Methods for specifying the target difference in a randomised controlled trial: the Difference ELicitation in TriAls (DELTA) systematic review.

Background: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are widely accepted as the preferred study design for evaluating healthcare interventions. When the sample size is determined, a (target) difference is typically specified that the RCT is designed to detect. This provides reassurance that the study will be informative, i.

Assessing methods to specify the target difference for a randomised controlled trial: DELTA (Difference ELicitation in TriAls) review.

Background: The randomised controlled trial (RCT) is widely considered to be the gold standard study for comparing the effectiveness of health interventions. Central to the design and validity of a RCT is a calculation of the number of participants needed (the sample size). The value used to determine the sample size can be considered the 'target difference'.

The unintended consequences of cervical screening: distress in women undergoing cytologic surveillance.

Objective: It is well known that receipt of an initial abnormal cervical cytology test can trigger considerable anxiety among women. Less is known about the impact of follow-up by repeat cytology tests. We quantified prevalence, and identified predictors, of distress after repeat cytologic testing in women with a single low-grade test.

Using databases in medical education research: AMEE Guide No. 77.

This AMEE Guide offers an introduction to the use of databases in medical education research. It is intended for those who are contemplating conducting research in medical education but are new to the field. The Guide is structured around the process of planning your research so that data collection, management and analysis are appropriate for the research question.

Breast-feeding and childhood-onset type 1 diabetes: a pooled analysis of individual participant data from 43 observational studies.

Objective: To investigate if there is a reduced risk of type 1 diabetes in children breastfed or exclusively breastfed by performing a pooled analysis with adjustment for recognized confounders.

Research Design And Methods: Relevant studies were identified from literature searches using MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EMBASE. Authors of relevant studies were asked to provide individual participant data or conduct prespecified analyses.

Long term outcomes in men screened for abdominal aortic aneurysm: prospective cohort study.

Objective: To determine whether there is a relation between aortic diameter and morbidity and mortality in men screened for abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Highland and Western Isles (a large, sparsely populated area of Scotland).

Maternal and neonatal risk factors for childhood type 1 diabetes: a matched case-control study.

Background: An interaction between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors is thought to be involved in the aetiology of type 1 diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate maternal and neonatal risk factors for type 1 diabetes in children under 15 years old in Grampian, Scotland.

Methods: A matched case-control study was conducted by record linkage.

Surgery for tubal infertility.

Background: Tubal surgery is a widely accepted treatment for tubal infertility. Estimated livebirth rates after surgery range from 9% for women with severe tubal disease to 69% for those with mild disease, however, its effectiveness has not been rigorously evaluated in comparison with other treatments such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and expectant management (no treatment). Livebirth rates have not been adequately assessed in relation to the severity of tubal damage.

Trends in semen parameters in the northeast of Scotland.

The data on trends in semen quality are conflicting and sensitive to geographical variations. Although previous British surveys on semen quality indicate a decline, the northeast of Scotland has never been included in these surveys. This is an area with low out migration rates where andrology services for a population of 500 000 are centralized within a single laboratory, thus providing a unique opportunity to study population-based trends in semen quality over time.

Recruitment issues when primary care population clusters are used in randomised controlled clinical trials: climbing mountains or pushing boulders uphill?

Cluster randomised controlled trials for health promotion, education, public health or organisational change interventions are becoming increasingly common to inform evidence-based policy. However, there is little published methodological evidence on recruitment strategies for primary care population clusters. In this paper, we discuss how choosing which population cluster to randomise can impact on the practicalities of recruitment in primary care.

Age-dependent differences in presentation, risk factor profile, and outcome of suspected acute coronary syndrome.

Objectives: To compare the presenting complaint, risk factors, and outcome of suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in those aged 65 and older with those of a younger cohort.

Design: Prospective observational cohort study.

Setting: A typical Scottish district general hospital covering a population of 150,000.