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Background UK general practice is computerised, and quality targets based on computer data provide a further incentive to improve data quality. A National Programme for Information Technology is standardising the technical infrastructure and removing some of the barriers to data aggregation. Routinely collected data is an underused resource, yet little has been written about the wide range of factors that need to be taken into account if we are to infer meaning from general practice data. Objective To report the complexity of general practice computer data and factors that need to be taken into account in its processing and interpretation. Method We run clinically focused programmes that provide clinically relevant feedback to clinicians, and overview statistics to localities and researchers. However, to take account of the complexity of these data we have carefully devised a system of process stages and process controls to maintain referential integrity, and improve data quality and error reduction. These are integrated into our design and processing stages. Our systems document the query, reference code set and create unique patient ID. The design stage is followed by appraisal of: data entry issues, how concepts might be represented in clinical systems, coding ambiguities, using surrogates where needed, validation and piloting. The subsequent processing of data includes extraction, migration and integration of data from different sources, cleaning, processing and analysis. Results Results are presented to illustrate issues with the population denominator, data entry problems, identification of people with unmet needs, and how routine data can be used for real-world testing of pharmaceuticals. Conclusions Routinely collected primary care data could contribute more to the process of health improvement; however, those working with these data need to understand fully the complexity of the context within which data entry takes place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Metadata is data that describes other data or resources. It has a defined number of named elements that convey meaning. Medical data are complex to process. For example, in the Primary Care Data Quality (PCDQ) renal programme, we need to collect over 300 variables because there are so many possible causes of renal disease. These variables are not just single columns of data--all are extracted as code plus date, while others are code-date-value. Metadata has the potential to improve the reliability of processing large datasets. OBJECTIVE: To define unique and unambiguous metadata headings for clinical data and derived variables. METHOD: We defined the look-up tables we would use as a controlled vocabulary to name the core clinical concepts within the metadata. We added six other elements to describe data: (1) the study or audit name; (2) the query used to extract the data; (3) the data collection number; (4) the type of data, including specifying the units; (5) the repeat number (if the variable was extracted more than once); and (6) a processing suffix that defines how the data have been processed. RESULTS: The metadata system has enabled the development of a query library and an analysis syntax library that make data processing and analysis more efficient. Its stability means greater effort can be put into more complex data processing, and some semiautomation of processes. However, the system has had implementation problems. It has been particularly hard to stop clinicians using multiple synonyms for the same variable. CONCLUSIONS: The PCDQ metadata system provides an auditable method of data processing. It is a method that should improve the reliability, validity and efficiency of processing routinely collected clinical data. This paper sets out to demystify our data processing method and makes the PCDQ metadata system available to clinicians and data processors who might wish to adopt it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To report problems implementing a data quality programme in osteoporosis. DESIGN: Analysis of data extracted using Morbidity Information Query and Export Syntax (MIQUEST) from participating general practices' systems and recommendations of practitioners who attended an action research workshop. SETTING: Computerised general practices using different Read code versions to record structured data. PARTICIPANTS: 78 practices predominantly from London and the south east, with representation from north east, north west and south west England. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients at risk can be represented in many ways within structured data. Although fracture data exists, it is unclear which are fragility fractures. T-scores, the gold standard for measuring bone density, cannot be extracted using the UK's standard data extraction tool, MIQUEST; instead manual searches had to be implemented. There is a hundredfold variation in data recording levels between practices. Therapy is more frequently recorded than diagnosis. A multidisciplinary forum of experienced practitioners proposed that a limited list of codes should be used. CONCLUSIONS: There is variability in inter-practice data quality. Some clinically important codes are lacking, and there are multiple ways that the same clinical concept can be represented. Different practice computer systems have different versions of Read code, making some data incompatible. Manual searching is still required to find data. Clinicians with an understanding of what data are clinically relevant need to have a stronger voice in the production of codes, and in the creation of recommended lists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThere is a lack of tools to evaluate and compare Electronic patient record (EPR) systems to inform a rational choice or development agenda. ObjectiveTo develop a tool kit to measure the impact of different EPR system features on the consultation. MethodsWe first developed a specification to overcome the limitations of existing methods. We divided this into work packages: (1) developing a method to display multichannel video of the consultation; (2) code and measure activities, including computer use and verbal interactions; (3) automate the capture of nonverbal interactions; (4) aggregate multiple observations into a single navigable output; and (5) produce an output interpretable by software developers. We piloted this method by filming live consultations (n = 22) by 4 general practitioners (GPs) using different EPR systems. We compared the time taken and variations during coded data entry, prescribing, and blood pressure (BP) recording. We used nonparametric tests to make statistical comparisons. We contrasted methods of BP recording using Unified Modeling Language (UML) sequence diagrams. ResultsWe found that 4 channels of video were optimal. We identified an existing application for manual coding of video output. We developed in-house tools for capturing use of keyboard and mouse and to time stamp speech. The transcript is then typed within this time stamp. Although we managed to capture body language using pattern recognition software, we were unable to use this data quantitatively. We loaded these observational outputs into our aggregation tool, which allows simultaneous navigation and viewing of multiple files. This also creates a single exportable file in XML format, which we used to develop UML sequence diagrams. In our pilot, the GP using the EMIS LV (Egton Medical Information Systems Limited, Leeds, UK) system took the longest time to code data (mean 11.5 s, 95% CI 8.7-14.2). Nonparametric comparison of EMIS LV with the other systems showed a significant difference, with EMIS PCS (Egton Medical Information Systems Limited, Leeds, UK) (P = .007), iSoft Synergy (iSOFT, Banbury, UK) (P = .014), and INPS Vision (INPS, London, UK) (P = .006) facilitating faster coding. In contrast, prescribing was fastest with EMIS LV (mean 23.7 s, 95% CI 20.5-26.8), but nonparametric comparison showed no statistically significant difference. UML sequence diagrams showed that the simplest BP recording interface was not the easiest to use, as users spent longer navigating or looking up previous blood pressures separately. Complex interfaces with free-text boxes left clinicians unsure of what to add. ConclusionsThe ALFA method allows the precise observation of the clinical consultation. It enables rigorous comparison of core elements of EPR systems. Pilot data suggests its capacity to demonstrate differences between systems. Its outputs could provide the evidence base for making more objective choices between systems.

Background: Lowering dietary salt intake reduces albuminuria, an early marker of renal damage and a sensitive predictor of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The mechanisms underlying this effect are uncertain but small changes in serum sodium concentration may be important: this retrospective cohort study investigated the hypothesis that higher serum sodium concentration is a risk factor for albuminuria (defined as a urine albumin:creatinine ratio [UACR], ≥3 mg/mmol)., Methods: Primary care data from the Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre were used to identify 47,294 individuals with a UACR result available between April 2010 and March 2015, and no known albuminuria prior to this. Exclusion criteria were missing or abnormal serum sodium concentration at baseline (<135 or >146 mmol/L); age <18 years; diabetes mellitus; decompensated liver disease; heart failure; and stage 5 chronic kidney disease., Results: After adjustment for known risk factors, there was a significant "U-shaped" relationship between serum sodium concentration and albuminuria. The lowest risk was associated with a serum sodium of 138-140 mmol/L. In comparison, the risk of albuminuria was 18% higher with a serum sodium of 135-137 mmol/L and 19% higher with a serum sodium of 144-146 mmol/L. There was no association between serum sodium concentration and blood pressure., Conclusion: The finding of a positive association between higher serum sodium concentration and albuminuria is in support of the hypothesis, but the inverse relationship between serum sodium concentration and albuminuria at lower concentrations warrants further explanation., (© 2024 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Introduction: Anemia is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with increased cardiovascular risk and reduced quality of life, but is often sub-optimally managed. Most patients are managed in primary care alongside other comorbidities. Interventions to improve the management of anemia in CKD in this setting are needed., Methods: We conducted a qualitative study to evaluate how an audit-based education (ABE) intervention might improve the management of anemia in CKD. We explored outcomes that would be relevant to practitioners and patients, that exposed variation of practice from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, and whether the intervention was feasible and acceptable., Results: Practitioners (n = 5 groups) and patients (n = 7) from 4 London general practices participated in discussions. Practitioners welcomed the evidence-based step-wise intervention. However, prescribing erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) was felt to be outside of their scope of practice. There was a gap between NICE guidance and clinical practice in primary care. Iron studies were not well understood and anemia management was often conservative or delayed. Patients were often unaware of having CKD, and were more concerned about their other comorbidities, but largely trusted their GPs to manage them appropriately., Conclusions: The first steps of the intervention were welcomed by practitioners, but they expressed concerns about independently prescribing ESAs. Renal physicians and GPs could develop shared care protocols for ESA use in primary care. There is scope to improve awareness of renal anemia, and enhance knowledge of guideline recommendations; and our intervention should be modified accordingly.

Aim: To determine whether achieving early glycaemic control, and any subsequent glycaemic variability, was associated with any change in the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)., Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis from the Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre database-a large, English primary care network-was conducted. We followed newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes, on or after 1 January 2005, aged 25 years or older at diagnosis, with HbA1c measurements at both diagnosis and after 1 year, plus five or more measurements of HbA1c thereafter. Three glycaemic bands were created: groups A (HbA1c < 58 mmol/mol [<7.5%]), B (HbA1c ≥ 58 to 75 mmol/mol [7.5%-9.0%]) and C (HbA1c ≥ 75 mmol/mol [≥9.0%]). Movement between bands was determined from diagnosis to 1 year. Additionally, for data after the first 12 months, a glycaemic variability score was calculated from the number of successive HbA1c readings differing by 0.5% or higher (≥5.5 mmol/mol). Risk of MACE from 1 year postdiagnosis was assessed using time-varying Cox proportional hazards models, which included the first-year transition and the glycaemic variability score., Results: From 26 180 patients, there were 2300 MACE. Compared with group A->A transition over 1 year, those with C->A transition had a reduced risk of MACE (HR 0.75; 95% CI 0.60-0.94; P = .014), whereas group C->C had HR 1.21 (0.81-1.81; P = .34). Compared with the lowest glycaemic variability score, the greatest variability increased the risk of MACE (HR 1.51; 1.11-2.06; P = .0096)., Conclusion: Early control of HbA1c improved cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes, although subsequent glycaemic variability had a negative effect on an individual's risk., (© 2022 The Authors. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Social distancing and other nonpharmaceutical interventions to reduce the spread of COVID-19 infection in the United Kingdom have led to substantial changes in delivering ongoing care for patients with chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Clinical guidelines for the management and prevention of complications for people with T2DM delivered in primary care services advise routine annual reviews and were developed when face-to-face consultations were the norm. The shift in consultations from face-to-face to remote consultations caused a reduction in direct clinical contact and may impact the process of care for people with T2DM., Objective: The aim of this study is to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic's first year on the monitoring of people with T2DM using routine annual reviews from a national primary care perspective in England., Methods: A retrospective cohort study of adults with T2DM will be performed using routinely collected primary care data from the Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC). We will describe the change in the rate of monitoring of hemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c ) between the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) and the preceding year (2019). We will also report any change in the eight checks that make up the components of these reviews. The change in HbA 1c monitoring rates will be determined using a multilevel logistic regression model, adjusting for patient and practice characteristics, and similarly, the change in a composite measure of the completeness of all eight checks will be modeled using ordinal regression. The models will be adjusted for the following patient-level variables: age, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, COVID-19 shielding status, duration of diabetes, and comorbidities. The model will also be adjusted for the following practice-level variables: urban versus rural, practice size, Quality and Outcomes Framework achievement, the National Health Service region, and the proportion of face-to-face consultations. Ethical approval was provided by the University of Oxford Medical Sciences Interdivisional Research Ethics Committee (September 2, 2021, reference R77306/RE001)., Results: The analysis of the data extract will include 3.96 million patients with T2DM across 700 practices, which is 6% of the available Oxford-RCGP RSC adult population. The preliminary results will be submitted to a conference under the domain of primary care. The resulting publication will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal on diabetes and endocrinology., Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the delivery of care, but little is known about the process of caring for people with T2DM. This study will report the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these processes of care., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/35971., (©Mekha Mathew, Jeremy van Vlymen, Bernardo Meza-Torres, William Hinton, Gayathri Delanerolle, Ivelina Yonova, Michael Feher, Xuejuan Fan, Harshana Liyanage, Mark Joy, Fabrizio Carinci, Simon de Lusignan. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 22.04.2022.)

Background: Valproate is a teratogenic drug that should be avoided during the preconception period and pregnancy. The aim was to explore general practitioners' (GPs) prescription patterns over time, describe trends, and explore inter-practice variation within primary care., Methods: We identified women of childbearing age (12-46 years old) in the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC) sentinel network. We performed repeated cross-sectional analyses from 2004 to 2018 to determine rates of prescription and a retrospective cohort estimated the prevalence of use of valproate during pregnancy., Results: In 2004, 0.31% (95% Confidence Interval (95%CI):0.18 to 0.44%) women were prescribed valproate, decreasing to 0.16% (95%CI:0.07 to 0.24%) by 2018. Among women with epilepsy, the rate fell from 15.2% (95%CI:14.4 to 16.0%) to 8.8% (95% CI:8.2 to 9.7%) over the same period. In 2018, almost two thirds (62.2%) of women who were prescribed valproate had epilepsy only, whereas bipolar disorder and migraine accounted for 15.8% and 7.4% respectively. Contraceptive prescriptions did not increase over time, and only in 2018 was there greater odds of being prescribed contraception (OR 1.41, 95%CI:1.08 to 1.45). Just under a fifth (19.7%) of women were prescribed valproate during their pregnancy; two out of three of these pregnancies were preceded by folic acid prescription (5 mg). While some practices reduced their rate of valproate prescription, others did not., Conclusions: Regulatory guidelines have changed GPs' prescription patterns in women of childbearing potential for valproate but not for contraception. Further research is needed to identify the barriers of GPs and women of childbearing potential to undertaking contraception., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a rapid change in workload across healthcare systems. Factors related to this adaptation in UK primary care have not yet been examined., Aim: To assess the responsiveness and prioritisation of primary care consultation type for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic., Design and Setting: A cross-sectional database study examining consultations between 17 February and 10 May 2020 for patients aged ≥65 years, drawn from primary care practices within the Oxford Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC) sentinel network, UK., Method: The authors reported the proportion of consultation type across five categories: clinical administration, electronic/video, face-to-face, telephone, and home visits. Temporal trends in telephone and face-to-face consultations were analysed by polypharmacy, frailty status, and socioeconomic group using incidence rate ratios (IRR)., Results: Across 3 851 304 consultations, the population median age was 75 years (interquartile range [IQR] 70-82); and 46% ( n = 82 926) of the cohort ( N = 180 420) were male. The rate of telephone and electronic/video consultations more than doubled across the study period (106.0% and 102.8%, respectively). Face-to-face consultations fell by 64.6% and home visits by 62.6%. This predominantly occurred across week 11 (week commencing 9 March 2020), coinciding with national policy change. Polypharmacy and frailty were associated with a relative increase in consultations. The greatest relative increase was among people taking ≥10 medications compared with those taking none (face-to-face IRR 9.90, 95% CI = 9.55 to 10.26; telephone IRR 17.64, 95% CI = 16.89 to 18.41)., Conclusion: Primary care has undergone an unprecedented in-pandemic reorganisation while retaining focus on patients with increased complexity., (©The Authors.)

Background: Disparities in type 2 diabetes (T2D) care provision and clinical outcomes have been reported in the last 2 decades in the UK. Since then, a number of initiatives have attempted to address this imbalance. The aim was to evaluate contemporary data as to whether disparities exist in glycaemic control, monitoring, and prescribing in people with T2D., Methods and Findings: A T2D cohort was identified from the Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre dataset: a nationally representative sample of 164 primary care practices (general practices) across England. Diabetes healthcare provision and glucose-lowering medication use between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2016 were studied. Healthcare provision included annual HbA1c, renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR]), blood pressure (BP), retinopathy, and neuropathy testing. Variables potentially associated with disparity outcomes were assessed using mixed effects logistic and linear regression, adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES) using the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), and nested using random effects within general practices. Ethnicity was defined using the Office for National Statistics ethnicity categories: White, Mixed, Asian, Black, and Other (including Arab people and other groups not classified elsewhere). From the primary care adult population (n = 1,238,909), we identified a cohort of 84,452 (5.29%) adults with T2D. The mean age of people with T2D in the included cohort at 31 December 2016 was 68.7 ± 12.6 years; 21,656 (43.9%) were female. The mean body mass index was 30.7 ± SD 6.4 kg/m2. The most deprived groups (IMD quintiles 1 and 2) showed poorer HbA1c than the least deprived (IMD quintile 5). People of Black ethnicity had worse HbA1c than those of White ethnicity. Asian individuals were less likely than White individuals to be prescribed insulin (odds ratio [OR] 0.86, 95% CI 0.79-0.95; p < 0.01), sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.58-0.79; p < 0.001), and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.31-0.44; p < 0.001). Black individuals were less likely than White individuals to be prescribed SGLT2 inhibitors (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.39-0.65; p < 0.001) and GLP-1 agonists (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.35-0.57; p < 0.001). Individuals in IMD quintile 5 were more likely than those in the other IMD quintiles to have annual testing for HbA1c, BP, eGFR, retinopathy, and neuropathy. Black individuals were less likely than White individuals to have annual testing for HbA1c (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.79-0.99; p = 0.04) and retinopathy (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.70-0.96; p = 0.011). Asian individuals were more likely than White individuals to have monitoring for HbA1c (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.20; p = 0.023) and eGFR (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.00-1.19; p = 0.048), but less likely for retinopathy (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.79-0.97; p = 0.01) and neuropathy (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.80-0.97; p = 0.01). The study is limited by the nature of being observational and defined using retrospectively collected data. Disparities in diabetes care may show regional variation, which was not part of this evaluation., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that disparity in glycaemic control, diabetes-related monitoring, and prescription of newer therapies remains a challenge in diabetes care. Both SES and ethnicity were important determinants of inequality. Disparities in glycaemic control and other areas of care may lead to higher rates of complications and adverse outcomes for some groups., Competing Interests: I have read the journal's policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: MBW has received grant funding from Sanofi (Establishing the impact of the national VTE prevention programme on post-operative VTE rates in England - OTH-2018-12016), Eli Lilly (Insights Project 2015) and speaker fees from AstraZeneca and MSD. AMcG has received research funding from Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, and Pfizer. WH has had his academic salary funded from grant awards with Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk Limited, and AstraZeneca UK Ltd. NM has received fees for serving as a speaker, a consultant or an advisory board member for Allergan, Bristol-Myers Squibb-Astra Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, Lifescan, MSD, Metronic, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sankio, Sanofi, Roche, Servier, Takeda. SdL has held grants from Eli Lilly Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Takeda, AstraZeneca, and Novo Nordisk Limited. SC and JM were employees of Eli Lilly and both participated in critical appraisal and preparation of the manuscript.

The mechanisms underlying the adverse cardiovascular effects of increased salt intake are incompletely understood, but parallel increases in serum sodium concentration may be of importance. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the relationship between serum sodium, hypertension and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD). Routinely collected primary care data from the Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre were analysed. A total of 231,545 individuals with a measurement of serum sodium concentration at baseline were included. Exclusion criteria were: age < 40 years; abnormal serum sodium; diabetes mellitus; prior CVD event; stage 5 chronic kidney disease; and liver cirrhosis. The primary outcome was incident CVD (myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, coronary revascularisation, stroke, transient ischaemic attack or new heart failure diagnosis) over 5 years. There was a 'J-shaped' relationship between serum sodium concentration and primary cardiovascular events that was independent of established risk factors, medications and other serum electrolytes. The lowest cardiovascular risk was found with a serum sodium between 141 and 143 mmol/l. Higher serum sodium was associated with increased risk in hypertensive individuals, whereas lower concentrations were associated with increased risk in all individuals. Therefore, alterations in serum sodium concentration may be a useful indicator of CVD risk. Higher serum sodium could have a direct effect on the vasculature, particularly in hypertensive individuals. Lower serum sodium may be a reflection of complex volume and neuroendocrine changes.

Purpose: Recommendations for safe medication injection practices to eliminate the risk of patient-to-patient transmission of blood-borne infections have been in place for many years. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the medication administration practices of Canadian anesthesiologists relative to current safe practice guidelines., Methods: An anonymous 17-question online survey was sent to all members of the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society (CAS) via the membership email list. Data pertaining to respondent demographics, practice characteristics, and medication preparation and administration practices were collected and analyzed descriptively using frequencies and percentages as well as Fisher's exact tests followed by post hoc multiple comparisons., Results: Of the 2,656 CAS members, 546 (21%) responded. The practice of reusing needles (2%) and/or syringes (7%) between patients is reported by only a minority of practitioners; however, sharing a medication vial between more than one patient using new needles and syringes is still widely practiced with 83% doing this sometimes or routinely. The main reasons for sharing medications include the desire to reduce medication waste and the associated costs., Conclusion: Sharing medication vials between multiple patients is common practice in Canada, with new needles and syringes used for each patient. Unfortunately, a small minority of anesthesiologists continue to reuse needles and/or syringes between patients, and this may pose a significant risk of patient-to-patient infection transmission.

Background: Perioperative β-blockade reduces the incidence of myocardial infarction but increases that of death, stroke, and hypotension. The elderly may experience few benefits but more harms associated with β-blockade due to a normal effect of aging, that of a reduced resting heart rate. The tested hypothesis was that the effect of perioperative β-blockade is more significant with increasing age., Methods: To determine whether the effect of perioperative β-blockade on the primary composite event, clinically significant hypotension, myocardial infarction, stroke, and death varies with age, we interrogated data from the perioperative ischemia evaluation (POISE) study. The POISE study randomly assigned 8351 patients, aged ≥45 years, in 23 countries, undergoing major noncardiac surgery to either 200 mg metoprolol CR daily or placebo for 30 days. Odds ratios or hazard ratios for time to events, when available, for each of the adverse effects were measured according to decile of age, and interaction term between age and treatment was calculated. No adjustment was made for multiple outcomes., Results: Age was associated with higher incidences of the major outcomes of clinically significant hypotension, myocardial infarction, and death. Age was associated with a minimal reduction in resting heart rate from 84.2 (standard error, 0.63; ages 45-54 years) to 80.9 (standard error, 0.70; ages >85 years; P < .0001). We found no evidence of any interaction between age and study group regarding any of the major outcomes, although the limited sample size does not exclude any but large interactions., Conclusions: The effect of perioperative β-blockade on the major outcomes studied did not vary with age. Resting heart rate decreases slightly with age. Our data do not support a recommendation for the use of perioperative β-blockade in any age subgroup to achieve benefits but avoid harms. Therefore, current recommendations against the use of β-blockers in high-risk patients undergoing noncardiac surgery apply across all age groups.

Background: Infectious intestinal disease (IID) has considerable health impact; there are 2 billion cases worldwide resulting in 1 million deaths and 78.7 million disability-adjusted life years lost. Reported IID incidence rates vary and this is partly because terms such as "diarrheal disease" and "acute infectious gastroenteritis" are used interchangeably. Ontologies provide a method of transparently comparing case definitions and disease incidence rates., Objective: This study sought to show how differences in case definition in part account for variation in incidence estimates for IID and how an ontological approach provides greater transparency to IID case finding., Methods: We compared three IID case definitions: (1) Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre (RCGP RSC) definition based on mapping to the Ninth International Classification of Disease (ICD-9), (2) newer ICD-10 definition, and (3) ontological case definition. We calculated incidence rates and examined the contribution of four supporting concepts related to IID: symptoms, investigations, process of care (eg, notification to public health authorities), and therapies. We created a formal ontology using ontology Web language., Results: The ontological approach identified 5712 more cases of IID than the ICD-10 definition and 4482 more than the RCGP RSC definition from an initial cohort of 1,120,490. Weekly incidence using the ontological definition was 17.93/100,000 (95% CI 15.63-20.41), whereas for the ICD-10 definition the rate was 8.13/100,000 (95% CI 6.70-9.87), and for the RSC definition the rate was 10.24/100,000 (95% CI 8.55-12.12). Codes from the four supporting concepts were generally consistent across our three IID case definitions: 37.38% (3905/10,448) (95% CI 36.16-38.5) for the ontological definition, 38.33% (2287/5966) (95% CI 36.79-39.93) for the RSC definition, and 40.82% (1933/4736) (95% CI 39.03-42.66) for the ICD-10 definition. The proportion of laboratory results associated with a positive test result was 19.68% (546/2775)., Conclusions: The standard RCGP RSC definition of IID, and its mapping to ICD-10, underestimates disease incidence. The ontological approach identified a larger proportion of new IID cases; the ontology divides contributory elements and enables transparency and comparison of rates. Results illustrate how improved diagnostic coding of IID combined with an ontological approach to case definition would provide a clearer picture of IID in the community, better inform GPs and public health services about circulating disease, and empower them to respond. We need to improve the Pathology Bounded Code List (PBCL) currently used by laboratories to electronically report results. Given advances in stool microbiology testing with a move to nonculture, PCR-based methods, the way microbiology results are reported and coded via PBCL needs to be reviewed and modernized., (©Simon de Lusignan, Stacy Shinneman, Ivelina Yonova, Jeremy van Vlymen, Alex J Elliot, Frederick Bolton, Gillian E Smith, Sarah O'Brien. Originally published in JMIR Medical Informatics (http://medinform.jmir.org), 28.09.2017.)

Purpose: Patients are increasingly treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for the prevention of stroke due to non-valvular atrial fibrillation and for the treatment of venous thromboembolism. When these patients present for urgent or emergent surgical procedures, they present a challenge to the anesthesiologist who must manage perioperative risk due to anticoagulation. The purpose of this module is to review the literature surrounding the perioperative management of DOACs. Timing, laboratory monitoring, and availability of reversal agents are important considerations to optimize patients being treated with DOACs who require emergent surgery., Principal Findings: Laboratory tests are not recommended for routine monitoring of DOACs since they do not correlate well with anticoagulant activity. Most widely available laboratory tests lack the sensitivity to detect anticoagulant effects at low plasma concentrations. However, a normal thrombin time for dabigatran excludes clinically significant drug levels. If the risk of bleeding is judged to be high because of a recent dose of DOAC, various options are available to mitigate bleeding. When possible, surgery should be delayed for at least 12 hr after the last dose of DOAC. Activated charcoal may mitigate the anticoagulant effect caused by DOACs if administered less than two hours after the drug was ingested. Four-factor prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs) may be useful to reduce life-threatening bleeding associated with factor Xa inhibitors. Activated PCCs have been shown to reverse abnormal coagulation tests associated with all DOACs, but there is a lack of reported evidence of clinical benefit. Idarucizumab is a specific antidote that is effective for reversal of anticoagulation due to dabigatran. An antidote for rivaroxaban and apixaban (andexanet alfa) as well as a universal antidote for all DOACs and heparin (PER977) are in clinical development., Conclusion: Perioperative management of anticoagulation due to DOACs is a growing concern as the number of patients prescribed these medications increases each year. These patients can be safely optimized for urgent or emergent surgery by giving appropriate consideration to timing, monitoring, and reversal agents.

Background: Ethnicity recording within primary care computerised medical record (CMR) systems is suboptimal, exacerbated by tangled taxonomies within current coding systems.Objective To develop a method for extending ethnicity identification using routinely collected data., Methods: We used an ontological method to maximise the reliability and prevalence of ethnicity information in the Royal College of General Practitioner's Research and Surveillance database. Clinical codes were either directly mapped to ethnicity group or utilised as proxy markers (such as language spoken) from which ethnicity could be inferred. We compared the performance of our method with the recording rates that would be identified by code lists utilised by the UK pay for the performance system, with the help of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF)., Results: Data from 2,059,453 patients across 110 practices were included. The overall categorisable ethnicity using QOF codes was 36.26% (95% confidence interval (CI): 36.20%-36.33%). This rose to 48.57% (CI:48.50%-48.64%) using the described ethnicity mapping process. Mapping increased across all ethnic groups. The largest increase was seen in the white ethnicity category (30.61%; CI: 30.55%-30.67% to 40.24%; CI: 40.17%-40.30%). The highest relative increase was in the ethnic group categorised as the other (0.04%; CI: 0.03%-0.04% to 0.92%; CI: 0.91%-0.93%)., Conclusions: This mapping method substantially increases the prevalence of known ethnicity in CMR data and may aid future epidemiological research based on routine data.

Background: The aims of this study are the following: to describe the female population of reproductive age having bariatric surgery in the UK, to assess the age and ethnicity of women accessing surgery, and to assess the effect of bariatric surgery on factors that underlie fertility and pregnancy outcomes., Methods: Demographic details, comorbidities, and operative type of women aged 18-45 years were extracted from the National Bariatric Surgery Registry (NBSR). A comparison was made with non-operative cases (aged 18-45 and BMI ≥40 kg/m 2 ) from the Health Survey for England (HSE, 2007-2013). Analyses were performed using "R" software., Results: Data were extracted on 15,222 women from NBSR and 1073 from HSE. Women aged 18-45 comprised 53 % of operations. Non-Caucasians were under-represented in NBSR compared to HSE (10 vs 16 % respectively, p < 0.0001). The NBSR group was older than the HSE group-median 38 (IQR 32-42) vs 36 (IQR 30-41) years (Wilcoxon test p < 0.0001). Almost one third of women in NBSR had menstrual dysfunction at baseline (33.0 %). BMI fell in the first year postoperatively from 48.2 ± 8.3 to 37.4 ± 7.5 kg/m 2 (t test, p < 0.001). From NBSR, in the postoperative period, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes fell by 54 %, polycystic ovarian syndrome by 15 %, and any menstrual dysfunction by 12 %., Conclusions: Over half of all bariatric procedures are carried out on women of reproductive age. More work is required to provide prompt and equal access across ethnic groups. At least one in three women suffers from menstrual dysfunction at baseline. Bariatric surgery improves factors that underlie fertility and pregnancy outcomes. A prospective study is required to verify these effects., Competing Interests: Compliance with Ethical Standards Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. Statement of Informed Consent Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Statement of Human and Animal Rights All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Purpose: Elevated glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is often found in surgical patients with no history of diabetes. The purpose of this prospective observational study was to determine if elevated preoperative HbA1c is associated with postoperative hyperglycemia in non-diabetic surgical patients and to identify predictors of elevated HbA1c., Methods: This study included 257 non-diabetic adults scheduled for inpatient surgery. Preoperatively, capillary blood glucose (CBG) and HbA1c were measured and patients completed the Canadian Diabetes Risk Questionnaire (CANRISK). Capillary blood glucose was measured for two days or until hospital discharge at the following time points: postoperatively, before all meals, and at 22:00 hr. The mean CBG and incidence of hyperglycemia were compared between HbA1c levels: Group I < 6.0%, Group II 6.0-6.4%, and Group III ≥ 6.5%., Results: The mean postoperative glucose levels at all time points were significantly higher in Group III compared with Groups I and II (P < 0.01). At least one episode of hyperglycemia (CBG ≥ 10.0 mMol·L -1 ) occurred in 61% (11/18) of patients in Group III vs 11% (23/209) of patients in Group I (relative risk, 5.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.26 to 9.47; P < 0.001). Elevated glycosylated hemoglobin ≥ 6.0% was found in 31% (33/107) of those with a high CANRISK score. The best predictors of postoperative hyperglycemia were preoperative CBG > 6.9 mMol·L -1 [diagnostic odds ratio (OR) (reference < 6.0 mMol·L -1 ), 4.16; 95% CI, 1.57 to 10.98; P = 0.004], HbA1c ≥ 6.0% [OR (reference < 6.0%), 3.00; 95% CI, 1.39 to 6.49; P = 0.005], and HbA1c ≥ 6.5% [OR (reference < 6.5%), 13.45; 95% CI, 4.78 to 37.84; P <0.001]., Conclusions: Elevated HbA1c is associated with higher mean postoperative glucose levels in patients with no diabetic history. The CANRISK score is a strong predictor of elevated HbA1c, while CBG and HbA1c are both predictors of postoperative hyperglycemia.

Purpose: The Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre (RCGP RSC) is one of the longest established primary care sentinel networks. In 2015, it established a new data and analysis hub at the University of Surrey. This paper evaluates the representativeness of the RCGP RSC network against the English population., Participants and Method: The cohort includes 1 042 063 patients registered in 107 participating general practitioner (GP) practices. We compared the RCGP RSC data with English national data in the following areas: demographics; geographical distribution; chronic disease prevalence, management and completeness of data recording; and prescribing and vaccine uptake. We also assessed practices within the network participating in a national swabbing programme., Findings to Date: We found a small over-representation of people in the 25-44 age band, under-representation of white ethnicity, and of less deprived people. Geographical focus is in London, with less practices in the southwest and east of England. We found differences in the prevalence of diabetes (national: 6.4%, RCPG RSC: 5.8%), learning disabilities (national: 0.44%, RCPG RSC: 0.40%), obesity (national: 9.2%, RCPG RSC: 8.0%), pulmonary disease (national: 1.8%, RCPG RSC: 1.6%), and cardiovascular diseases (national: 1.1%, RCPG RSC: 1.2%). Data completeness in risk factors for diabetic population is high (77-99%). We found differences in prescribing rates and costs for infections (national: 5.58%, RCPG RSC: 7.12%), and for nutrition and blood conditions (national: 6.26%, RCPG RSC: 4.50%). Differences in vaccine uptake were seen in patients aged 2 years (national: 38.5%, RCPG RSC: 32.8%). Owing to large numbers, most differences were significant (p<0.00015)., Future Plans: The RCGP RSC is a representative network, having only small differences with the national population, which have now been quantified and can be assessed for clinical relevance for specific studies. This network is a rich source for research into routine practice., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/)