The effectiveness of peroneal nerve functional electrical simulation for the reduction of bradykinesia in Parkinson's disease: A feasibility study for a randomised control trial.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of a multi-site randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effect of functional electrical stimulation on bradykinesia in people with Parkinson's disease.

Design: A two-arm assessor blinded randomised controlled trial with an 18 weeks intervention period and 4 weeks post-intervention follow-up.

Setting: Two UK hospitals; a therapy outpatient department in a district general hospital and a specialist neuroscience centre.

Proton pump inhibitor associated hypomagnasaemia - a cause for concern?

Aims: In recent years, there have been a number of case reports of severe hypomagnesaemia associated with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use, such that both the FDA and MHRA have issued drug safety warnings. They have recommended periodic serum magnesium testing in patients prescribed PPIs but provide no guidance on timing of these measurements.

Methods: To our knowledge, we are the first to perform a prospective study to explore specifically proton pump inhibitor associated hypomagnesaemia (PPIAH).

How do absorbable sutures absorb? A prospective double-blind randomized clinical study of tissue reaction to polyglactin 910 sutures in human skin.

Objective: To compare the tissue reaction produced by 2 gauges of implanted polyglactin 910(Vicryl) suture material in human skin.

Methods: A prospective, double masked, parallel randomized IRB approved clinical trial. Consecutive patients with involutional entropion and horizontal eyelid laxity were randomly allocated to 5/0 or 7/0 gauge test suture groups.

A randomised controlled trial of integrated electrical stimulation and physiotherapy to improve mobility for people less than 6 months post stroke.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of combining physiotherapy and functional electrical stimulation to improve gait post stroke.

Methods: A parallel group partially single-blinded randomised clinical trial. Adults living at home, less than 6 months post stroke, were randomised to Group A (physiotherapy, n = 10) or Group B (physiotherapy and common peroneal nerve stimulation, n = 10).

Diabetic peripheral microvascular complications: relationship to cognitive function.

Peripheral microvascular complications in diabetes are associated with concurrent cerebrovascular disease. As detailed cognitive assessment is not routinely carried out among diabetic patients, the aim was to establish whether the presence of clinical "peripheral" microvascular disease can identify a subgroup of patients with early evidence of cognitive impairment. Detailed psychometric assessment was performed in 23 diabetic patients with no microvascular complications (Group D), 27 diabetic patients with at least one microvascular complication: retinopathy, neuropathy, and/or nephropathy (Group DC), and 25 healthy controls (Group H).

The JAK2 46/1 haplotype predisposes to MPL-mutated myeloproliferative neoplasms.

The 46/1 JAK2 haplotype predisposes to V617F-positive myeloproliferative neoplasms, but the underlying mechanism is obscure. We analyzed essential thrombocythemia patients entered into the PT-1 studies and, as expected, found that 46/1 was overrepresented in V617F-positive cases (n = 404) versus controls (n = 1492, P = 3.9 x 10(-11)).

Adverse effects reported in epilatory ruby laser treatment.

A retrospective study was conducted to investigate the incidence of reported adverse responses after epilatory laser treatment to control the growth of facial hair in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Forty-eight patients received a median of 6 (range 2-11) treatments with an Aesculap ruby laser during a 704 day monitoring period at Salisbury District Hospital. Nine adverse skin responses such as blistering, scabbing, sustained localised erythematous reactions or hyperpigmentation were reported.

Blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome: objective analysis of surgical outcome in patients from a single unit.

Background: The aim was to objectively assess surgical outcome in blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES).

Method: Retrospective review of 14 consecutive patients with BPES. Mustardé double z plasty (at about age 4) and autogenous fascia lata Crawford brow suspension (9-12 months later) were used in all.

Haemopoietic growth factors significantly improve the mitotic index and chromosome quality in cytogenetic cultures of myeloid neoplasia.

Haemopoietic growth factors stimulate bone marrow cell division, differentiation, and survival in vivo. We have investigated the use of recombinant human haemopoietic growth factors in vitro to improve cytogenetic cultures. Using a combination of granulocyte colony stimulating factor, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor, stem cell factor, and interleukin-3, we developed an additive for bone marrow cultures intended to stimulate myeloid cell growth.

Patterns and frequency of anxiety in women undergoing gynaecological surgery.

Aims: Within a gynaecological surgical setting to identify the patterns and frequency of anxiety pre- and postoperatively; to identify any correlation between raised anxiety levels and postoperative pain; to identify events, from the patients' perspective, that may increase or decrease anxiety in the pre- and postoperative periods.

Background: It is well documented that surgery is associated with increased anxiety, which has an adverse impact on patient outcomes. Few studies have been conducted to obtain the patient's perspective on the experience of anxiety and the events and situations that aggravate and ameliorate it.

Individual active treatment combined with group exercise for acute and subacute low back pain.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To compare two fast-access evidence-based interventions for the treatment of simple low back pain.

Subjects: People aged 18-65 with a new episode of simple back pain causing them to be off work or on modified work for less than 1 year.

Breakpoints of variant 9;22 translocations in chronic myeloid leukemia locate preferentially in the CG-richest regions of the genome.

From 5% to 10% of 9;22 translocations in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are reported to occur in variant form, that is, with the involvement of other regions of the genome in 3-way or more rearrangements. The literature indicates that the alternative breakpoints are not distributed randomly in the genome but show hotspots. We present data on 289 unpublished cases of CML with variant 9;22 translocations having a total of 342 variant breakpoints, the largest independent series to date.

The effect of combined use of botulinum toxin type A and functional electric stimulation in the treatment of spastic drop foot after stroke: a preliminary investigation.

Objective: To investigate the effect of combined botulinum toxin type A (BTX) and functional electric stimulation (FES) treatment on spastic drop foot in stroke.

Design: Nonblinded randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Hospitals.

Economic and Practical Factors in Diagnosing HNPCC Using Clinical Criteria, Immunohistochemistry and Microsatellite Instability Analysis.

Aim: To determine a cost-efficient strategy for HNPCC molecular diagnostic testing.

Methods: 138 families referred to a Regional Genetics Service had hMLH1 and hMSH2 mutation analysis. The sensitivity and specificity of clinical selection criteria with or without immunohistochemistry (IHC) and microsatellite instability (MSI) analysis to further refine case selection and the effect of these approaches on the cost of mutation analysis were examined.

Effectiveness of electric stimulation of the vastus medialis muscle in the rehabilitation of patients after total knee arthroplasty.

Objective: To investigate the possible effect of electric muscle stimulation (EMS) of the vastus medialis on the walking speed, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score, and Physiological Cost Index (PCI) of patients during rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Design: Prospective, randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Various departments at a district general hospital in the United Kingdom.

A pilot study to investigate the combined use of botulinum neurotoxin type a and functional electrical stimulation, with physiotherapy, in the treatment of spastic dropped foot in subacute stroke.

The objective was to inform sample size calculations for a full randomized controlled trial (RCT). The design included an RCT pilot trial with a 16 week study period, including a 4 week baseline phase. The subjects were adults within 1 year of first stroke, ambulant with a spastic dropped foot.