Topical interventions for the management of pain in chronic wounds: A protocol for a systematic review.

Venous, arterial, diabetic and pressure ulcers, collectively known as chronic wounds, negatively impact individuals across psychological, social and financial domains. Chronic wounds can be painful and the nature, frequency and impact of pain can differ depending on wound aetiology, wound state and on numerous patient factors. While systemic pharmaceutical agents have some effect in managing pain, there is a need to examine topical agents applied to the wound bed for pain relief.

Development of a core outcome set for venous leg ulceration (CoreVen) research evaluations (protocol).

Background: A venous leg ulcer is a chronic leg wound caused by poor venous blood circulation in the lower limbs. It is a recurring condition causing pain, malodour, reduced mobility, and depression. Randomised controlled trials evaluating treatments for venous leg ulcers provide important evidence to inform clinical decision-making.

Public & patient involvement to guide research in wound care in an Irish context. A round table report.

Background: To date, research into interventions to promote wound healing has been led by scientists, clinicians, industry and academics, each with their own particular area of interest. However, the real experts in this area are the people who live with wounds and their families and heretofore their voice has not influenced or shaped the research agenda.

Aim: This event aimed to seek patient and carer involvement as experts due to their lived experience in wounds through a partnership approach to identify research priorities and address a lack of patient and carer involvement in wound care research.

Iodine status of teenage girls on the island of Ireland.

Purpose: The trace element iodine is a vital constituent of thyroid hormones. Iodine requirements increase during pregnancy, when even mild deficiency may affect the neurocognitive development of the offspring. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) is the means of assessing iodine status in population surveys; a median UIC of 100-199 µg/L is deemed sufficient in a non-pregnant population.

Pharmacological management of diabetes in severe mental illness: a comprehensive clinical review of efficacy, safety and tolerability.

The increased prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in severe mental illness (SMI) contributes to increased cardiovascular morbidity and reduced life expectancy for people with SMI. Areas covered: In the present clinical review, we summarize the efficacy, safety and tolerability of selected diabetic pharmacotherapy options in SMI and discuss the quality and strength of evidence. Expert commentary: General principles for treating T2DM in SMI involve identifying treatments which promote weight loss and which have low or no risk of hypoglycemia.

Mesenchymal stem cell-based treatment for microvascular and secondary complications of diabetes mellitus.

The worldwide increase in the prevalence of Diabetes mellitus (DM) has highlighted the need for increased research efforts into treatment options for both the disease itself and its associated complications. In recent years, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been highlighted as a new emerging regenerative therapy due to their multipotency but also due to their paracrine secretion of angiogenic factors, cytokines, and immunomodulatory substances. This review focuses on the potential use of MSCs as a regenerative medicine in microvascular and secondary complications of DM and will discuss the challenges and future prospects of MSCs as a regenerative therapy in this field.

Autologous circulating angiogenic cells treated with osteopontin and delivered via a collagen scaffold enhance wound healing in the alloxan-induced diabetic rabbit ear ulcer model.

Introduction: Diabetic foot ulceration is the leading cause of amputation in people with diabetes mellitus. Peripheral vascular disease is present in the majority of patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Despite standard treatments there exists a high amputation rate.

Topical administration of allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells seeded in a collagen scaffold augments wound healing and increases angiogenesis in the diabetic rabbit ulcer.

There is a critical clinical need to develop therapies for nonhealing diabetic foot ulcers. Topically applied mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) provide a novel treatment to augment diabetic wound healing. A central pathological factor in nonhealing diabetic ulcers is an impaired blood supply.

Review paper: basic concepts to novel therapies: a review of the diabetic foot.

Diabetes mellitus is a global epidemic. Peripheral neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease are complications of diabetes mellitus and the primary causative factors for foot ulceration. Foot ulceration is the leading cause of hospitalization in people with diabetes mellitus.

When a nephrectomy cures hypoglycaemia.

A 40-year-old woman presented with a 10 day history of episodic vagueness, speech disturbance and blurred vision. Episodes typically occurred in the morning after awaking from sleep and resolved with food ingestion. She had no past medical history, did not drink alcohol and was not on any medication.

Effects of thrombin, PAR-1 activating peptide and a PAR-1 antagonist on umbilical artery resistance in vitro.

Background: The non-thrombotic effects of thrombin in cardiovascular tissues, as mediated via the protease activated receptors (PARs), and particularly PAR-1, have been the focus of much recent research. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of thrombin, a specific PAR-1 activating peptide (PAR1-AP), and a PAR-1 antagonist on human umbilical artery tone in vitro.

Methods: Human umbilical artery samples were obtained from 17 women at term.

Thrombin and PAR1-activating peptide: effects on human uterine contractility in vitro.

Objective: Thrombin enhances uterine contractions in animal models, which is an effect that is mediated through protease-activated receptors. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of thrombin on spontaneous human uterine contractility in vitro, in tissue obtained in the presence and absence of pregnancy, and to investigate the effects of a specific protease-activated receptor 1-activating peptide on human pregnant myometrial contractility.

Study Design: Isometric recordings were performed under physiologic conditions on myometrial strips that were obtained from elective cesarean delivery and premenopausal hysterectomy specimens.