Development and initial psychometric properties of the timed upper limb assessment in older adults with Parkinson's.

Introduction: Upper limb dysfunction is common in people with Parkinson's. This study aimed to pilot and establish the initial psychometric properties of the timed upper limb assessment (TULA), a 10-item timed functional upper limb assessment tool.

Method: A prospective observational study was conducted with 381 participants (202 with Parkinson's, 179 controls).

Risk prediction model for early detection of urinary tract infection in a hospital setting in Australia.

Background: Hospital-acquired complications have detrimental effects on patient outcomes and recovery, with increased morbidity and mortality burdens, and hospital efficiency. The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare has identified 16 high-priority complications, including healthcare-associated infections, as potential targets of clinical risk mitigation strategies. Within the North Metropolitan Health Service in Western Australia, the prevalence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) was recognised as one of the most ubiquitous hospital-acquired complications and thus, there was desire to find new and innovative ways to enhance the existing infection prevention and control practices.

Therapeutic potential of plant-based therapies in pediculosis capitis: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Pediculosis capitis is a worldwide prevalent public health issue, mostly involving children. Resistance has been increasingly identified with conventional treatments such as permethrin or malathion. We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of plant-based therapies for pediculosis capitis.

TELEnutrition and KIdNey hEalth Study: protocol for a randomised controlled trial comparing the effect of digital health to standard care on serum phoSphate control in patients on dIalysiS (TeleKinesis Study).

Introduction: Diet and nutrition play a vital role in all stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevention, treatment and management. In particular, dietary interventions are essential to manage hyperphosphataemia, a common metabolic complication in CKD consistently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, dietary management of any kind in this cohort of patients also comes with the added challenge of limited and variable access to renal dietitians, logistical difficulties and multiple medical appointments.

Routine comprehensive geriatric assessment is associated with improved detection of cognitive disorders in older people with giant cell arteritis.

Objectives: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) carries an increased risk of stroke and blindness. International guidelines recommend older people receive routine comprehensive geriatric assessment (RCGA) during unplanned hospital admissions to improve health outcomes. This quality improvement study addressed the need for RCGA in older people with GCA at an Australian tertiary hospital.

Association between chronic diseases and lifestyle risk factors among community-dwelling older adults: a retrospective cross-sectional Chinese population-based study.

Background: Chronic diseases among older adults are recognised as a serious public health problem in China, causing rising social and economic burden. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between chronic diseases and lifestyle risk factors among community-dwelling older adults who attended community health service centres (CHSC) in Southern China.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study ( = 361) was conducted using a random sample of cases from a primary care database registry of two CHSC in Guangzhou city, Guangdong province, China.

Treatment efficiency and quality improvement via double imaging modality (DIM) versus single imaging modality (SIM) image-guided radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Purpose: Daily image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) for prostate cancer reduces treatment-related toxicity. However, positional and anatomical variations can result in patient re-setup, increased treatment time, and additional imaging dose. A simple technique of two distinct imaging modalities was investigated: initially, an anteroposterior kilovoltage (AP-kV) planar image was acquired, followed by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Comparing perceived heating effect and intensity of therapeutic ultrasound between breast tissue and calf muscle in lactating women: An observational study.

Objective: Therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) is the most common physiotherapy treatment for inflammatory conditions of the lactating breast. However, effective parameters for treatment are unknown, and based on musculoskeletal evidence. This study's aims were to determine the difference in heat perception (using TUS) between lactating breast and calf muscle tissue and the range of intensities required for heating perception in healthy lactating women.

Infections Following Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Instillation for Bladder Cancer in Western Australia: A 22-Year Retrospective Review.

bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) infection following intravesical BCG instillation is a rare complication of therapy that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We conducted a multicenter retrospective review of microbiologically confirmed BCG infections in Western Australia over 22 years. Thirty-three patients were included in our study.

Session Rating of Perceived Exertion Is a Valid Method to Monitor Intensity of Exercise in Adults with Acute Burn Injuries.

Measuring exercise intensity for safety and to inform prescription in acute burn survivors, is challenging. This study aimed to assess the validity of adult patient end-of-workout rating of session perceived exertion (sRPE); and calculated training load (TL) (sRPE × session duration) as measures of exercise intensity. Secondly, the study aimed to compare clinician and patient perception of exercise effort during physiotherapist-led sessions.

Muscle growth and anabolism in intensive care survivors (GAINS 2.0): Protocol for a multi-centre randomised; placebo controlled clinical trial of nandrolone in deconditioned adults recovering from critical illness.

Background: Intensive care patients can experience significant long-term impairment in mobility and function caused by their critical illness. A potential contributory factor apart from critical illness polymyoneuropathy is the low levels of anabolic hormones in these patients. Testosterone levels in critically ill patients are extremely low, even in the latter recovery phase.

Cardiac return assist blanket (CRAB) safely increases central venous pressure.

Objective: The cardiac return assist blanket (CRAB) has been designed to increase central venous pressure (CVP) to manage severe hypotension associated with anaphylaxis. This interventional study aimed to identify the relationship between CRAB pressure and CVP. CRAB pressure was also compared with the change in CVP associated with a straight leg raise (SLR), the Trendelenburg position, and 1 L of compound sodium lactate.

Non-invasive brain stimulation enhances the effect of physiotherapy for balance and mobility impairment in people with Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Impairment of balance and gait is common in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Non-invasive Brain Stimulation techniques are promising adjuncts to physical therapy to improve disability.

Objective: To determine if combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with conventional exercise therapy enhances balance and mobility in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) compared to exercise alone.

Feasibility, safety and outcomes of stereotactic radiotherapy for ultra-central thoracic oligometastatic disease guided by linear endobronchial ultrasound-inserted fiducials.

Background & Purpose: Local treatment of oligometastases has been found to improve survival and prognosis. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has emerged as a treatment option for oligometastases but its use in ultra-central (UC) areas can cause significant toxicity and mortality. Fiducial markers (FM) can be used to improve SBRT accuracy, and can be inserted in the central thorax using linear endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) bronchoscopy.

Post-stroke lateropulsion in Australia and New Zealand: a survey investigating current knowledge, priorities and practice.

Background: Post-stroke lateropulsion is prevalent and associated with poor rehabilitation outcomes, but evidence to guide rehabilitation of affected stroke survivors is limited. Current post-stroke lateropulsion rehabilitation practice across Australia and New Zealand has not been previously described.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe lateropulsion rehabilitation practice in Australia and New Zealand, determine clinicians,' educators' and researchers' opinions about the need for educational resources to guide best-practice, and to identify current barriers to, and enablers of, optimal rehabilitation delivery.

Infective endocarditis outcomes at a tertiary hospital in Western Australia: a retrospective cohort study from 2016 to 2021.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a severe infection with considerable mortality. It is associated with geographical variation, complicating diagnosis and treatment of patients in a standardised manner.

Aim: To evaluate the characteristics and management outcomes of patients with IE in Royal Perth Hospital (RPH).

Does patient activation matter? An examination of the relationships between patient activation and healthcare use in older adults with mild frailty after discharge from an emergency department.

Objective Patient engagement, as measured by the Patient Activation Measure (PAM® ), has been used to assess patients' ability to manage their own care. This study aimed to determine whether the PAM® could predict healthcare use in older adults aged >70years, living independently in the community with mild frailty, within 30days after emergency department (ED) discharge. Methods A prospective single-centre observational cohort study was completed including older adults who presented to an ED.

Informing the management of the post-COVID condition: insights from the Western Australian experience comparing those who tested positive and negative to early COVID-19 strains.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare the relative physical recovery and symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection between groups confirmed positive or negative to early strains of COVID-19.MethodsA prospective, longitudinal cohort study compared outcomes of metropolitan adults polymerase chain reaction-tested for COVID-19 between March and November 2020 in Western Australia. Control matching was attempted: inpatients (gender, age) and ambulatory clinic (gender, age, asthma, chronic pulmonary disease).

Correction: Examining relationships between sleep posture, waking spinal symptoms and quality of sleep: A cross sectional study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Is staging breast magnetic resonance imaging for invasive lobular carcinoma worthwhile?

Background: Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is challenging to stage accurately using mammography (MG) and ultrasound (US) with undiagnosed ipsilateral and contralateral cancer resulting in poor patient outcomes including return to surgery. Our institution employs routine staging breast MRI in ILC for this reason. However, increased time for further imaging/biopsies contributes to patient anxiety and potentially delays definite management.

Long-Term Echocardiographic and Clinical Outcomes After Invasive and Non-Invasive Therapies for Sub-Massive and Massive Acute Pulmonary Embolism.

Aim: Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a significant cause of mortality in the hospital setting. The objective of this study was to outline the long-term outcomes after surgical and non-surgical management for patients with massive and submassive PE.

Methods: Population cohort observational study evaluating all patients who presented to three tertiary hospitals in the state of Western Australia with access to cardiothoracic services over 5 years (2013-2018).

Adrenal washout CT in patients with no history of cancer: a waste of time?

Purpose: To validate the diagnostic performance of adrenal washout CT in patients without known malignancy in a Western Australian population.

Methods: A radiology information system (RIS) search for CT reports containing "adrenal" and "washout" across six networked metropolitan public hospitals between January 2005 and November 2021. Homogenous nodules ≥ 1 cm, ≥ 10 HU without a suspected functional component in patients without a history of malignancy were included.

Spinal degeneration and lumbar multifidus muscle quality may independently affect clinical outcomes in patients conservatively managed for low back or leg pain.

Few non-surgical, longitudinal studies have evaluated the relations between spinal degeneration, lumbar multifidus muscle (LMM) quality, and clinical outcomes. None have assessed the potential mediating role of the LMM between degenerative pathology and 12-month clinical outcomes. This prospective cohort study used baseline and 12-month follow-up data from 569 patients conservatively managed for low back or back-related leg pain to estimate the effects of aggregate degenerative lumbar MRI findings and LMM quality on 12-month low back and leg pain intensity (0-10) and disability (0-23) outcomes, and explored the mediating role of LMM quality between degenerative findings and 12-month clinical outcomes.

Associations between physical activity, sedentary behaviour and cognitive domain performance of people living with mild cognitive impairment in the community.

Introduction: Physical activity is known to positively influence cognitive performance. For adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the relationship between physical activity levels and cognitive performance is unknown. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine if cognitive performance [as measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)] of people living in the community with MCI is associated with their physical activity levels or sedentary behaviour.