Research Development

Staff Publications

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Find out what your colleagues have been writing. This section features articles published by staff working for St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals and Halton, Knowsley and St Helens community staff.

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All publications by 'Abernethy R'



Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust – St Helens & Knowsley Staff

Nonserious Infections in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective To describe the frequency and predictors of nonserious infections (NSI) and compare incidence across biologic agents within the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register for Rheumatoid Arthritis (BSRBR-RA). Methods The BSRBR-RA is a prospective observational cohort study. An NSI was defined as an infection that did not require hospitalization..

Published: 13/10/2021
Authors: Abernethy R

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Cervical screening uptake and rates of cervical dysplasia

Objectives To compare cervical screening attendance and cytology (high- and low-grade cervical dysplasia [HGCD and LGCD]) between women with RA and the English general population and between biologic DMARD (bDMARD)-naïve and exposed women. Methods The British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register for RA (BSRBR-RA), a national prospective study..

Published: 15/02/2021
Authors: Abernethy R

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Delayed hypersensitivity to multiple glucocorticoid agents in a patient with cranial giant cell arteritis

Extract DEAR EDITOR, Hypersensitivity reactions to systemic glucocorticoids (GCs) are uncommon and paradoxical, because GCs are used to treat such reactions. The World Allergy Organization divides drug hypersensitivity reactions into immediate (occurring within 1 h of the administered dose) and delayed (appearing after 1 h, although most reactions start after 6 h). Immediate..

Published: 09/11/2020
Authors: Sze JT, Abernethy R

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Biologic monotherapy in the biologic naïve patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Abstract Approximately one-third of patients on biologic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receive them as monotherapy. There are few head-to-head randomised control trials comparing biologics as monotherapy. Our aim was to compare the efficacy and persistence of multimodal biologic agents as monotherapy in biologic naïve patients with RA in..

Published: 17/03/2020
Authors: Abernethy R

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Long-term persistence with rituximab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives To investigate the long term persistence of rituximab (RTX) in a large observational RA cohort, investigate persistence of RTX when used as a first or second line biologic DMARD (bDMARD), to characterize subsequent bDMARD treatment following RTX. Methods Patients with RA starting treatment with RTX (MabThera) between 2008 and 2011 were..

Published: 24/07/2018
Authors: Abernethy R

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Risk of lymphoma in patients exposed to antitumour necrosis factor therapy

​Abstract Objectives  Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk of lymphoma compared with the general population. There are concerns that tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) may exacerbate this risk. However, since the excess risk of lymphoma in RA is related to the cumulative burden of inflammation, TNFi may..

Published: 24/04/2017
Authors: Abernethy R

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Relationship between exposure to tumour necrosis factor inhibitor therapy

​Abstract Objectives  Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) compared with subjects without RA, with the increased risk driven potentially by inflammation. Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) may modulate the risk and severity of MI. We compared the risk and severity of MI in..

Published: 24/04/2017
Authors: Abernethy R

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The incidence of cancer in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

​Objective To explore the influence of TNF inhibitor (TNFi) therapy and rituximab (RTX) upon the incidence of cancer in patients with RA and prior malignancy. Methods The study population comprised RA subjects with a prior malignancy reported to the UK national cancer registers, recruited to the British Society for Rheumatology..

Published: 14/03/2017
Authors: Abernethy R

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Risk of solid cancer in patients

​ Background  Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk of certain solid cancers, in particular lung cancer, compared to the general population. Treatment with tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors (TNFi) may further enhance this risk. Objectives  To compare the risk of solid cancer in patients with RA treated with..

Published: 19/07/2016
Authors: Abernethy R

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FRAX analysis

​ Background  Bone health is a significant problem with over 300,000 patients presenting with fragility fractures to hospitals in the UK each year resulting in 20% mortality and 50% disability. FRAX and Q fracture are two fracture risk-assessment tools available to use in the UK. FRAX is an important tool to assess 10-year fracture..

Published: 19/07/2016
Authors: Tayal V, Abernethy R, Clewes A, Dawson J, O'Rourke T

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Assessing the cardiovascular risk burden

​ Background  Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with the increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) mortality and morbidity. There are recommendations by European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to include assessment of cardiovascular, osteoporosis, infection and depression risks annually. One of the ways CV..

Published: 19/07/2016
Authors: Patel V, , Abernethy R, Dawson J, Clewes A, Novak J, Cox A, Williams J, O'Rourke T

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Assessing osteoporosis risk

​ Background  Osteoporosis is a major cause of morbidity in patients with RA. It leads to fragility fractures frequently associated with disability, mortality and major financial and social impact. There is no clear guidance regarding when to screen for Osteoporosis in these group of patients who are at high risk compared..

Published: 19/07/2016
Authors: , Patel V, Abernethy R, Dawson J, Clewes A, Novak J, Cox A, Williams J, O'Rourke T

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Self-referral

​ Background:  Nurse Advice Lines have been a long accepted practice in Rheumatology. At St. Helens Hospital we expanded this to a Therapy Advice Line, and noticed an increasing tendency for self referral by our patients. From working parties on management of Early RA and Stable RA we emphasized our self..

Published: 19/07/2016
Authors: Clayton AM, Griffiths AE, Clewes A, Lynch M, Abernethy R, Dawson J

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Rheumatoid Arthritis

​ OBJECTIVES: To compare the risk of keratinoctye skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)) in patients treated for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared with the general population, and to determine whether anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) therapy exacerbates this risk. METHODS: Patients with RA enrolled in the British..

Published: 19/07/2016
Authors: Abernethy R

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