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The latest important research summarised
Short summaries of the latest health research presented in plain English to promote use of research by all members of society.
Bespoke shoes and insoles could prevent foot ulcers in people with diabetes
Shoes and insoles which are custom-made to relieve pressure on the foot could prevent ulcers in people with diabetes. Foot ulcers are a serious complication of the disease and can lead to amputation if they are not managed appropriately. Even a mild injury can cause a foot ulcer. Researchers wanted to identify design features of ...
Damage to kidneys and eyes may start before people are diagnosed with diabetes
One in two people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes already have damage to their eyes, kidneys or heart. That damage is more likely if they had problems with blood sugar control before being diagnosed. Diabetes causes damage to blood vessels, because of poorly-controlled levels of sugar in the blood. These damaged blood vessels can lead ...
Most people caring for relatives with dementia experience loneliness
Around two-thirds of family carers of people with dementia experience loneliness. Almost half are moderately lonely and a fifth are severely lonely, reports one of the first large scale studies to look at this issue. Carers who felt lonely tended to have lower wellbeing, smaller social networks, and more stress associated with caregiving. A poor-quality ...
Loneliness in people with dementia is linked to social isolation and depression
One-third of people with mild-to-moderate dementia experience loneliness. 30% are moderately lonely and 5% are severely lonely, reports one of the first major studies to look at the issue. These figures are comparable to the general population of older people. People with dementia who live alone, and who experience social isolation, depression and lower quality ...
Most patients leaving hospital in India are given inadequate medical information
A lack of medical information could make it more difficult for patients to recover after they are discharged from hospital. Patients with long term conditions such as cancer or diabetes, called chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), need repeated visits to doctors. Surveys in India included hundreds of patients with NCDs and showed that only half receive ...
Drug users who lack access to clean water use dangerous alternatives to prepare injections
Strategies to reduce the harm to homeless people who inject drugs rarely focus on their lack of access to clean water. This matters because injecting drugs prepared with unclean water or alternatives to water can lead to serious infections and illness. A study explored how people who inject drugs typically prepare injections, including when they ...
Asthma patients with a history of opioid use have worse outcomes
A new study of asthma patients with and without a history of drug misuse found that rates of attendance at an annual asthma review were poor across the whole group. Rates of flu vaccination, which is recommended for people with asthma, were also generally low. However, patients with a history of opioid use disorders (OUD) ...
Most patients undergoing planned surgery do not need compression stockings
Compression stockings might be unnecessary for patients at moderate or high risk of blood clots who are undergoing planned surgery. A study called GAPS suggests that anti-clotting medicine alone is just as effective as using it in combination with compression stockings. Researchers involved in the large randomised controlled study recommend that guidelines for preventing blood ...
Some antidepressants can help people quit smoking, but other medications may offer greater benefits
Some anti-smoking medicines are designed specifically to reduce cravings for the nicotine in cigarettes. They include the drug varenicline and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as patches and gum. But medicines designed to treat depression may also help people to stop smoking. One antidepressant, called bupropion, can be prescribed as an anti-smoking medicine in the ...
Combined drug and psychological therapies may be most effective for depression
The most effective treatment for adults with moderate depression is likely to be a combination of antidepressant drugs and psychological interventions. A new summary provides the strongest evidence to date that the combination of treatments work better than either alone. The most recent advice from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) comes in ...
NIHR is the nation's largest funder of health and care research and provides the people, facilities and technology that enables research to thrive. NIHR Evidence is managed by NIHR with a funding contribution from Health and Care Research Wales, Welsh Government.
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