Jumping to conclusions in persistent pain using a somatosensory modification of the beads task.

BACKGROUND: There is theoretical and empirical evidence that persistent pain occurs because of a distortion in top-down perceptual processes. 'Jumping to conclusions' (JTC) tasks, such as the beads task, purportedly capture these processes and have yet to be studied in people with chronic pain. However, the beads task uses visual stimuli, whereas tasks involving processing in the somatosensory domain seem at least more face valid in this population. This study uses a novel somatosensory adaptation of the beads task to explore whether a JTC reasoning style is more common in people with persistent pain compared controls. METHODS: 30 persistent pain patients and 30 age-, gender- and education-matched controls completed the visual beads JTC task and a novel somatosensory version of the JTC task that used tactile stimuli (vibrations to the fingertip). FINDINGS: Patients with persistent pain showed a 'jumping to conclusions' reasoning style on both tasks compared to the control group and there was no significant difference in the effect sizes on the two tasks. INTERPRETATION: This preliminarily study demonstrated that individuals with persistent pain show a JTC reasoning style to both visual and somatosensory stimuli. Future research should focus on establishing how or whether this bias directly influences the experience of persistent pain.

Single-Arm Resistance Training Study to Determine the Relationship between Training Outcomes and Muscle Growth Factor mRNAs in Older Adults Consuming Numerous Medications and Supplements.

OBJECTIVES: Determine if the muscle mRNA levels of three growth factors (insulin-like growth factor-1 [IGF1], ciliary neurotropic factor [CNTF], and vascular endothelial growth factor-D [VEGFD]) are correlated with muscle size and strength gains from resistance exercise while piloting a training program in older adults taking medications and supplements for age-associated problems. DESIGN: Single-arm prospective study. SETTING: US Veterans Affairs hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Older (70±6 yrs) male Veterans (N=14) of US military service. INTERVENTION: Thirty-five sessions of high-intensity (80% one-rep max) resistance training including leg press, knee curl, and knee extension to target the thigh muscles. MEASUREMENTS: Vastus lateralis biopsies were collected and body composition (DEXA) was determined pre- and post-training. Simple Pearson correlations were used to compare training outcomes to growth factor mRNA levels and other independent variables such as medication and supplement use. RESULTS: Average strength increase for the group was ≥ 25% for each exercise. Subjects averaged taking numerous medications (N=5±3) and supplements (N=2±2). Of the growth factors, a significant correlation (R>0.7, P≤0.003) was only found between pre-training VEGFD and gains in lean thigh mass and extension strength. Mass and strength gains were also correlated with use of α-1 antagonists (R=0.55, P=0.04) and pre-training lean mass (R=0.56, P=0.04), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Muscle VEGFD, muscle mass, and use of α-1 antagonists may be predisposing factors that influence the response to training in this population of older adults but additional investigation is required to determine if these relationships are due to muscle angiogenesis and blood supply.

Near-infrared reflectance and autofluorescence imaging characteristics of choroidal nevi.

PurposeTo report near-infrared reflectance (NIR-R), near-infrared autofluorescence (NIR-AF) and blue wave autofluorescence (BW-AF) appearance of choroidal nevi using a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO).Patients and methodsNIR-R, NIR-AF and BW-AF images of choroidal nevi were compared with color fundus photos (CF). Images were graded as hyperreflective if reflectance was much greater than background, hyporeflective if less than background, and isoreflective if the same as the background.ResultsForty-two nevi of 39 patients were imaged. When compared with CF, nevi could be identified on 95% (40/42) NIR-R images (95% CI: 83.5-99.3). On NIR-R 71% (30/42) demonstrated hyperreflectance and 24% (10/42) were hyporeflective. Hyperreflectivity was demonstrated in 96% (23/24) of NIR-AF images (95% CI: 79.1-99.9) and 34% (14/41) of BW-AF images (95% CI: 20.0-50.5). On NIR-R, 29/40 (73%) were apparently smaller in comparison with CF and 11/40 (28%) had the same area. A correlation was found between NIR-R and NIR-AF (P=0.02) but not with BW-AF (P=0.15).ConclusionsNevi can be visualized well using NIR-R and NIR-AF imaging modalities, but are less frequently visible using BW-AF. These changes may be related to melanin within the choroid or chronic changes of the overlying retinal pigment epithelium.

Predicting macular hole closure with ocriplasmin based on spectral domain optical coherence tomography.

PurposeTo assess the preoperative features of patients with idiopathic macular hole (IMH) and vitreomacular adhesion (VMA) treated with ocriplasmin (OCP) that can predict successful closure.MethodData were prospectively collected on all patients with IMH treated with OCP in three British ophthalmic centres. Several preoperative variables were recorded including the IMH base diameter (BD), minimum linear diameter (MLD), and VMA width measured on spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Several other IMH indices were derived including a 'width factor', defined as the BD minus the MLD in µm. The occurrence of VMA release and hole closure were used as the main outcome measures.ResultsThirty-three patients in total with IMH were treated with OCP. Two patients developed rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and were excluded. The mean age of the remaining 31 patients was 71 years, and 71% were female. VMA release occurred in 19 of the 31 (61%) patients and macular hole closure in 11 (35%). Width factor was the most predictive feature for closure on multivariate analysis. The deviance R(2) was 67% (P<0.001). An IMH with a width factor of <60 µm had a 95% certainty of closure, whereas if >290 µm then there was less than a 5% chance of closure. Neither VMA width nor MLD alone was associated with VMA release or closure.ConclusionsPatients with macular holes where the BD was close in size to the MLD had an improved probability of closure than holes with wider base configurations.

The development of manualised cognitive behaviour treatment for adults with mild intellectual disability and common mental disorders.

People with intellectual disability are at a greater risk of developing common mental disorders. In the United Kingdom, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines recommend cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as the treatment of choice for such problems. Even though there is growing evidence that people with mild intellectual disability can benefit from CBT, there are no manuals to assist in the delivery of the treatment. Previously published material from journals and books describing both CBT in people with intellectual disability and the general population was reviewed to create the first draft. Further consultations with professionals and service users with intellectual disability on the content, accessibility and language that was used in the manual were carried out. Specific materials were developed for use in the therapy sessions and for homework. The manual, written for trained therapists, provides generic information about communication and thinking styles in people with mild intellectual disability and describes in detail how to conduct each session. It contains also contains the materials and a leaflet to help carers support the treatment. Manualised treatments are helpful in maintaining a consistent approach to treatment and may be more beneficial for hard to reach population groups.

Working across boundaries: clinical outcomes for an integrated mental health service for people with intellectual disabilities.

BACKGROUND: The Mental Health Service for People with Learning Disabilities (MHSPLD) is a service development in keeping with UK government policy that promotes cross agency working and access to mainstream mental health services for people with intellectual disabilities. We aimed to show whether the service model brought about improvements in people's mental state and level of functioning. METHODS: Community and inpatient groups were compared across three time points using a range of clinical outcome measures that assessed psychiatric symptoms, risk, needs and level of functioning. RESULTS: Inpatients and community groups had similar mental health problems, but inpatients had higher unmet needs and lower functioning, and were at greater risk. There were significant improvements across the range of outcome measures in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Working with mainstream mental health services and across health and social service boundaries delivers effective mental health care for people with intellectual disabilities.

Systems failure in hospitals--using Reason's model to predict problems in a prescribing information system.

Both hospitals and hospital patients are bearing a massive cost as a result of the occurrence of medication prescribing errors in the public health system (Bates, D., et al. J. Am. Med. Inform. Assoc. 8(4):299-308, 2001; Lombardi, T. Medscape Pharm. Online J. 02(1), 2001; Roberts, M., and Stokes, J. eMed. J. Aust. 168:317-318, 1998). Consequently, it is important to examine and address the possible causes of this problem. In this paper we suggest that poor information systems may be a contributing factor in the occurrence of these errors. We research this issue in an HIV ward of a large public hospital through interviews and a survey instrument. We find that in a significant number of instances prescribing errors are linked to situations where information is unavailable or inaccessible. This link, between problems in information delivery and prescribing errors, is a link whose extent has not been measured previously. It is, however, a link which exposes all stakeholders in the hospital system, the patient, the clinicians, the hospital, and governments funding prescription medications, to possible loss and damage and indicates a need for the implementation of more effective systems in this area. We use Reason's model for predicting systems error (Vincent, C. BMJ 316:1154-1157, 1998) as a tool to suggest that prescribing errors have an increased likelihood of occurring if one or more of the types of failure identified in the model are present in the existing prescribing information delivery process in the hospital. While Reason's model has been applied in a medical context, it has not been previously applied to errors which result from information systems failure. We feel that applying it in this way may shed some light on the causes of prescribing error.

UKCCCR multicentre randomised controlled trial of one and two view mammography in breast cancer screening.

OBJECTIVE: To compare one view (oblique) and two view (oblique and craniocaudal) mammography in breast cancer screening. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Nine breast screening centres in England. SUBJECTS: 40,163 women aged 50-64 attending their first breast screening examination. INTERVENTIONS: Women were randomised to have one view mammography, two view mammography, or two view mammography in which one view was read by one reader and both views were read by another. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of cancer detected, recall rates, cost per cancer detected, and marginal cost per extra cancer detected. RESULTS: Two view mammography detected 24% more women with breast cancer (95% confidence interval 16% to 31%) than one view mammography. Prevalence of detected cancer was 6.84 with two view mammography and 5.52 per 1000 women with one view. The proportion of women recalled for assessment was 15% lower (95% confidence interval 6% to 23%) with two view (6.97%) than with one view (8.16%) mammography. The cost of two view screening was higher (26.46 pounds compared with 22.00 pounds per examination) but the average cost per cancer detected was similar (5330 pounds compared with 5310 pounds) and the marginal cost per extra cancer detected with two views was similar to the average cost (5400 pounds). CONCLUSION: Two view mammography is medically more effective than one view; it detects more cancers and reduces recall rates; it is also similarly cost effective financially.

Prospective observational study to assess value of prostate specific antigen as screening test for prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate measurement of serum prostate specific antigen as a potential screening test for future clinical prostate cancer among healthy men. DESIGN: Nested case-control study with stored serum samples collected from 49,261 men with follow up using national death and cancer registration systems. SUBJECTS: 265 asymptomatic men who subsequently developed clinical prostate cancer and 1055 controls matched for age, study centre, and duration of storage of samples. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Distribution of concentrations of the antigen in men who developed prostate cancer and in controls. RESULTS: Prostate specific antigen concentrations were significantly higher in men who subsequently developed prostate cancer than in controls. In the first three years after blood collection the median concentration was 23 times greater in cases than in controls of the same age at the same centre (that is, 23 multiples of the median). A smaller difference persisted thereafter; 4.0 multiples of the median 3-6 years after blood collection, 3.6 6-10 years, and 1.8 after 10 years. In the first three years the proportion of men who developed prostate cancer and had raised levels of the antigen (> or = 12 multiples of the median) (detection rate or sensitivity) was 81% (95% confidence interval 54% to 96%). The proportion of men who did not develop prostate cancer but had levels this high (false positive rate) was only 0.5%. CONCLUSION: Prostate specific antigen measurement is a highly discriminatory screening test for prostate cancer among healthy men. In the general population, 60-74 year old men who had > or = 12 times the normal median level would have about a 50% chance of developing clinical prostate cancer in the next three years. Measurement of this antigen is a good enough screening test to justify a randomised controlled trial to determine any reduction in mortality from prostate cancer.

An epidemiologist's viewpoint on screening.

Prostate cancer is an important disease causing a considerable number of new cases, deaths and premature loss of life each year. Three screening tests have been suggested: DRE, TRUS and PSA measurement in venous blood. From aggregated data from studies examining the performance of these tests, DRE or PSA measurement look the most promising with respect to their estimated detection rates and false positive rates (detection rate [DR] = 68%, false positive rate [FPR] = 5% for DRE and DR = 79%, FPR = 8% for PSA with a cut off of > 4 micrograms/l). However, these results are tentative-more research is needed on the performance of these screening tests. In particular, the prevalence of prostate cancer in the studies was considerably higher than that expected in the general population and so the OAPR estimates derived are more favourable than predicted. A randomized controlled trial of prostate cancer screening is needed to know whether screening reduces mortality from this disease, although this would take about 10 years to perform. Current stage distribution and 5 year survival data suggest that if screening could increase the proportion of cancers diagnosed at the localized clinically inapparent stage from 23% (currently diagnosed) to 100%, this would represent an equivalent reduction in mortality of 48%-about 1500 lives saved per year if screening were offered to 55-74 year old men. When more substantive information is available on the potential screening tests, it may be appropriate to conduct a randomized controlled trial. In the meantime, any ad hoc screening should be strongly discouraged.

Feasibility study of a randomised trial of ovarian cancer screening among the general population.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility of a randomised trial of ovarian cancer screening among women attending a breast cancer screening centre. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial of ovarian cancer screening using transvaginal ultrasonography as a primary screening test and colour Doppler imaging as a secondary screening test in the screened group and no intervention in the control group. SETTING: Reading breast cancer screening centre (United Kingdom). SUBJECTS: 8678 women, without a bilateral oophorectomy or hysterectomy, aged between 50 and 64 attending for NHS breast cancer screening between September 1989 and February 1993. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Uptake of ovarian cancer screening among eligible women and the screening false positive rate (considered as the referral rate to a gynaecologist for surgical intervention). RESULTS: 82% (7124/8678) of eligible women agreed to join the trial and were randomly allocated in equal numbers to each arm of the trial. 3280 women had an initial scan. The false positive rate after ultrasonography alone was 2.9% (86/2952), but this dropped to 0.5% after colour Doppler as a secondary screening test. One stage I primary ovarian cancer was detected at screening in a 58 year old women. CONCLUSIONS: A randomised trial of ovarian cancer screening using ultrasonography and colour Doppler imaging is feasible and acceptable among women attending a breast cancer screening centre. The results indicate that the expected odds of being affected given a positive result in the general population would be about 1:12. A full randomised trial of ovarian cancer screening with mortality as the end point is needed to assess whether screening reduces mortality from this disease. A multicentre European trial is currently in progress.

Psychiatric problems following bereavement by murder or manslaughter.

Bereavement by murder or manslaughter is often associated with a high incidence of factors which increase the risk of lasting psychological problems after bereavement. In this study it appears that self-perpetuating vicious circles often accounted for the persistence of symptoms, which fitted the diagnostic categories of post-traumatic stress disorders, anxiety states, panic syndromes, obsessive revenge-seeking, and depression. Therapeutic approaches should be aimed at interrupting these vicious circles and fostering the work of grieving.