Development of an intervention to improve access to living-donor kidney transplantation (the ASK study).

A living-donor kidney transplant (LDKT) is one of the best treatments for kidney failure. The UK's LDKT activity falls behind that of many other countries, and there is evidence of socioeconomic inequity in access. We aimed to develop a UK-specific multicomponent intervention to support eligible individuals to access a LDKT.

Forecasting the COVID-19 Epidemic by Integrating Symptom Search Behavior Into Predictive Models: Infoveillance Study.

Background: Previous studies have suggested associations between trends of web searches and COVID-19 traditional metrics. It remains unclear whether models incorporating trends of digital searches lead to better predictions.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between Google Trends searches of symptoms associated with COVID-19 and confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths.

Prevalence and phenotype associations of complement factor I mutations in geographic atrophy.

Rare variants in the complement factor I (CFI) gene, associated with low serum factor I (FI) levels, are strong risk factors for developing the advanced stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). No studies have been undertaken on the prevalence of disease-causing CFI mutations in patients with geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to AMD. A multicenter, cross-sectional, noninterventional study was undertaken to identify the prevalence of pathogenic rare CFI gene variants in an unselected cohort of patients with GA and low FI levels.

Hemostatic powder TC-325 treatment of malignancy-related upper gastrointestinal bleeds: International registry outcomes.

Background And Aim: Upper gastrointestinal tumors account for 5% of upper gastrointestinal bleeds. These patients are challenging to treat due to the diffuse nature of the neoplastic bleeding lesions, high rebleeding rates, and significant transfusion requirements. TC-325 (Cook Medical, North Carolina, USA) is a hemostatic powder for gastrointestinal bleeding.

Hypotony-associated Complications After Deep Sclerectomy: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Long-term Outcomes.

Precis: Chronic hypotony is not uncommon following deep sclerectomy (DS), but only a minor proportion of patients develop hypotony-associated complications. Numerical hypotony does not affect the visual outcomes. This study identifies factors associated with hypotony.

Surveillance of people with previously successfully treated diabetic macular oedema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy by trained ophthalmic graders: cost analysis from the EMERALD study.

Background/aims: Surveillance of people with previously successfully treated diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) adds pressure on ophthalmology services. This study evaluated a new surveillance pathway entailing multimodal imaging reviewed by trained ophthalmic graders and compared it with the current standard care (face-to-face evaluation by an ophthalmologist).

Methods: Cost analysis of the new ophthalmic grader pathway, compared with the standard of care, from the perspective of the UK National Health Service, based on evidence from the Effectiveness of Multimodal imaging for the Evaluation of Retinal oedema And new vesseLs in Diabetic retinopathy study.

Multimodal imaging interpreted by graders to detect re-activation of diabetic eye disease in previously treated patients: the EMERALD diagnostic accuracy study.

Background: Owing to the increasing prevalence of diabetes, the workload related to diabetic macular oedema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy is rising, making it difficult for hospital eye services to meet demands.

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the diagnostic performance, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of a new pathway using multimodal imaging interpreted by ophthalmic graders to detect reactivation of diabetic macular oedema/proliferative diabetic retinopathy in previously treated patients.

Design: This was a prospective, case-referent, cross-sectional diagnostic study.

An international genome-wide meta-analysis of primary biliary cholangitis: Novel risk loci and candidate drugs.

Backgrounds & Aims: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic liver disease in which autoimmune destruction of the small intrahepatic bile ducts eventually leads to cirrhosis. Many patients have inadequate response to licensed medications, motivating the search for novel therapies. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and meta-analyses (GWMA) of PBC have identified numerous risk loci for this condition, providing insight into its aetiology.

The Impact of Intra-thoracic Anatomical Changes upon the Delivery of Lung Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy.

Aims: So far, the impact of intra-thoracic anatomical changes (ITACs) on patients treated with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer is unknown. Studying these is important, as ITACs have the potential to impact the workflow and reduce treatment quality. The aim of this study was to assess and categorise ITACs, as detected on cone beam computed tomography scans (CBCT), and their subsequent impact upon treatment in lung cancer patients treated with SABR.

Patient-reported outcomes after oesophagectomy in the multicentre LASER study.

Background: Data on the long-term symptom burden in patients surviving oesophageal cancer surgery are scarce. The aim of this study was to identify the most prevalent symptoms and their interactions with health-related quality of life.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional cohort study of patients who underwent oesophageal cancer surgery in 20 European centres between 2010 and 2016.

Cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery versus community weight management to treat obesity-related idiopathic intracranial hypertension: evidence from a single-payer healthcare system.

Background: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is associated with significant morbidity, predominantly affecting women of childbearing age living with obesity. Weight loss has demonstrated successful disease-modifying effects; however, the long-term cost-effectiveness of weight loss interventions for the treatment of IIH has not yet been established.

Objectives: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of weight-loss treatments for IIH.

Fiber Optic Raman Spectroscopy of Muscle in Preclinical Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Neuromuscular diseases result in muscle weakness, disability, and, in many instances, death. Preclinical models form the bedrock of research into these disorders, and the development of and potentially translational biomarkers for the accurate identification of disease is crucial. Spontaneous Raman spectroscopy can provide a rapid, label-free, and highly specific molecular fingerprint of tissue, making it an attractive potential biomarker.

Biomechanical comparison of 3 types of transdiscal fixation implants for fixing high-grade L5/S1 spine spondylolisthesis.

Background Context: There are several options for the stabilization of high-grade lumbosacral spondylolisthesis including transdiscal screws, the Bohlman technique (transdiscal fibular strut) and the modified Bohlman technique (transdiscal titanium mesh cage). The choice of an optimum construct remains controversial; therefore, we endeavoured to study and compare the biomechanical performance of these 3 techniques.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare 3 types of transdiscal fixation biomechanically in an in vitro porcine lumbar-sacral spine model.

Quality assurance of radiotherapy in the ongoing EORTC 1420 "Best of" trial for early stage oropharyngeal, supraglottic and hypopharyngeal carcinoma: results of the benchmark case procedure.

Introduction: The current phase III EORTC 1420 Best-of trial (NCT02984410) compares the swallowing function after transoral surgery versus intensity modulated radiotherapy (RT) in patients with early-stage carcinoma of the oropharynx, supraglottis and hypopharynx. We report the analysis of the Benchmark Case (BC) procedures before patient recruitment with special attention to dysphagia/aspiration related structures (DARS).

Materials And Methods: Submitted RT volumes and plans from participating centers were analyzed and compared against the gold-standard expert delineations and dose distributions.

Testing the performance of risk prediction models to determine progression to referable diabetic retinopathy in an Irish type 2 diabetes cohort.

Background /aims: To evaluate the performance of existing prediction models to determine risk of progression to referable diabetic retinopathy (RDR) using data from a prospective Irish cohort of people with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: A cohort of 939 people with T2D followed prospectively was used to test the performance of risk prediction models developed in Gloucester, UK, and Iceland. Observed risk of progression to RDR in the Irish cohort was compared with that derived from each of the prediction models evaluated.

Psychological, physical and social factors influence decision to return to sport after revision ACL reconstruction with BPTB graft.

Purpose: There is limited evidence in literature regarding the patient-reported factors that influence their return to sport (RTS) in revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The medium-term results of a prospective consecutive cohort of patients undergoing single- and two-stage revision ACLR with bone patellar tendon bone graft (BPTB) and patient-reported factors that influence their decision to return to sport are presented in this study.

Methods: Seventy-two patients were included in this prospective study.

The Prevalence of Incidental Mastoid Opacification and the Need for Intervention: A Meta-Analysis.

Objectives/hypothesis: The increasing use of cross-sectional imaging has led to the predicament of incidental mastoid opacification (IMO). We investigated the prevalence of IMO and the clinical need for ENT assessment or intervention when identified.

Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Importance of Anatomical Efficacy for Disease Control in Neovascular AMD: An Expert Opinion.

Background: Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) presents a significant treatment burden for patients, carers and medical retina services. However, significant debate remains regarding how best to manage nAMD when assessing disease activity by optical coherence tomography (OCT), and particularly the significance of different types of fluid and how the understanding of anatomical efficacy can influence treatment strategies. This article provides opinion on the practical implications of anatomical efficacy and significance of fluid in the management of nAMD and proposes recommendations for healthcare professionals (HCPs) to improve understanding and promote best practice to achieve disease control.