West Midlands Evidence Repository

WMER is an online repository that is managed by a consortium of West Midlands NHS Library and Knowledge Services. Our aim is to collate, store and make available research and other non-traditional publications by our NHS organisations.

Please see below for the full list of WMER organisations. If you wish to engage with us as we develop the repository, please contact us via email: wmnhskr@gmail.com

Please note deposit of items within WMER does not mean endorsement of the research or any opinions expressed within it by the consortium organisations.

Communities in WMER

Select a community to browse its collections.

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10

Recent Submissions

Metadata only
Oculomics: current concepts and evidence
(Pergamon, 2025-03-04) Zhu, Zhuoting; Wang, Yueye; Qi, Ziyi; Hu, Wenyi; Zhang, Xiayin; Wagner, Siegfried K; Wang, Yujie; Ran, An Ran; Ong, Joshua; Waisberg, Ethan; Masalkhi, Mouayad; Suh, Alex; Tham, Yih Chung; Cheung, Carol Y; Yang, Xiaohong; Yu, Honghua; Ge, Zongyuan; Wang, Wei; Sheng, Bin; Liu, Yun; Lee, Andrew G; Denniston, Alastair K; Wijngaarden, Peter van; Keane, Pearse A; Cheng, Ching-Yu; He, Mingguang; Wong, Tien Yin; University of Melbourne; Hong Kong Polytechnic University; National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases; Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital; Southern Medical University; Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; University College London; Chinese University of Hong Kong; University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center; University of Cambridge; University College Dublin School of Medicine; Tulane University; National University of Singapore; Singapore Eye Research Institute; Duke-NUS Medical School; Monash University; Sun Yat-sen University; Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Google Research; Baylor College of Medicine Houston; Blanton Eye Institute; Houston Methodist Hospital; Weill Cornell Medicine; University of Texas Medical Branch; University of Texas; University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics; University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust; University of Birmingham; Singapore National Eye Centre; Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital; Tsinghua University; Ophthalmology; Medical and Dental; Denniston, Alastair
The eye provides novel insights into general health, as well as pathogenesis and development of systemic diseases. In the past decade, growing evidence has demonstrated that the eye's structure and function mirror multiple systemic health conditions, especially in cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and kidney impairments. This has given rise to the field of oculomics-the application of ophthalmic biomarkers to understand mechanisms, detect and predict disease. The development of this field has been accelerated by three major advances: 1) the availability and widespread clinical adoption of high-resolution and non-invasive ophthalmic imaging ("hardware"); 2) the availability of large studies to interrogate associations ("big data"); 3) the development of novel analytical methods, including artificial intelligence (AI) ("software"). Oculomics offers an opportunity to enhance our understanding of the interplay between the eye and the body, while supporting development of innovative diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tools. These advances have been further accelerated by developments in AI, coupled with large-scale linkage datasets linking ocular imaging data with systemic health data. Oculomics also enables the detection, screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of many systemic health conditions. Furthermore, oculomics with AI allows prediction of the risk of systemic diseases, enabling risk stratification, opening up new avenues for prevention or individualized risk prediction and prevention, facilitating personalized medicine. In this review, we summarise current concepts and evidence in the field of oculomics, highlighting the progress that has been made, remaining challenges, and the opportunities for future research.
Metadata only
Self-assembling peptide IEIK13 for intraoperative hemostasis in cranial neurosurgery: clinical trial on efficacy and safety
(Elsevier, 2025-03-05) Verbraeken, Barbara; Plazier, Mark; Put, Eric; Meeuws, Sacha; Roosen, Gert; Ughratdar, Ismail; Zisakis, Athanasios; Vergani, Francesco; Ganau, Mario; Plaha, Puneet; Apostolopoulos, Vasileios; Feyen, Bart; Raymaekers, Vincent; Aboukais, Rabih; Menovsky, Tomas; Antwerp University Hospital; University of Antwerp; Jessa Hospital; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust; King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Oxford University; Lille University Hospital; Neurosurgery; Medical and Dental; Ughratdar, Ismail; Zisakis, Athanasios
Objective: This article describes the results of the first-in-human prospective clinical trial of a hemostatic hydrogel of the self-assembling peptide IEIK13 for hemostasis in intracranial surgery. Both safety and efficacy of IEIK13 for intraoperative hemostasis of oozing bleeding were evaluated in this multicenter trial. Methods: A total of 80 participants underwent a surgical intervention, during which 203 intradural bleeding sites were treated with IEIK13. Hemostasis was evaluated at 30 seconds and again at 1, 2, 3, and 6 minutes after application. A performance goal of >70% of bleeding sites reaching hemostasis within 3 minutes after application of IEIK13 was used to demonstrate noninferiority in statistical analysis. Clinical safety evaluation was performed postoperatively, at hospital discharge, and at 1 and 3 months after surgery. This included follow-up radiological imaging within the first 72 hours postoperatively and at 3 months. Results: Hemostasis was achieved within 3 minutes in 94.1% of bleeding sites, and within 6 minutes in 95.6% of bleeding sites. Subanalysis revealed that hemostasis occurred within the first minute in 89.2% of cases. There were no intraoperative device deficiencies. Results of the safety assessment did not raise any specific concerns. The nature and rate of adverse events did not significantly differ from what is typically expected in neurosurgical practice. Conclusions: IEIK13 is effective and safe for hemostasis of oozing bleeding during intracranial neurosurgery. Based on this trial, the transparent IEIK13 hydrogel is a useful addition to the neurosurgical hemostasis toolbox.
Metadata only
Transforming orthopaedics with AI: Insights from a custom ChatGPT on ESSKA osteotomy consensus
(Wiley, 2025-03-13) Sweed, Tamer; Mabrouk, Ahmed; Dawson, Matthew; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust; Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Cumbrian Knee Clinic; Trauma and Orthopaedics; Medical and Dental; Sweed, Tamer
No abstract available
Metadata only
Corrigendum to "Optimising outcomes for adults with Cystic Fibrosis taking CFTR modulators by individualising care: Personalised data linkage to understand treatment optimisation (PLUTO), a novel clinical framework" [Respirat. Med. 239 (2025)]
(Elsevier, 2025-03-13) Sandler, Robert D; Anderson, Alan; Barnett, Tracy; Bourke, Stephen J; Cameron, Sarah; Chapman, Stephen J; Choyce, Jocelyn; Daniels, Thom; Daniels, Tracey; Dawson, Sophie; Doe, Simon; Dooney, Michael; Echevarria, Carlos; Galey, Penny; Fitch, Giles; Lai, Lana Yh; Nightingale, Julia A; Thomas, Michelle; Thompson, Rachael; Whitehouse, Joanna; Warnock, Louise; Waine, David; Withers, Nick; Hoo, Zhe Hui; Wildman, Martin J; Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; University of Sheffield; Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; John Radcliffe Hospital; Newcastle University; University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust; University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust; University of Southampton; York and Scarborough Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust; Blackpool Victoria Hospital; Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; University of Manchester; Derriford Hospital; Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust; Physiotherapy; Respiratory Medicine; Allied Health Professional; Medical and Dental; Choyce, Jocelyn; Whitehouse, Joanna
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a life-limiting, inherited condition in which a novel class of oral medicine, CFTR modulators, has revolutionised symptoms and health indicators, providing an opportunity to evaluate traditional treatment regimens with the hope of reducing burden. Additionally, there is cautious optimism that life expectancy for people with CF born today could ultimately compare to that of the general population. Given this potential, there is a need and requirement to optimise treatment to balance burden with the best clinical outcomes for each person with CF in an individualised manner. Personalised data-Linkage to Understand Treatment Optimisation (PLUTO) is a clinical framework, developed within the 14-Centre UK CFHealthHub Learning Health System collaborative, designed for use at an individual level for people with CF taking CFTR modulators. The PLUTO framework encourages use of two routinely collected clinical outcome measure (FEV1 and BMI) to determine health status. Where FEV1 or BMI trends suggest that optimal health outcomes are not being achieved for a person with CF, PLUTO supports consideration of adherence to both CFTR modulators and inhaled therapy to help guide the next steps. PLUTO is designed to support people with CF and their clinical teams to individualise care and optimise outcomes for those taking CFTR modulators, using data available in routine clinical encounters.
Metadata only
Association of British Neurologists (ABN) autoimmune myasthenia gravis management guidelines (2025 update).
(BMJ Publishing Group, 2025-09-12) Jacob, Saiju; Farrugia, Maria Elena; Hewamadduma, Channa; Norwood, Fiona; Hill, Marguerite; Leite, Maria Isabel; McConville, John Paul; Pinto, Ashwin Arnold; Spillane, Jennifer; Sussman, Jon; Viegas, Stuart
The 2025 update of the Association of British Neurologists guidelines for the management of autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG) emphasises several points that are distinct from the 2015 guidelines based on recent research and publications. The main differences from the previous guidelines are: (1) The recommendation to prescribe daily steroids rather than the alternate day regimen is now standard practice. (2) There is a clear emphasis on the beneficial effects of early thymectomy. (3) Randomised controlled trial evidence now supports early use of rituximab (within 1 year of generalised disease onset), although the evidence is less robust, but still likely to be useful, in established treatment-refractory MG. (4) Finally, several clinical trials have been published for newer targeted therapies in MG, predominantly those that inhibit the complement and neonatal Fc gamma receptor pathways, the roles of which are being slowly established especially in patients unresponsive to conventional therapy.