Ewen M Harrison

Publications (27) View all

• Article: Equity of access to kidney transplantation: to what extent should international guidelines differ?

  Ewen M Harrison, Gabriel C Oniscu, John L Forsythe
  Transplantation 08/2012; 94(7):669-70. · 4.00 Impact Factor
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  Available from: Stephen O'Neill

  Article: The role of heat shock protein 90 in modulating ischemia-reperfusion injury in the kidney.

  Stephen O'Neill, James A Ross, Stephen J Wigmore, Ewen M Harrison
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  ABSTRACT: Introduction: Kidney transplantation is the gold standard treatment for end-stage renal disease. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is an unavoidable consequence of the transplantation procedure and is responsible for delayed graft function and poorer long-term outcomes. Areas covered: Pharmacological induction of heat shock protein (Hsp) expression is an emerging pre-conditioning strategy aimed at reducing IRI following renal transplantation. Hsp90 inhibition up-regulates protective Hsps (especially Hsp70) and potentially down-regulates NF-κB by disruption of the IκB kinase (IKK) complex. However, the clinical application of Hsp90 inhibitors is currently limited by their toxicity profile and the exact mechanism of protection conferred is unknown. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a further regulator of NF-κB and recent studies suggest TLR4 plays a dominant role in mediating kidney damage following IRI. The full interaction of Hsps with TLRs is yet to be delineated and whether TLR4 signalling can be targeted by Hsp90 inhibition in IRI remains uncertain. Expert opinion: Pharmacological pre-conditioning by Hsp90 inhibition involves direct treatment to the kidney donor and/or organ, which aims to reduce injury prior to the onset of ischemia. The major challenges going forward are to establish the exact mechanism of protection offered by these drugs and the investgiation of less toxic analogues that could be safely translated into human studies.
  Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs 08/2012; 21(10):1535-48. · 5.27 Impact Factor
• Article: Do children exposed to human immunodeficiency virus but not infected actually have a more robust response to hepatitis B vaccination than their nonexposed peers?

  Olivia Swann, Ewen M Harrison
  Clinical and vaccine immunology: CVI 02/2012; 19(2):293; author reply 294. · 2.37 Impact Factor
• Article: Post-Operative Antibiotics after Appendectomy and Post-Operative Abscess Development: A Retrospective Analysis.

  Michael J Hughes, Ewen Harrison, Simon Paterson-Brown
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  ABSTRACT: Abstract Background: Appendectomy is one of the most common emergency operations. Prophylaxis against infective complications involves post-operative antibiotics. There is no consensus as to the optimum antibiotic regimen. This study aimed to assess the relation between the duration of the post-operative antibiotic administration and intra-abdominal infections (IAIs). Patients and Methods: All patients who underwent appendectomy between September 1, 2009, and August 31, 2010, were identified. The appearance of the appendix at operation, post-operative antibiotics, white blood cell count, and temperature at the time of conversion of intravenous (IV) to oral antibiotics were compiled. IAIs were assessed as the final outcome. Results: Two hundred sixty six patients underwent appendectomy-188 for simple appendicitis and 78 for complicated appendicitis. There were 18 IAIs (6.8%) overall, 10 (12.8%) after complicated appendicitis and eight (4.2%) after simple appendicitis. Prolonging antibiotics beyond the operation in the simple appendicitis group did not alter the incidence of IAI. Similarly, in the complicated appendicitis group, prolonging antibiotics beyond five days did not alter the incidence of IAI. Furthermore, in patients with complicated appendicitis, the presence of leukocytosis, fever, or both when IV antibiotics were converted to oral drugs was associated with the development of IAI (p=0.013). Conclusion: In simple appendicitis, post-operative antibiotics may not be beneficial at all. In complicated appendicitis, prolonging the course of antibiotics was not associated with a reduced IAI rate. However, cessation of IV antibiotics when fever or leukocytosis was present was associated with IAI development.
  Surgical Infections 02/2013; · 1.80 Impact Factor
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  Available from: Stephen O'Neill

  Article: Hospital volume and patient outcomes after cholecystectomy in Scotland: retrospective, national population based study.

  Ewen M Harrison, Stephen O'Neill, Thomas S Meurs, Pang L Wong, Mark Duxbury, Simon Paterson-Brown, Stephen J Wigmore, O James Garden
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  ABSTRACT: To define associations between hospital volume and outcomes following cholecystectomy, after adjustment for case mix using a national database. Retrospective, national population based study using multilevel modelling and simulation. Locally validated administrative dataset covering all NHS hospitals in Scotland. All patients undergoing cholecystectomy between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2007. Mortality, 30 day reoperation rate, 30 day readmission rate, and length of stay. We identified 59,918 patients who had a cholecystectomy in one of 37 hospitals: five hospitals had high volumes (>244 cholecystectomies/year), 10 had medium volumes (173-244), and 22 had low volumes (<173). Compared with low and medium volume hospitals, high volume hospitals performed more procedures non-electively (17.1% and 19.5% v 32.8%), completed more procedures laparoscopically (64.7% and 73.8% v 80.9%), and used more operative cholangiography (11.2% and 6.3% v 21.2%; χ(2) test, all P<0.001). In a well performing multivariable analysis with bias correction for a low event rate, the odds ratio for death was greater in both the low volume (odds ratio 1.45, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 2.00, P=0.022) and medium volume (1.52, 1.11 to 2.08, P=0.010) groups than in the high volume group. However, in simulation studies, absolute risk differences between volume groups were clinically negligible for patients with average risk (number needed to treat to harm, low v high volume, 3871, 1963 to 17,118), but were significant in patients with higher risk. In models accounting for the hierarchical structure of patients in hospitals, those in medium volume hospitals were more likely to undergo reoperation (odds ratio 1.74, 1.31 to 2.30, P<0.001) or be readmitted (1.17, 1.04 to 1.31, P=0.008) after cholecystectomy than those in high volume hospitals. Length of stay was shorter in high volume hospitals than in low (hazard ratio for discharge 0.78, 0.76 to 0.79, P<0.001) or medium volume hospitals (0.75, 0.74 to 0.77, P<0.001). These differences were also only of clinical significance in patients at higher risk. There is wide variation among hospitals in the management of gallstone disease and an association between higher hospital volume and better outcome after a cholecystectomy. The relative risk of death is lower in high volume centres, and although absolute risk differences between volume groups are significant for elderly patients and patients with comorbidity, they are clinically negligible for those at average risk.
  BMJ (Clinical research ed.). 01/2012; 344:e3330.