Publications by authors named "Jill O'Donnell"

Purpose: Leg muscle microvascular blood flow (perfusion) is impaired in response to maximal exercise in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD); however, during submaximal exercise, microvascular perfusion is maintained due to a greater increase in microvascular blood volume compared with that seen in healthy adults. It is unclear whether this submaximal exercise response reflects a microvascular impairment, or whether it is a compensatory response for the limited conduit artery flow in PAD. Therefore, to clarify the role of conduit artery blood flow, we compared whole-limb blood flow and skeletal muscle microvascular perfusion responses with exercise in patients with PAD (n=9; 60±7 years) prior to, and following, lower-limb endovascular revascularization.

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Mycotic aneurysms are rare and if left untreated, can have devastating outcomes. In this case, a 72-year-old man presented to hospital with fevers, night sweats and abdominal pain. A CT scan revealed the development an infrarenal pseudoaneurysm over the course of 8 weeks, increasing from 2.

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Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a vascular disease involving permanent focal dilation of the abdominal aorta (≥30 mm) that can lead to catastrophic rupture. Destructive remodeling of aortic connective tissue in AAA contributes to wall stiffening, a mechanical parameter of the arterial system linked to a heightened risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Since aortic stiffening is associated with AAA progression, treatment options that target vascular inflammation would appear prudent.

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Macrophages are implicated in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). This study examined the environmentally conditioned responses of AAA macrophages to inflammatory stimuli. Plasma- and blood-derived monocytes were separated from the whole blood of patients with AAA (30-45 mm diameter; = 33) and sex-matched control participants ( = 44).

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Objective/background: Elevated arterial stiffness is a characteristic of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and is associated with AAA growth and cardiovascular mortality. A bout of exercise transiently reduces aortic and systemic arterial stiffness in healthy adults. Whether the same response occurs in patients with AAA is unknown.

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Article Synopsis
  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a major health issue for older adults, and current treatments do not include drugs; inflammation and fatty acid imbalances may play a role in its development.
  • A study compared fatty acid levels in blood samples from 43 AAA patients and 52 healthy individuals, finding that AAA patients had lower levels of linoleic acid and increased production of arachidonic acid from linoleic acid.
  • In a trial involving 30 AAA patients, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation showed promise by reducing inflammation markers and improving fatty acid profiles after 12 weeks of treatment.
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Article Synopsis
  • Cancer patients face a higher risk of venous thromboembolic events, and some chemotherapy drugs have been linked to these complications, although acute arterial ischemia is less commonly reported.
  • In a study over 10 years at a university hospital, 16 out of 419 patients who underwent surgery for acute limb ischemia were found to have cancer, with common cases involving urogenital and lung cancers.
  • The majority of these patients received surgical intervention, but there was a notable rate of limb loss and in-patient mortality, pointing to the importance of early diagnosis and treatment in improving survival chances.
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Aims: We will examine the latest advances in genomic and proteomic laboratory technology. Through an extensive literature review we aim to critically appraise those studies which have utilized these latest technologies and ascertain their potential to identify clinically useful biomarkers.

Methods: An extensive review of the literature was carried out in both online medical journals and through the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland library.

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Background: Synchronous midgut carcinoids with gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma are a rare but recognised association.

Case Presentation: The patient, a 74 year old woman, underwent anterior resection for a low rectal adenocarcinoma. Intra-operatively 3 serosal deposits of tumour were noted in the distal ileum.

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Solid tumours contain regions of hypoxia, which may be a prognostic indicator and determinant of malignant progression, metastatic development and chemoradio-resistance. The degree of intra-tumoural hypoxia has been shown to be positively correlated with the expression of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1. HIF-1 is composed of 2 sub-units, namely HIF-1alpha and HIF-1beta.

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