NHS Bolton Library Information Consultancy Evidence Summary – The use of trophic stimulation (TES) on peripheral nerve injuries

An evidence summary produced by NHS Bolton Library. Please click on the link to view. This is an original piece of work. Please contact the library if you wish to re-use in any format

NHS Bolton Library Information Consultancy Evidence Summary – The use of trophic stimulation (TES) on peripheral nerve injuries

Glowing dye boosts tumour surgery

Glowing dye boosts tumour surgery – Health News – NHS Choices.

NHS Choices examines the science behind the newspaper headlines.

Links to the headlines

Surgeons light up cancer cells in attempt to cut relapses. The Guardian, September 19 2011

Glow-in-the-dark surgery that homes in on ovarian cancer. Daily Mail, September 19 2011

Links to the science

van Dam GM, Themelis G, Crane LMA et al. Intraoperative tumor-specific fluorescence imaging in ovarian cancer by folate receptor-α targeting: first in-human results. Nature Medicine, September 18 2011

Further reading

There are currently no Cochrane reviews assessing this fluorescent tagging technique as it is very new, but there are reviews on other aspects of ovarian cancer surgery, including:

Cochrane: Optimal primary surgical treatment for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

Cochrane: Chemotherapy versus surgery for initial treatment in advanced ovarian epithelial cancer

Does coffee cut stroke risk?

Does coffee cut stroke risk? – Health News – NHS Choices.

NHS Choices examines the science behind the newspaper headlines.

Links to the headlines

Two cups of coffee every day ‘may cut stroke risk’. Daily Mail, September 19 2011

Drinking coffee can reduce stroke risk. Daily Mirror, September 19 2011

Two coffees each day cut risk of stroke. Daily Express, September 19 2011

Links to the science

Larsson SC and Orsini N. Coffee Consumption and Risk of Stroke: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies. American Journal of Epidemiology 2011, First published online: September 13

Drop in admission rates hailed as possible CCG success

Source: Drop in admission rates hailed as possible CCG success | News | Health Service Journal.

This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.

A drop in hospital admission rates has been hailed by NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson as evidence that clinical commissioning is beginning to deliver improvements in care.

 

10.5 per cent drop in GP referrals to Wrightington Wigan and Leigh FT

Source: 10.5 per cent drop in GP referrals to Wrightington Wigan and Leigh FT | HSJ Local | Health Service Journal.

This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.

GP referrals to the Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Foundation Trust were down 10.5 per cent in the first three months of 2011-12 compared with the same period the previous year, the primary care trust NHS Ashton Wigan and Leigh has reported.

 

Private provider set to win £450m community services contract

Source: Private provider set to win £450m community services contract | News | Health Service Journal.

This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.

Assura Medical has been named as the preferred bidder to take over Surrey community services in what is set to be the largest ever NHS provider contract awarded to the independent sector via a competitive tendering process

 

Unions could resist reforms through ‘non-cooperation’

Source: Unions could resist reforms through ‘non-cooperation’ | News | Health Service Journal.

This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.

Unions may consider non-cooperation action against the government’s NHS reforms, a leader has warned at the Liberal Democrat conference.

 

WHO targets non-communicable ‘lifestyle’ diseases

The World Health Organization has set out a plan to tackle non-communicable diseases like heart disease, which now pose a greater global burden than infectious diseases

via BBC News – WHO targets non-communicable ‘lifestyle’ diseases.

Schizophrenia and epilepsy have ‘strong link’

People with schizophrenia are six times more likely to develop epilepsy, says a study which finds a strong relationship between the two diseases.

via BBC News – Schizophrenia and epilepsy have ‘strong link’.

An evaluation of Birmingham Own Health telephone care management service among patients with poorly controlled diabetes. A retrospective comparison with the General Practice Research Database.

Abstract | An evaluation of Birmingham Own Health telephone care management service among patients with poorly controlled diabetes. A retrospective comparison with the General Practice Research Database..

This article is available freely via Open Access. Please click on the above link to view it fully.

Abstract (provisional)

 

Background

Telephone-based care management programmes have been shown to improve health outcomes in some chronic diseases. Birmingham Own Health is a telephone-based care service (nurse-delivered motivational coaching and support for self-management and lifestyle change) for patients with poorly controlled diabetes, delivered in Birmingham, UK. We used a novel method to evaluate its effectiveness in a real-life setting.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study in the UK. 473 patients aged >18 years with diabetes enrolled onto Birmingham Own Health (intervention cohort) and with >90 days follow-up, were each matched by age and sex to up to 50 patients with diabetes registered with the General Practice Research Database (GPRD) to create a pool of 21,052 controls (control cohort). Controls were further selected from the main control cohort, matching as close as possible to the cases for baseline test levels, followed by as close as possible length of follow-up (within +/-30 days limits) and within +/-90 days baseline test date. The aim was to identify a control group with as similar distribution of prognostic factors to the cases as possible. Effect sizes were computed using linear regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, deprivation quintile, length of follow-up and baseline test levels.

Results

After adjusting for baseline values and other potential confounders, the intervention showed significant mean reductions among people with diabetes of 0.3% (95%CI 0.1, 0.4%) in HbA1c; 3.5 mmHg (1.5, 5.5) in systolic blood pressure, 1.6 mmHg (0.4, 2.7) in diastolic blood pressure and 0.7 unit reduction (0.3, 1.0) in BMI, over a mean follow-up of around 10 months. Only small effects were seen on average on serum cholesterol levels (0.1 mmol/l reduction (0.1, 0.2)). More marked effects were seen for each clinical outcome among patients with worse baseline levels.

Conclusions

Despite the limitations of the study design, the results are consistent with the Birmingham Own Health telephone care management intervention being effective in reducing HbA1c levels, blood pressure and BMI in people with diabetes, to a degree comparable with randomised controlled trials of similar interventions and clinically important. The effects appear to be greater in patients with poorer baseline levels and the intervention is effective in the most deprived populations.

Parental alcohol use and adolescent school adjustment in the general population: results from the HUNT study

Source: Abstract | Parental alcohol use and adolescent school adjustment in the general population: results from the HUNT study.

This article is available freely via Open Access. Please click on the above link to view it fully.

Background

This study investigates the relationship between parental drinking and school adjustment in a total population sample of adolescents, with independent reports from mothers, fathers, and adolescents. As a group, children of alcohol abusers have previously been found to exhibit lowered academic achievement. However, few studies address which parts of school adjustment that may be impaired. Both a genetic approach and social strains predict elevated problem scores in these children. Previous research has had limitations such as only recruiting cases from clinics, relying on single responders for all measures, or incomplete control for comorbid psychopathology. The specific effects of maternal and paternal alcohol use are also understudied.

Methods

In a Norwegian county, 88% of the population aged 13-19 years participated in a health survey (N=8984). Among other variables, adolescents reported on four dimensions of school adjustment, while mothers and fathers reported their own drinking behaviour. Mental distress and other control variables were adjusted for. Multivariate analysis including generalized estimation equations was applied to investigate associations.

Results

Compared to children of light drinkers, children of alcohol abusers had moderately elevated attention and conduct problem scores. Maternal alcohol abuse was particularly predictive of such problems. Children of abstainers did significantly better than children of light drinkers. Controlling for adolescent mental distress reduced the association between maternal abuse and attention problems. The associations between parental reported drinking and school adjustment were further reduced when controlling for the children’s report of seeing their parents drunk, which itself predicted school adjustment. Controlling for parental mental distress did not reduce the associations.

Conclusions

Parental alcohol abuse is an independent risk factor for attention and conduct problems at school. Some of the risk associated with mothers’ drinking is likely to be mediated by adolescent mental distress. Despite lowered adjustment on the externalizing dimensions, children of alcohol abusers report that they enjoy being at school as much as other children.

World cancer toll is on the rise, says research

World Health Organisation report reveals 7.5m annual death toll around the world is on the rise as populations increase

via World cancer toll is on the rise, says research | World news | The Guardian.

Lib Dems vote overwhelmingly to set up panel to consider decriminalising drugs

Motion also offers show of support for Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, following high profile resignations from body

via Lib Dems vote overwhelmingly to set up panel to consider decriminalising drugs | Politics | guardian.co.uk.