scholarly journals Costs and persistence of alpha-2 adrenergic agonists versus carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, both associated with prostaglandin analogues, for glaucoma as recorded by The United Kingdom General Practitioner Research Database

2008 ◽  
pp. 321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilles Berdeaux
2016 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 655-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Hancock ◽  
B J Woodward ◽  
A Muneer ◽  
J C Kirkman-Brown

Post-vasectomy semen analysis (PVSA) is the procedure used to establish whether sperm are present in the semen following a vasectomy. PVSA is presently carried out by a wide variety of individuals, ranging from doctors and nurses in general practitioner (GP) surgeries to specialist scientists in andrology laboratories, with highly variable results.Key recommendations are that: (1) PVSA should take place a minimum of 12 weeks after surgery and after a minimum of 20 ejaculations. (2) Laboratories should routinely examine samples within 4 h of production if assessing for the presence of sperm. If non-motile sperm are observed, further samples must be examined within 1 h of production. (3) Assessment of a single sample is acceptable to confirm vasectomy success if all recommendations and laboratory methodology are met and no sperm are observed. Clearance can then be given. (4) The level for special clearance should be <100 000/mL non-motile sperm. Special clearance cannot be provided if any motile sperm are observed and should only be given after assessment of two samples in full accordance with the methods contained within these guidelines. Surgeons are responsible both preoperatively and postoperatively for the counselling of patients and their partners regarding complications and the possibility of late recanalisation after clearance. These 2016 guidelines replace the 2002 British Andrology Society (BAS) laboratory guidelines and should be regarded as definitive for the UK in the provision of a quality PVSA service, accredited to ISO 15189:2012, as overseen by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. e026739 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Battersby ◽  
Nick Longford ◽  
Mehali Patel ◽  
Ella Selby ◽  
Shalini Ojha ◽  
...  

IntroductionTherapeutic hypothermia is standard of care for infants born ≥36 weeks gestation with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE); consensus on optimum nutrition during therapeutic hypothermia is lacking. This results in variation in enteral feeding and parenteral nutrition (PN) for these infants. In this study, we aim to determine the optimum enteral nutrition and PN strategy for newborns with HIE during therapeutic hypothermia.Methods and analysisWe will undertake a retrospective cohort study using routinely recorded electronic patient data held on the United Kingdom (UK) National Neonatal Research Database (NNRD). We will extract data from infants born ≥36 weeks gestational age between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2016, who received therapeutic hypothermia for at least 72 hours or died during therapeutic hypothermia, in neonatal units in England, Wales and Scotland. We will form matched groups in order to perform two comparisons examining: (1) the risk of NEC between infants enterally fed and infants not enterally fed, during therapeutic hypothermia; (2) the risk of late-onset blood stream infections between infants who received intravenous dextrose without any PN and infants who received PN, during therapeutic hypothermia. The following secondary outcomes will also be examined: survival, length of stay, breast feeding at discharge, hypoglycaemia, time to full enteral feeds and growth. Comparison groups will be matched on demographic, maternal, infant and organisational factors using propensity score matching.Ethics and disseminationIn this study, we will use deidentifed data held in the NNRD, an established national population database; parents can opt out of their baby’s data being held in the NNRD. This study holds study-specific Research Ethics Committee approval (East Midlands Leicester Central, 17/EM/0307). These results will help inform optimum nutritional management in infants with HIE receiving therapeutic hypothermia; results will be disseminated through conferences, scientific publications and parent-centred information produced in partnership with parents.Trial registration numberNCT03278847; pre-results,ISRCTN47404296; pre-results.


Author(s):  
Simon Noble ◽  
Nicola Pease

Within the United Kingdom, the general practitioner (GP) will manage the care of the majority of patients with life-limiting and terminal disease. The need for effective communication is recognized in the general practice curriculum and college examinations. The opportunity to review and critique one’s own communication skills allows considerable opportunity for self-directed learning and reflection. The development of a reflective portfolio of learning has been developed as a user-friendly and cost-effective way for the general practitioner to commit to lifelong learning in the context of communicating with palliative care patients. This chapter describes several models that can help deliver an evidence-based template of training, supported by a simple toolkit with which to empower GPs to enhance their communication skills throughout their professional careers.


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