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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.
Plaster cast is as good as surgery for a broken scaphoid bone in the wrist, SWIFFT trial finds
Fractures of the scaphoid bone in the wrist are among the most common broken bone injuries. Traditionally, they have been healed by immobilising the wrist in a plaster cast but over the last two decades, surgeons have increasingly fixed the injury in surgery, by putting a small screw across the break. However, before this study, ...
Lockdown raised anxiety in people with anorexia and their carers, but online resources helped
The lockdowns and restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted eating disorder services. People with anorexia nervosa experienced a loss of routine, heightened anxieties, and increased symptoms. Carers felt more concern and greater responsibility for their loved ones. Despite these difficulties, some patients and carers benefitted from digital self-management resources. The TRIANGLE project aims to help ...
People who fund their own social care receive little help to navigate the system
People in England who pay for their own social care receive little assistance in making choices, even though arranging care requires a range of skills that they may not have. Adult social care – for example personal assistance in the home or being cared for in a residential home – comes under the remit of ...
Informal dementia carers had to make difficult decisions about paid care during COVID-19
People living with dementia in the community typically rely on unpaid care from friends and family members, combined with some paid care. This helps them remain in their own homes. Researchers wanted to find out how the first nationwide COVID-19 lockdown affected unpaid carers, and how they made decisions about accessing paid care. Paid carers ...
Spironolactone is not an effective treatment for one type of irregular heartbeat, research shows
People with one type of irregular heartbeat (called atrial fibrillation) do not benefit from a drug called spironolactone. A new trial called IMPRESS-AF found that the drug does not offer benefits and could even be harmful. Spironolactone offered no improvements in exercise capacity, heart function, or quality of life. In fact, the treatment significantly worsened ...
Men with urethral narrowing can be offered a choice of effective surgery
Urethral narrowing reduces the flow of urine from the bladder out of the body. The tube (called the urethra) may become narrowed because of injury or infection. Painful and potentially dangerous narrowing is more common in men and if it happens repeatedly, it is treated with surgery. Initial treatment is usually a minimally invasive procedure ...
The long term severity of psychosis could be predicted by an early test of coordination and balance
Detecting problems with motor coordination could be a simple way to predict the long-term severity of psychosis. The Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) is a quick and useful tool for examining sensory-motor issues such as restlessness, tremors, and problems with coordination and balance. A new study used the scale to assess patients after their first psychotic episode. ...
Theatre can bring research findings to life for a wide range of audiences
Traditional academic methods of communicating research findings often fail to reach key audiences including patients, or professionals from different disciplines. BRIGHTLIGHT is a national research project looking at whether specialist cancer services for teenagers and young people add value. The researchers wanted young people to know about their results, along with audiences often not reached ...
Careful phrasing of requests by hospital staff could help people with dementia accept care
More than a quarter of hospital patients have dementia and many refuse food, drink, medication or requests to be examined. This presents healthcare professionals with a dilemma. They need to strike a balance between respecting a patient’s wishes, while also delivering effective care. New research looked at the different ways of asking people with dementia ...
Supported self-management for people with asthma is the most effective model of care
Self-management of asthma means healthcare professionals educating, training and supporting people with asthma so they learn to manage their own condition. But there is little evidence to guide the level of support patients need from their healthcare team. This study compared four self-management models for asthma by reviewing existing research papers. The most effective model ...
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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