Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Prehospital Emergency Care for Adults with Stroke and Transient Ischaemic Attack: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: COVID-19 has challenged global health care systems and resulted in prehospital delays for time-sensitive emergencies, like stroke and transient ischemic attacks (TIA). However, there are conflicting international reports on the level of effect of the pandemic on ambulance response intervals and emergency call volumes for these conditions.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to synthesize the international evidence on the effect of COVID-19 on ambulance response intervals and emergency call volume for suspected stroke and TIA.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on prehospital emergency care for adults with stroke and transient ischaemic attack: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted on health service provision worldwide, including care for acute time sensitive conditions. Stroke and transient ischaemic attacks (TIA) are particularly vulnerable to pressures on healthcare delivery as they require immediate diagnosis and treatment. The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on prehospital emergency care for stroke/TIA is still largely unknown.

Self-management support preferences of people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.

Objectives: To synthesise findings from qualitative studies on the preferences of people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for self-management support.

Methods: A thematic synthesis of literature was carried out. Six databases (ASSIA, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Psychology and the Behavioural Sciences and SSCI) were used to search for qualitative studies eliciting perspectives of adults with asthma and/or COPD on self-management support, published between May 2008 and April 2018.

Soliciting and Responding to Patients' Questions about Diabetes Through Online Sources.

When patients cannot get answers from health professionals or retain the information given, increasingly they search online for answers, with limited success. Researchers from the United States, Ireland, and the United Kingdom explored this problem for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In 2014, patients attending an outpatient clinic (UK) were asked to submit questions about diabetes.

Physician's Prescribing Preference as an Instrumental Variable: Exploring Assumptions Using Survey Data.

Background: Physician's prescribing preference is increasingly used as an instrumental variable in studies of therapeutic effects. However, differences in prescribing patterns among physicians may reflect differences in preferences or in case-mix. Furthermore, there is debate regarding the possible assumptions for point estimation using physician's preference as an instrument.

International variation in GP treatment strategies for subclinical hypothyroidism in older adults: a case-based survey.

Background: There is limited evidence about the impact of treatment for subclinical hypothyroidism, especially among older people.

Aim: To investigate the variation in GP treatment strategies for older patients with subclinical hypothyroidism depending on country and patient characteristics.

Design And Setting: Case-based survey of GPs in the Netherlands, Germany, England, Ireland, Switzerland, and New Zealand.

Comparison of diabetes risk score estimates and cardiometabolic risk profiles in a middle-aged Irish population.

Background: To compare diabetes risk assessment tools in estimating risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and to evaluate cardiometabolic risk profiles in a middle-aged Irish population.

Methods: Future risk of developing T2DM was estimated using 7 risk scores, including clinical measures with or without anthropometric, biological and lifestyle data, in the cross-sectional Mitchelstown cohort of 2,047 middle-aged men and women. Cardiometabolic phenotypes including markers of glucose metabolism, inflammatory and lipid profiles were determined.

Defining metabolically healthy obesity: role of dietary and lifestyle factors.

Background: There is a current lack of consensus on defining metabolically healthy obesity (MHO). Limited data on dietary and lifestyle factors and MHO exist. The aim of this study is to compare the prevalence, dietary factors and lifestyle behaviours of metabolically healthy and unhealthy obese and non-obese subjects according to different metabolic health criteria.

DASH diet score and distribution of blood pressure in middle-aged men and women.

Background: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Trial provides critical data on the impact of a specific diet pattern (low in salt, fat, and processed foods and high in fruit and vegetables) on blood pressure (BP). The effect of compliance with a DASH-type diet on BP in a general population sample is less well defined. We studied associations between a DASH style diet and BP.