PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M A Mullee

Publications and source records attributed to M A Mullee.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Impact of metabolic syndrome criteria on cardiovascular disease risk in people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We investigated the prognostic implication of metabolic syndrome according to modified National Cholesterol Education Program criteria and the implication of individual features of metabolic syndrome on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CHD in a 5-year community-based study of people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We entered 562 participants, aged 30-74 years, into a cross-sectional analysis and 428 participants (comprising those who were CVD-free at study entry) into a prospective analysis. In both analyses, the association of metabolic syndrome features with CVD/CHD was studied. Binary logistic regression, a Cox regression model and Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: At diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome was independently associated with CVD (odds ratio [OR] 2.54; p=0.006) and CHD (OR 4.06; p=0.002). In the 5-year follow-up, metabolic syndrome at baseline was an independent predictor of incident CVD (hazard ratio [HR] 2.05; p=0.019). An increase in the number of individual features of the metabolic syndrome present at the time of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes was associated with a linear increase in incident CVD risk (trend p=0.044) with an almost five-fold increase when all five features were present, compared with hyperglycaemia alone (HR 4.76; p=0.042). Increasing age (HR 1.07; p<0.001), female sex (HR 0.62; p=0.032), total cholesterol (HR 1.43; p=0.01) and lipid-lowering therapy (HR 0.32; p<0.001) were also independent predictors of risk. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Metabolic syndrome at baseline is associated with an increased risk of incident CVD in the 5 years following diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. CVD-free survival rates declined incrementally as the presence of metabolic syndrome features increased. Thus, identifying the features of metabolic syndrome at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is potentially a useful prognostic tool for identifying individuals at increased risk of CVD.

Adult↗

Prognostic value of the Framingham cardiovascular risk equation and the UKPDS risk engine for coronary heart disease in newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes: results from a United Kingdom study.

AIMS: To determine the prognostic value of the Framingham equation and the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) risk engine in patients with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A community-based cohort (n=428; aged 30-74 years) free of clinically evident CVD and newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes were studied over a median 4.2 (sd+/-0.62) years. Predicted (using baseline variables at diagnosis) and observed proportions of primary CVD and CHD events were compared using the Framingham equations and the UKPDS risk engine (only CHD events). The discrimination (c-statistic) and calibration (HLchi2) of the risk equations were calculated. The sensitivity and specificity of the Framingham equation at a 15%, 10-year CHD risk threshold (NICE guidelines) was compared with that of the ADA lipid threshold (LDLc>or=2.6 mmol/l or triglycerides>or=4.5 mmol/l). RESULTS: The Framingham equations underestimated the overall number of cardiovascular events by 33% and coronary events by 32% and showed modest discrimination and poor calibration for CVD [c=0.673; HLchi2=32.8 (P<0.001)] and CHD risk [c=0.657; HLchi2=19.8 (P=0.011)]. Although the overall underestimate was lower and non-significant with the UKPDS risk engine for CHD (13%), its performance in terms of discrimination and calibration were similar [c=0.670; HLchi2=17.1 (P=0.029)]. The 15%, 10-year CHD risk threshold with both the Framingham and UKPDS risk engines had similar sensitivity for primary CVD as the lipid level threshold [85.7 and 89.8% vs. 93.9% (P=0.21 and 0.34)] and both had greater specificity [33.0 and 30.3% vs. 12.1% (P<0.001 and P<0.001)]. CONCLUSIONS: In people with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes, both the Framingham equation and UKPDS risk engine are moderately effective at identifying those at high-risk (discrimination) and are poor at quantifying risk (calibration). Nonetheless, at a population level, a 15% 10-year CHD risk threshold using either risk calculator has similar sensitivity as an approach based on a single lipid risk factor level and may have benefits in terms of cost-effectiveness given the improved specificity.

Adult↗

Geographical variation in breast cancer survival rates for women diagnosed in England between 1992 and 1994.

The 5-year relative survival rates of women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1992 and 1994 were compared among the 99 Health Authorities (1999 boundaries) of England. Substantial variation, with evidence of geographical clustering was observed. Part of this variation was explained by differences in deprivation between Health Authorities, in particular by the percentage of class IV and V households. British Journal of Cancer (2004) 90, 2153-2156. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6601812 www.bjcancer.com Published online 27 April 2004

Adolescent↗

Laboratory markers predict bone loss in Crohn's disease: relationship to blood mononuclear cell function and nutritional status.

BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease is associated with reduced bone density. The power of simple markers of systemic inflammation to identify higher rates of bone loss, in Crohn's disease, is uncertain. This relationship and the role of circulating (peripheral blood) mononuclear cells were investigated in a case-control study. METHODS: Urinary deoxypyridinoline/creatinine and serum osteocalcin concentrations were compared in male and premenopausal females with "active" Crohn's disease (C-reactive protein > or = 10 and/or erythrocyte sedimentation rate > or = 20) (n = 22) and controls with "quiescent" Crohn's disease (C-reactive protein < 10 and erythrocyte sedimentation rate < 20) (n = 21). No patients were receiving corticosteroid therapy. Production of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma and prostaglandin E(2) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells were measured. RESULTS: Active Crohn's disease was associated with a higher deoxypyridinoline/creatinine (P = 0.02) and deoxypyridinoline/creatinine:osteocalcin ratio (P =0.01) compared with quiescent Crohn's disease, but similar osteocalcin (P = 0.24). These were not explained by vitamin D status, dietary intake or nutritional status. However, production of interferon-gamma by concanavalin A-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells was lower in active Crohn's disease (P = 0.02) and correlated negatively with the deoxypyridinoline/creatinine:osteocalcin ratio (r = -0.40, P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: In Crohn's disease, raised C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate may indicate higher rates of bone loss and, if persistent, the need to assess bone mass even where disease symptoms are mild. This may be partly explained by altered production of interferon-gamma by peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Adult↗

Serum ovalbumin-specific immunoglobulin G responses during pregnancy reflect maternal intake of dietary egg and relate to the development of allergy in early infancy.

BACKGROUND: The value of allergen elimination diets during pregnancy for primary prevention of infant allergy has been questioned. However, dietary compliance may influence effectiveness. OBJECTIVES: To monitor egg intake during a randomized controlled trial of egg avoidance throughout pregnancy and lactation by serial measurements of serum ovalbumin (OVA) IgG concentration in conjunction with dietary diary record and also, to analyse specific IgG concentrations at birth in relation to infant allergic outcome. METHODS: Pregnant women, with personal or partner atopy, were randomized to complete dietary egg exclusion or an unmodified healthy diet before 20 weeks gestation. The infants were evaluated for atopy at 6 months of age. Serum food-specific IgG concentrations were determined by ELISA in maternal samples collected at study recruitment and during labour, and in infant samples at birth (umbilical cord). RESULTS: Serum-specific IgG to OVA, but not the unrelated allergen, cow's milk beta-lactoglobulin, decreased over pregnancy in egg-avoiding women only (P<0.001). Cord OVA IgG concentration correlated with maternal IgG at delivery (r=0.944; P<0.001), and for infants born to atopic women, cord concentration was higher than that of their mother's (P<0.001). Infants with the lowest and highest cord IgG concentrations were the least likely, and those with mid-range concentrations were the most likely, to be atopic by 6 months of age (P=0.008). CONCLUSION: Serum OVA IgG concentration reflects egg consumption, thereby indicating dietary allergen doses to which the developing immune system might be exposed. Trans-placental maternal IgG must be considered among early life factors that regulate infant atopic programming.

Adult↗

Essential fatty acid status in paediatric Crohn's disease: relationship with disease activity and nutritional status.

BACKGROUND: Active paediatric Crohn's disease is associated with nutritional deficiencies and altered nutrient intake. The availability of essential fatty acids (linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids) or their derivatives (arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acids) may alter in plasma and cell membrane phospholipid in protein-energy malnutrition in children and in Crohn's disease in adults. AIM: To investigate the relationship of fatty acid phospholipid profiles with disease activity and nutritional status in paediatric Crohn's disease. METHODS: The fatty acid (proportionate) composition of plasma and erythrocyte phosphatidylcholine was determined in 30 patients (10.3-17.0 years) stratified into active and quiescent Crohn's disease (paediatric Crohn's disease activity index) and high and low body mass (body mass index centile). RESULTS: In plasma phosphatidylcholine, active disease activity was associated with a lower level of alpha-linolenic acid compared with that in quiescent disease (P < 0.05). A body mass index below the 50th centile was associated with active Crohn's disease, low linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids and high arachidonic acid (P < 0.05) in plasma phosphatidylcholine, and low alpha-linolenic acid in erythrocyte phosphatidylcholine. These findings could not be explained through differences in habitual dietary fat intake. CONCLUSION: In paediatric Crohn's disease, a low body mass index centile and high disease activity are associated with altered profiles of essential fatty acids and their derivatives, which may reflect altered metabolic demand.

Adolescent↗

Clinical outcome and bromodeoxyuridine derived proliferation indices in 100 colonic and rectal carcinomas.

AIM: In vivo labelling of human colonic and rectal tumours with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) and analysis by flow cytometry (FCM) allows the labelling index (LI), S phase duration (Ts) and the potential doubling time (Tpot) of the tumour to be estimated in vivo. METHODS: The data for a series of 100 tumour specimens from 97 patients with colonic and rectal carcinoma was reported in 1991, and correlated with Dukes' classification and histological differentiation. RESULTS: This study reports the eventual outcome of the 97 patients after 12 years. There were no significant associations between proliferation data of the index tumours and patient outcome. No adverse events were identified which could be attributed to the use of the halogenated pyrimidine label in vivo. CONCLUSION: Dynamic cell proliferation indices provide detailed information on the cell kinetics of colorectal tumours but these do not correlate with clinical prognostic markers or outcome.

Adenocarcinoma↗

The Poole Diabetes Study: how many cases of Type 2 diabetes are diagnosed each year during normal health care in a defined community?

UNLABELLED: We have investigated the incidence of newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes in the Poole area and extrapolated it to the rest of the UK. METHODS: this prospective observational study used a surveillance programme in primary and secondary care. We identified all cases of newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes mellitus occurring from 1st May 1996 to 30th June 1998 through the normal health care process without any active screening in 186889 people registered with 24 primary care practices in the Poole area. RESULTS: the 1996 prevalence of diagnosed Type 2 diabetes in this population was 1.59 (95% CI 1.53-1.65%)%. During the first 24 months of the study, 706 new cases of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, 382 men and 324 women, were identified. The crude annual incidence of newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes, thus was 1.93/1000 (95% CI 1.73-2.13%) and age/sex adjusted incidence was 1.67/1000 (95% CI 1.49-1.84%). The age-adjusted incidence was higher in men, 1.86/1000 (95% CI 1.60-2.13), than in women, 1.48/1000 (95% CI 1.25-1.71%), relative risk 1.26 (95% CI 0.997-1.527%), but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Mean HbA1c at diagnosis was 10.8 (S.D. 2.9%)%. Men were younger at diagnosis than women (mean age, 62.9 vs. 65.9%, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: in UK, prior to the change in the WHO diagnostic criteria for diabetes, we estimate that over 98000 new cases of Type 2 diabetes were diagnosed each year.

Adolescent↗

Needs of carers of severely disabled people: are they identified and met adequately?

OBJECTIVE: To examine the unmet needs of informal carers of community dwelling disabled people and to compare their perspectives to those of disabled people and nominated professionals. It was hypothesised that a poor recognition of carers' needs could have implications for carers' well- being and thus their ability to maintain their caring role. Need was defined as a service or a resource that would confer a health or rehabilitation gain. DESIGN: Face to face interviews with carers and disabled participants, telephone interviews with professionals (Southern England). Disabled participants had been selected randomly from two disability registers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Southampton Needs Assessment Questionnaire (carers version), SF-36 (carers' health status). RESULTS: Carers experienced similar health status to people in the general population. The most frequently carer-reported unmet needs were for short breaks, domestic help and respite care. Carers who had reported unmet need for short breaks had significantly poorer levels of mental health and vitality (SF-36) than carers who had not reported this. Similar numbers of unmet carers' needs were reported by disabled participants, professionals and carers themselves. In terms of type of unmet needs, poor concordance between carers and disabled participants occurred in 52% of cases: carers reported more unmet needs than disabled participants for short breaks and domestic help. Poor concordance scores between carers and professionals occurred in 59% of cases: carers reported more unmet needs for short breaks than professionals and professionals reported more unmet needs for formal respite care. CONCLUSION: In line with recent legislation, carers' needs must be independently addressed and services, especially for flexible community support such as short break services, must be developed specifically to meet the needs of carers. Further research is warranted to evaluate whether recent legislation for carers has any effect on carers' well-being and ability to cope with their caring role.

Adolescent↗

Stroke rehabilitation after hospital discharge: a randomized trial comparing domiciliary and day-hospital care.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness and costs of a new domiciliary rehabilitation service for elderly stroke patients with geriatric day-hospital care. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS: Stroke patients aged 55+ who required further rehabilitation after hospital discharge or after referral to geriatricians from the community. SETTING: Poole area, East Dorset, a mixed urban/rural area on the south coast of England. MAIN OUTCOMES: Primary-changes between hospital discharge and 6-month follow-up in physical function as measured by Barthel index. Secondary-changes over this period in Rivermead Mobility Index and mental state (Philadelphia Geriatric Centre Morale Scale) and differences in social activity (Frenchay Activities Index) and generic health status (SF-36). Health service and social service cost per patient were compared for the two groups. RESULTS: 180 patients were eligible and 140 (78%) were randomized. The groups were well balanced for age, sex, social class and initial Barthel index. We achieved follow-up in 88% of subjects who were alive at 6 months. We detected no significant differences in patient outcomes, although there was a non-significant improvement in measures of physical function and social activity in the domiciliary group. Domiciliary patients had more physiotherapy time per session and more district nurse time, and made greater use of social service day centres and home helps. Total cost per patient did not differ significantly between the two groups, with reduced health service costs in the domiciliary arm offset by higher social service costs. CONCLUSION: No significant differences were detected in the effectiveness of the two services. Neither service influenced patients' mental state, and their social activity remained low. Total costs were similar. A mixed model of day-hospital and domiciliary care may be most cost-effective for community stroke rehabilitation, but this requires further evaluation.

Aged↗

To what extent are the needs of severely disabled people met by community rehabilitation services? A follow-up study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate which needs of disabled people would be met over a one year follow-up period and to examine which factors would be predictive of identifying those people who had more needs met from those who had fewer needs met. METHOD: A follow-up study of a cohort of community dwelling disabled people (aged 16-65) from two NHS Health Districts in Southern England with contrasting patterns of rehabilitation provision, who had participated in a cross-sectional interview study one year previously which had assessed their met and unmet needs. The Southampton Needs Assessment Questionnaire was used to examine needs. Disability was evaluated with the OPCS Disability and Severity Scales and perceived health status with the SF-36. RESULTS: Participation rate at follow-up was 92 %. Of the 300 baseline unmet needs reported by 69 of the 77 participants 33% had been met at follow-up. People whose disability had increased more and/or whose mental health status had improved more had greater percentages of their baseline needs met. There was a non-significant trend for smaller percentages of baseline needs to be met in Basingstoke than in Southampton. CONCLUSIONS: At ground level, disabled people's views were taken into account, to some extent, in the provision of rehabilitation services. This input should be made at a higher level, in the overall shaping of services.

Adolescent↗

Met and unmet needs reported by severely disabled people in southern England.

PURPOSE: To examine the met and unmet needs for rehabilitation of disabled people living in the community in Southern England. METHOD: A cross sectional interview study of people with a primary physical disability, aged 1665. Disabled people were randomly selected from two existing disability registers, which comprised disabled people who had been identified by community rehabilitation services as being in need of regular surveillance by formal assessment of their care needs. A new semi-structured needs assessment questionnaire was developed and validated for the study (the Southampton Needs Assessment Questionnaire, SNAQ). Level of disability was examined with the OPCS Disability and Severity Scales. RESULTS: Ninety three disabled people participated. Their median (IQR) OPCS score was 8 (6-10). Participants reported a median (IQR) of three unmet needs (2-7). The most prevalent unmet needs were for adaptations, equipment, physiotherapy and wheelchairs, rather than unmet needs for intellectual and social fulfilment. CONCLUSIONS: Disabled people who were already in touch with community rehabilitation services continued to express unmet needs for further services. Meeting the more basic needs relating to people's housing, equipment, physiotherapy and wheelchairs may enable them to be more independent and fulfilled in other areas of their lives.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Validation of the Frenchay Activities Index in a general population aged 16 years and older.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the validity and reliability of the Frenchay Activities Index (FAI) and to establish age and sex norms in people at or over the age of 16 years. DESIGN AND SETTING: Postal questionnaire survey to 1280 people randomly selected from 8 Health Authority patient registers in England. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: FAI scores, subscale scores by age and sex, health status, perceived level of activity, and subjects' opinions on how well the FAI reflected their activities. Test-retest reliability was measured in 1 Health Authority. RESULTS: The response rate was 49%. Men scored lower than women overall and on the domestic activities subscale. Respondents between the ages of 16 and 24 years and those over 85 years had the lowest FAI scores. FAI scores were related to self-reported health status, self-reported levels of activity, and presence of long-standing illness/disability. The FAI has high test-retest reliability. Qualitative data suggested that items such as sport, physical exercise, and caring for children should be included to make the FAI suitable for a wider age range. CONCLUSION: The FAI has good construct validity, particularly in middle-aged and elderly people, and is reliable. For the FAI to be valid in nonstroke populations, items specific to younger people must be incorporated into it. We have established preliminary age and sex norms that should be interpreted with caution, given the low response rate.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Clinical outcome and bromodeoxyuridine-derived proliferation indices in 75 invasive breast carcinomas.

INTRODUCTION: In vivo labelling of human breast tumours with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) and analysis by flow cytometry (FCM) allows the labelling index (LI), S phase duration (t(s)) and the potential doubling time (t(pot)) of the tumour to be estimated. METHODS: The data for a series of tumour specimens from 75 patients with invasive breast carcinoma were reported in 1991, correlated with their lymph-node status, tumour size and grade. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: This study reports the follow-up data over 10 years in respect of time to recurrence and death from the disease. There were no significant correlations between proliferation data and outcome measures. No adverse events were identified which could be attributed to the use of the halogenated pyrimidine label in vivo.

Adult↗

Disabled people and professionals differ in their perceptions of rehabilitation needs.

BACKGROUND: This study set out to explore whether there are systematic differences in unmet needs for rehabilitation services and resources as identified by disabled people and nominated key professionals. METHODS: A cross-sectional interview survey of 87 pairs of community-dwelling disabled people (aged 16-65) and their nominated key professionals was conducted in southern England. The Southampton Needs Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ) was used to examine unmet needs and the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) Disability and Severity Scale to examine level of disability. RESULTS: Eighty-seven pairs of disabled people and their nominated key professionals participated. People were severely disabled (median OPCS score 8; interquartile range 6-9). Disabled participants reported significantly more unmet needs than did professionals. There was zero concordance on identified unmet needs between disabled participants and professionals in 56 per cent of cases. Concordance between disabled participants and professionals was significantly better if the disabled participant had reported more unmet needs. There was a trend for general practitioners to be poorer at reporting disabled participants' needs than other professionals. There was fair agreement between disabled participants and professionals in five areas of unmet need only (in descending order): adaptations, physiotherapy, equipment, assistance with 'non-care' activities and the use of a day centre. In all the other areas of unmet need the agreement was poor. CONCLUSIONS: Needs for rehabilitation services and resources (for disabled people) are perceived differently by disabled people and professionals. Until we know who is right about rehabilitation needs, it is important to determine both users' and providers' views when planning and commissioning services.

Adolescent↗

Generic health status measures are unsuitable for measuring health status in severely disabled people.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the perceived health status of disabled people. DESIGN: Perceived health status was evaluated with the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) and the Nottingham Health Profile as part of a needs assessment project exploring systematic differences in unmet needs for rehabilitation as perceived by disabled people, carers and professional staff. Disabled participants completed these health status questionnaires, as part of a face-to-face interview in participants' own homes. SUBJECTS: Ninety-two disabled people aged 16-65, recruited into the study from two disability registers. OUTCOME MEASURES: The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) Disability Severity Scale, Nottingham Health Profile, SF-36. RESULTS: Ninety-six disabled people took part in this study. Four were later excluded because of overwhelming communication difficulties. Median OPCS category was 8 (interquartile range 6-9.75). The pain and physical mobility domains of the Nottingham Health Profile were not completed by 46/92 participants (50%) because many questions referred to activities that these people could not perform, particularly walking. The physical functioning domain of the SF-36 showed severe floor effects. It was not therefore possible to use these measures to test the effectiveness of services provided to disabled people, particularly in the areas of physical functioning and pain. CONCLUSIONS: There is a continued need to develop and test instruments that can measure the outcomes of rehabilitation in severely disabled populations.

Adolescent↗

Evidence of an increasing prevalence of diagnosed diabetes mellitus in the Poole area from 1983 to 1996.

This study examined the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes mellitus in a defined population over 13 years by undertaking cross-sectional surveys on 3 occasions between 1983 and 1996. The study population consisted of all the people registered with 10 general (primary care) practices at the time of each survey; 90660 in 1983/4; 97122 in 1988/9; and 86287 in 1996. Ascertainment of cases was by a surveillance programme in general practice and the hospital diabetes department. The number of diabetic patients increased significantly over the study period: in 1983/4, there were 917 patients, crude prevalence 1.01% (95% CI 0.95-1.08%); in 1988/9, 1150 patients, crude prevalence 1.17% (1.12-1.25%); and in 1996, 1604 patients, crude prevalence 1.86% (1.77-1.95%). The prevalence adjusted to the age and sex distribution of the UK was 0.97% (95% CI 0.90-1.03%) in 1983/4, 1.05% (0.99-1.11%) in 1988/9 and 1.55% (1.48-1.63%) in 1996. The main increase in prevalence was due to Type 2 diabetes mellitus, crude prevalence 0.75% (95% CI 0.69-0.81%) in 1983/4, 0.92% (0.86-0.98%) in 1988/9 and 1.52% (1.44-1.60%) in 1996 rather than Type 1 diabetes mellitus, crude prevalence 0.25% (0.21-0.28%) in 1983/4, 0.25% (0.22-0.28%) in 1988/9 and 0.34% (0.30-0.38%) in 1996. During the study period, the crude prevalence of diagnosed diabetes was significantly greater in men than women; in 1983/4 men 1.1% (95% CI 1.00-1.20%) versus women 0.93% (0.84-1.02%); in 1988/9, men 1.31% (1.21-1.41%) versus women 1.07% (0.98-1.16%); and in 1996, men 2.13% (2.00-2.27%) versus women 1.60% (1.49-1.72%). This difference was statistically significant in the 1988/9 and 1996 surveys. In conclusion, over 13 years there was a significant increase of 83.6% in the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes mellitus in the Poole area, with the UK age and sex adjusted prevalence increasing by 60.7%.

Adolescent↗