Jim Thornton

Contact

• workRoom 1-605 Maternity
  Nottingham City Hospital
  Hucknall Road
  Nottingham
  NG5 1PB
  UK
• work0115 82 31889
• jim.thornton@nottingham.ac.uk
• http://ripe-tomato.org/

Biography

Qualified Leeds university 1977. Worked in Chogoria mission hospital in Kenya for four years 1979-1983. Subsequently research fellow, and registrar Leeds and Bradford. Lecturer in OBGYN University Hospital of Wales 1989-1991. Consultant St James University Hospital Leeds 1991-1992. Reader/Hon consultant Leeds General Infirmary 1992-2002. Editor-in-Chief Eur J Obs, Gyn & Reprod Med 2001-2002, Editor-in-Chief Br J Obs & Gyn 2003-2005, Director Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit 2009-2011, chief investigator of the Growth Restriction Intervention Trial (Lancet 2004). Conservative party parliamentary candidate Nottingham East 2005.

Currently deputy director of the Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit. Lead for the Trent Pregnancy and Childbirth Specialty Group. Head of Service Obstet, Gynaecol and Neonatal NUH NHS Trust. An Editor of the European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Expertise Summary

Randomised controlled trials. General obstetrics. General gynaecology.

Research Summary

Randomised controlled trials in pregnancy and gynaecology. Chief investigator for the Growth Restriction Intervention Trial (GRIT). Chief investigator for the Pregnancy Intervention Trial in… read more

Recent Publications

• COLEMAN, T, COOPER, S, THORNTON, JG, GRAINGE, MJ, WATTS, K, BRITTON, J and LEWIS, S, 2012. A Randomized Trial Of Nicotine-Replacement Therapy Patches In Pregnancy New England Journal Of Medicine. 366(9), 808-818
• WALKER, DAWN-MARIE, MARLOW, NEIL, UPSTONE, LISA, GROSS, HARRIET, HORNBUCKLE, JANET, VAIL, ANDY, WOLKE, DIETER and THORNTON, JIM G, 2011. The Growth Restriction Intervention Trial: long-term outcomes in a randomized trial of timing of delivery in fetal growth restriction. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. 204(1), 34.e1-9
• CHAN, YY, JAYAPRAKASAN, K, TAN, A, THORNTON, JG, COOMARASAMY, A and RAINE-FENNING, NJ, 2011. Reproductive Outcomes In Women With Congenital Uterine Anomalies: A Systematic Review
• WILLIAMSON, C, CHAPPELL, LC, GURUNG, V, CHAMBERS, J, SEED, PT and THORNTON, JG, 2011. PITCH: TWO RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIALS IN INTRAHEPATIC CHOLESTASIS OF PREGNANCY: URSODEOXYCHOLIC ACID VS. PLACEBO AND EARLY DELIVERY VS. EXPECTANT MANAGEMENT In: 62nd Annual Meeting of the American-Association-for-the-Study-of-Liver-Diseases (AASLD). 925A-925A

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Current Research

Randomised controlled trials in pregnancy and gynaecology. Chief investigator for the Growth Restriction Intervention Trial (GRIT). Chief investigator for the Pregnancy Intervention Trial in Cholestasis (PITCH) trial. Co-chief investigator for the Smoking and Nicotine and Pregnancy (SNAP) trial. Chief investigator for 35-39 trial. UK Chief investigator for the Control of Hypertension in pregnancy Study (CHIPS), Twin Birth Study (TBS). Deputy director of the Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit

Past Research

The following are the main publications of trials I've been involved with:

DeBoer CN, Thornton JG. Prophylactic short course rectal metronidazole for Cesarean section: a double-blind controlled trial of simple low cost regimen. Int J Obstet Gynecol (1989) 28: 103-7.

Cartmill RSV, Thornton JG. Obstetric decision making; the effect of varying the presentation of partogram information.Lancet (1992) 339: 1520-1522.

Lilford RJ, Kelly M, Baines A, Cameron S, Cave M, Guthrie K, Thornton JG. Improved medical care through the use of protocols: a randomised trial based on the first antenatal visit. Br Med J 1992 305: 1181-4.

Breart G, Mlika-Cabane N, Thornton JG, Trakas D, Alexander S, Mandrauzzato P, Sederberg-Olsen J, Herruzo-Nalda A. (1992) European trials on artificial rupture of membranes and professional support during labour. Trial B Results of the continuous professional support. J Perinat Med 20:37.

UK Amniotomy Group (director JGT). (1994) A multicentre randomised trial comparing routine versus delayed amniotomy in spontaneous first labour at term. CCT Online 1994 Apr 1;3 (Doc No 122) A shortened version of this paper appeared in Br J Obstet Gynaecol 101: 307-9.

Thornton JG, Hewison J, Lilford RJ, Vail A. (1995) A Randomised Trial of Three Methods of Giving Information about Prenatal Testing. Br Med J 311: 1127-30..

Doweswell Thornton JG, Hewison J, Lilford RJ.(1996) Should there be a randomised trial of home birth? Br Med J 312: 753-4. (This paper was followed by a full length debate among six other experts)

Vause S, Congdon HM, Thornton JG (1998) Immediate and delayed pushing in the second stage of labour for nulliparous women with epidural analgesia: a randomised controlled trial. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 105: 186-188.

HE Keane, HE, Thornton JG (1998) A trial of cetrimide/chlorhexidine or tapwater for perineal cleaning. Br J Midwifery 6: 34-37.

Thomlinson J, Thornton JG (1998) A randomised trial of prophylactic antibiotics for the repair of vesico vaginal fistula Br J Obstet Gynaecol 105: 397-399..

Ross-McGill H, Hewison J, Hirst J, Dowswell T, Holt A, Brunskill P, Thornton JG. (2000) Antenatal home blood pressure monitoring; a pilot trial. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 107: 217-221.

The GRIT Study Group director JGT (2003) A randomised trial of timed delivery for the compromised preterm fetus: short term outcomes and Bayesian interpretation. BJOG 110: 27-32. (Cited in OBGYN Survey (2003) 58: 449-450)

Onwude JL, Thornton JG, Morley S, Lilleyman J, Currie I, Lilford RJ. (2004) A randomised trial of photographic reinforcement during postoperative counselling after diagnostic laparoscopy for pelvic pain. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol.112: 89-94.

Bekker HL, Hewison J, Thornton JG (2004) Applying decision analysis to facilitate informed decision making about prenatal diagnosis for Down's syndrome: a randomised controlled trial. Prenatal Diagnosis 24: 265-75.

The GRIT Study Group (director JGT) (2004) Infant wellbeing at 2 years of age in the Growth Restriction Intervention trial (GRIT): a multicentred randomised controlled trial. Lancet 364:513-519.

Wong SSM, Thornton JG, Gbolade B, Bekker HL. (2006) A randomised controlled trial of a decision aid leaflet to facilitate women's choice between pregnancy termination methods. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Jun;113(6):688-94.

Logghe HL, Mason GC, Thornton JG, Stringer MD. A randomized controlled trial of elective preterm delivery of fetuses with gastroschisis. J Pediatr Surg. 2005 Nov;40(11):1726-31.

HEWISON, J, NIXON, J, FOUNTAIN, J, HAWKINS, K, JONES, C R, MASON, G, MORLEY, S and THORNTON, J G, 2007. A randomised trial of two methods of issuing prenatal test results: the ARIA (Amniocentesis Results: Investigation of Anxiety) trial. BJOG, 114(4), 462-8.

Hinshaw K, Simpson S, Cummings S, Hildreth A, Thornton JG (2008) A randomised controlled trial of early versus delayed oxytocin augmentation to treat primary dysfunctional labour in nulliparous women. BJOG 115: 1289-1296.

Norman JE, Mackenzie F, Owen P, Mactier H, Hanretty K, Cooper S, Calder A, Mires G, Danielian P, Sturgiss S, MacLennan G, Tydeman G, Thornton S, Martin B, Thornton JG, Neilson JP, Norrie J. Progesterone for the prevention of preterm birth in twin pregnancy (STOPPIT): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study and meta-analysis. Lancet 2009 373: 2034-40

Walker D-M, Marlow N, Upstone, L, Gross, H. Hornbuckle J, Vail A, Wolke D, Thornton JG on behalf of the GRIT Study Group (2011) The Growth Restriction Intervention Trial (GRIT): Long-term outcomes in a randomised trial of timing of delivery in fetal growth restriction. Am J Obstet Gynecol 204(1):34 1-9.

Boers K, Bijlenga D, Vijgen S, van der Post J, Bekedam D, Kwee A, van der Salm P, van Pampus M, Spaanderman M, de Boer K, Bremer H, Duvekot J, Hasaart T, Delemarre F, Bloemenkamp K, van Meir C, Willekes C, Wijnen E, Rijken M, le Cessie S, Roumen F, Thornton JG, van Lith J, Mol BW, Scherjon S (2011) Induction versus expectant monitoring for intrauterine growth restriction at term (the DIGITAT trial). Br Med J 342: 35

Coleman T, Cooper S, Thornton JG, Grainge MJ, Watts K, John Britton J, Lewis S for the SNAP Trial Team (2012) A randomized trial of nicotine replacement therapy patches in pregnancy. New Engl J Med. 366:808-818

I've also done one systematic review.

Bugg GJ, Siddique F, Thornton JG (2011) Oxytocin versus no treatment or delayed treatment for slow progress in the first stage of spontaneous labour' The Cochrane Library June module Issue 7, 2011 (published 6 July 2011).

Future Research

Planning trials on obstetric cholestasis, varying the timing of cord clamping, smoking cessation interventions in pregnancy, and pruritus vulvae.

• COLEMAN, T, COOPER, S, THORNTON, JG, GRAINGE, MJ, WATTS, K, BRITTON, J and LEWIS, S, 2012. A Randomized Trial Of Nicotine-Replacement Therapy Patches In Pregnancy New England Journal Of Medicine. 366(9), 808-818
• WALKER, DAWN-MARIE, MARLOW, NEIL, UPSTONE, LISA, GROSS, HARRIET, HORNBUCKLE, JANET, VAIL, ANDY, WOLKE, DIETER and THORNTON, JIM G, 2011. The Growth Restriction Intervention Trial: long-term outcomes in a randomized trial of timing of delivery in fetal growth restriction. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. 204(1), 34.e1-9
• CHAN, YY, JAYAPRAKASAN, K, TAN, A, THORNTON, JG, COOMARASAMY, A and RAINE-FENNING, NJ, 2011. Reproductive Outcomes In Women With Congenital Uterine Anomalies: A Systematic Review
• WILLIAMSON, C, CHAPPELL, LC, GURUNG, V, CHAMBERS, J, SEED, PT and THORNTON, JG, 2011. PITCH: TWO RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIALS IN INTRAHEPATIC CHOLESTASIS OF PREGNANCY: URSODEOXYCHOLIC ACID VS. PLACEBO AND EARLY DELIVERY VS. EXPECTANT MANAGEMENT In: 62nd Annual Meeting of the American-Association-for-the-Study-of-Liver-Diseases (AASLD). 925A-925A
• BUGG, GJ, SIDDIQUI, F and THORNTON, JG, 2011. Oxytocin Versus No Treatment Or Delayed Treatment For Slow Progress In The First Stage Of Spontaneous Labour
• STREVENS, HELENA, ALLEN, KIRSTEN and THORNTON, JIM G, 2010. Management of premature prelabor rupture of the membranes. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1205, 123-9
• BOERS, K E, VIJGEN, S M C, BIJLENGA, D, VAN DER POST, J A M, BEKEDAM, D J, KWEE, A, VAN DER SALM, P C M, VAN PAMPUS, M G, SPAANDERMAN, M E A, DE BOER, K, DUVEKOT, J J, BREMER, H A, HASAART, T H M and DEL, 2010. Induction versus expectant monitoring for intrauterine growth restriction at term: randomised equivalence trial (DIGITAT). BMJ (Clinical research ed.). 341, c7087
• THORNTON, JIM G, 2009. Drug development and obstetrics: where are we right now? The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians. 22 Suppl 2, 46-9
• NORMAN, JANE E, MACKENZIE, FIONA, OWEN, PHILIP, MACTIER, HELEN, HANRETTY, KEVIN, COOPER, SARAH, CALDER, ANDREW, MIRES, GARY, DANIELIAN, PETER, STURGISS, STEPHEN, MACLENNAN, GRAEME, TYDEMAN, GRAHAM and TH, 2009. Progesterone for the prevention of preterm birth in twin pregnancy (STOPPIT): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study and meta-analysis. Lancet. 373(9680), 2034-40
• AHMED, SHENAZ, HEWISON, JENNY, GREEN, JOSEPHINE M, CUCKLE, HOWARD S, HIRST, JANET and THORNTON, JIM G, 2008. Decisions about testing and termination of pregnancy for different fetal conditions: a qualitative study of European White and Pakistani mothers of affected children. Journal of genetic counseling. 17(6), 560-72
• YIN, T T, WILLIAMS, N, BURTON, C, ONG, S S, LOUGHNA, P, BRITTON, J R and THORNTON, J G, 2008. Hypertension, fetal growth restriction and obstructive sleep apnoea in pregnancy. European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology. 141(1), 35-8
• THORNTON, JG, 2008. The Quality Of Randomised Trials Of Tocolysis (Vol 113, Pg 93, Suppl. 3, 2006)
• COLEMAN, T, THORNTON, J, BRITTON, J, LEWIS, S, WATTS,K, COUGHTRIE, MWH, MANNION, C, MARLOW, N and GODFREY, C, 2007. Protocol for the Smoking, Nicotine and Pregnancy (SNAP) trial: double-blind, placebo-randomised, controlled trial of nicotine replacement therapy in pregnancy BMC Health Services Research. 7(2),
• HEWISON, J., NIXON, J., FOUNTAIN, J., HAWKINS, K., JONES, C.R., MASON, G., MORLEY, S. and THORNTON, J.G., 2007. A randomised trial of two methods of issuing prenatal test results: the ARIA (Amniocentesis Results: Investigation of Anxiety) trial. BJOG: an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 114(4), 462-468
• BASU, DOLON and THORNTON, JAMES G, 2007. Abdominal dystocia in a case of undetected intrauterine meconium peritonitis due to cystic fibrosis. Congenital anomalies. 47(2), 72-3
• THORNTON, JIM G, 2007. Progesterone and preterm labor--still no definite answers. New England Journal of Medicine. 357(5), 499-501
• HEWISON, JENNY, GREEN, JOSEPHINE M, AHMED, SHENAZ, CUCKLE, HOWARD S, HIRST, JANET, HUCKNALL, CLARE and THORNTON, JIM G, 2007. Attitudes to prenatal testing and termination of pregnancy for fetal abnormality: a comparison of white and Pakistani women in the UK. Prenatal Diagnosis. 27(5), 419-30
• BOERS, KIM E, BIJLENGA, DENISE, MOL, BEN W J, LECESSIE, SASKIA, BIRNIE, ERWIN, VAN PAMPUS, MARIELLE G, STIGTER, ROB H, BLOEMENKAMP, KITTY W M, VAN MEIR, CLAUDIA A, VAN DER POST, JORIS A M and BEKEDAM, DI, 2007. Disproportionate Intrauterine Growth Intervention Trial At Term: DIGITAT. BMC pregnancy and childbirth. 7, 12
• THORNTON, JAMES G, 2005. Maintenance tocolysis. BJOG. 112 Suppl 1, 118-21
• THORNTON, JIM, BOSSUYT, PATRICK, KHAN, KHALID S and COOMARASAMY, ARRI, 2005. Registering protocols for studies of test accuracy with BJOG. BJOG. 112(6), 683
• COLEMAN, T., ANTONIAK, M., BRITTON, J., THORNTON, J., LEWIS, S. and WATTS, K., 2004. Recruiting pregnant smokers for a placebo-randomised controlled trial of nicotine replacement therapy BMC Health Services Research. 4(1), 29
• COLEMAN, T., BRITTON, J. and THORNTON, J., 2004. Nicotine replacement therapy in pregnancy: is probably safer than smoking British Medical Journal. 328(7446), 965-966
• THE GRIT STUDY GROUP., 2004. Infant wellbeing at 2 years of age in the Growth Restriction Intervention Trial (GRIT) : multicentred randomised controlled trial Lancet. 364(9433), 513-520
• BEKKER, H.L., HEWISON, J. and THORNTON, J.G., 2004. Applying decision analysis to facilitate informed decision making about prenatal diagnosis for Down syndrome: a randomised controlled trial Prenatal Diagnosis. 24(4), 265-275
• ONWUDE, J. L., THORNTON, J. G., MORLEY, S., LILLEYMAN, J., CURRIE, I. and LILFORD, R. J., 2004. A randomised trial of photographic reinforcement during postoperative counselling after diagnostic laparoscopy for pelvic pain European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Reproductive Biology. VOL 112(NUMBER 1), 89-94
• THORNTON, J. G. and BHATTACHARYA, S., 2004. NICE fertility guideline: good news for infertile couples, but who pays the bill? BJOG. VOL 111(NUMBER 3), 197-197
• THE GRIT STUDY GROUP., 2003. A randomised trial of timed delivery for the compromised preterm fetus: short term outcomes and Bayesian interpretation BJOG : an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 110(1), 27-32
• WONG, S. S., BEKKER, H. L., THORNTON, J. G. and GBOLADE, B. A., 2003. Choices about abortion method: assessing the quality of patient information leaflets in England and Wales BJOG. VOL 110(NUMBER 3), 263-266
• MAGEE, L. A., VON DADELSZEN, P., BOHUN, C. M., REY, E., EL-ZIBDEH, M., STALKER, S., ROSS, S., HEWSON, S., LOGAN, A. G. and OHLSSON, A., 2003. Serious Perinatal Complications of Non-Proteinuric Hypertension: An International, Multicentre, Retrospective Cohort Study JOGC -[TORONTO]-. VOL 25(NUMB 5), 372-384
• BEKKER, H. L., HEWISON, J. and THORNTON, J. G., 2003. Understanding why decision aids work: linking process with outcome Patient Education and Counseling. VOL 50(NUMBER 3), 323-329
• WILSON, B., THORNTON, J. G., HEWISON, J., LILFORD, R. J., WATT, I., BRAUNHOLTZ, D. and ROBINSON, M., 2002. The Leeds University maternity audit project International Journal for Quality in Health Care. VOL 14(PART 3), 175-182
• THORNTON, J G, 2001. Perinatal mortality rises both with prematurity and with the degree to which the baby's birthweight is below that expected for gestational age. European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Reproductive Biology. 95(1), 5
• THORNTON, J. G. and CAPOGNA, G., 2001. Reducing likelihood of instrumental delivery with epidural anaesthesia Lancet. ISSU 9275, 2
• BRAIN, K. A., THORNTON, J. G., SARKAR, A. and JOHNSON, A. O., 2001. Obstructive sleep apnoea and fetal death: successful treatment with continuous positive airway pressure British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. VOL 108(NUMBER 5), 543-544
• VAIL, A, HORNBUCKLE, J, SPIEGELHALTER, D J and THORNTON, J G, 2001. Prospective application of Bayesian monitoring and analysis in an "open" randomized clinical trial. Statistics in Medicine. 20(24), 3777-87
• CHAN, YY, JAYAPRAKASAN, K, ZAMORA, J, THORNTON, JG, RAINE-FENNING, N and COOMARASAMY, A, The Prevalence Of Congenital Uterine Anomalies In Unselected And High-Risk Populations: A Systematic Review