The research and campaigns relating to life outcomes for people with schizophrenia and psychosis are truly shocking. It seems unbelievable that people with schizophrenia face a lifespan 15-20 years shorter than the general population and that only 7% are able to hold down a job. Paul Jenkins from Rethink Mental Illness sums it up nicely: [read the full story…]
In the late 1990s, a group of people concerned about the quality of palliative care being offered to people with learning disabilities started a voluntary organiation now known as the PCPLD Network. The work of the network has raised awareness of the issue and also supported the research agenda into this topic. This current qualitative [read the full story…]
Fissure sealants have been available since the 1960’s and a 2008 Cochrane review by Ahovuo-Saloranta et al highlighted their effectiveness for preventing occlusal caries noting that their effectiveness is obvious in high caries risk children. The aim of this new study by Muller-Bolla et al, was to assess their effectiveness in a school-based dental sealant [read the full story…]
Research has shown that antidepressant use can lead to a non-significant increase in the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviour in people aged under 25 (Stone et al, BMJ 2009). This subject rightly received a large amount of media coverage a few years ago and it remains an area where new studies can add to [read the full story…]
Scaling and root planning (SRP) is the main therapeutic approach to treating periodontitis. The adjunctive use of local antimicrobials has demonstrated some improvement in outcomes. The aim of this review was to assess the effect on clinical outcomes of local antimicrobials as adjuncts to SRP, compared to SRP alone or plus placebo, in chronic periodontitis [read the full story…]
There are many different antidepressants to choose from when treating acute depression, so it’s always helpful to see a systematic review that looks at the efficacy, acceptability and tolerability of the different drugs. This new Cochrane review compares duloxetine hydrochloride (one of the newer drugs) with other antidepressants and finds little high quality evidence upon [read the full story…]
In my last blog I emphasised the importance of addressing recovery expectations during treatment sessions with individuals with low back pain (LBP) and highlighted a simple screening instrument. However, the question remains, if a person has ‘low scoring’ recovery expectations how can we go about helping them? With that question in mind, I was delighted [read the full story…]
Orofacial pain is a relatively common and is categorized into musculoskeletal; neuropathic; vascular; neurovascular; idiopathic; pain caused by local, distant, or systemic pathology; and psychogenic. Diagnosis can be challenging when psychosocial factors are present and while antidepressants have been used as a treatment there remains some controversy. The aim of this review was to assess [read the full story…]
There has been a lot of discussion over recent years about the ways in which genetic testing may help make the treatment of depression become more targeted and effective. The theory is that genetic markers may help predict how different people are likely to respond to different drugs. This is clearly something that would interest [read the full story…]
The World Sports Trauma Congress 17th -20th October 2012, London is being held this week with international speakers discussing topics such as “footballer’s ankle” and “sport after joint replacement”. The congress is connected to the Summer Olympics Games and occurs every four years. This year in London delegates, like us Elves, will undoubtedly be celebrating [read the full story…]
