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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.
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.
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 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.
Research by Professors John Stein and Tipu Aziz at the University of Oxford has had a significant impact on advanced Parkinson's disease patients affected by freezing of gait and loss of balance. Since 2008 deep brain stimulation of the pedunculopontine nucleus has resulted in major improvements in both gait and posture in Parkinson's disease patients who have been treated with dopaminergic drugs for several years, but who had suffered the return of severely disabling movement problems. Around two hundred patients have been successfully treated worldwide through this pioneering surgery, with associated improvements in quality of life.
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.