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The clinical research of the UCL Unit of Functional Neurosurgery has led to improvements in the operative technique of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) with clear and demonstrable impact on patient outcomes with respect to efficacy, safety, and adverse event profiles. Our published data have been described by an independent editorial as a new "Benchmark for Functional Neurosurgery". Our Unit's excellent safety record has led to an ever-growing number of referrals, has allowed us to trial DBS for new indications, and has prompted visits from a succession of international specialists who seek to learn and disseminate our practice in their centres.
More than 240,000 people with kidney failure are treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD) worldwide. Cardiff University pioneered novel test methods that identified deleterious dialysis solution components, leading directly to manufacturers introducing more biocompatible dialysis fluids that improve patient outcomes. Cardiff investigators designed and ran the early clinical studies on these new fluids, which now lead the PD solutions market worldwide, and are recommended in European clinical guidelines. Recent evidence suggests that their use reduces peritonitis severity, decreases peritonitis incidence by 40% and mortality by 30%, resulting in reduced hospitilsation and significant healthcare savings.
People with personality disorders (PD) have enduring and serious difficulties in relating to others and their treatment remains one of the most challenging areas in psychiatry. Until recently, service provision for such individuals was extremely variable in both quality and quantity. Research at King's College London (KCL) has helped highlight the considerable public health and economic impacts of personality disorders and has had a significant impact on current treatment guidelines in the UK. KCL research also led to the development of a brief and simple screening test for personality disorders — the Standard Assessment of Personality Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS) — which is now recommended for use in the UK Government's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies initiative, under which nearly a million patients a year are seen.
Condition monitoring instrumentation for high voltage plant has been developed at GCU under contract research for Doble Engineering (Headquarters in MA, USA), a global service provider for the electric power industry. The instruments are an important new line of products for Doble providing increased sales revenue and service provision. The instruments have been widely adopted by Doble's global client base to provide improved asset management. Other beneficiaries of the work include global contract electronic manufacturing companies. In 2012 Doble invested £1.2 million in an Innovation Centre at GCU to support their product development road map.
Research by Ichiyama and colleagues has resulted in humans with severe spinal cord injury (SCI) recovering standing and stepping, combined with other major health benefits including restoration of urinary continence, bowel movements and sexual function. Specifically, Ichiyama and collaborators used a combination of epidural electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, pharmacological agents and rehabilitation training to enable animals with severe spinal injuries to walk again. This work was the necessary foundation for translation to humans with severe spinal injuries. The publicity surrounding these landmark clinical studies stimulated charitable donations and commercial investment in this new field.
Research led by Professor Paul J Thornalley since 1993, (University of Warwick, 2007-present), revealed the formation of harmful reactive dicarbonyl compounds (also known as glucose degradation products, GDPs) within the glucose osmolyte of first-generation peritoneal dialysis (PD) fluids. Clinical studies confirmed the increased damage to proteins in patients on PD therapy. In response to these findings, major manufacturers of PD fluids changed their manufacturing processes to minimise GDP content by separating glucose and buffer components within two-compartment bags for heat sterilisation, and by using osmolyte that is resistant to thermal degradation. PD fluids with low GDP content have been associated with improved clinical outcomes for patients receiving dialysis, including maintained residual renal function, decreased peritonitis, and decreased fluid infusion pain. They have been widely implemented in clinical use since 2010. Globally, approximately 240,000 patients receive PD therapy.
Research conducted by Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) has changed the way power cables and motors are monitored in EDF Energy's nuclear power stations in the UK and Wuhan Electrical Power Company, China, providing the companies with innovative techniques enabling them to identify insulation defects and improve their maintenance programme. Application of the research output has helped the companies to enhance practice in PD testing, reduce maintenance and repair costs by millions of pounds whilst reliably supplying over 20% of the UK's power generation, and an area with over 10 million people in China.
UK and international government and healthcare institutes have incorporated Cardiff University research findings relating to the management of intervention for individuals post-trauma into public healthcare policy, strategy and services. Results from a randomized controlled clinical trial of psychological debriefing (PD) following traumatic events delivered strong evidence against the (then) standard approach of advocating these one-off interventions post-trauma. The Cardiff findings led to the global understanding that by not providing PD post-trauma many tens of thousands would benefit, resulting in better patient care and reduced healthcare costs.
Research into the genetic causes of Parkinson's disease by Professor Nick Wood's group at the UCL Department of Molecular Neuroscience, describing the mutations in the gene LRRK2, have led to the development of a new genetic test which is now available to patients and their families. This benefits them by providing a precise diagnosis, and an understanding of the risk of disease to relatives. The research has provided new insight into patterns of Parkinson's disease in particular ethnic groups, and given rise to improved public understanding and high profile philanthropy. This discovery has also opened up a new area of research into disease-modifying treatments in Parkinson's disease within the pharmaceutical industry, leading to new drug candidates.