ORCID Profile
0000-0001-9363-8844
Current Organisation
University of Oxford
Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the Feedback Form.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 06-10-2020
Abstract: In 2018, the World Health Organization prioritized control of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD), including disease surveillance. We developed strategies for estimating contemporary ARF/RHD incidence and prevalence in Australia (2015–2017) by age group, sex, and region for Indigenous and non‐Indigenous Australians based on innovative, direct methods. This population‐based study used linked administrative data from 5 Australian jurisdictions. A cohort of ARF (age years) and RHD cases ( years) were sourced from jurisdictional ARF/RHD registers, surgical registries, and inpatient data. We developed robust methods for epidemiologic case ascertainment for ARF/RHD. We calculated age‐specific and age‐standardized incidence and prevalence. Age‐standardized rate and prevalence ratios compared disease burden between demographic subgroups. Of 1425 ARF episodes, 72.1% were first‐ever, 88.8% in Indigenous people and 78.6% were aged years. The age‐standardized ARF first‐ever rates were 71.9 and 0.60/100 000 for Indigenous and non‐Indigenous populations, respectively (age‐standardized rate ratio=124.1 95% CI, 105.2–146.3). The 2017 Global Burden of Disease RHD prevalent counts for Australia ( years) underestimate the burden (1518 versus 6156 Australia‐wide extrapolated from our study). The Indigenous age‐standardized RHD prevalence (666.3/100 000) was 61.4 times higher (95% CI, 59.3–63.5) than non‐Indigenous (10.9/100 000). Female RHD prevalence was double that in males. Regions in northern Australia had the highest rates. This study provides the most accurate estimates to date of Australian ARF and RHD rates. The high Indigenous burden necessitates urgent government action. Findings suggest RHD may be underestimated in many high‐resource settings. The linked data methods outlined here have potential for global applicability.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-06-2020
DOI: 10.1186/S13063-020-04441-9
Abstract: The E-Freeze trial is a multi-centre randomised controlled trial of fresh versus frozen embryo transfer for women undergoing in vitro fertilisation. This paper describes the statistical analysis plan for the E-Freeze trial. E-Freeze is a two-arm parallel-group, multi-centre, in idually randomised controlled trial to determine if a policy of freezing embryos, followed by thawed frozen embryo transfer, results in a higher healthy baby rate when compared with the current policy of transferring fresh embryos. Couples undergoing their first, second or third cycle of in vitro fertilisation at fertility centres in the UK were randomised to either fresh or frozen embryo transfer. The primary outcome is a healthy baby, defined as a live singleton baby born at term with an appropriate weight for gestation. This paper describes the statistical analysis plan for the trial, including the analysis principles, definitions of outcomes, methods for primary analysis, pre-specified subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis. This plan was finalised prior to completion of recruitment to the trial. ISRCTN registry: ISRCTN61225414 . Registered on 29 December 2015.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 11-2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-11-2020
DOI: 10.1111/AJO.13102
Abstract: This retrospective study assessed maternal and perinatal outcomes for women with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) admitted to the largest tertiary obstetric hospital in Western Australia from 2009 to 2016. Of 54 women identified, 75.9% were Indigenous, 59.3% lived in rural areas and 40.7% had severe RHD. Heart failure developed in 10% who gave birth. Indigenous women were younger, had higher gravidity (P = 0.0305), were more likely to receive secondary prophylaxis (P = 0.0041) and have sub-optimal antenatal clinic attendance (P = 0.0078). There were no maternal deaths and two perinatal deaths (4.0%), reflecting vigilance in the obstetric management of women with RHD in Western Australia.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2019
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-03-2020
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-020-60799-5
Abstract: Adherence to cardioprotective medications following myocardial infarction (MI) is commonly assessed using a binary threshold of 80%. We investigated the relationship between medication adherence as a continuous measure and outcomes in MI survivors using restricted cubic splines (RCS). We identified all patients aged ≥65 years hospitalised for MI from 2003–2008 who survived one-year post-discharge (n = 5938). Adherence to statins, beta-blockers, renin angiotensin system inhibitors (RASI) and clopidogrel was calculated using proportion of days covered to one-year post-discharge (landmark date). Outcomes were 1-year all-cause death and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) after the landmark date. Adherence-outcome associations were estimated from RCS Cox regression models. RCS analyses indicated decreasing risk for both outcomes above 60% adherence for statins, RASI and clopidogrel, with each 10% increase in adherence associated with a 13.9%, 12.1% and 18.0% decrease respectively in adjusted risk of all-cause death (all p 0.02). Similar results were observed for MACE (all p 0.03). Beta-blockers had no effect on outcomes at any level of adherence. In MI survivors, increasing adherence to statins, RASI, and clopidogrel, but not beta blockers, is associated with a decreasing risk of death/MACE with no adherence threshold beyond 60%. Medication adherence should be considered as a continuous measure in outcomes analyses.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 04-04-2019
DOI: 10.1136/HEARTJNL-2018-314512
Abstract: Population-based coronary heart disease (CHD) studies have focused on myocardial infarction (MI) with limited data on trends across the spectrum of CHD. We investigated trends in hospitalisation rates for acute and chronic CHD subgroups in England and Australia from 1996 to 2013. CHD hospitalisations for in iduals aged 35–84 years were identified from electronic hospital data from 1996 to 2013 for England and Australia and from the Oxford Region and Western Australia. CHD subgroups identified were acute coronary syndromes (ACS) (MI and unstable angina) and chronic CHD (stable angina and ‘other CHD’). We calculated age-standardised and age-specific rates and estimated annual changes (95% CI) from age-adjusted Poisson regression. From 1996 to 2013, there were 4.9 million CHD hospitalisations in England and 2.6 million in Australia (67% men). From 1996 to 2003, there was between-country variation in the direction of trends in ACS and chronic CHD hospitalisation rates (p .001). During 2004–2013, reductions in ACS hospitalisation rates were greater than for chronic CHD hospitalisation rates in both countries, with the largest subgroup declines in unstable angina (England: men: −7.1 %/year, 95% CI −7.2 to –7.0 women: −7.5 %/year, 95% CI −7.7 to –7.3 Australia: men: −8.5 %/year, 95% CI −8.6 to –8.4 women: −8.6 %/year, 95% CI −8.8 to –8.4). Other CHD rates increased in in iduals aged 75–84 years in both countries. Chronic CHD comprised half of all CHD admissions, with the majority involving angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention. Since 2004, rates of all CHD subgroups have fallen, with greater declines in acute than chronic presentations. The slower declines and high proportion of chronic CHD admissions undergoing coronary procedures requires greater focus.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-05-2022
Abstract: We evaluated the best time to initiate delivery in late preterm pre‐ecl sia in order to optimise long‐term infant and maternal outcomes. Parallel‐group, non‐masked, randomised controlled trial. Forty‐six maternity units in the UK. Women with pre‐ecl sia between 34 +0 and 36 +6 weeks of gestation, without severe disease, were randomised to planned delivery or expectant management. Infant neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years of age, using the Parent Report of Children’s Abilities – Revised (PARCA‐R) composite score. Between 29 September 2014 and 10 December 2018, 901 women were enrolled in the trial, with 450 women allocated to planned delivery and 451 women allocated to expectant management. At the 2‐year follow‐up, the intention‐to‐treat analysis population included 276 women (290 infants) allocated to planned delivery and 251 women (256 infants) allocated to expectant management. The mean composite standardised PARCA‐R scores were 89.5 (SD 18.2) in the planned delivery group and 91.9 (SD 18.4) in the expectant management group, with an adjusted mean difference of −2.4 points (95% CI −5.4 to 0.5 points). In infants of women with late preterm pre‐ecl sia, the average neurodevelopmental assessment at 2 years lies within the normal range, regardless of whether planned delivery or expectant management was pursued. With the lower than anticipated follow‐up rate there was limited power to demonstrate that these scores did not differ, but the small between‐group difference in PARCA‐R scores is unlikely to be clinically important.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-05-2022
DOI: 10.1111/BCP.15391
Abstract: Although medication adherence is commonly measured in electronic datasets using the proportion of days covered (PDC), no standardized approach is used to calculate and report this measure. We conducted a scoping review to understand the approaches taken to calculate and report the PDC for cardiovascular medicines to develop improved guidance for researchers using this measure. After prespecifying methods in a registered protocol, we searched Ovid Medline, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL Plus and grey literature (1 July 2012 to 14 December 2020) for articles containing the terms "proportion of days covered" and "cardiovascular medicine", or synonyms and subject headings. Of the 523 articles identified, 316 were reviewed in full and 76 were included (93% observational studies 47% from the USA 2 grey literature articles). In 45 articles (59%), the PDC was measured from the first dispensing/claim date. Good adherence was defined as 80% PDC in 61 articles, 56% of which contained a rationale for selecting this threshold. The following parameters, important for deriving the PDC, were often not reported/unclear: switching (53%), early refills (45%), in-hospital supplies (45%), presupply (28%) and survival (7%). Of the 46 articles where dosing information was unavailable, 59% reported how doses were imputed. To improve the transparent and systematic reporting of the PDC, we propose the TEN-SPIDERS tool, covering the following PDC parameters: Threshold, Eligibility criteria, Numerator and denominator, Survival, Presupply, In-hospital supplies, Dosing, Early Refills, and Switching. Use of this tool will standardize reporting of the PDC to facilitate reliable comparisons of medication adherence estimates between studies.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2023
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-2018
DOI: 10.2147/CLEP.S153496
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 11-2021
DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.033133
Abstract: Although a target of 80% medication adherence is commonly cited, it is unclear whether greater adherence improves survival after stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). We investigated associations between medication adherence during the first year postdischarge, and mortality up to 3 years, to provide evidence-based targets for medication adherence. Retrospective cohort study of 1-year survivors of first-ever stroke or TIA, aged ≥18 years, from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (July 2010–June 2014) linked with nationwide prescription refill and mortality data (until August 2017). Adherence to antihypertensive agents, statins, and nonaspirin antithrombotic medications was based on the proportion of days covered from discharge until 1 year. Cox regression with restricted cubic splines was used to investigate nonlinear relationships between medication adherence and all-cause mortality (to 3 years postdischarge). Models were adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic position, stroke factors, primary care factors, and concomitant medication use. Among 8363 one-year survivors of first-ever stroke or TIA (44% aged ≥75 years, 44% female, 18% TIA), 75% were supplied antihypertensive agents. In patients without intracerebral hemorrhage (N=7446), 84% were supplied statins, and 65% were supplied nonaspirin antithrombotic medications. Median adherence was ≈90% for each medication group. Between 1% and 100% adherence, greater adherence to statins or antihypertensive agents, but not nonaspirin antithrombotic agents, was associated with improved survival. When restricted to linear regions above 60% adherence, each 10% increase in adherence was associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality of 13% for antihypertensive agents (hazard ratio, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.81–0.95]), 13% for statins (hazard ratio, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.80–0.95]), and 15% for nonaspirin antithrombotic agents (hazard ratio, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.79–0.93]). Greater levels of medication adherence after stroke or TIA are associated with improved survival, even among patients with near-perfect adherence. Interventions to improve medication adherence are needed to maximize survival poststroke.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.HLC.2019.08.020
Abstract: International Classification of Diseases codes for rheumatic heart disease (RHD) (ICD-10 I05-I08) include valvular heart disease of unspecified origin, limiting their usefulness for estimating RHD burden. An expert opinion-based algorithm was developed to increase their accuracy for epidemiological case ascertainment. The algorithm included codes not defaulting to RHD ('probable') plus selected codes pertaining to mitral valve involvement in patients <60 years ('possible'). We aimed to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) for RHD of algorithm-selected hospital admissions. Chart reviews of RHD-coded admissions (n=368) to Western Australian tertiary hospitals (2009-2016) authenticated RHD diagnosis. We selected all cases with algorithm-positive codes from populations at high-risk of RHD and an age-stratified random s le from low-risk groups. RHD status was determined from echocardiographic reports or clinical diagnosis in charts. PPVs were compared by population risk status (high-risk/low-risk), age group, gender, principal/secondary diagnosis and probable ossible codes. High-risk patients had higher PPVs than low-risk patients (83.8% vs 54.9%, p<0.0001). PPVs were 91.5% and 51.5% respectively for algorithm-defined 'probable RHD' and 'possible' codes (p<0.0001). The PPVs in low-risk patients were higher for principal diagnoses than secondary diagnoses (84.5% vs 44.8%, weighted p<0.0001) but were similar in high-risk patients (92.5% vs 81.7%, p=0.096). The algorithm performs well for RHD coded as a principal diagnosis, 'probable' codes or in populations at high risk of RHD. Refinement is needed for identifying true RHD in low-risk groups.
Publisher: National Institute for Health and Care Research
Date: 11-2022
DOI: 10.3310/CWWH0622
Abstract: In women with late preterm pre-ecl sia (i.e. at 34 +0 to 36 +6 weeks’ gestation), the optimal delivery time is unclear because limitation of maternal–fetal disease progression needs to be balanced against infant complications. The aim of this trial was to determine whether or not planned earlier initiation of delivery reduces maternal adverse outcomes without substantial worsening of perinatal or infant outcomes, compared with expectant management, in women with late preterm pre-ecl sia. We undertook an in idually randomised, triple non-masked controlled trial in 46 maternity units across England and Wales, with an embedded health economic evaluation, comparing planned delivery and expectant management (usual care) in women with late preterm pre-ecl sia. The co-primary maternal outcome was a maternal morbidity composite or recorded systolic blood pressure of ≥ 160 mmHg (superiority hypothesis). The co-primary short-term perinatal outcome was a composite of perinatal deaths or neonatal unit admission (non-inferiority hypothesis). Analyses were by intention to treat, with an additional per-protocol analysis for the perinatal outcome. The primary 2-year infant neurodevelopmental outcome was measured using the PARCA-R (Parent Report of Children’s Abilities-Revised) composite score. The planned s le size of the trial was 900 women the trial is now completed. We undertook two linked substudies. Between 29 September 2014 and 10 December 2018, 901 women were recruited 450 women [448 women (two withdrew consent) and 471 infants] were allocated to planned delivery and 451 women (451 women and 475 infants) were allocated to expectant management. The incidence of the co-primary maternal outcome was significantly lower in the planned delivery group [289 (65%) women] than in the expectant management group [338 (75%) women] (adjusted relative risk 0.86, 95% confidence interval 0.79 to 0.94 p = 0.0005). The incidence of the co-primary perinatal outcome was significantly higher in the planned delivery group [196 (42%) infants] than in the expectant management group [159 (34%) infants] (adjusted relative risk 1.26, 95% confidence interval 1.08 to 1.47 p = 0.0034), but indicators of neonatal morbidity were similar in both groups. At 2-year follow-up, the mean PARCA-R scores were 89.5 points (standard deviation 18.2 points) for the planned delivery group (290 infants) and 91.9 points (standard deviation 18.4 points) for the expectant management group (256 infants), both within the normal developmental range (adjusted mean difference –2.4 points, 95% confidence interval –5.4 to 0.5 points non-inferiority p = 0.147). Planned delivery was significantly cost-saving (–£2711, 95% confidence interval –£4840 to –£637) compared with expectant management. There were nine serious adverse events in the planned delivery group and 12 in the expectant management group. In women with late preterm pre-ecl sia, planned delivery reduces short-term maternal morbidity compared with expectant management, with more neonatal unit admissions related to prematurity but no indicators of greater short-term neonatal morbidity (such as need for respiratory support). At 2-year follow-up, around 60% of parents reported follow-up scores. Average infant development was within the normal range for both groups the small between-group mean difference in PARCA-R scores is unlikely to be clinically important. Planned delivery was significantly cost-saving to the health service. These findings should be discussed with women with late preterm pre-ecl sia to allow shared decision-making on timing of delivery. Limitations of the trial include the challenges of finding a perinatal outcome that adequately represented the potential risks of both groups and a maternal outcome that reflects the multiorgan manifestations of pre-ecl sia. The incidences of maternal and perinatal primary outcomes were higher than anticipated on the basis of previous studies, but this did not limit interpretation of the analysis. The trial was limited by a higher loss to follow-up rate than expected, meaning that the extent and direction of bias in outcomes (between responders and non-responders) is uncertain. A longer follow-up period (e.g. up to 5 years) would have enabled us to provide further evidence on long-term infant outcomes, but this runs the risk of greater attrition and increased expense. We identified a number of further questions that could be prioritised through a formal scoping process, including uncertainties around disease-modifying interventions, prognostic factors, longer-term follow-up, the perspectives of women and their families, meta-analysis with other studies, effect of a similar intervention in other health-care settings, and clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of other related policies around neonatal unit admission in late preterm birth. The trial was prospectively registered as ISRCTN01879376. This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in Health Technology Assessment . See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
No related grants have been discovered for Melanie Greenland.