Staff Profile

 Introduction

Dr James Frith is a Clinical Senior Lecturer, working in the Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University (https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/research/institutes/population-health/).  He is also a practising clinician, working as a Consultant Geriatrician in the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Frith's research interest is falls and syncope (blackouts, fainting and unexplained falls) with a particular interest in the condition orthostatic hypotension (a drop in blood pressure on standing upright which can cause dizziness, fatigue, falls and syncope).

Background

In 2004 Dr Frith completed his undergraduate medical studies and graduated from the University of Leeds.  After working in Yorkshire for a year he moved to Newcastle upon Tyne to pursue his interest in the clinical aspects of ageing.

Becoming a Clinical Research Associate in 2007 Dr Frith began his academic career, completing a PhD in 2010 in the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Ageing and Age-related Disease.  He became an NIHR Clinical Lecturer in 2011 enabling him to complete his higher specialist training while pursuing his academic interests. This was followed by the prestigious NIHR Clinician Scientist Fellowship (2015-2020) which led on to an NIHR HTA research grant (2019-2024).

Qualifications 

• MB ChB, University of Leeds
• FRCP, Royal College of Physicians
• PhD (2010), Newcastle University
• Geriatric Medicine Specialty Certificate (2013), Royal College of Physicians

Awards

• The British Geriatrics Society Rising Star Award 2017
• The Jim George Memorial Prize 2017

Memberships

• The Association of Physicians
• Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
• British Geriatrics Society (BGS)
• BGS Falls and Bone Health (Chair)
• BGS Cardiovascular Group
• Northern Regional Syncope Group

Research Interests

• Falls
• Syncope
• Orthostatic hypotension

 Research Skills

• Non-invasive, continuous blood pressure and heart rate monitoring
• Heart rate variability and autonomic nervous system testing
• Trans-cranial doppler sonography
• Multidisciplinary falls assessment

Studies

1. Patient priorities for people with OH
2. Droxidopa for OH: Systematic review and meta-analysis
3. Five year outcomes for people with transient OH (BGS)
4. Efficacy and safety of non-drug interventions for older people with OH (NIHR Clinician Scientist)
5. Acceptability of non-drug therapies for older people with OH (NIHR Clinician Scientist)
6. Efficacy of combination therapies for older people with OH (NIHR CS)
7. The skeletal muscle pump as a therapeutic target in OH (NIHR Newcastle BRC)
8. Prevalence of OH in older people: Systematic review and meta-analysis
9. CONFORM-OH (Control, Fludrocortisone or Midodrine for Orthostatic Hypotension; NIHR HTA)
10. Clinical and biomarker characterisation of pure autonomic failure: Towards early detection of Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy (collaborator)
11. ISO-101 A novel device for the treatment of orthostatic hypotension
12. Understanding Patient Perspectives of Postural Hypotension (collaborator)

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC): Ageing Well: Falls (Lead Educator)

MSc Clinical Science (Tutor)

Academic Medical Student (Mentor)

Masters in Clinical Research (Examiner)

Research Skills for Healthcare Professionals (Tutor)

Post Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research (Tutor)

Undergraduate MBBS (Falls and Syncope) (Tutor)

• Articles

  • Frith J, Skelton DA. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on falls and fractures, 4 years on, are we any further forward?. Age and Ageing 2024, 53(6), afae110.
  • Frith J, Robinson L, Gibbon JR, Allen J. The effect of lower limb strengthening exercise on orthostatic blood pressure and the skeletal muscle pump in older people with orthostatic hypotension. Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging 2024, 44(3), 205-210.
  • Tarn J, Evans E, Traianos E, Collins A, Stylianou M, Parikh J, Bai Y, Guan Y, Frith J, Lendrem D, Macrae V, McKinnon I, Simon BS, Blake J, Baker M, Taylor J-P, Watson S, Gallagher P, Blamire A, Newton J, Ng W-F. The Effects Of Non-Invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Fatigue In Participants With Primary Sjögren's Syndrome. Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface 2023, 26(3), 681-689.
  • Frith J. New horizons in the diagnosis and management of dehydration. Age and Ageing 2023, 52(10), afad193.
  • Robinson L, Pearce R, Frith J. Strategies to improve uptake and adherence of non-pharmacologic interventions for orthostatic hypotension in older people: a qualitative study. European Geriatric Medicine 2022, 13, 685-692.
  • Owen CM, Newton JL, Frith J. Personalised physiological medicine: Orthostatic hypotension. Medical Hypotheses 2022, 167, 110928.
  • Gibbon JR, Parry SW, Witham MD, Yarnall A, Frith J. Feasibility, reliability and safety of self-assessed orthostatic blood pressure at home. Age and Ageing 2022, 51(7).
  • Hamilton CA, Frith J, Donaghy PC, Barker SAH, Durcan R, Lawley S, Barnett NA, Firbank M, Roberts G, Taylor JP, Allan LM, O'Brien J, Yarnall AJ, Thomas AJ. Blood pressure and heart rate responses to orthostatic challenge and Valsalva manoeuvre in mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2022, 37(5).
  • Hamilton CA, Frith J, Donaghy PC, Barker SAH, Durcan R, Lawley S, Barnett NA, Firbank M, Roberts G, Taylor JP, Allan LM, O'Brien JT, Yarnall AJ, Thomas AJ. Assessment of autonomic symptoms may assist with early identification of mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2022, 37(4).
  • Saedon NI, Tan MP, Frith J. The prevalence of orthostatic hypotension: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journals of Gerontology: Series A 2020, 75(1), 117-122.
  • Saedon NI, Frith J, Goh C-H, Ahmad WAW, Khor HM, Tan KM, Chin A-V, Kamaruzzaman SB, Tan MP. Orthostatic blood pressure changes and physical, functional and cognitive performance: the MELoR study. Clinical Autonomic Research 2020, 30, 129-137.
  • Frith J, Newton JL. Combination non-pharmacologic intervention for orthostatic hypotension in older people: a phase 2 study. Age and Ageing 2020, 49(2), 253-257.
  • Parker SG, Corner L, Laing K, Nestor G, Craig D, Collerton J, Frith J, Roberts HC, Sayer AA, Allan LM, Robinson L, Cowan K. Priorities for research in multiple conditions in later life (multi-morbidity): findings from a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership. Age and Ageing 2019, 48(3), 401–406.
  • Mitchell E, Frith J, Newton J. Fatigue and cognitive impairment in immune thrombocytopenic purpura remain stable over time: short report from a longitudinal study. British Journal of Haematology 2019, 186(5), 777-781.
  • Newton JL, Frith J. The efficacy of non-pharmacologic intervention for orthostatic hypotension associated with aging. Neurology 2018, 91(7), e652-e656.
  • Zalewski Pawel, Finkelmeyer A, Frith J, Maclachlan L, Blamire A, Newton JL. Liver volume is lower and associates with resting and dynamic blood pressure variability in chronic fatigue syndrome. Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health & Behavior 2018, 6(3), 141-152.
  • Robinson LJ, Pearce RM, Frith J. Acceptability of non-drug therapies in older people with orthostatic hypotension: a qualitative study. BMC Geriatrics 2018, 18(1), 315.
  • Strassheim V, Ballantine R, Hackett KL, Frith J, Newton JL. Understanding severely affected chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): the gravity of the situation. Physical Therapy Reviews 2017, 22(3-4), 197-201.
  • Frith J, Parry SW. New Horizons in orthostatic hypotension. Age and Ageing 2017, 46(2), 168-174.
  • Frith J, Newton JL. Validation of a questionnaire for orthostatic hypotension for routine clinical use. Geriatrics & Gerontology International 2016, 16(7), 785-790.
  • Frith J, Bashir AS, Newton JL. The duration of orthostatic blood pressure drop is predictive of death. QJM: an international journal of medicine 2016, 109(4), 231-235.
  • Newton JL, Finkelmeyer A, Petrides G, Frith J, Hodgson T, Maclachlan L, MacGowan G, Blamire AM. Reduced cardiac volumes in chronic fatigue syndrome associate with plasma volume but not length of disease: a cohort study. Open Heart 2016, 3(1), e000381.
  • Frith J, Bashir AS, Elliott CS, Newton JL. Public and patient research priorities for orthostatic hypotension. Age and Ageing 2014, 43(6), 865-868.
  • Zalewski P, Jones D, Lewis I, Frith J, Newton JL. Reduced thoracic fluid content in early-stage primary biliary cirrhosis that associates with impraired cardiac inotropy. American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal & Liver Physiology 2013, 305, G393-7.
  • Elliott C, Frith J, Day CP, Jones DEJ, Newton JL. Functional Impairment in Alcoholic Liver Disease and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Is Significant and Persists over 3 Years of Follow-Up. Digestive Diseases and Sciences 2013, 58(8), 2383-2391.
  • Hackett KL, Newton JL, Frith J, Elliott C, Lendrem D, Foggo H, Edgar S, Mitchell S, Ng F. Impaired functional status in primary Sjogren's syndrome. Arthritis Care & Research 2012, 64(11), 1760-1764.
  • Frith J, Zalewski P, Klawe JJ, Pairman J, Bitner A, Tafil-Klawe M, Newton JL. Impaired blood pressure variability in chronic fatigue syndrome-a potential biomarker. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine 2012, 105(9), 831-838.
  • Frith J, Zalewski P, Klawe JJ, Pairman J, Bitner A, Tafil-Klawe M, Newton JL. Impaired blood pressure variability in chronic fatigue syndrome- a potential biomarker. QJM 2012, 105(9), 831-838.
  • Frith J, Kerr S, Robinson L, Elliott CS, Wilton K, Jones DEJ, Day CP, Newton JL. Falls and Fall-Related Injury Are Common in Older People with Chronic Liver Disease. Digestive Diseases and Sciences 2012, 57(10), 2697-2702.
  • Frith J, Watson S, Maggs PHBB, Newton JL. Cognitive symptoms are common in immune thrombocytopenia and associate with autonomic symptom burden. European Journal of Haematology 2012, 88(3), 224-228.
  • Newton JL, Frith J, Powell D, Hackett K, Wilton K, Bowman S, Price E, Pease C, Andrews J, Emery P, Hunter J, Gupta M, Vadivelu S, Giles I, Isenberg D, Lanyon P, Jones A, Regan M, Cooper A, Moots R, Sutcliffe N, Bombardieri M, Pitzalis C, McLaren J, Young-Min S, Dasgupta B, Griffiths B, Lendrem D, Mitchell S, Ng WF. Autonomic symptoms are common and are associated with overall symptom burden and disease activity in primary Sjögren's syndrome. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2012, 71(12), 1973-1979.
  • McDonald C, Frith J, Newton JL. Single centre experience of ivabradine in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Europace 2011, 13(3), 427-430.
  • Elliott C, Frith J, Pairman J, Jones DEJ, Newton JL. Reduction in functional ability is significant postliver transplantation compared with matched liver disease and community dwelling controls. Transplant International 2011, 24(6), 588-595.
  • Newton JL, Elliott C, Frith J, Ghazala C, Pairman J, Jones DEJ. Functional capacity is significantly impaired in primary biliary cirrhosis and is related to orthostatic symptoms. European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2011, 23(7), 566-572.
  • Jones DEJ, Gray J, Frith J, Newton JL. Fatigue severity remains stable over time and independently associated with orthostatic symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome: a longitudinal study. Journal of Internal Medicine 2011, 269(2), 182-188.
  • Jones DE, Al-Rifai A, Frith J, Patanwala I, Newton JL. The independent effects of fatigue and UDCA therapy on mortality in primary biliary cirrhosis: Results of a 9 year follow-up. Journal of Hepatology 2010, 53(5), 911-917.
  • Frith J, Kerr S, Robinson L, Elliott C, Ghazala C, Wilton K, Pairman J, Jones D, Newton J. Primary biliary cirrhosis is associated with falls and significant fall related injury. QJM 2010, 103(3), 153-161.
  • Frith J, Day C, Robinson L, Elliott C, Jones D, Newton J. Potential strategies to improve uptake of exercise interventions in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Journal of Hepatology 2010, 52(1), 112-116.
  • Elliott C, Frith J, Newton J. Occupational therapy in chronic liver disease: a preliminary study to explore the views of occupational therapists and physicians working in the acute medical setting. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2010, 73(3), 116-120.
  • Hollingsworth KG, Jones DEJ, Taylor R, Frith J, Blamire AM, Newton JL. Impaired cerebral autoregulation in primary biliary cirrhosis: implications for the pathogenesis of cognitive decline. Liver International 2010, 30(6), 878-885.
  • Newton JL, Marsh A, Frith J, Parry S. Experience of a rapid access blackout service for older people. Age and Ageing 2010, 39(2), 265-268.
  • Frith J, Day CP, Henderson E, Burt AD, Newton JL. Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Older People. Gerontology 2009, 55(6), 607-613.
  • Frith J, Newton J. Managing abnormal liver blood tests in older people. Geriatrics and Aging 2009, 12(6), 295-300.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Hackett K, Lendrem D, Frith J, Rapley T, Deary V, Deane K, Bowman S, Newton J, Ng W-F. Cognitive symptoms are common in primary Sjögren's syndrome and are associated with anxiety. In: 13th International Symposium on Sjögren's Syndrome. 2015, Bergen, Norway: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
  • Hackett K, Lendrem D, Frith J, Rapley T, Deary V, Deane K, Bowman S, Newton J, Ng WF. Cognitive Symptoms are Common in Primary Sjogren's Syndrome and are Associated with Anxiety. In: 13th International Symposium on Sjögren's Syndrome. 2015, Bergen, Norway: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
  • Hackett K, Lendrem D, Frith J, Rapley T, Deary V, Deane K, Bowman S, Newton J, Ng W-F. Cognitive Impairment in Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome. In: Rheumatology 2015. 2015, Manchester, UK: S. Karger AG.
  • Frith J, Reeve P, Newton J. Establishing baseline systolic blood pressure when diagnosing orthostatic hypotension. In: Age and Ageing: British Geriatrics Society Autumn Meeting. 2012, Brighton: Oxford University Press.
  • Frith J, Jones DEJ, Newton J. Regulation of Cerebral Blood Flow is Significantly Impaired in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis. In: Journal of Hepatology: 44th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver. 2009, Copenhagen, Denmark: Elsevier BV.
  • Frith J, Robinson L, Wilton K, Day CP, Newton JL. Non-Alcohlic Fatty Liver Disease is Associated with Recurrent Falls and Significant Injury. In: Hepatology: 60th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. 2009, Boston, Massachusetts, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • Fattakhova GE, Jones DE, Frith J, Day CP, Newton JL. Cognitive Symptoms and Prevalent in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Unrelated to the Severity of Liver Disease. In: Hepatology: 60th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. 2009, Boston, Massachusetts, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  • Frith J, Robinson L, Jungerius D, Pairman J, Wilton K, Jones DEJ, Newton JL. Orthostatic grading scale is better than timed up and go at identifying fallers with primary biliary cirrhosis. In: Age and Ageing: British Geriatrics Society Spring Meeting. 2008, Brighton: Oxford University Press.
  • Frith J, Robinson L, Pairman J, Wilton K, Jones DE, Newton JL. Falls are common in primary biliary cirrhosis and associate with dysautonomia and distal lower limb weakness. In: 59th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. 2008, San Francisco, CA, USA: Hepatology: John Wiley & Sons.
  • Newton JL, Elliott C, Frith J, Robinson L, Jungerious D, Jones DE, Day CP. Appreciation of the benefits of exercise programmes in non-alcoholic liver disease: implications of fatigue and impact upon activities of daily living. In: 59th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. 2008, San Francisco, CA, USA: Hepatology: John Wiley & Sons.

• Editorials

  • Frith J. The association of orthostatic hypotension with falls-an end to the debate?. Age and Ageing 2017, 46(4), 540-541.
  • Frith J, Parry SW. Tilt-table testing: down but not out. Clinical Practice 2014, 11(3), 265-268.
  • Frith J, Newton JL, Parry SW. Measuring and defining orthostatic hypotension in the older person. Age and Ageing 2014, 43(2), 168-170.
  • Frith J, Newton J. Liver transplantation in more elderly age. Transplant International 2009, 22(6), 599-600.

• Letters

  • Frith J, Ng WF, Day CP, Payne B, Sheerin N, Gorman G, Jones D, Newton JL. Orthostatic intolerance is common in chronic disease - A clinical cohort study. International Journal of Cardiology 2014, 174(3), 861-862.
  • Frith J, Newton JL. Lower Limb and Abdominal Compression in the Management of Orthostatic Hypotension—Not Supported by the Evidence. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2014, 62(4), 781-782.
  • Frith J, Reeve P, Newton JL. Length of Time Required to Achieve a Stable Baseline Blood Pressure in the Diagnosis of Orthostatic Hypotension. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2013, 61(8), 1414-1415.
  • Frith J, Fattakhova G, Jones DEJ, Henderson E, Wilton K, Day CP, Newton JL. Cognitive impairment in non-cirrhotic chronic liver disease is unrelated to liver disease severity but associated with ineffective baroreflex function. Gut 2012, 61(7), 1101-1103.
  • Frith J, Newton JL. Response: Primary biliary cirrhosis is associated with falls and significant fall related injury. QJM 2010, 103(6), 438-439.

• Notes

  • Frith J. Fall prevention: Empowering people through online education. Annals of Family Medicine 2017, 15(5), 482-482.
  • Jones DE, Al-Rifai A, Frith J, Patanwala I, Newton JL. The independent effects of fatigue and UDCA therapy on mortality in primary biliary cirrhosis: Results of a 9 year cohort follow-up (vol 53, pg 911, 2010) [Corrigendum]. Journal of Hepatology 2011, 55(3), 737.
  • Frith J, Newton J. Fatigue impact scale. Occupational Medicine 2010, 60(2), 159.

• Reviews

  • Gibbon JR, Frith J. The effects of caffeine in adults with neurogenic orthostatic hypotension: a systematic review. Clinical Autonomic Research 2021, 31, 499-509.
  • Gibbon JR, Frith J. Orthostatic hypotension: A pragmatic guide to diagnosis and treatment. Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 2020, 58(11), 166-171.
  • Strassheim V, Newton JL, Tan MP, Frith J. Droxidopa for orthostatic hypotension: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Hypertension 2016, 34(10), 1933-1941.
  • Frith J. Falls and older people: aftercare and prevention. Nursing in Practice 2015, 87, 76-79.
  • Frith J. Falls and older people - where, when and why?. Nursing in practice 2015, 85, 38-41.
  • Frith J. Diagnosing Orthostatic Hypotension: A narrative review of the evidence. British Medical Bulletin 2015, 115(1), 123-134.
  • Frith J, Davison J. Falls. Reviews in Clinical Gerontology 2013, 23(2), 101-117.
  • Frith J, Newton JL. Liver disease in older women. Maturitas 2010, 65(3), 210-214.
  • Frith J, Newton J. Liver disease in older people. CME Journal Geriatric Medicine 2009, 11(3), 110-114.
  • Frith J, Jones D, Newton JL. Chronic liver disease in an ageing population. Age and Ageing 2009, 38(1), 11-18.
  • Frith J, Newton JL. Autonomic dysfunction in chronic liver disease. Liver International 2009, 29(4), 483-489.