Measuring multimorbidity in research: Delphi consensus study.

Objective: To develop international consensus on the definition and measurement of multimorbidity in research.

Design: Delphi consensus study.

Setting: International consensus; data collected in three online rounds from participants between 30 November 2020 and 18 May 2021.

Exploring the Relationship between Falls in Long Term Care and Psychoactive Prescribing.

Almost half of patients of nursing home residents experience one fall per year. Falls have associated significant morbidity and mortality, and a proportion of falls can be deemed avoidable. There are a variety of risk factors associated with falls, many of which are not modifiable.

How are declarations of interest working? A cross-sectional study in declarations of interest in healthcare practice in Scotland and England in 2020/2021.

Objective: To understand arrangements for healthcare organisations' declarations of staff interest in Scotland and England in the context of current recommendations.

Design: Cross-sectional study of a random selection of National Health Service (NHS) hospital registers of interest by two independent observers in England, all NHS Boards in Scotland and a random selection of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in England.

Setting: NHS Trusts in England (NHSE), NHS Boards in Scotland, CCGs in England, and private healthcare organisations.

Multicentric analysis of the perceptions and knowledge of digital health amongst undergraduate medical students.

Introduction: Digital health (DH) is continuously evolving by use of information and communications technology to improve healthcare provision, thereby reshaping systems and clinical practices. Recent studies identified an overwhelming lack of awareness of DH within the profession. This study aimed to analyse student perceptions and knowledge of DH to assess confidence in its use to develop greater DH awareness and literacy.

Over-use of thyroid testing in Canadian and UK primary care in frequent attenders: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is a common test used to detect and monitor clinically significant hypo- and hyperthyroidism. Population-based screening of asymptomatic adults for thyroid disorders is not recommended.

Objective: The research objectives were to determine patterns of TSH testing in Canadian and English primary care practices, as well as patient and physician practice characteristics associated with testing TSH for primary care patients with no identifiable indication.

Examining the effectiveness of different dental recall strategies on maintenance of optimum oral health: the INTERVAL dental recalls randomised controlled trial.

Objective To compare the clinical effectiveness of different frequencies of dental recall over a four-year period.Design A multi-centre, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial with blinded clinical outcome assessment. Participants were randomised to receive a dental check-up at six-monthly, 24-monthly or risk-based recall intervals.

Screening for fear of cancer recurrence: Instrument validation and current status in early stage lung cancer patients.

Background: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is one of the most distressing concerns for cancer patients. A psychometrically validated brief scale is urgently needed for use in busy clinical oncology settings. This study aimed to (1) develop and validate the 7-item fear of cancer recurrence scale Chinese version (FCR7-C), and (2) explore the severity of FCR in post-operative early-stage lung cancer patients in Taiwan.

Alcohol and disadvantaged men: A feasibility trial of an intervention delivered by mobile phone.

Introduction And Aims: Disadvantaged men suffer substantial harm from heavy drinking. This feasibility study developed and evaluated the methods for a trial of a brief intervention delivered by text messages to disadvantaged men. It aimed to test the methods for recruitment and retention, to monitor engagement with the intervention and assess the overall acceptability of study methods.

Research output after participants complete a Structured Operational Research and Training (SORT IT) course.

Eighteen months after successfully completing one of six Structured Operational Research and Training Initiative (SORT IT) courses, e-mail questionnaires assessing post-course research output were returned by 63 participants (100% response rate). Thirty-two (51%) participants had completed new research projects, 24 (38%) had published papers, 28 (44%) had presented abstracts at conferences, 15 (24%) had facilitated at further OR courses, and 21 (33%) had reviewed scientific papers. Seven (11%) had secured further research funding and 22 (35%) stated that their institutions were involved in implementation or capacity building in operational research.

The impact of dental phobia on patient consent.

Dental anxiety is prevalent across a broad spectrum of the population. Dental phobia is extreme dental fear, which interferes with normal functioning. For any dental treatment, it is an ethical, legal and professional duty of dentists to obtain valid informed consent from their patients.

Further analysis of the emotional consequences of head and neck cancer as reflected by the Patients' Concerns Inventory.

Patients with cancer of the head and neck can experience high levels of distress. The emotional burden of the disease must be recognised and important negative emotions assessed so that appropriate interventions can be provided. We obtained data from 1482 head and neck cancer Patients' Concerns Inventories (HNC-PCI) completed by 813 patients between 1 August 2007 and 9 January 2013, and particularly concentrated on the psychological, emotional, and spiritual well-being domain, which comprises 14 items.

A single-item screening question for fear of recurrence in head and neck cancer.

Fear of recurrence (FoR) is the most frequent concern patients wish to discuss in head and neck review clinics. The aim of the study was to design a simple screening question on fear of recurrence to be incorporated into the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW-QOLv4), for use in clinical practice. A cross-sectional survey comprising 528 patients was conducted.

Internet-assisted delivery of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for childhood anxiety: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to assess efficacy of internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for child anxiety disorder.

Method: A systematic search of 7 electronic databases was conducted to assess CBT intervention for children with anxiety problems with remote delivery either entirely or partly via technology. Six articles reporting 7 studies were included.

The global burden of hemorrhagic stroke: a summary of findings from the GBD 2010 study.

This report summarizes the findings of the GBD 2010 (Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors) study for hemorrhagic stroke (HS). Multiple databases were searched for relevant studies published between 1990 and 2010. The GBD 2010 study provided standardized estimates of the incidence, mortality, mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIR), and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) lost for HS (including intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage) by age, sex, and income level (high-income countries [HIC]; low- and middle-income countries [LMIC]) for 21 GBD 2010 regions in 1990, 2005, and 2010.

Biological overlap of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder: evidence from copy number variants.

Objective: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often co-occur and share genetic risks. The aim of this analysis was to determine more broadly whether ADHD and ASD share biological underpinnings.

Method: We compared copy number variant (CNV) data from 727 children with ADHD and 5,081 population controls to data from 996 individuals with ASD and an independent set of 1,287 controls.

What happens after participants complete a Union-MSF structured operational research training course?

Setting: Eight operational research (OR) courses run by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) for participants from low- and middle-income countries. There is a knowledge gap about whether participants continue OR after course completion.

Objectives: To determine 1) the research output of participants and their institutions after course completion; 2) the influence of OR fellowships on output; and 3) the output of non-OR fellows stratified by sex, region and staff position.

The Structured Operational Research and Training Initiative for public health programmes.

In 2009, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) and Médecins sans Frontières Brussels-Luxembourg (MSF) began developing an outcome-oriented model for operational research training. In January 2013, The Union and MSF joined with the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) at the World Health Organization (WHO) to form an initiative called the Structured Operational Research and Training Initiative (SORT IT). This integrates the training of public health programme staff with the conduct of operational research prioritised by their programme.

Adverse respiratory effect of acute β-blocker exposure in asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: β-Blockers are avoided in asthma over concerns regarding acute bronchoconstriction. Risk is greatest following acute exposure, including the potential for antagonism of β2-agonist rescue therapy.

Methods: A systematic review of databases was performed to identify all randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trials evaluating acute β-blocker exposure in asthma.

A randomized primary care trial of steroid titration against mannitol in persistent asthma: STAMINA trial.

Background: We compared titrating inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) against mannitol airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) or a reference strategy (control) based on symptoms, reliever use, and lung function in primary care.

Methods: One hundred sixty-four patients with persistent asthma were randomized in parallel group fashion following an initial ICS tapering. Subsequent ICS doses (as ciclesonide) were titrated against either the provocative dose of mannitol causing a 10% fall in FEV(1) (PD(10)) (AHR strategy) or a control group (reference strategy) over a 1-year period.

Old herbal remedies and modern combination therapy.

The use of herbs as cures for human ailments is as old as modern man, but has now been replaced by synthetic drugs. However, the mixture of bioactive substances found in many traditional herbal remedies has similarities with modern combination therapies, like those developed by Sir John Crofton in Edinburgh for the treatment of tuberculosis. It is suggested that, in the development of these therapies, it might be possible to learn from the drug 'cocktails' found in plants.

The impact of tiotropium on mortality and exacerbations when added to inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β-agonist therapy in COPD.

Background: Tiotropium has been shown to improve lung function, quality of life, and exacerbations and reduce mortality when compared with placebo in COPD. It remains unclear whether benefits are seen when tiotropium is used in conjunction with inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) plus long-acting β-agonists (LABAs).

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using a National Health Service database of patients with COPD in Tayside, Scotland, between 2001 and 2010 that is linked with databases regarding hospital admissions, pharmacy prescriptions, and death registries.