Social media recruitment enhances participant diversity in dermatology clinical trial: findings from the SAFA trial.

Recruitment and retention of participants remain critical challenges in clinical trials, often requiring innovative approaches to ensure sufficient enrolment and sustained engagement. Social media advertising offers the potential to reach target populations quickly by leveraging demographic, geographic and interest-based targeting. This mixed-methods observational study evaluates participant experiences and the effectiveness of various recruitment routes within a trial of a treatment for acne.

Surgical reconstruction (SR) to treat severe pressure ulcers (SPU) in the UK: a mixed-methods analysis of surveys of healthcare professionals.

Background: We surveyed primary and secondary care health professionals to describe the care and referral pathways for treatment, including surgical reconstruction (SR), for patients with a severe pressure ulcer (SPU).

Methods: We administered three online surveys comprising closed and open-ended questions (free text comment boxes) to healthcare professionals working in primary care, nurses who look after patients with severe PUs in any setting and surgeons (11, 30 and 22 questions, respectively). Participants were recruited through professional organisations, contacts of study team members and through social media.

Incidence rates of bullous pemphigoid, herpes zoster, and urticaria following the start of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in the UK: a population-based cohort study.

Background: Several population-based studies have reported an increased risk of serious skin conditions following COVID-19 vaccinations, but their population samples were not representative. Accurately estimating these risks is important for informing vaccine hesitancy and clinical practice.

Objectives: To compare the incidence rates (IRs) of bullous pemphigoid (BP), herpes zoster (HZ), and urticaria before and after the UK's COVID-19 vaccination programme started.

Patient perceptions of primary care rapid respiratory microbiological point-of-care testing: a qualitative study.

Objectives: Rapid microbiological point-of-care tests (RM-POCTs) have the potential to reduce antimicrobial overuse for respiratory tract infections (RTIs). However, patient perspectives regarding RM-POCTs remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore patients' and parents' experiences using RM-POCTs for RTIs and their views on how RM-POCTs influence treatment decisions, symptom management and future consulting.

Management of hidradenitis suppurativa in UK primary care: cross-sectional survey.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a painful, chronic, inflammatory skin condition affecting the skin folds. It is frequently misdiagnosed, leading to delays in care and the progression of the disease to permanent scarring.

Aim: To understand the level of knowledge and confidence of HCPs in primary care managing patients with HS.

Co-producing a randomized controlled trial on the frequency of bathing in eczema: description of a citizen science approach.

Background: Eczema is a prevalent, chronic, itchy skin condition that often persists into adulthood and significantly affects the quality of life of patients and their families. With no cure available at present, effective management is crucial. Although important patient priorities related to eczema self-management have been identified, they are rarely the focus of large, high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Amitriptyline for the prevention of post herpetic neuralgia: study protocol for the ATHENA study.

Background: Post herpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of herpes zoster, also known as shingles. Amitriptyline has been postulated to prevent PHN. The objective is to determine whether prophylactic low-dose amitriptyline prevents PHN in patients newly diagnosed with shingles.

Identifying children who develop severe chronic kidney disease using primary care records.

Background: Understanding whether symptoms suggestive of chronic kidney disease (CKD) are reported to primary care before diagnosis may provide opportunities for earlier detection, thus supporting strategies to prevent progression and improve long-term outcomes. Our aim was to determine whether symptoms/signs or consultation frequency recorded in primary care could predict a subsequent diagnosis of chronic kidney disease in children.

Methods: We undertook a case-control study within Clinical Practice Research Datalink.

The Eczema Bathing Study: Weekly versus daily bathing for people with eczema? Protocol of an online, randomised controlled trial.

Background: A priority setting partnership for eczema (syn atopic eczema, atopic dermatitis) has identified that bathing frequency is a key area of patient interest. However, there are nolarge, high-quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating this.The Rapid Eczema Trials project is a novel programme of research that aims to deliver multiple online RCTs, using a citizen science approach.

Improving the diagnostic accuracy of referrals for papilloedema (DIPP) study: protocol for a mixed-methods study.

Introduction: Papilloedema can be the first sign of life-threatening disease, for example, brain tumours. Due to the potential seriousness of this clinical sign, the detection of papilloedema would normally prompt urgent hospital referral for further investigation. The problem is that many benign structural variations of optic nerve anatomy can be mistaken for papilloedema, so-called pseudopapilloedema.

Predictors of response to low-dose amitriptyline for irritable bowel syndrome and efficacy and tolerability according to subtype: post hoc analyses from the ATLANTIS trial.

Background: Low-dose amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA), was superior to placebo for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in the AmitripTyline at Low-dose ANd Titrated for Irritable bowel syndrome as Second-line treatment (ATLANTIS) trial.

Objective: To perform post hoc analyses of ATLANTIS for predictors of response to, and tolerability of, a TCA.

Design: ATLANTIS randomised 463 adults with IBS to amitriptyline (232) or placebo (231).

Rapid microbiological respiratory point-of-care testing: a qualitative study with primary care clinicians.

Background: Rapid microbiological point-of-care tests (RM POCTs) present an opportunity to reduce antibiotic exposure and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). So far, there is limited understanding of how RM POCTs may support clinicians in primary care in the UK and how RM POCTs might be integrated into practice.

Aim: To investigate clinicians' views on how RM POCTs can influence clinical decisions and routine practice, and perspectives on how RM POCTs can impact the clinician-patient relationship.

Low-dose amitriptyline for irritable bowel syndrome: a qualitative study of patients' and GPs' views and experiences.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can cause troublesome symptoms, which impact patients' quality of life and incur considerable health service resource use. Guidelines suggest low-dose amitriptyline for IBS as second-line treatment, but this is rarely prescribed in primary care.

Aim: To explore patients' and GPs' views and experiences of using low-dose amitriptyline for IBS.

Capturing and reporting topical treatment use in childhood eczema: lessons for data collection in eczema trials.

Background: Emollients and topical corticosteroids (TCS) prevent and treat flares in eczema. However, topical treatment use is poorly recorded and reported in clinical trials. There is no clear consensus of how best to capture and summarize topical treatment use.

'Everyone has heard of it, but no one knows what it is': a qualitative study of patient understandings and experiences of herpes zoster.

Background: Shingles (herpes zoster), caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, is usually diagnosed and managed in primary care. The lifetime risk of shingles in the general population is approximately 30%, and it can have a detrimental effect on quality of life. There has been little qualitative research about patient experience and understanding of shingles.

Perspectives of community pharmacy staff on commonly encountered skin conditions and the key challenges towards enhancing their role in dermatology.

This research letter discusses the perspectives of community pharmacy staff on commonly encountered skin conditions and the key challenges towards enhancing their role in this area. A mixed methods online survey was created, and a total of 174 community pharmacy staff completed the survey. The results highlight the range of conditions currently encountered in community pharmacy and the breadth of challenges facing community pharmacy staff, in particular challenges surrounding providing a differential diagnosis.

Lower urinary tract symptoms in men: the TRIUMPH cluster RCT.

Background: Conservative therapies are recommended as initial treatment for male lower urinary tract symptoms. However, there is a lack of evidence on effectiveness and uncertainty regarding approaches to delivery.

Objective: The objective was to determine whether or not a standardised and manualised care intervention delivered in primary care achieves superior symptomatic outcome for lower urinary tract symptoms to usual care.

Talking in primary care (TIP): protocol for a cluster-randomised controlled trial in UK primary care to assess clinical and cost-effectiveness of communication skills e-learning for practitioners on patients' musculoskeletal pain and enablement.

Introduction: Effective communication can help optimise healthcare interactions and patient outcomes. However, few interventions have been tested clinically, subjected to cost-effectiveness analysis or are sufficiently brief and well-described for implementation in primary care. This paper presents the protocol for determining the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a rigorously developed brief eLearning tool, EMPathicO, among patients with and without musculoskeletal pain.