St Bartholomew's Hospital

About: St Bartholomew's Hospital is a healthcare organization based out in London, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 11054 authors who have published 13229 publications receiving 501102 citations. The organization is also known as: St. Bartholomew's Hospital & The Royal Hospital of St Bartholomew.

Treatment of Adrenocorticotropin-Dependent Cushing’s Syndrome: A Consensus Statement

Abstract: Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the published literature and reach a consensus on the treatment of patients with ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome, because there is no recent consensus on the management of this rare disorder. Participants: Thirty-two leading endocrinologists, clinicians, and neurosurgeons with specific expertise in the management of ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome representing nine countries were chosen to address 1) criteria for cure and remission of this disorder, 2) surgical treatment of Cushing’s disease, 3) therapeutic options in the event of persistent disease after transsphenoidal surgery, 4) medical therapy of Cushing’s disease, and 5) management of ectopic ACTH syndrome, Nelson’s syndrome, and special patient populations. Evidence: Participants presented published scientific data, which formed the basis of the recommendations. Opinion shared by a majority of experts was used where strong evidence was lacking. Consensus Process: Participants met for 2 d, during which th...

Sensitivity and specificity of multimodal and ultrasound screening for ovarian cancer, and stage distribution of detected cancers: Results of the prevalence screen of the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS)

Abstract: Background: Ovarian cancer has a high case–fatality ratio, with most women not diagnosed until the disease is in its advanced stages. The United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS) is a randomised controlled trial designed to assess the effect of screening on mortality. This report summarises the outcome of the prevalence (initial) screen in UKCTOCS. Methods: Between 2001 and 2005, a total of 202 638 post-menopausal women aged 50–74 years were randomly assigned to no treatment (control; n=101 359); annual CA125 screening (interpreted using a risk of ovarian cancer algorithm) with transvaginal ultrasound scan as a second-line test (multimodal screening [MMS]; n=50 640); or annual screening with transvaginal ultrasound (USS; n=50 639) alone in a 2:1:1 ratio using a computer-generated random number algorithm. All women provided a blood sample at recruitment. Women randomised to the MMS group had their blood tested for CA125 and those randomised to the USS group were sent an appointment to attend for a transvaginal scan. Women with abnormal screens had repeat tests. Women with persistent abnormality on repeat screens underwent clinical evaluation and, where appropriate, surgery. This trial is registered as ISRCTN22488978 and with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00058032. Findings: In the prevalence screen, 50 078 (98·9%) women underwent MMS, and 48 230 (95·2%) underwent USS. The main reasons for withdrawal were death (two MMS, 28 USS), non-ovarian cancer or other disease (none MMS, 66 USS), removal of ovaries (five MMS, 29 USS), relocation (none MMS, 39 USS), failure to attend three appointments for the screen (72 MMS, 757 USS), and participant changing their mind (483 MMS, 1490 USS). Overall, 4355 of 50 078 (8.7%) women in the MMS group and 5779 of 48 230 (12·0%) women in the USS group required a repeat test, and 167 (0·3%) women in the MMS group and 1894 (3·9%) women in the USS group required clinical evaluation. 97 of 50 078 (0·2%) women from the MMS group and 845 of 48 230 (1·8%) from the USS group underwent surgery. 42 (MMS) and 45 (USS) primary ovarian and tubal cancers were detected, including 28 borderline tumours (eight MMS, 20 USS). 28 (16 MMS, 12 USS) of 58 (48·3%; 95% CI 35·0–61·8) of the invasive cancers were stage I/II, with no difference (p=0·396) in stage distribution between the groups. A further 13 (five MMS, eight USS) women developed primary ovarian cancer during the year after the screen. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive-predictive values for all primary ovarian and tubal cancers were 89·4%, 99·8%, and 43·3% for MMS, and 84·9%, 98·2%, and 5·3% for USS, respectively. For primary invasive epithelial ovarian and tubal cancers, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive-predictive values were 89·5%, 99·8%, and 35·1% for MMS, and 75·0%, 98·2%, and 2·8% for USS, respectively. There was a significant difference in specificity (p<0·0001) but not sensitivity between the two screening groups for both primary ovarian and tubal cancers as well as primary epithelial invasive ovarian and tubal cancers. Interpretation: The sensitivity of the MMS and USS screening strategies is encouraging. Specificity was higher in the MMS than in the USS group, resulting in lower rates of repeat testing and surgery. This in part reflects the high prevalence of benign adnexal abnormalities and the more frequent detection of borderline tumours in the USS group. The prevalence screen has established that the screening strategies are feasible. The results of ongoing screening are awaited so that the effect of screening on mortality can be determined. Funding: Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK and the Department of Health, UK; with additional support from the Eve Appeal, Special Trustees of Bart's and the London, and Special Trustees of University College London Hospital.

Relation of sputum inflammatory markers to symptoms and lung function changes in COPD exacerbations

Abstract: BACKGROUND Although it is presumed that exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with increased airway inflammation, there is little information available on inflammatory markers during an exacerbation and the relationship with severity or time course of recovery. A study was undertaken to investigate the sputum cell and cytokine characteristics of COPD when stable and during an exacerbation. METHODS Induced sputum samples from 57 patients with moderate to severe COPD were analysed (44 samples were taken during a stable period and 37 during an exacerbation). The patients recorded daily symptoms on diary cards. Cell counts and sputum levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 were measured. RESULTS Patients with ⩾3 exacerbations/year had higher median stable sputum levels of IL-6 (110 (95% CI 11 to 215) pg/ml) and IL-8 (6694 (95% CI 3120 to 11995) pg/ml) than those with ⩽2 exacerbations/year (22 (95% CI 12 to 93) and 1628 (95% CI 607 to 4812) pg/ml, respectively). Median IL-6 levels were increased during exacerbations compared with stable conditions. The levels of IL-6 during exacerbations were related to the presence of a cold and to the total cell count and eosinophil and lymphocyte numbers, while IL-8 was positively correlated with all sputum cell counts. Sputum cell counts and cytokine levels during an exacerbation did not predict the size and duration of lung function changes in the exacerbation. CONCLUSIONS Patients with more frequent exacerbations have higher baseline sputum cytokine levels, which may predict the frequency of future exacerbations.

Cerebral Palsy Epidemiology: Where are We Now and Where are We Going?

Abstract: OVER the past decade, regular international meetings devoted to the state of the art in the epidemiology of cerebral palsy have been held: in California in 1987, in Cambridge in 1989 and in Brioni, Yugoslavia, in 1990. Among the longstanding problems considered have been those of case definition, case-finding, reported changes in prevalence, the bases on which distinctions between different clinical types and meaningful classification can be achieved, and the crucial question of the timing and nature of the original insult. Reports of the meetings have not been published, however, so this annotation is intended to document some of the recurrent questions that have been considered.