BTC’s biggest study is opening this summer
Patients with pneumonia are at a higher risk of having a stroke or cardiac event for 3-months post infection. ASPECT aims to answer the question of whether low dose aspirin will help reduce this risk by collecting data from patients at more than 60 hospital sites across England.
22,600 patients will be randomised to either receive aspirin or not. Due to its size, ASPECT is being set up to be very light touch for the patients and the research teams delivering the study. To do this we will be requesting study data from NHS Digital and therefore will not have to conduct patient follow-ups.
If your site is interested in participating in ASPECT, or you would like more information, please contact: aspect-trial@bristol.ac.uk
Study Coordinator: Sam Thomson-Hill
Twitter: @AspectStudy
This study is funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme (Ref: NIHR132968). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
VIOLET Study Results
Patients with early-stage lung cancer often undergo an operation called a lobectomy, which aims to remove the part of the lung which contains the tumour. The operation can be done through a large cut so that the surgeon has a full view of the lung, called open surgery, or a type of keyhole surgery using several small cuts and a camera, called video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). The VIOLET study was conducted to inform which operation provides the best treatment and recovery for patients.
The study found that VATS patients had a shorter hospital stay and less pain in the days following the surgery. In addition, VATS was associated with better physical function 5 weeks after surgery. This function was similar in both groups by 6 months to 1 year. Those that received VATS reported that they were more able to take part in family life, work and social activities following the operation, compared to those who had open surgery. There was no difference between the groups in the following: recurrence, breathlessness, financial difficulties, appetite loss, and emotional and cognitive functioning. The results of this trial will help surgeons decide how best to treat people with early-stage lung cancer.
This study/project is funded by the National Institute for Health Research [NETSCC, HTA 13/04/03]. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.