Dose-Dependent Association of Inflammatory Cytokines with Carotid Atherosclerosis in Transient Ischaemic Attack: Implications for Clinical Trials.

Introduction: The 5-year recurrence risk after ischaemic stroke and transient ischaemic attack (TIA) is 25-30%. Although inflammation may be a target for prevention trials, the contribution of plaque inflammation to acute cerebrovascular events remains unclear. We investigated the association of acute inflammatory cytokines and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) with recently symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis in a prospective cohort study.

Inflammatory cytokines, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and risk of one-year vascular events, death, and poor functional outcome after stroke and transient ischemic attack.

Background: Inflammation driven by pro-inflammatory cytokines is a new therapeutic target in coronary disease. Few data exist on the association of key upstream cytokines and post-stroke recurrence. In a prospective cohort study, we investigated the association between pivotal cytokines, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and one-year outcomes.

Rapid tranquilization: An audit of Irish mental health nursing practice.

Rapid tranquillization is a pharmacological intervention sometimes employed in mental health care for the management of acute behavioural disturbance. It is a form of restrictive practice, which, along with seclusion and restraint, is a conventional and controversial intervention in the therapeutic management of risk in mental health settings. This study surveyed mental health nurses practice in rapid tranquillization.

A comparison of service organisation and guideline compliance between two adjacent European health services.

Introduction: Outcomes in stroke patients are improved by a co-ordinated organisation of stroke services and provision of evidence-based care. We studied the organisation of care and application of guidelines in two neighbouring health care systems with similar characteristics.

Methods: Organisational elements of the 2015 National Stroke Audit (NSA) from the Republic of Ireland (ROI) were compared with the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) in Northern Ireland (NI) and the United Kingdom (UK).

Thrombolysis for stroke in Ireland: increasing access and maintaining safety in a challenging environment.

Background: In the setting of a national audit of acute stroke services, we examined the delivery of thrombolytic therapy for ischaemic stroke and whether current practice was achieving safe outcomes and consistent delivery for patients.

Method: Data obtained from the recent national stroke audit was compared against previous Irish audit, the most recent SSNAP UK stroke audit and the Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke-Monitoring Study (SITS-MOST) study.

Results: Thrombolysis was provided in 27 acute hospitals throughout Ireland during the period assessed with 82% (22/27) providing 24/7 access, the remaining sites using redirect policies.