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Research

We are currently recruiting to the following studies:

1. CAN-PDP Cannabidiol for Parkinson's Disease Psychosis.

The CANnabidiol for Parkinson's Disease Psychosis trial is a clinical drug trial investigating whether cannabidiol (or CBD) is a safe and tolerable treatment for reducing psychotic symptoms (such as hallucinations and delusions) in patients with Parkinson's disease. The chief investigator for the trial is Professor Sagnik Bhattacharyya, based at Kings College, London. In Derby the trial is being supervised by Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. You may be eligible for this trial if you have Parkinsons and hallucinations or delusions even if you are taking other treatments for these symptoms.
For more information about this trial please visit the King's College CAN-PDP webpage
Click here for a CAN-PDP participant information sheet

2. PALOMA trial. A Multicenter Longitudinal Study to Evaluate the Correlation Between Oculometric Measures and Clinical Assessment in Patients With Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease

We are helping to recruit to this observational study. The study is low risk and tests new software tht measures eye movements to see if it can detect disease progression more quickly that current clinical assessments. The study lasts one year and recruitment closes April 2024 (TBC). Participants will be asked to visit the study team five times (once every three months) to complete eye movement tests and clinical assessments for Parkinson's. The trial is being run from Castle Donnington by the Virtual Clinical Trials Center (VCTC). If you are interested in taking part or would like to find out more please email the VCTC team. Please mention the Derby Parkinson's service.

We have now completed recruting to the following trials. We look forward to publication of the results when they are available

PEEP Is remote physiotherapy effective for early Parkinson's?

PEEP is funded by Parkinson's UK.
We have conducted a survey of people with Parkinson's to find out thier views on physical activity, exercise and physiotherapy. The survey also examined attitudes to technology. The survey has now closed and we are analysing results. You can read more about the PEEP study here.
We completed recruitment to this study in July 2023 and will very soon complete follow for our last participant. We hope to share results of the study in the near future

CHIEF-PD

This is a medical research trial that is examining whether drugs normally used to treat people with memory problems can be used to reduce the number of falls that people with Parkinson's experience. Please click here for further information from the CHIEF-PD trial team in Bristol https://chiefpd.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/

Past and present members of our team, together with local people with Parkinson's, have contributed to the following Parkinson's related research projects:

Nigrsomal Iron Imaging in Parkinson's Disease (N3iPD).

This multicentre study is funded by the prestigious Micheal J Fox Foundation. Recruiting centres include London; Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham; and Royal Derby Hospital. The study is investigating magnetic resonance scanning using powerful 3-Tesla MR scanners to diagnose Parkinson's disease. MR scan diagnostic acuracy will be compared to nuclear medicine SPECT scans. This study has now completed recruitment. Final results have yet to be published but the study protocol is available here. Reference: S Schwartz, Y Xing, S Naidu, J Birchall, R Skelly, A Perkins, J Evans, G Sare, A Martin-Bastida, N Bajaj, P Gowland, P Piccini, D, Auer. Protocol of a single group prospective observational study on the diagnostic value of 3T susceptibility weighted MRI of nigrosome-1 in patients with parkinsonian symptoms: the N3iPD study (nigrosomal iron imaging in Parkinson's disease). BMJ Open 2017;7:e016904. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2017-016904

Does a specialist unit improve outcomes for hospitalised patients with Parkinson's Disease?

This study was funded by Parkinson's UK. It has now completed recruitment and has been published. The study found better medication outcomes, better patient experience of care and shorter length of stay on the specialist unit. The study does not prove that this is the best way to deliver care as it was not a randomised study.
R Skelly, L Brown, A Fakis, L Kimber, C Downes, F Lindop, C Johnson, C Bartliffe, N Bajaj. Does a specialist unit improve outcomes for hospitalized patients with Parkinson's disease? Parkinsonism & Related disorders 2014; 20 (11): 1242-1247

PROBAND - TRACKING PARKINSON'S.

This is a multicentre study that aims to explore variations in Parkinson's. It will look at 4 different areae: motor symptoms such as tremor and stiffness, memory problems, response to therapy, and non-motor symptoms such as sleep ploblems. For further information please visit the PRoBaND site.

Does prompt delivery of medication to in-patients with Parkinson's Disease reduce length of hospital stay?

This study was funded by Parkinson's UK. It analysed 2 years' of electronic prescribing and drug administration data at Royal Derby Hospital. The study did not find any association between length of hospital stay and timeliness of medication. It did find an association between length of stay and co-morbidities (presence of lots of other illnesses per patient.) Results were published:
Skelly R, Brown L, Fogarty A. Delayed administration of dopaminergic drugs is not associated with prolonged length of stay of hospitalised patients with Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2017; 35:25-29.

If you are interested in any further details of these research studies, please contact Secretary to Dr Skelly’s team at Royal Derby Hospital.