Publications
2252 results found
Whitaker M, Elliott J, Chadeau M, et al., 2022, Persistent COVID-19 symptoms in a community study of 606,434 people in England, Nature Communications, Vol: 13, ISSN: 2041-1723
Long COVID remains a broadly defined syndrome, with estimates of prevalence and duration varying widely. We use data from rounds 3–5 of the REACT-2 study (n=508,707; September 2020 – February 2021), a representative community survey of adults in England, and replication data from round 6 (n=97,717; May 2021) to estimate the prevalence and identify predictors of persistent symptoms lasting 12 weeks or more; and unsupervised learning to cluster individuals by reported symptoms. At 12 weeks in rounds 3–5, 37.7% experienced at least one symptom, falling to 21.6% in round 6. Female sex, increasing age, obesity, smoking, vaping, hospitalisation with COVID-19, deprivation, and being a healthcare worker are associated with higher probability of persistent symptoms in rounds 3–5, and Asian ethnicity with lower probability. Clustering analysis identifies a subset of participants with predominantly respiratory symptoms. Managing the long-term sequelae of COVID-19 will remain a major challenge for affected individuals and their families and for health services.
Elliott P, Eales O, Steyn N, et al., 2022, Twin peaks: the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 BA.1 and BA.2 epidemics in England
BACKGROUNDRapid transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has led to record-breaking incidencerates around the world. Sub-lineages have been detected in many countries with BA.1replacing Delta and BA.2 replacing BA.1.METHODSThe REal-time Assessment of Community Transmission-1 (REACT-1) study has trackedSARS-CoV-2 infection in England using RT-PCR results from self-administered throat and noseswabs from randomly-selected participants aged 5+ years. Rounds of data collection wereapproximately monthly from May 2020 to March 2022.RESULTSIn March 2022, weighted prevalence was 6.37% (N=109,181), more than twice that inFebruary 2022 following an initial Omicron peak in January 2022. Of the lineagesdetermined by viral genome sequencing, 3,382 (99.97%) were Omicron, including 346(10.2%) BA.1, 3035 (89.7%) BA.2 and one (0.03%) BA.3 sub-lineage; the remainder (1, 0.03%)was Delta AY.4. The BA.2 Omicron sub-lineage had a growth rate advantage (compared toBA.1 and sub-lineages) of 0.11 (95% credible interval [CrI], 0.10, 0.11). Prevalence wasincreasing overall (reproduction number R=1.07, 95% CrI, 1.06, 1.09), with the greatestincrease in those aged 55+ years (R=1.12, 95% CrI, 1.09, 1.14) among whom estimatedprevalence on March 31, 2022 was 8.31%, nearly 20-fold the median prevalence since May1, 2020.CONCLUSIONSWe observed unprecedented levels of SARS-CoV-2 infection in England in March 2022 and analmost complete replacement of Omicron BA.1 by BA.2. The high and increasing prevalencein older adults may increase hospitalizations and deaths despite high levels of vaccination.(Funded by the Department of Health and Social Care in England.)
Eales O, de Oliveira Martins L, Page AJ, et al., 2022, The new normal? Dynamics and scale of the SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron epidemic in England
<jats:title>Summary</jats:title><jats:p>The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been characterised by the regular emergence of genomic variants which have led to substantial changes in the epidemiology of the virus. With natural and vaccine-induced population immunity at high levels, evolutionary pressure favours variants better able to evade SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies. The Omicron variant was first detected in late November 2021 and exhibited a high degree of immune evasion, leading to increased infection rates in many countries. However, estimates of the magnitude of the Omicron wave have relied mainly on routine testing data, which are prone to several biases. Here we infer the dynamics of the Omicron wave in England using PCR testing and genomic sequencing obtained by the REal-time Assessment of Community Transmission-1 (REACT-1) study, a series of cross-sectional surveys testing random samples of the population of England. We estimate an initial peak in national Omicron prevalence of 6.89% (5.34%, 10.61%) during January 2022, followed by a resurgence in SARS-CoV-2 infections in England during February-March 2022 as the more transmissible Omicron sub-lineage, BA.2 replaced BA.1 and BA.1.1. Assuming the emergence of further distinct genomic variants, intermittent epidemics of similar magnitude as the Omicron wave may become the ‘new normal’.</jats:p>
Brazier A, Larson E, Xu Y, et al., 2022, ‘Dear Doctor’: a randomised controlled trial of a text message intervention to reduce burnout in trainee anaesthetists, Anaesthesia, Vol: 77, Pages: 405-415, ISSN: 0003-2409
One in four doctors in training in the UK reports feeling ‘burnt out’ because of their work and these figures are replicated globally. This two-group non-blinded randomised controlled trial aimed to determine if a novel text message intervention could reduce burnout and increase well-being in UK trainee anaesthetists. A total of 279 trainee anaesthetists (Core Training Year 2, Specialty Training Years 3 or 4) were included. All participants received one initial message sharing support resources. The intervention group (139 trainees) received 22 fortnightly text messages, over approximately 10 months centred around 11 evidence-based themes (including gratitude; social support; planning; self-efficacy; and self-compassion). Primary outcomes were burnout (Copenhagen Burnout Inventory) and well-being (Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale). Secondary outcomes were: meaning in work; professional value; sickness absence; and consideration of career break. Outcomes were measured via online surveys. Measures of factors that may have affected well-being were included post-hoc, including the impact of COVID-19 (the first UK wave of which coincided with the second half of the trial). The final survey was completed by 153 trainees (74 in the intervention and 79 in the control groups). There was no significant group differences in: burnout (β = -1.82, 95%CI -6.54–2.91, p = 0.45); well-being (-0.52, -1.73–0.69, p = 0.40); meaning (-0.09, -0.67–0.50, p = 0.77); value (-0.01, -0.67–0.66, p = 0.99); sick days (0.88, -2.08–3.83, p = 0.56); or consideration of career break (OR = 0.44, -0.30 to 1.18, p = 0.24). Exploratory post-hoc analysis found the intervention was associated with reduced burnout in participants reporting personal or work-related difficulties during the trial period (-9.56, -17.35 to -1.77, p = 0.02) and in participants reporting that the COVID-19 pandemic had a big negative impact on their well-being (-10.38, -
Unsworth H, Wolfram V, Dillon B, et al., 2022, Building an evidence standards framework for artificial intelligence-enabled digital health technologies, LANCET DIGITAL HEALTH, Vol: 4
- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 5
Sounderajah V, McCradden MD, Li X, et al., 2022, Ethics methods are required as part of reporting guidelines for artificial intelligence in healthcare, NATURE MACHINE INTELLIGENCE, Vol: 4, Pages: 316-317
- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 5
Shanthakumar D, Elson D, Darzi A, et al., 2022, Tissue optical imaging as an emerging technique for intraoperative margin assessment in breast-conserving surgery, Publisher: SPRINGER, Pages: 153-154, ISSN: 1068-9265
Alboksmaty A, Beaney T, Elkin S, et al., 2022, Effectiveness and safety of pulse oximetry in remote patient monitoring of patients with COVID-19: a systematic review, The Lancet Digital Health, Vol: 4, Pages: e279-e289, ISSN: 2589-7500
The COVID-19 pandemic has led health systems to increase the use of tools for monitoring and triaging patients remotely. This study aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of pulse oximetry in Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) of COVID-19 patients at home. We conducted a systematic review, searching five databases, Medline, Embase, Global Health, medRxiv, and bioRxiv, from inception to April 15, 2021. We included feasibility studies, clinical trials, observational studies, including preprints. We found 561 studies, of which 13 were included in our synthesis. The final studies were all observational cohorts and involved a total of 2,908 participants. A meta-analysis was not feasible due to the heterogeneity of the outcomes reported in the included studies. Our review confirmed the safety and potential of using pulse oximetry in monitoring COVID-19 patients at home. It can potentially save hospital resources for those who may benefit most from care escalation. However, we could not identify explicit evidence on the impact on health outcomes compared with other monitoring models that have not used pulse oximetry. Based on our findings, we make 11 recommendations and three measures for setting up an RPM system using pulse oximetry.
Han J, Davids J, Ashrafian H, et al., 2022, A systematic review of robotic surgery: From supervised paradigms to fully autonomous robotic approaches, International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery, Vol: 18, Pages: 1-11, ISSN: 1478-5951
BackgroundFrom traditional open surgery to laparoscopic surgery and robot-assisted surgery, advances in robotics, machine learning, and imaging are pushing the surgical approach to-wards better clinical outcomes. Pre-clinical and clinical evidence suggests that automation may standardise techniques, increase efficiency, and reduce clinical complications.MethodsA PRISMA-guided search was conducted across PubMed and OVID.ResultsOf the 89 screened articles, 51 met the inclusion criteria, with 10 included in the final review. Automatic data segmentation, trajectory planning, intra-operative registration, trajectory drilling, and soft tissue robotic surgery were discussed.ConclusionAlthough automated surgical systems remain conceptual, several research groups have developed supervised autonomous robotic surgical systems with increasing consideration for ethico-legal issues for automation. Automation paves the way for precision surgery and improved safety and opens new possibilities for deploying more robust artificial intelligence models, better imaging modalities and robotics to improve clinical outcomes.
Chadeau-Hyam M, Wang H, Eales O, et al., 2022, SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccine effectiveness in England (REACT-1): a series of cross-sectional random community surveys, The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Vol: 10, Pages: 355-366, ISSN: 2213-2600
SummaryBackground England has experienced a third wave of the COVID-19 epidemic since the end of May, 2021, coincidingwith the rapid spread of the delta (B.1.617.2) variant, despite high levels of vaccination among adults. Vaccinationrates (single dose) in England are lower among children aged 16–17 years and 12–15 years, whose vaccination inEngland commenced in August and September, 2021, respectively. We aimed to analyse the underlying dynamicsdriving patterns in SARS-CoV-2 prevalence during September, 2021, in England.Methods The REal-time Assessment of Community Transmission-1 (REACT-1) study, which commenced datacollection in May, 2020, involves a series of random cross-sectional surveys in the general population of Englandaged 5 years and older. Using RT-PCR swab positivity data from 100 527 participants with valid throat and noseswabs in round 14 of REACT-1 (Sept 9–27, 2021), we estimated community-based prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 andvaccine effectiveness against infection by combining round 14 data with data from round 13 (June 24 to July 12, 2021;n=172 862).Findings During September, 2021, we estimated a mean RT-PCR positivity rate of 0·83% (95% CrI 0·76–0·89), with areproduction number (R) overall of 1·03 (95% CrI 0·94–1·14). Among the 475 (62·2%) of 764 sequenced positiveswabs, all were of the delta variant; 22 (4·63%; 95% CI 3·07–6·91) included the Tyr145His mutation in the spikeprotein associated with the AY.4 sublineage, and there was one Glu484Lys mutation. Age, region, key worker status,and household size jointly contributed to the risk of swab positivity. The highest weighted prevalence was observedamong children aged 5–12 years, at 2·32% (95% CrI 1·96–2·73) and those aged 13–17 years, at 2·55% (2·11–3·08).The SARS-CoV-2 epidemic grew in those aged 5–11 years, with an R of 1&m
Chadeau-Hyam M, Tang D, Eales O, et al., 2022, The Omicron SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in England during February 2022
Background The third wave of COVID-19 in England peaked in January 2022 resulting fromthe rapid transmission of the Omicron variant. However, rates of hospitalisations and deathswere substantially lower than in the first and second wavesMethods In the REal-time Assessment of Community Transmission-1 (REACT-1) study weobtained data from a random sample of 94,950 participants with valid throat and nose swabresults by RT-PCR during round 18 (8 February to 1 March 2022).Findings We estimated a weighted mean SARS-CoV-2 prevalence of 2.88% (95% credibleinterval [CrI] 2.76–3.00), with a within-round reproduction number (R) overall of 0.94 (0·91–0.96). While within-round weighted prevalence fell among children (aged 5 to 17 years) andadults aged 18 to 54 years, we observed a level or increasing weighted prevalence amongthose aged 55 years and older with an R of 1.04 (1.00–1.09). Among 1,195 positive sampleswith sublineages determined, only one (0.1% [0.0–0.5]) corresponded to AY.39 Deltasublineage and the remainder were Omicron: N=390, 32.7% (30.0–35.4) were BA.1; N=473,39.6% (36.8–42.5) were BA.1.1; and N=331, 27.7% (25.2–30.4) were BA.2. We estimated anR additive advantage for BA.2 (vs BA.1 or BA.1.1) of 0.40 (0.36–0.43). The highest proportionof BA.2 among positives was found in London.Interpretation In February 2022, infection prevalence in England remained high with levelor increasing rates of infection in older people and an uptick in hospitalisations. Ongoingsurveillance of both survey and hospitalisations data is required.Funding Department of Health and Social Care, England.
Lavelle M, Darzi A, Starodub R, et al., 2022, The role of transactive memory systems, psychological safety and interpersonal conflict in hospital team performance, ERGONOMICS, Vol: 65, Pages: 519-529, ISSN: 0014-0139
- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 5
Lam K, Chen J, Wang Z, et al., 2022, Machine learning for technical skill assessment in surgery: a systematic review, npj Digital Medicine, Vol: 5, ISSN: 2398-6352
Accurate and objective performance assessment is essential for both trainees and certified surgeons. However, existing methods can be time consuming, labor intensive and subject to bias. Machine learning (ML) has the potential to provide rapid, automated and reproducible feedback without the need for expert reviewers. We aimed to systematically review the literature and determine the ML techniques used for technical surgical skill assessment and identify challenges and barriers in the field. A systematic literature search, in accordance with the PRISMA statement, was performed to identify studies detailing the use of ML for technical skill assessment in surgery. Of the 1896 studies that were retrieved, 66 studies were included. The most common ML methods used were Hidden Markov Models (HMM, 14/66), Support Vector Machines (SVM, 17/66) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN, 17/66). 40/66 studies used kinematic data, 19/66 used video or image data, and 7/66 used both. Studies assessed performance of benchtop tasks (48/66), simulator tasks (10/66), and real-life surgery (8/66). Accuracy rates of over 80% were achieved, although tasks and participants varied between studies. Barriers to progress in the field included a focus on basic tasks, lack of standardization between studies, and lack of datasets. ML has the potential to produce accurate and objective surgical skill assessment through the use of methods including HMM, SVM, and ANN. Future ML-based assessment tools should move beyond the assessment ofbasic tasks and towards real-life surgery and provide interpretable feedback with clinical value for the surgeon.
Danielli S, Donnelly P, Coffey T, et al., 2022, Measuring more than just economic growth to improve well-being, Journal of Public Health, Vol: 44, Pages: e76-e78, ISSN: 1741-3842
It's official: The UK is in a recession. The economy has suffered its biggest slump on record with a drop in gross domestic product (GDP) of 20.4%. 1 This is going to have a significant impact on our health and well-being. It risks creating a spiralling decay as we know good health is not only a consequence, but also a condition for sustained and sustainable economic development. 2 In this way, the health of a nation creates a virtuous circle of improved health and improved economic prosperity. How we measure prosperity is therefore important and needs to be considered.
Ruban A, Miras A, glaysher M, et al., 2022, Duodenal-jejunal bypass liner for the management of Type 2 diabetes and obesity: a multicenter randomized controlled trial, Annals of Surgery, Vol: 275, Pages: 440-447, ISSN: 0003-4932
Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the clinical efficacy and safety of the duodenal-jejunal bypass liner (DJBL) while in situ for 12 months and for 12 months after explantation.Summary Background Data: This is the largest randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the DJBL, a medical device used for the treatment of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. Endoscopic interventions have been developed as potential alternatives to those not eligible or fearful of the risks of metabolic surgery.Methods: In this multicenter open-label RCT, 170 adults with inadequately controlled T2DM and obesity were randomized to intensive medical care with or without the DJBL. Primary outcome was the percentage of participants achieving a glycated hemoglobin reduction of ≥20% at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included weight loss and cardiometabolic risk factors at 12 and 24 months.Results: There were no significant differences in the percentage of patients achieving the primary outcome between both groups at 12 months [DJBL 54.6% (n = 30) vs control 55.2% (n = 32); odds ratio (OR) 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.44–2.0; P = 0.85]. Twenty-four percent (n = 16) patients achieved ≥15% weight loss in the DJBL group compared to 4% (n = 2) in the controls at 12 months (OR 8.3, 95% CI: 1.8–39; P = .007). The DJBL group experienced superior reductions in systolic blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and alanine transaminase at 12 months. There were more adverse events in the DJBL group.Conclusions: The addition of the DJBL to intensive medical care was associated with superior weight loss, improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors, and fatty liver disease markers, but not glycemia, only while the device was in situ. The benefits of the devices need to be balanced against the higher rate of adverse events when making clinical decisions.Trial Registration: ISRCTN30845205. isrctn.org; Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme, a Medical Research
Sounderajah V, Ashrafian H, Karthikesalingam A, et al., 2022, Developing Specific Reporting Standards in Artificial Intelligence Centred Research, ANNALS OF SURGERY, Vol: 275, Pages: E547-E548, ISSN: 0003-4932
- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 5
Ruban A, Miras AD, Glaysher MA, et al., 2022, Duodenal-Jejunal Bypass Liner for the management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity, Annals of Surgery, Vol: 275, Pages: 440-447, ISSN: 0003-4932
<jats:sec> <jats:title>Objective:</jats:title> <jats:p>The aim of this study was to examine the clinical efficacy and safety of the duodenal-jejunal bypass liner (DJBL) while in situ for 12 months and for 12 months after explantation.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Summary Background Data:</jats:title> <jats:p>This is the largest randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the DJBL, a medical device used for the treatment of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. Endoscopic interventions have been developed as potential alternatives to those not eligible or fearful of the risks of metabolic surgery.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods:</jats:title> <jats:p>In this multicenter open-label RCT, 170 adults with inadequately controlled T2DM and obesity were randomized to intensive medical care with or without the DJBL. Primary outcome was the percentage of participants achieving a glycated hemoglobin reduction of ≥20% at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included weight loss and cardiometabolic risk factors at 12 and 24 months.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Results:</jats:title> <jats:p>There were no significant differences in the percentage of patients achieving the primary outcome between both groups at 12 months [DJBL 54.6% (n = 30) vs control 55.2% (n = 32); odds ratio (OR) 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.44–2.0; <jats:italic toggle="yes">P</jats:italic> = 0.85]. Twenty-four percent (n = 16) patients achieved ≥15% weight loss in the DJBL group compared to 4% (n = 2) in the controls at 12 months (OR 8.3, 95% CI: 1.8–39; <jats:italic toggle="yes">P</jats:italic> = .007). The DJBL grou
Gueroult A, Sivananthan A, Zijlstra G, et al., 2022, 92Evaluation of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) System to Augment Clinical Risk Prediction of Trauma Induced Coagulopathy: A Prospective Observational Study, ASiT Surgical Innovation Summit - Future Surgery Show, Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS, ISSN: 0007-1323
Chidambaram S, Maheswaran Y, Chan C, et al., 2022, Misinformation About the Human Gut Microbiome in YouTube Videos: Cross-sectional Study (Preprint)
<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> <p>Social media platforms such as YouTube are integral tools for disseminating information about health and wellness to the public. However, anecdotal reports have cited that the human gut microbiome has been a particular focus of dubious, misleading, and, on occasion, harmful media content. Despite these claims, there have been no published studies investigating this phenomenon within popular social media platforms.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> <p>The aim of this study is to (1) evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the content in YouTube videos related to the human gut microbiome and (2) investigate the correlation between content engagement metrics and video quality, as defined by validated criteria.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>METHODS</title> <p>In this cross-sectional study, videos about the human gut microbiome were searched for on the United Kingdom version of YouTube on September 20, 2021. The 600 most-viewed videos were extracted and screened for relevance. The contents and characteristics of the videos were extracted and independently rated using the DISCERN quality criteria by 2 researchers.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>RESULTS</title> <p>Overall, 319 videos accounting for 62,354,628 views were included. Of the 319 videos, 73.4% (n=234) were produced in North America and 78.7% (n=251) were uploaded between 2019 and 2021. A total of 41.1% (131/319) of videos were produced by nonprofit organizations. Of the videos, 16.3% (52/319) included an advertisement for a product or promoted a health
O'Brien N, van Dael J, Clarke J, et al., 2022, Addressing racial and ethnic inequities in data-driven health technologies, Publisher: Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London
Lear R, Freise L, Kybert M, et al., 2022, Patients’ Willingness and Ability to Identify and Respond to Errors in Their Personal Health Records: Mixed Methods Analysis of Cross-sectional Survey Data (Preprint)
<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> <p>Errors in electronic health records are known to contribute to patient safety incidents; however, systems for checking the accuracy of patient records are almost nonexistent. Personal health records (PHRs) enabling patient access to and interaction with the clinical records offer a valuable opportunity for patients to actively participate in error surveillance.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> <p>This study aims to evaluate patients’ willingness and ability to identify and respond to errors in their PHRs.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>METHODS</title> <p>A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a web-based questionnaire. Patient sociodemographic data were collected, including age, sex, ethnicity, educational level, health status, geographical location, motivation to self-manage, and digital health literacy (measured using the eHealth Literacy Scale tool). Patients with experience of using the Care Information Exchange (CIE) portal, who specified both age and sex, were included in these analyses. The patients’ responses to 4 relevant survey items (closed-ended questions, some with space for free-text comments) were examined to understand their willingness and ability to identify and respond to errors in their PHRs. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify patients’ characteristics that predict the ability to understand information in the CIE and willingness to respond to errors in their records. The framework method was used to derive themes from patients’ free-text responses.</p> </sec> <sec> <titl
Ward H, Whittaker M, Flower B, et al., 2022, Population antibody responses following COVID-19 vaccination in 212,102 individuals, Nature Communications, Vol: 13, ISSN: 2041-1723
Population antibody surveillance helps track immune responses to COVID-19 vaccinations at scale, and identify host factors that may affect antibody production. We analyse data from 212,102 vaccinated individuals within the REACT-2 programme in England, which uses self-administered lateral flow antibody tests in sequential cross-sectional community samples; 71,923 (33.9%) received at least one dose of BNT162b2 vaccine and 139,067 (65.6%) received ChAdOx1. For both vaccines, antibody positivity peaks 4-5 weeks after first dose and then declines. At least 21 days after second dose of BNT162b2, close to 100% of respondents test positive, while for ChAdOx1, this is significantly reduced, particularly in the oldest age groups (72.7% [70.9–74.4] at ages 75 years and above). For both vaccines, antibody positivity decreases with age, and is higher in females and those with previous infection. Antibody positivity is lower in transplant recipients, obese individuals, smokers and those with specific comorbidities. These groups will benefit from additional vaccine doses.
Joshi M, Archer S, Morbi A, et al., 2022, Perceptions on the use of wearable sensors and continuous monitoring in surgical patients: interview study among surgical staff, JMIR Formative Research, Vol: 6, Pages: 1-9, ISSN: 2561-326X
BACKGROUND: Continuous vital sign monitoring by using wearable sensors may result in the earlier detection of patient deterioration and sepsis. Few studies have explored the perspectives of surgical team members on the use of such sensors in surgical patients. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand the views of surgical team members regarding novel wearable sensors for surgical patients. METHODS: Wearable sensors that monitor vital signs (heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature) continuously were used by acute surgical patients. The opinions of surgical staff who were treating patients with these sensors were collated through in-depth semistructured interviews to thematic saturation. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed via thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 48 interviews were performed with senior and junior surgeons and senior and junior nurses. The main themes of interest that emerged from the interviews were (1) problems with current monitoring, (2) the anticipated impact of wearables on patient safety, (3) the impact on staff, (4) the impact on patients overall, (5) potential new changes, and (6) the future and views on technology. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the feedback from staff who were continuously monitoring surgical patients via wearable sensors was positive, and relatively few concerns were raised. Surgical staff members identify problems with current monitoring and anticipate that sensors will both improve patient safety and be the future of monitoring.
Elliott P, Bodinier B, Eales O, et al., 2022, Rapid increase in Omicron infections in England during December 2021: REACT-1 study., Science, Vol: 375, Pages: eabn8347-eabn8347, ISSN: 0036-8075
The unprecedented rise in SARS-CoV-2 infections during December 2021 was concurrent with rapid spread of the Omicron variant in England and globally. We analyzed prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and its dynamics in England from end November to mid-December 2021 among almost 100,000 participants from the REACT-1 study. Prevalence was high with rapid growth nationally and particularly in London during December 2021, and an increasing proportion of infections due to Omicron. We observed large falls in swab positivity among mostly vaccinated older children (12-17 years) compared with unvaccinated younger children (5-11 years), and in adults who received a third (booster) vaccine dose vs. two doses. Our results reinforce the importance of vaccination and booster campaigns, although additional measures have been needed to control the rapid growth of the Omicron variant.
Eales O, Ainslie KEC, Walters CE, et al., 2022, Appropriately smoothing prevalence data to inform estimates of growth rate and reproduction number
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The time-varying reproduction number (<jats:bold><jats:italic>R</jats:italic></jats:bold><jats:sub><jats:bold><jats:italic>t</jats:italic></jats:bold></jats:sub>) can change rapidly over the course of a pandemic due to changing restrictions, behaviours, and levels of population immunity. Many methods exist that allow the estimation of <jats:bold><jats:italic>R</jats:italic></jats:bold><jats:sub><jats:bold><jats:italic>t</jats:italic></jats:bold></jats:sub> from case data. However, these are not easily adapted to point prevalence data nor can they infer <jats:bold><jats:italic>R</jats:italic></jats:bold><jats:sub><jats:bold><jats:italic>t</jats:italic></jats:bold></jats:sub> across periods of missing data. We developed a Bayesian P-spline model suitable for fitting to a wide range of epidemic time-series, including point-prevalence data. We demonstrate the utility of the model by fitting to periodic daily SARS-CoV-2 swab-positivity data in England from the first 7 rounds (May 2020 – December 2020) of the REal-time Assessment of Community Transmission-1 (REACT-1) study. Estimates of <jats:bold><jats:italic>R</jats:italic></jats:bold><jats:sub><jats:bold><jats:italic>t</jats:italic></jats:bold></jats:sub> over the period of two subsequent rounds (6-8 weeks) and single rounds (2-3 weeks) inferred using the Bayesian P-spline model were broadly consistent with estimates from a simple exponential model, with overlapping credible intervals. However, there were sometimes substantial differences in point estimates. The Bayesian P-spline model was further able to infer changes in <jats:bold><jats:italic>R</jats:italic></jats:bold><jats:sub><jats
Khanbhai M, Symons J, Flott K, et al., 2022, Enriching the value of patient experience feedback: interactive dashboard development using co-design and heuristic evaluation, JMIR Human Factors, Vol: 9, Pages: 1-14, ISSN: 2292-9495
Background:There is an abundance of patient experience data held within healthcare organisations but stakeholders and staff are often unable to use the output in a meaningful and timely way to improve care delivery. Dashboards, which use visualised data to summarise key patient experience feedback, have the potential to address these issues.Objective:The aim of this study was to develop a patient experience dashboard with an emphasis on FFT reporting as per the national policy drive. An iterative process involving co-design involving key stakeholders was used to develop the dashboard, followed by heuristic usability testing.Methods:A two staged approach was employed; participatory co-design involving 20 co-designers to develop a dashboard prototype followed by iterative dashboard testing. Language analysis was performed on free-text patient experience data from the Friends and Family Test (FFT) and the themes and sentiment generated was used to populate the dashboard with associated FFT metrics. Heuristic evaluation and usability testing were conducted to refine the dashboard and assess user satisfaction using the system usability score (SUS).Results:Qualitative analysis from the co-design process informed development of the dashboard prototype with key dashboard requirements and a significant preference for bubble chart display. Heuristic evaluation revelated the majority of cumulative scores had no usability problem (n=18), cosmetic problem only (n=7), or minor usability problem (n= 5). Mean SUS was 89.7 (SD 7.9) suggesting an excellent rating.Conclusions:The growing capacity to collect and process patient experience data suggests that data visualisation will be increasingly important in turning the feedback into improvements to care. Through heuristic usability we demonstrated that very large FFT data can be presented into a thematically driven, simple visual display without loss of the nuances and still allow for exploration of the original free-text comments. T
Bielinska A, Archer S, Soosaipillai G, et al., 2022, Views of advance care planning in caregivers of older hospitalised patients following an emergency admission: a qualitative study, Journal of Health Psychology, Vol: 27, Pages: 432-444, ISSN: 1359-1053
This study explores the views of advance care planning in caregivers of older hospitalised patients following an emergency admission. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight carers, mostly with a personal relationship to the older patient. Thematic analysis generated three themes: (1) working with uncertainty – it all sounds very fine. . . what is the reality?, (2) supporting the older person – you have to look at it on an individual basis and (3) enabling the process – when you do it properly. The belief that advance care planning can support older individuals and scepticism whether advance care planning can be enabled among social and healthcare challenges are discussed.
Gkouzionis I, Nazarian S, Kawka M, et al., 2022, Real-time tracking of a diffuse reflectance spectroscopy probe used to aid histological validation of margin assessment in upper gastrointestinal cancer resection surgery, Journal of Biomedical Optics, Vol: 27, ISSN: 1083-3668
Significance: Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) allows discrimination of tissue type. Its application is limited by the inability to mark the scanned tissue and the lack of real-time measurements.Aim: This study aimed to develop a real-time tracking system to enable localization of a DRS probe to aid the classification of tumor and non-tumor tissue.Approach: A green-colored marker attached to the DRS probe was detected using hue-saturation-value (HSV) segmentation. A live, augmented view of tracked optical biopsy sites was recorded in real time. Supervised classifiers were evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy. A developed software was used for data collection, processing, and statistical analysis.Results: The measured root mean square error (RMSE) of DRS probe tip tracking was 1.18 ± 0.58 mm and 1.05 ± 0.28 mm for the x and y dimensions, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of the system to classify tumor and non-tumor tissue in real time was 94% for stomach and 96% for the esophagus.Conclusions: We have successfully developed a real-time tracking and classification system for a DRS probe. When used on stomach and esophageal tissue for tumor detection, the accuracy derived demonstrates the strength and clinical value of the technique to aid margin assessment in cancer resection surgery.
van Dael J, Gillespie A, Neves AL, et al., 2022, Patient–clinician communication research for 21st century health care, British Journal of General Practice, Vol: 72, Pages: 52-53, ISSN: 0960-1643
Sounderajah V, 2022, Quality assessment standards in artificial intelligence diagnostic accuracy systematic reviews: a meta-research study, npj Digital Medicine, Vol: 5, Pages: 1-13, ISSN: 2398-6352
Artificial intelligence (AI) centred diagnostic systems are increasingly recognized as robust solutions in healthcare delivery pathways. In turn, there has been a concurrent rise in secondary research studies regarding these technologies in order to influence key clinical and policymaking decisions. It is therefore essential that these studies accurately appraise methodological quality and risk of bias within shortlisted trials and reports. In order to assess whether this critical step is performed, we undertook a meta-research study evaluating adherence to the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) tool within AI diagnostic accuracy systematic reviews. A literature search was conducted on all studies published from 2000 to December 2020. Of 50 included reviews, 36 performed quality assessment, of which 27 utilised the QUADAS-2 tool. Bias was reported across all four domains of QUADAS-2. 243 of 423 studies (57.5%) across all systematic reviews utilising QUADAS-2 reported a high or unclear risk of bias in the patient selection domain, 110 (26%) reported a high or unclear risk of bias in the index test domain, 121 (28.6%) in the reference standard domain and 157 (37.1%) in the flow and timing domain. This study demonstrates incomplete uptake of quality assessment tools in reviews of AI-based diagnostic accuracy studies and highlights inconsistent reporting across all domains of quality assessment. Poor standards of reporting act as barriers to clinical implementation. The creation of an AI specific extension for quality assessment tools of diagnostic accuracy AI studies may facilitate the safe translation of AI tools into clinical practice.
This data is extracted from the Web of Science and reproduced under a licence from Thomson Reuters. You may not copy or re-distribute this data in whole or in part without the written consent of the Science business of Thomson Reuters.