Supporting public involvement in research design and grant development: a case study of a public involvement award scheme managed by a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service (RDS)

Background

It is good practice for the public to be involved in developing health research. Resources should be available for researchers to fund the involvement of the public in the development of their grants.

Objective

To describe a funding award scheme to support public involvement in grant development, managed by an NIHR Research Design Service (RDS). Case examples of how the award contributed to successful grant applications and findings from a recent evaluation of the scheme are presented.

Design

A case study of resource provision to support public involvement activities in one region of England.

Participants

University and NHS‐based researchers, and members of the public.

Findings

Between 2009 and 2012, the RDS approved 45 public involvement funding awards (totalling nearly £19 000). These awards contributed to 27 submitted applications at the time of writing, of which 11 were successful (totalling over £7.5 million). The evaluation revealed difficulties encountered by some researchers when involving the public in grant development, which led to suggestions about how the scheme could be improved.

Conclusion

This award scheme represents an efficient method of providing researchers with resources to involve the public in grant development and would appear to represent good value for money.     

估算的肾小球滤过率、血尿酸和纤维蛋白原与缺血性脑卒中溶栓后脑出血转化的关系及对结局的预测价值

目的探讨估算的肾小球滤过率(eGFR)、血尿酸(SUA)、纤维蛋白原(FIB)与缺血性脑卒中溶栓后脑出血转化及临床结局的关系。方法选取158例缺血性脑卒中用重组组织型纤溶酶原激活剂(rt-PA)静脉溶栓患者,包括无脑出血转化121例、脑出血转化37例。采用Logistic回归方程分析rt-PA静脉溶栓后脑出血转化影响因素;对比不同早期神经功能患者eGFR、SUA、FIB水平;评价eGFR、SUA、FIB对早期神经功能恶化(END)的预测价值;比较不同eGFR、SUA、FIB水平患者的累积生存率。结果rt-PA静脉溶栓2 h、24 h后,脑出血转化者eGFR、SUA、FIB水平较无脑出血转化者降低(P<0.05)。Logistic回归分析显示,年龄、基线NIHSS评分、基线舒张压、大面积脑梗死及溶栓后2 h和24 h的eGFR、SUA、FIB均为rt-PA静脉溶栓后脑出血转化的影响因素(P<0.05)。END患者溶栓后2 h和24 h的eGFR、SUA、FIB均低于非END患者(P<0.05)。ROC曲线分析显示,溶栓后24 h的eGFR、SUA、FIB联合预测END的曲线下面积为0.809,大于任一单一指标,其灵敏度、特异度分别为80.95%、74.14%。生存分析结果表明,溶栓后24 h的eGFR、SUA、FIB高水平组的累积生存率高于低水平组(P<0.05)。结论eGFR、SUA、FIB与缺血性脑卒中预后密切相关,监测上述指标有助于脑出血转化诊断及END预测。     

Clinical challenge for gastroenterologists–Gastrointestinal manifestations of systemic mastocytosis: A comprehensive review

Mastocytosis is a rare and heterogeneous disease characterized by various clinical and biological features that affect different prognoses and treatments. The disease is usually divided into 2 principal categories: cutaneous and systemic disease (SM). Clinical features can be related to mast cell (MC) mediator release or pathological MC infiltration. SM is a disease often hard to identify, and the diagnosis is based on clinical, biological, histological, and molecular criteria with different specialists involved in the patient’s clinical work-up. Among all manifestations of the disease, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common, being present in 14%-85% of patients, and can significantly impair the quality of life. Here we review the data regarding GI involvement in SM, in terms of clinical presentations, histological and endoscopic features, the pathogenesis of GI symptoms, and their treatment.     

An analysis of an older driver evaluation program

OBJECTIVES: To identify elements of an older driver evaluation program that predict driving performance in older adults. SETTING: Outpatient medical clinic in an academic medical center. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred sixty-four older adults who were referred to an older driver evaluation program. MEASUREMENTS: A physician trained in geriatric medicine and a clinical geriatric nurse specialist oversaw an experienced driving evaluator and an occupational therapist who conducted assessments of older persons' functional status; reaction time; driving skills; and cognitive, hearing, and vision abilities. Self-report data along with a medical history submitted by patients' primary care physicians supplemented the clinical assessments. RESULTS: A multinomial logistic regression revealed that the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), cues needed with the Trail Making Test, Part B, grip strength, and an interaction effect between the MMSE and reaction time constituted the most parsimonious model for predicting on-the-road performance. A receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that this index had good sensitivity but low specificity. A binomial regression comparing imperfect and perfect drivers demonstrated the significance of the Traffic Sign and Visual Perception tests. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should employ a multilevel screening process that includes initial cognitive tests, such as the MMSE and the Trail Making Test, Part B, although more studies of driving evaluation programs in medical settings that include random samples of older drivers are needed.     

Vectorcardiographic evaluation of diabetic cardiomyopathy and of its contributing factors

Summary In order to investigate the prevalence of vectorcardiographic bites, expression of small areas of fibrosis, atrophy or degeneration of the myocardium, we studied, using the vectorcardiograms (VCG) of 101 diabetic patients (35 with insulin-dependent and 66 with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, aged from 25 to 60 years, without hypertension, coronary artery disease, or intraventricular conduction defects) and 228 normal control subjects, matched for age and sex. The prevalence of bites was 38.6% in diabetic patients and 10.0% in the control group (p<0.001). Diabetic patients were also subdivided into groups according to age, sex, metabolic control, risk factors for coronary heart disease, type of diabetes, duration of diabetes and diabetic microangiopathy. No correlation was found between any of the variables investigated nor of a combination of these, and the presence of bites. We conclude that VCG is a sensitive test for cardiac involvement in diabetic patients but that it cannot be used to identify any specific factor able to influence the onset and evolution of this involvement.     

Multiple gastric involvement by myeloid antigen CD13-positive non-secretory plasma cell leukaemia

Gastrointestinal tract involvement is a rare complication of plasma cell neoplasia. We present a case of non-secretory type primary plasma cell leukaemia (PCL) with multiple gastric involvement. Dual surface antigen analysis of bone marrow cells revealed that atypical plasma cells coexpressed CD38 and myeloid antigen CD13. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy disclosed multiple submucosal masses in the body of the stomach. Endoscopic biopsy specimens showed marked infiltration of atypical plasma cells consistent with a diagnosis of gastric involvement by PCL. Since CD13 antigen is identical to aminopeptidase N, a membrane-bound glycoprotein thought to be involved in the process of tumour invasion, CD13 expression on neoplastic plasma cells may be related to the gastric involvement in this patient.