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Objectives Management of anticoagulated patients after head injury is unclear due to lack of robust evidence. This study aimed to determine the adverse outcome rate in these patients and identify risk factors associated with poor outcome. Design Multicentre, observational study using routine patient records. Setting 33 emergency departments in England and Scotland. Participants 3566 adults (aged ≥16 years) who had suffered blunt head injury and were currently taking warfarin. Main outcome measures Primary outcome measure was rate of adverse outcome defined as death or neurosurgery following initial injury, clinically significant CT scan finding or reattendance with related complication within 10 weeks of initial hospital attendance. Secondary objectives included identifying risk factors for adverse outcome using univariable and multivariable analyses. Results Clinical data available for 3534/3566 patients (99.1%), median age 79 years; mean initial international normalised ratio (INR) 2.67 (SD 1.34); 81.2% Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) 15: 59.8% received a CT scan with significant head injury-related finding in 5.4% (n=208); 0.5% underwent neurosurgery; 1.2% patients suffered a head injury-related death. Overall adverse outcome rate was 5.9% (95% CI 5.2% to 6.7%). Patients with GCS=15 and no associated symptoms had lowest risk of adverse outcome (risk 2.7%; 95% CI 2.1 to 3.6). Patients with GCS=15 multivariable analysis (using imputation) found risk of adverse outcome to increase when reporting at least one associated symptom: vomiting (relative risk (RR) 1.8; 95% CI 1.0 to 3.4), amnesia (RR 3.5; 95% CI 2.1 to 5.7), headache (RR 1.3; 95% CI 0.8 to 2.2), loss of consciousness (RR 1.75; 95% CI 1.0 to 3.0). INR measurement did not predict adverse outcome in patients with GCS=15 (RR 1.1; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.2). Conclusions In alert warfarinised patients following head injury, the presence of symptoms is associated with greater risk of adverse outcome. Those with GCS=15 and no symptoms are a substantial group and have a low risk of adverse outcome. Trial registration number NCT02461498.

Objective To identify practice strategies associated with higher flu vaccination rates in primary care. Design Logistic regression analysis of data from a cross-sectional online questionnaire. Setting 795 general practices across England. Participants 569 practice managers, 335 nursing staff and 107 general practitioners. Primary outcome measures Flu vaccination rates achieved by each practice in different groups of at-risk patients. Results 7 independent factors associated with higher vaccine uptake were identified. Having a lead staff member for planning the flu campaign and producing a written report of practice performance predicted an 8% higher vaccination rate for at-risk patients aged, Article summary Article focus Uptake of seasonal influenza vaccination in the UK's at-risk population is below the national and international target of 75%. Evidence-based guidance, to advise practices how to optimise all aspects of their flu vaccination campaigns and maximise their likelihood of protecting at-risk patients against flu and its serious sequelae, is greatly needed. This study sought to identify which strategies and procedures were associated with higher rates of flu vaccine uptake. Key messages This study has identified seven key strategies that were significantly associated with the success of practices' seasonal flu vaccination campaigns. If widely implemented by general practices, average vaccination rates would be predicted to rise by 7%–8% (thereby exceeding WHO target in patients aged >65 years). Strengths and limitations of this study The study sample was large and representative, despite a participation rate of only 27.5%. Outcome measures (vaccination rates) were objective and corrected for practice size. Strategies used to provide and encourage vaccination were self-reported.

Objective Accurately predicting the prognosis of young patients with breast cancer (