Publications by authors named "J G Digby"
Aim: Since December 2015, a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) has been provided to primary care in NHS Tayside as an adjunct to clinical acumen in the assessment of new-onset bowel symptoms. The aim of this work was to assess the impact of this approach on time to diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC).
Method: NHS Tayside Cancer audit data from January 2013 to December 2019 were reviewed to identify all CRC patients diagnosed via the primary-care referral pathway for a period before and after the introduction of FIT.
Background: Refractory chronic cough (RCC) patients typically complain of a dry cough. Sputum production in these patients has rarely been described in the literature. However, sputum production in RCC may be common, troublesome and particularly challenging to manage.
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- The study aimed to improve colorectal cancer (CRC) detection by using risk scoring models (RSMs) alongside faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) in symptomatic patients, potentially reducing the need for endoscopies.
- By analyzing data from nearly 19,000 patients, key factors such as faecal haemoglobin levels, age, sex, and iron deficiency were identified to create a risk score that improved sensitivity for detecting CRC compared to standard f-Hb thresholds.
- The findings suggest that while RSMs may enhance detection in some cases, they did not significantly help patients with very low f-Hb levels, indicating a need for alternative strategies that incorporate additional risk factors beyond just FIT.
Aim: Acute injury and subsequent remodelling responses to ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are major determinants of clinical outcome. Current imaging and plasma biomarkers provide delayed readouts of myocardial injury and recovery. Here, we sought to systematically characterize all microRNAs (miRs) released during the acute phase of STEMI and relate miR release to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings to predict acute and late responses to STEMI, from a single early blood sample.
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- A study aimed to create a risk-scoring model for colorectal cancer by analyzing faecal haemoglobin levels and other factors in participants of the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme.
- Data from over 232,000 participants revealed that only faecal haemoglobin concentration and age were significantly linked to colorectal cancer, with a notable interval cancer rate, particularly higher in women (38.1%) than men (27.5%).
- The findings suggest that developing a risk scoring model was not achievable, but adjusting faecal haemoglobin thresholds by age may help address the gender disparity in cancer detection rates.