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Biomedical subjects

A Warin

Publications and source records attributed to A Warin.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

A cost consequence study of the impact of a dermatology-trained practice nurse on the quality of life of primary care patients with eczema and psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: The practice nurse is central to the development of a primary care-led National Health Service. Skin diseases can have a major impact on patients' lives but general practitioners (GPs) lack many of the skills of practical dermatology care and support. AIM: To determine whether a primary care dermatology liaison nurse should be introduced by our health authority. We identified the resources consumed and the benefits that accrued from a practice nurse who had received training in practical dermatology care. METHOD: A cost consequence study in parallel with a randomised controlled trial was undertaken in a group of nine GPs and 109 patients between the ages of 18 and 65 years who had a diagnosis of psoriasis or eczema. RESULTS: Although there was a significant improvement in our primary outcome measure within group, when compared with the control group significance was not achieved. There was no significant change in the Euroqol measure but the clinical instrument showed a significant change when compared with control. On entry, our qualitative data identified three main themes--the embarrassment caused by these skin conditions, the wish for a cure rather than treatment, and concern over the long-term effects of steroids. On completion, 20% of patients expressed that they had received a positive benefit from the clinic. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the difficulties of obtaining relevant information to facilitate decisions on how resources should be allocated in primary care. Not all questions can be answered by large multi-centred trials and studies themselves have an opportunity cost consuming resources that could otherwise be spent on direct health care. Often, local resource decisions will be based on partial evidence-yielding solutions that are satisfactory rather than optimum but which are, nevertheless, better than decisions taken with no evidence at all.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Comparison of photochemotherapy and dithranol in the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis.

A two-centre trial has been carried out on 224 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis randomly allocated to treatment with a standard dithranol regimen of 8-methoxypsoralen and long-wave ultraviolet light (P.U.V.A.). Lesions in 91% of the 113 in the P.U.V.A. group cleared satisfactorily compared with 82% of 111 in the dithranol group, but clearing took longer (34.4 +/- 1.8 S.E. days) with P.U.V.A. than with dithranol (20.4 +/- 0.9 S.E. days). P.U.V.A. treatment took less patient-time and nurse-time and was more convenient and acceptable to the patients. Patients in whom lesions had failed to clear with dithranol, and some who had needed methotrexate for control, responded satisfactorily to P.U.V.A. A few patients who had failed on P.U.V.A. were treated with dithranol and responded to it. There is a case for the use of P.U.V.A. for patients who would otherwise require methotrexate and those who cannot be managed successfully with dithranol. There is also no reason to withhold P.U.V.A. in patients of 60 years or above with chronic plaque psoriasis. However, despite its superiority in terms of cost and patient acceptability, P.U.V.A. cannot be recommended as the first line of treatment for patients with uncomplicated, dithranol-responsive plaque psoriasis until there is more information on relapse-rate and toxicity.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1979

Pityriasis lichenoides chronica presenting as hypopigmentation.

Seven black or dark skinned patients with pityriasis lichenoides chronica (PLC) are described, who presented with widespread hypopigmentation. The evidence on which a diagnosis of PLC was made is presented and the differential diagnosis discussed. The hypopigmentation was noted in some patients to be especially marked on the proximal parts of the limbs and axillary folds. A diagnosis of PLC should be considered in all dark skinned patients with a widespread hypopigmented rash.

Adolescent↗