Publications by authors named "Torgerson D"

Objective: Extremely premature infants are treated with acetaminophen (APAP) for pain and patent ductus arteriosus. High doses of APAP in adults are toxic, and a recent study found an association between APAP metabolite levels in mothers' breast milk and both bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in their premature infants. In this study, we determined levels of APAP metabolites in urine of infants at high risk for BPD and ROP.

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Background: Dupuytren's contracture is caused by nodules and cords which pull the fingers towards the palm of the hand. Treatments include limited fasciectomy surgery, collagenase injection and needle fasciotomy. There is limited evidence comparing limited fasciectomy with collagenase injection.

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Rationale: Loss to follow-up of participants can compromise the statistical validity of randomised trials. Moreover, it can have financial consequences for trial teams and funders. This study explores the Occupational Therapist Intervention Study (OTIS) where, despite a withdrawal rate of less than 10%, the trial team incurred opportunity costs related to participants who were initially recruited but subsequently decided to withdraw from the trial.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study compares the effectiveness of two treatments for Dupuytren's contracture: collagenase injection and limited fasciectomy, using a randomized controlled trial with 672 participants
  • - The main measurement tool used was the Patient Evaluation Measure-Hand Health Profile (PEM), where scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating worse hand health; results showed a mean score of 17.8 for the collagenase group and 11.9 for the limited-fasciectomy group at 1 year
  • - The findings concluded that collagenase injection was not as effective as limited fasciectomy after one year, with fewer complications reported in the collagenase group (1.8%) compared to the limited-fasc
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Background: People with multiple long-term conditions are more likely to have poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Yoga has the potential to improve HRQOL. Gentle Years Yoga© (GYY) is a chair-based yoga programme for older adults.

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Background: Older adults with multimorbidity experience impaired health-related quality of life and treatment burden. Yoga has the potential to improve several aspects of health and well-being. The British Wheel of Yoga's Gentle Years Yoga© programme was developed specifically for older adults, including those with chronic conditions.

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Background: The presence of dental caries impacts on children's daily lives, particularly among those living in deprived areas. There are successful interventions across the United Kingdom for young children based on toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste. However, evidence is lacking for oral health improvement programmes in secondary-school pupils to reduce dental caries and its sequelae.

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  • A study investigated the potential benefits of methotrexate, an antirheumatic drug, in treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA) pain through a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 207 participants.
  • Participants were randomly assigned to receive either methotrexate or a placebo for 12 months while continuing their usual pain relief medications, with a primary focus on assessing average knee pain at 6 months.
  • Results indicated that the methotrexate group experienced a significant decrease in knee pain compared to the placebo group, suggesting methotrexate may provide symptomatic relief for KOA.
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Aims: To assess the cost-effectiveness of a two-layer compression bandage versus a standard wool and crepe bandage following total knee arthroplasty, using patient-level data from the Knee Replacement Bandage Study (KReBS).

Methods: A cost-utility analysis was undertaken alongside KReBS, a pragmatic, two-arm, open label, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial, in terms of the cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY). Overall, 2,330 participants scheduled for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were randomized to either a two-layer compression bandage or a standard wool and crepe bandage.

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  • Acute leukaemias (AL) are severe blood cancers that can be treated with intensive chemotherapy, but this also increases the risk of serious infections, particularly invasive fungal infections (IFIs), due to low white blood cell counts (neutropenia).
  • Current guidelines suggest using antifungal agents as a preventive measure in high-risk patients, but there's a significant issue of overprescribing these medications. Biomarkers like galactomannan and β-D-glucan could improve the diagnosis of IFIs when used together rather than separately.
  • The BioDriveAFS study is a large clinical trial involving 404 participants that will compare a biomarker-based antifungal management strategy to traditional antifungal prophyl
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Objective:  Extremely preterm infants are at high risk of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Extreme preterm birth (PTB) may result from spontaneous preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes or may be indicated due to preeclampsia, eclampsia, hypertension, or other causes. Our objective was to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and biological pathways associated with spontaneous versus indicated extreme PTB using the neonatal genome.

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Introduction: Smoking during pregnancy is harmful to unborn babies, infants and women. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is offered as the usual stop-smoking support in the UK. However, this is often used in insufficient doses, intermittently or for too short a time to be effective.

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Background: A number of children experience difficulties with social communication and this has long-term deleterious effects on their mental health, social development and education. The E-PLAYS-2 study will test an intervention ('E-PLAYS') aimed at supporting such children. E-PLAYS uses a dyadic computer game to develop collaborative and communication skills.

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Background: The extra benefit of a programme of physiotherapy in addition to advice alone, following first-time traumatic shoulder dislocation, is uncertain. We compared the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a single session of advice with a single session of advice and a programme of physiotherapy.

Objective: The primary objective was to quantify and draw inferences about observed differences in the Oxford Shoulder Instability Score between the trial treatment groups 6 months post randomisation, in adults with a first-time traumatic shoulder dislocation.

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Background: Young adults who commit low-level offences commonly have a range of health and social needs and are significantly over-represented in the criminal justice system. These young adults may need to attend court and potentially receive penalties including imprisonment. Alternative routes exist, which can help address the underlying causes of offending.

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Background: Lateral compression type-1 pelvic fractures are a common fragility fracture in older adults. Patients who do not mobilise due to ongoing pain are at greater risk of immobility-related complications. Standard treatment in the United Kingdom is provision of pain relief and early mobilisation, unlike fragility hip fractures, which are usually treated surgically based on evidence that early surgery is associated with better outcomes.

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Objective: To assess whether case finding for depression among people aged 65 and above improves mental health.

Design: Opportunistic evaluation using a regression discontinuity analysis with data from a randomised controlled trial.

Setting: The REFORM trial, a falls prevention study that recruited patients from NHS podiatry clinics.

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Background: Evidence to support decisions on trial processes is minimal. One way to generate this evidence is to use a Study Within A Trial (SWAT) to test trial processes or explore methodological uncertainties. SWAT evidence relies on replication to ensure sufficient power and broad applicability of findings.

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Introduction: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) inform healthcare decisions. It is now apparent that some published RCTs contain false data and some appear to have been entirely fabricated. Systematic reviews are performed to identify and synthesise all RCTs that have been conducted on a given topic.

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Background: Randomised controlled trials ('trials') are susceptible to poor participant recruitment and retention. Studies Within A Trial are the strongest methods for testing the effectiveness of strategies to improve recruitment and retention. However, relatively few of these have been conducted.

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Background: The onset of disability in bathing is particularly important for older adults as it can be rapidly followed by disability in other daily activities; this may represent a judicious time point for intervention in order to improve health, well-being and associated quality of life. An important environmental and preventative intervention is housing adaptation, but there are often lengthy waiting times for statutory provision. In this randomised controlled trial (RCT), we aim to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of bathing adaptations compared to no adaptations and to explore the factors associated with routine and expedited implementation of bathing adaptations.

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Objective: To assess the effects of an additional programme of physiotherapy in adults with a first-time traumatic shoulder dislocation compared with single session of advice, supporting materials, and option to self-refer to physiotherapy.

Design: Pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial (ARTISAN).

Setting And Participants: Trauma research teams at 41 UK NHS Trust sites screened adults with a first time traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation confirmed radiologically, being managed non-operatively.

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Article Synopsis
  • A meta-analysis of data from 46 cohorts found that individuals who reported falling in the past year had an increased risk of fractures, highlighting falls as an important factor for fracture risk assessment.
  • Previous falls were correlated with a significant rise in fracture risks for both men and women, with hazard ratios indicating that the risk is greater for men.
  • The study suggests that falls should be included in the FRAX® algorithm, which currently does not consider this important risk factor for osteoporotic fractures.
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