bmj.com: Research

The BMJ (Impact Factor 12.8) provides open access to peer reviewed research as part of its commitment to readers and authors. We make all BMJ research articles freely available online, with no word limit, and send them directly to PubMed Central (the National Library of Medicine's full text archive). For details on how to submit articles, visit our resources for authors.

School closures and work absence will affect UK economy most during flu pandemic

School closures and absence from work are likely to have more impact on the UK economy during a flu pandemic than the disease itself, regardless of its severity according to this study. In the accompanying editorial, Alan Maynard and Karen Bloor say that the current outbreak of swine flu has already been costly, in terms of substantial advance purchases of costly treatments and vaccines, and payments to GPs to provide them. But if these investments are effective, and the spread of the disease is restricted, significant financial benefits may result.

Predicting risk of osteoporotic fracture in men and women in England and Wales: prospective derivation and validation of QFractureScores

These new algorithms can predict risk of fracture in primary care populations in the UK without laboratory measurements and are therefore suitable for use in both clinical settings and for self assessment . QFractureScores could be used to identify patients at high risk of fracture who might benefit from interventions to reduce their risk.

Reflux related hospital admissions after fundoplication in children with neurological impairment

According to this retrospective cohort study, children with neurological impairment who have fundoplication had reduced short term reflux related hospital admissions for aspiration pneumonia, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, and mechanical ventilation. However, admissions for pneumonia remained constant and those for asthma increased after fundoplication. Comparative effectiveness data for other treatments (such as gastrojejunal feeding tubes) are unknown.

Pre-eclampsia, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1, and the risk of reduced thyroid function

This nested case-control and population based study from the United States and Norway found that pre-eclampsia among nulliparous women is associated with a greater subsequent risk of subclinical hypothyroidism in pregnancy and that women with a history of pre-eclampsia are at greater risk of hypothyroidism many years after pre-eclampsia.

Applicability and generalisability of published results of randomised controlled trials and non-randomised studies evaluating four orthopaedic procedures

The reporting of data related to the applicability of results was poor in published articles of both non-randomised studies and randomised controlled trials and did not differ by study design according to this systematic review. The applicability of results from the trials and studies was similar in terms of number of centres and surgeons involved and the reproducibility of the intervention.

Concept of unbearable suffering in context of ungranted requests for euthanasia

This qualitative study found that not all patients who requested euthanasia thought their suffering was unbearable, although they had a lasting wish to die. Patients and physicians seemed to agree about this. In cases in which patients said they suffered unbearably there was less agreement about what constitutes unbearable suffering; patients put more emphasis on psychosocial suffering, such as dependence and deterioration, whereas physicians referred more often to physical suffering.

Teenage pregnancy and social disadvantage

Youth development programmes that tackle deprivation and help children and young people enjoy school are successful in reducing teenage pregnancy rates. The researchers found that dislike of school, poverty, unhappy childhoods and low expectations for the future were all linked to early pregnancy. They argue that policies aimed at tackling these issues, combined with high quality sex education and contraceptive services, are successful in lowering teenage pregnancy rates.