Publications by authors named "Natalie King"

Neuropathic cancer pain is experienced by 30-40% of patients with cancer. It significantly reduces quality of life and overall wellbeing for patients living with and beyond cancer. The underlying mechanisms of neuropathic pain in patients with cancer are complex and involve direct tumour involvement, nerve compression or infiltration, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy-induced nerve damage, or post-surgical complications.

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Article Synopsis
  • - A study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of using procalcitonin (PCT) testing to guide antibiotic decisions for COVID-19 patients in UK hospitals during the pandemic.
  • - Data from 11 NHS hospitals showed those tested with PCT had shorter hospital stays, reduced antibiotic use, and better quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) compared to those who were not tested.
  • - Results suggest that PCT testing is likely to be cost-effective for hospitalized COVID-19 patients, although there is some uncertainty regarding these findings.
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Background: Information on the quality of life of people hospitalised with COVID-19 is important, both in assessing the burden of disease and the cost-effectiveness of treatments. However, there were potential barriers to collecting such evidence.

Objective: To review the existing evidence on quality of life for people hospitalised with COVID-19, with a focus on the amount of evidence available and methods used.

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Background: A major driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the inappropriate use of antimicrobials. At the community level, people are often engaged in behaviors that drive AMR within human, animal, and environmental (One Health) impacts. This scoping review consolidates research to determine (a) the community's knowledge, attitudes, and practices around AMR; (b) existing community-based interventions; and (c) barriers and enablers to addressing AMR in Nepal.

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Objectives: Food insecurity (FI) is defined as limited or uncertain access to sufficient food for a healthy and active lifestyle. Our objective was to explore how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected the FI status of pediatric patients and their families through interviewing caregivers who screen positive for FI.

Methods: Caregivers of all hospitalized patients at a tertiary children's hospital who screen positive for FI with a two-question screening tool were approached about enrolling in the study.

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Background: Pericytes are multifunctional contractile cells that reside on capillaries. Pericytes are critical regulators of cerebral blood flow and blood-brain barrier function, and pericyte dysfunction may contribute to the pathophysiology of human neurological diseases including Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis, and stroke. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived pericytes (iPericytes) are a promising tool for vascular research.

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Aims: School-based physical therapists (SBPTs) rapidly transitioned to telehealth during the pandemic. This study explored the perceptions of, and strategies utilized by, SBPTs delivering therapy via telehealth.

Methods: Using a grounded theory qualitative design, semi-structured interviews were completed with 13 SBPTs.

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Pericytes play several important functions in the neurovascular unit including contractile control of capillaries, maintenance of the BBB, regulation of angiogenesis, and neuroinflammation. There exists a continuum of pericyte subtypes along the vascular tree which exhibit both morphological and transcriptomic differences. While different functions have been associated with the pericyte subtypes in vivo, numerous recent publications have used a primary human brain vascular pericytes (HBVP) cell line where this pericyte heterogeneity has not been considered.

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The aim of this study was to analyze umbilical hernia occurrences in patients who underwent laparoscopic or laparoendoscopic single-sight (LESS) cholecystectomy. Patients who underwent cholecystectomy by a single surgeon between 2015 and 2020 were surveyed. Data are presented as median (mean +/- standard deviation).

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Background: High medicine prices contribute to increasing cost of healthcare worldwide. Many patients with limited resources in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are confronted with out-of-pocket charges, constraining their access to medicines. Different medicine pricing policies are implemented to improve affordability and availability; however, evidence on the experiences of implementations of these policies in SSA settings appears limited.

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Stroke therapy has largely focused on preventing damage and encouraging repair outside the ischemic core, as the core is considered irreparable. Recently, several studies have suggested endogenous responses within the core are important for limiting the spread of damage and enhancing recovery, but the role of blood flow and capillary pericytes in this process is unknown. Using the Rose Bengal photothrombotic model of stroke, we illustrate blood vessels are present in the ischemic core and peri-lesional regions 2 weeks post stroke in male mice.

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Background: Frailty is a risk factor for adverse health outcomes. There is a paucity of literature on frailty progression defined by a cumulative deficit model among community dwelling older people. The objective of this review was to synthesise evidence on these changes in health and mortality among community-dwelling older people.

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Adjusting dosing regimens based on measurements of carbapenem levels may improve carbapenem exposure in patients. This systematic review aims to describe the effect carbapenem therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) has on health outcomes, including the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Four databases were searched for studies that reported health outcomes following adjustment to dosing regimens, according to measurements of carbapenem concentration.

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Capillary pericytes have numerous functions important for tissue maintenance. Changes in pericyte function are implicated in diseases such as cancer, where pericyte-mediated angiogenesis contributes to the blood supply that tumors use to survive. Some anti-cancer agents, like imatinib, target platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta (PDGFRβ).

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Background: Dosing regimens guided by therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) may be able to improve penicillin exposure in patients, which could result in improved patient health outcomes.

Objectives: This systematic review aims to describe the impact penicillin TDM has on health outcomes, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Methods: Studies measuring penicillins in patient samples that adjusted regimens according to the result, and reported health outcomes were selected.

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Introduction: Despite the availability of several commercial rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) developed to detect typhoid fever, the cost-effectiveness in resource-limited settings is unclear. This review aimed to explore the literature on typhoid economic evaluations in order to assess the cost-effectiveness of using typhoid RDTs in resource-limited settings.

Areas Covered: A systematic review was conducted focusing on the identification of economic evaluations of typhoid RDTs to diagnose patients with suspected typhoid fever.

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Background: Unaccompanied refugee minors (URM) are at significantly higher risk of trauma exposure and mental illness. Research examining the most effective treatments for this population is limited.

Aims: To study the available research evidence on outcomes from various group interventions in this population.

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We undertook a systematic review to synthesise the data on attitudes and behaviour towards the use of aspirin for cancer prevention, and healthcare providers' attitudes towards implementing aspirin in practice. Searches were carried out across 12 databases (e.g.

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Purpose: Side-effects of adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) are common in breast cancer survivors, and can affect adherence to treatment. We synthesised the evidence for strategies to self-manage these side-effects.

Methods: We searched for systematic reviews and clinical guidelines on self-management strategies for AET side-effects (arthralgia, fatigue, hot flashes, gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, vulvovaginal symptoms, and sleep disturbance).

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Background: Preservatives are used widely in cosmetic, household, and industrial products to prevent microbial growth and spoiling of the products. There has been a recent epidemic of contact allergy to methylisothiazolinone (MI).

Objectives: To establish emerging trends in preservative contact allergy as MI is replaced.

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Objectives/hypothesis: To determine how above cuff vocalization (ACV) is implemented in clinical practice, to identify what evidence exists on the effectiveness and safety of ACV, and to evaluate the acceptability of ACV.

Study Design: Systematic review.

Methods: A literature search was conducted in eight databases (MEDLINE, Embase, AMED, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science) in May 2019 and updated in June 2020.

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Introduction: Ensuring universal availability and accessibility of medicines and supplies is critical for national health systems to equitably address population health needs. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), this is a recognised priority with multiple medicines pricing policies enacted. However, medicine prices have remained high, continue to rise and constrain their accessibility.

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Objective: Health services in many countries are investing in interorganisational networks, linking patients' records held in different organisations across a city or region. The aim of the systematic review was to establish how, why and in what circumstances these networks improve patient safety, fail to do so, or increase safety risks, for people living at home.

Design: Realist synthesis, drawing on both quantitative and qualitative evidence, and including consultation with stakeholders in nominal groups and semistructured interviews.

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