Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Wael Y. Khawagi, Douglas Steinke, Matthew J. Carr, Alison K. Wright, Darren M. Ashcroft, Anthony Avery, Richard Neil Keers
Summary: This study found potential hazardous prescribing and inadequate medication monitoring in patients with mental illness in primary care. Significant variation between practices was also identified. Patients aged 35-44, females, and those receiving more than 10 repeat prescriptions were at greater risk of triggering a prescribing indicator.
BMJ QUALITY & SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Fabiola Eto, Miriam Samuel, Rafael Henkin, Meera Mahesh, Tahania Ahmad, Alisha Angdembe, R. Hamish McAllister-Williams, Paolo Missier, Nick J. Reynolds, Michael R. Barnes, Sally Hull, Sarah Finer, Rohini Mathur
Summary: The prevalence of early onset multimorbidity is increasing among young adults, especially in minority ethnic groups and socioeconomically deprived areas. This study used a data-driven approach to identify clusters of individuals with early onset multimorbidity in a diverse population, and examined the associations between these clusters and various health outcomes.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Sarah E. Golding, Jane Ogden, Helen M. Higgins
Summary: This study explores the influence of non-clinical factors on veterinarians' antimicrobial prescribing behaviors and finds that different contexts, values, and beliefs about responsibility have predictive effects on the likelihood of prescribing antibiotics. Further research is needed to inform antimicrobial stewardship interventions in veterinary medicine.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Mary Carter, Sarah Chapman, Margaret C. Watson
Summary: Prescribing in UK general practice is influenced by multiple intersecting factors. Strategies to promote evidence-based prescribing should target modifiable influences at practice and individual levels. Customizing strategies for medical and non-medical prescribers may maximize their effectiveness.
Article
Education & Educational Research
D. H. J. Pols, A. Kamps, J. Runhaar, G. Elshout, K. F. van Halewijn, Patrick J. E. Bindels, K. M. Stegers-Jager
Summary: This study investigated the attitudes and perceptions of Dutch medical students towards general practice and found that multiple factors were significantly associated with their interest in pursuing a career in general practice. Despite the low status of general practice within the medical profession, students acknowledged its social importance and pleasant working environment.
BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Rebecca Persson, Myriam Cordey, Maria Paris, Susan Jick
Summary: This study compared the incidence rates of adverse events in patients receiving apremilast with those receiving other systemic treatments for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. The results showed that there were no new safety signals identified in the apremilast-exposed cohort. The incidence rates of adverse events were comparable between the apremilast and non-apremilast cohorts, indicating that the long-term safety of apremilast in real-world settings is similar to that reported in clinical trials.
Article
Education & Educational Research
Rebekah Hoffman, Judy Mullan, Andrew Bonney
Summary: This study found that gender and parenting factors are associated with burnout in Australian general practice registrars. Female and older doctors were more likely to experience higher levels of burnout, while doctors with children had lower levels of burnout.
BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
John D. Pauling, Anita McGrogan, Julia Snowball, Neil J. McHugh
Summary: A robust case ascertainment strategy was used to assess the incidence, prevalence, mortality and delay in diagnosis of SSc in the UK, based on primary care records of over 10 million residents. The study found a significant diagnostic delay in SSc, indicating an important unmet need in healthcare.
Article
Psychiatry
Marco Lehmann, Nadine Janis Pohontsch, Thomas Zimmermann, Martin Scherer, Bernd Loewe
Summary: The study estimated that 7.7% of patients in general practice fulfill the diagnostic criteria for Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD), indicating a high clinical relevance of the clinical symptoms of SSD in general practice.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Anneka Mitchell, Julia Snowball, Tomas J. Welsh, Margaret C. Watson, Anita McGrogan
Summary: The study found a significant increase in the prescribing of oral anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation patients aged 75 years and older, but disparities still exist based on age and comorbidities. Elderly patients and those with comorbidities such as dementia, history of falls, major bleeds, and fractures were less likely to be prescribed oral anticoagulants.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yael Rachamin, Levy Jaeger, Rahel Meier, Thomas Grischott, Oliver Senn, Jakob M. Burgstaller, Stefan Markun
Summary: This study aims to describe the prescription patterns of polypharmacy and common medication classes in Swiss general practice and explore practitioner variability. Results showed that anti-inflammatory drugs and polypharmacy in older patients are the most pressing issues in current drug prescribing routines.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Ian C. Scott, Rebecca Whittle, James Bailey, Helen Twohig, Samantha L. Hider, Christian D. Mallen, Sara Muller, Kelvin P. Jordan
Summary: Despite little evidence, there is widespread use of analgesics in patients with inflammatory arthritis. A comprehensive evaluation of analgesic prescribing from 2004 to 2020 revealed a decline in prescription rates, but they remained common. The specific prescribing patterns varied based on different factors.
Article
Primary Health Care
Caoimhe Madden, Sinead Lydon, Andrew W. Murphy, Paul O'Connor
Summary: The study explored patient perceptions of safety climate in general practice in Ireland, finding that patients generally have positive perceptions of safety but free-text responses revealed more negative perceptions of safety experiences. Younger age and non-Irish nationality were associated with more negative perceptions of safety climate.
BMC FAMILY PRACTICE
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Fabia Teixeira, Edmond Li, Liliana Laranjo, Claire Collins, Greg Irving, Maria Jose Fernandez, Josip Car, Mehmet Ungan, Davorina Petek, Robert Hoffman, Azeem Majeed, Katarzyna Nessler, Heidrun Lingner, Geronimo Jimenez, Ara Darzi, Cristina Jacome, Ana Luisa Neves
Summary: This study assessed the global digital maturity in General Practice and its association with participants' demographic characteristics, practice characteristics, and features of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) use. The study found positive associations between digital maturity and male gender, longer periods of EHRs use, and higher frequencies of access to EHRs. Practicing in a rural setting was negatively associated with digital maturity. The study provides guidance for policymakers to develop more effective interventions to hasten the digital transformation of General Practice.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Angela Salomon, Jody Boffa, Sizulu Moyo, Jeremiah Chikovore, Giorgia Sulis, Benjamin Daniels, Ada Kwan, Tsatsawani Mkhombo, Sarah Wu, Madhukar Pai, Amrita Daftary
Summary: There are concerns about inappropriate antimicrobial use, private healthcare costs, and TB diagnostic delay in the prescribing practices among private general practitioners for individuals with TB-like symptoms in South Africa.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Tjeerd Pieter van Staa, Munir Pirmohamed, Anita Sharma, Iain Buchan, Darren M. Ashcroft
Summary: This study evaluated drug-drug interactions (DDIs) between antibiotics and nonantibiotic drugs listed with warnings of severe outcomes in the British National Formulary. The results showed no substantial risk of DDIs despite the warnings in the national formulary.
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Violante Di Donato, Evangelos Kontopantelis, Ilaria Cuccu, Ludovica Sgamba, Tullio Golia D'Auge, Angelina Pernazza, Carlo Della Rocca, Lucia Manganaro, Carlo Catalano, Giorgia Perniola, Innocenza Palaia, Federica Tomao, Andrea Giannini, Ludovico Muzii, Giorgio Bogani
Summary: This study aimed to assess the role of radiomics analysis in pre-operatively predicting molecular or clinicopathological prognostic factors in patients with endometrial carcinoma. The results showed that MRI has high sensitivity and specificity in predicting high-grade endometrial carcinoma, deep myometrial invasion, lymphovascular space invasion, and nodal metastasis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GYNECOLOGICAL CANCER
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Isobel J. McFadzean, Kate Davies, Thomas Purchase, Adrian Edwards, Stuart Hellard, Darren M. Ashcroft, Anthony J. Avery, Sandra Flynn, Tom Hewson, Melanie Jordan, Richard Keers, Maria Panagioti, Verity Wainwright, Florian Walter, Jenny Shaw, Andrew Carson-Stevens
Summary: This study analyzed patient safety incidents reported in prisons, and found that medication-related incidents and access issues during healthcare were the most common. The study recommends improving medication safety and access to healthcare services in prisons.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ali Fahmi, David Wong, Lauren Walker, Iain Buchan, Munir Pirmohamed, Anita Sharma, Harriet Cant, Darren M. M. Ashcroft, Tjeerd Pieter van Staa
Summary: Polypharmacy, a consequence of overprescribing, is prevalent in older adults with multimorbidity and can lead to adverse reactions and hospital admissions. This study predicted the risks of adverse drug reactions and emergency hospital admissions based on medicine classes. The findings suggest that medication reviews can be prioritized using predictive models based on the combinations of multiple drugs.
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Ludovico Muzii, Chiara Di Tucci, Giulia Galati, Fabiana Carbone, Innocenza Palaia, Giorgio Bogani, Giorgia Perniola, Federica Tomao, Evangelos Kontopantelis, Violante Di Donato
Summary: The objective of this study is to determine the efficacy of dienogest therapy in reducing the risk of endometriosis recurrence after surgery compared to placebo or alternative treatments. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted, using data from PubMed and EMBASE. Dienogest significantly reduced the rate of cyst recurrence compared to placebo, but there was no statistically significant difference compared to GnRH agonist. Dienogest treatment also showed a trend towards reducing pain at 6 months. Comparatively, it had a lower rate of hot flashes and a trend towards lower incidence of vaginal dryness compared to GnRH agonist.
REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Magdalena Nowakowska, Salwa S. Zghebi, Li-Chia Chen, Darren M. Ashcroft, Evangelos Kontopantelis
Summary: This study used data from the Health Survey for England waves 1997-2014 to analyze the relationship between age and prescription opioid use in different socioeconomic groups. The findings showed that the association between age and opioid use varies across income and education levels. Higher income and education were associated with a lower probability of reported opioid use. The highest probability of opioid use was observed in the 40-60 age group among those with lower income and education. Employment status did not significantly affect opioid use. Further research is needed to understand opioid use patterns in older people, especially those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Christos Grigoroglou, Kieran Walshe, Evangelos Kontopantelis, Jane Ferguson, Gemma Stringer, Darren Ashcroft, Thomas Allen
Summary: This study aimed to quantify and describe the use of locum doctors in NHS trusts in England from 2019 to 2021. The results showed significant variations in locum use among different trusts, with lower-rated and smaller trusts using locums more intensively. The study also highlighted a growing demand for locum doctors, as evidenced by the increasing number of unfilled shifts.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Daniel R. Morales, Mark Minchin, Evangelos Kontopantelis, Martin Roland, Matt Sutton, Bruce Guthrie
Summary: This study aimed to compare the impact of the withdrawal of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) scheme in primary care in Scotland in 2016 on the recorded quality of care, compared with England where the scheme continued. The results showed a significant decrease in performance for most quality of care indicators in Scotland after the abolition of QOF.
BMJ-BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Xiaomin Zhong, Alexander Pate, Ya-Ting Yang, Ali Fahmi, Darren M. Ashcroft, Ben Goldacre, Brian Mackenna, Amir Mehrkar, Sebastian CJ. Bacon, Jon Massey, Louis Fisher, Kieran OpenSAFELY collaborative, Kieran Hand, Tjeerd van Staa, Victoria Palin
Summary: This study evaluated changes in antibiotic prescription patterns after the COVID-19 pandemic and found an increase in broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing, which gradually recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Lower-income patients were more likely to receive broad-spectrum antibiotic prescriptions.
LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-EUROPE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Salwa S. Zghebi, Martin K. Rutter, Louise Y. Sun, Waqas Ullah, Muhammad Rashid, Darren M. Ashcroft, Douglas T. Steinke, Stephen Weng, Evangelos Kontopantelis, Mamas A. Mamas
Summary: This study analyzed the data of AMI patients admitted to hospitals in the United States in 2018. The study identified distinct phenogroups based on comorbidities and found that these phenogroups were associated with in-hospital outcomes.
Article
Primary Health Care
Alexander Hodkinson, Salwa S. Zghebi, Evangelos Kontopantelis, Christos Grigoroglou, Darren M. Ashcroft, Mark Hann, Carolyn A. Chew-Graham, Rupert A. Payne, Paul Little, Simon de Lusignan, Anli Zhou, Aneez Esmail, Maria Panagioti
Summary: The study found that the well-being of GPs is associated with the overprescribing of strong opioids and antibiotics in primary care. GPs with higher levels of burnout symptoms, job dissatisfaction, and turnover intentions are more likely to overprescribe these medications. Additionally, longer working hours and practices located in the north of England are also associated with increased prescribing of strong opioids and antibiotics.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF GENERAL PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Health Policy & Services
Alkesh Patel, Francesco Perrone, Darren M. Ashcroft, Nicola Flaum, Natalie Cook, Silvia Riva
Summary: This study developed a UK version of the PROFFIT tool to measure financial toxicity in cancer treatment, and found it to be functional and adaptable in a new social environment. The tool may help address and measure financial hardships within the cancer population, which is a current challenge for public health.
JOURNAL OF CANCER POLICY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Eleni Domzaridou, Tjeerd Van Staa, Andrew G. Renehan, Natalie Cook, William Welfare, Darren M. Ashcroft, Victoria Palin
Summary: This study examines the association between antibiotic treatment and long-term mortality in cancer patients, finding that antibiotic use shortly before cancer diagnosis may reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.