New INTERGROWTH-21st International Postnatal Growth Standards for Preterm Infants - Charts available
by INTERGROWTH-21stNew INTERGROWTH-21st Postnatal Growth Standards charts for individual measurements of length, weight, head circumference, as well as a combined standards chart for length, weight and head circumference are now available for download here.
Using the CONSORT for Abstract Checklist
by CONSORT GroupThe CONSORT (CONsolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) 2010 guideline is intended to improve the reporting of parallel-group randomized controlled trial (RCT), enabling readers to understand a trial's design, conduct, analysis and interpretation, and to assess the validity of its results. This can only be achieved through complete adherence and transparency by authors. This series explores how an abstract can be improved through use of the CONSORT guidelines.
Professor Lang talks about doing difficult trials in difficult places - including malaria and ebola trials.
Postnatal growth standards for preterm infants: the Preterm Postnatal Follow-up Study of the INTERGROWTH-21st Project
by INTERGROWTH-21stThe first international stnadards for monitroing the growth of preterm babies have now been published in the Lancet Global Health (October 2015).
Whilst our understanding of drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum is quite well understood, the extent and nature of resistance in Plasmodium vivax parasites is for the most part unknown.
Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health Call For Journal Submission
by Clinical Epidemiology and Global HealthTo promote high-quality post graduate (PG) research, Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health plans on publishing a supplement issue showcasing Post Graduate Medical Research.A pre-requisite for the submission is that the first author must be a PG student. A certificate from the departmental head stating that it is from PG thesis (or original research independent of the thesis but conducted during the PG residency) should be submitted along with the letter to the Editor.
What did we know before this research?The border between Thailand and Cambodia is the world’s epicenter of cases of multi-drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum , the most dangerous malaria species. Recently, cases of resistance to artemisinin have been documented in the region and triggered efforst to contain further spread.
What we did we know before this research?In Africa it’s common practice to overdiagnose malaria, which means that very often patients are given ACT drugs simply because they present fever. Not only this leads to the waste of expensive drugs, but it also means that patients don’t receive treatment for their actual illness.
How the use of rapid diagnostic tests influences clinicians’ decision to prescribe ACTs
by ACTConsortiumEvidence shows that in many African regions, including Ghana, malaria is massively over-diagnosed. This means that patients who are not diagnosed with malaria by tests that identify malaria parasites in the blood are still considered to have the disease and therefore receive anti-malarial treatment.
The World Health Organization recommends artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) as the first-line treatment for malaria. This consists of combining two drugs: artemisinin (which derives from the artemisia plant) and a partner drug (one of existing antimalarials). If taken alone rather than combined, they are considered monotherapies and are less effective.
Scientific title: Strategies for optimizing the accurate elicitation of patient-reported data relating to drug safety What did we know before this research?During clinical trials, research teams use various information that participants tell them. These include the occurrence of new, possibly harmful or unpredicted side effects (known as adverse events or adverse drug reactions), the patients’ medical history and which other medicines they are taking.
Scientific title: Interactions between the antimalarial combination artemether/lumefantrine and antiretroviral therapy including nevirapine or lopinavir/ritonavir in HIV-infected adults What did we know before this research?Several African countries are heavily affected by both HIV/AIDS and malaria. The World Health Organization and ministries of health in most endemic countries recommend the use of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for malaria and antiretroviral combination treatments (ART) for HIV/AIDS, and such treatments have become increasingly available.
Scientific title: Determining sub-national intervention coverage and malaria impact estimates in young children and older age groups using a continuous Malaria Indicator Survey in Chikhwawa district, Malawi What did we know before this research?In areas where malaria transmission rates are moderate to high, the progress of malaria control is mainly evaluated using national household surveys such as Malaria Indicator Surveys (MIS), Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) or UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS). These are then complemented by data from Health Management Information Systems (HMIS).
Scientific title: Qualitative study on antimalarial drug use in the context of perceptions of ACTs and intra-household decision making in the Chikhwawa district of Malawi What did we know before this research?There are very effective antimalarial drugs available , but it is a challenge to ensure that they reach those that need them and that they are used appropriately.
What did we know before this research?International efforts to increase the use of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) over the past decade have been based on the argument that this will lead to fewer malaria deaths. It has also been assumed that these drugs are safe even if used repeatedly. While there is no evidence to suggest concern, this has not been demonstrated directly in children under five years of age living in those areas.
In many malaria-endemic countries HIV/AIDS continues to spread, therefore an increasing number of patients need treatment for both infections at the same time. The WHO and ministries of health in many endemic countries recommend the use of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for malaria and antiretroviral combination treatments (ART) for HIV/AIDS. Such treatments have become increasingly available and research is being conducted into the clinical implications of taking ACT and ART concomitantly.
In many malaria-endemic countries HIV/AIDS continues to spread, therefore an increasing number of patients need treatment for both infections at the same time. The World Health Organization and ministries of health in many endemic countries recommend the use of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for malaria and antiretroviral combination treatments (ART) for HIV/AIDS. Such treatments have become increasingly available.
It is common practice in Africa to overdiagnose malaria, meaning that very often patients are given ACT drugs simply because they present fever. Given the high price of this type of medication, this approach becomes unsustainable. At the same time, it means that patients don’t receive treatment for their actual illness.