perceived barriers and facilitators. Thirteen patients with type-2 diabetes admitted to the emergency department of a local hospital in NSW were interviewed and completed a demographic questionnaire.

Health reform: is routinely collected electronic information fit for purpose?

Objective: Little has been reported about the completeness and accuracy of data in existing Australian clinical information systems. We examined the accuracy of the diagnoses of some chronic diseases in an ED information system (EDIS), a module of the NSW Health electronic medical record (EMR), and the consistency of the reports generated by the EMR.

Methods: A list of ED attendees and those admitted was generated from the EDIS, using specific (e.

Risky driving behavior and road traffic crashes among young Asian Australian drivers: findings from the DRIVE study.

Objective: To examine differences in risky driving behavior and likelihood of traffic crash according to the country of birth of recently licensed young drivers. The groups examined include those born in Australia, those born in Asia, and those born in other countries.

Design And Setting: The DRIVE study is a prospective cohort study of drivers aged 17-24 years holding their first-year provisional driver license in New South Wales, Australia.

Young driver education programs that build resilience have potential to reduce road crashes.

Objective: The research aimed to explore associations between participation in 2 education programs for school-based learner drivers and subsequent road traffic offenses and crashes among a large cohort of newly licensed drivers.

Methods: DRIVE is a prospective cohort study of 20822 first-year drivers aged 17 to 24 in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Participants completed a detailed questionnaire and consented to data linkage in 2003-2004.

Novice drivers' risky driving behavior, risk perception, and crash risk: findings from the DRIVE study.

Objectives: We explored the risky driving behaviors and risk perceptions of a cohort of young novice drivers and sought to determine their associations with crash risk.

Methods: Provisional drivers aged 17 to 24 (n = 20 822) completed a detailed questionnaire that included measures of risk perception and behaviors; 2 years following recruitment, survey data were linked to licensing and police-reported crash data. Poisson regression models that adjusted for multiple confounders were created to explore crash risk.

The regional differences in prevalence, medical expenditures and risk factors for injury in Taiwanese teenagers.

Background: Injury is the leading cause of death in teenagers worldwide. In Taiwan, people in mountainous areas have a 4 to 8 years shorter life span than the general population. Injury among teenagers is likely a major cause.