Some patients with severe Non-Ischaemic Cardiomyopathy (NICM), or heart failure that is not caused by diseased heart arteries, have a higher risk of experiencing serious abnormal heart rhythms that might be life threatening. Current guidelines recommend consideration of a device called an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) that can correct these. However, as many as 90% of patients with an ICD never use it because they do not experience a serious heart rhythm. In addition, as many as 1 in every 6 ...

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COVHIC002 is a human infection challenge study in which healthy adults aged 18-30 previously vaccinated with an approved COVID-19 vaccine will be administered a SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant virus. The aim is to achieve upper respiratory infection in the majority of challenged individuals with mild or no illness, providing information on the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the immune response in vaccinated people. This study will establish an optimised dose and study design that will then be used to evaluate the ...

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Deafness is the most frequent human sensory deficit. Cochlear implantation is the primary intervention. Currently 4340 people have bilateral Cochlear Implants (CIs) in the UK, most of these are children. Two implants are supposed to provide better access to sound, but it is challenging to interpret and integrate what is heard from both sides. Our ‘Living with CIs’ PPI group reported that everyday communication is challenging and tiring, with extra effort required to integrate information from two ears, especially in noise. ...

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The PART study aims to test whether treating only the part of the prostate containing the prostate cancer is as effective in curing prostate cancer as treating the whole prostate gland) and has fewer side effects. Treatment of the whole prostate gland (known as ‘radical’ treatment) includes surgical removal, radiotherapy, or brachytherapy. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. Treatment of the whole prostate (‘radical’ treatment) is normally offered, even if the cancer is only on ...

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BACKGROUND Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a disruption in the normal function of the brain caused by an external force. It is one of the most common presentations in Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments,especially in young males and older people. The prevalence rates of post TBI depression (PTD) is on average 10 times higher than the general population,and this risk emerges very soon after the injury. PTD is associated with higher rates of disability,unemployment and premature mortality,including suicide. Those most at risk ...

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RAPSODI aims find the best type of joint replacement for the treatment of painful shoulder osteoarthritis. With increasing age, shoulder osteoarthritis is common and causes severe pain and stiffness making everyday activities difficult. After trying non-surgical treatments, a shoulder replacement may be offered, of which there are two types: Anatomic Total Shoulder Replacement (aTSR) which retains the normal shoulder joint anatomy and relies on the tendons (Rotator Cuff) around the shoulder being intact and functional. Alternatively, a Reverse Total Shoulder ...

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Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC) are types of a bowel condition known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the symptoms (diarrhoea, pain, fatigue) have a major impact on daily life. IBD affects around 1 in 125 people in the UK and this is expected to rise to 1 in 100 by 2028. "Biologics" are powerful medications that are given to reduce inflammation in IBD. These treatments can be effective but up to 40% of patients don't respond, and in ...

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The majority of invasive cancer is preceded by a latency phase characterised by the presence of a pre-invasive or an intra-epithelial lesion which is histologically non-malignant. In the LFS mouse,metformin was demonstrated to delay the emergence of invasive cancers,either because it (i) prevents pre-invasive and,later,invasive lesions from forming or (ii) because metformin extends the pre-invasive latency period. To explore this,we will compare the number and type of non-malignant “tumours” that are detected in each arm of MILI as well as ...

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Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection. It happens when the immune system overreacts to an infection and starts to damage the body’s tissues and organs. The aim of this research study is to compare the effectiveness of giving a vasopressor drug (norepinephrine) against a Balanced Crystalloid both of which are given via a drip in the arm. Vasopressors work by increasing the blood pressure which allows a better blood flow to internal organs. We plan to see which is better and to ...

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Patients presenting to their general practitioners with symptoms of suspected HNC may be referred to secondary care via a dedicated referral pathway for a consultation with a HNC specialist. In 2019/20, 228,482 patients were referred with suspected HNC in England: an increase from 140 to 404 patients per 100,000 population between 2009/10 and 2019/20. Currently, standard practice is to see all referrals face-to-face as the first contact. However, partly due to capacity issues, one in ten suspected HNC referrals are ...

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