The Biopsychosocial Impact of COVID-19 on Older Adults.

COVID-19 has spread rapidly around the world and taken over 2.6 million lives. Older adults experience disproportionate morbidity and mortality from the disease because increasing age and the presence of comorbidities are important predictors of negative outcomes.

Use of electronic medical records to describe the prevalence of allergic diseases in Canada.

Background: Leveraging the data management resources of the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network (CPCSSN) is a viable approach for describing the prevalence of allergic disease documented in primary care settings.

Methods: The dataset used for this study was inclusive of data from EMR initiation up to Dec 31st 2018. The sample included 1235 primary care providers representing 1,556,472 patients across Canada.

The accuracy of dry surgical field sublabial biopsy in the diagnosis of sicca syndrome.

Background: Sublabial gland biopsy is the 'gold standard' in establishing the diagnosis of primary Sjögren's syndrome. Bleeding and nerve damage are complications. Our centre has adopted the use of the chalazion clamp to provide a dry surgical field to address these challenges.

Haematological issues in neonates with neonatal encephalopathy treated with hypothermia.

Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is associated with abnormality of neurological function and involves multiorgan dysfunction. There are long-term complications such as cerebral palsy and developmental delay. Cardiac, renal, neurological and other organ dysfunctions are well described.

Associations between plasma nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors concentrations and cognitive function in people with HIV.

Objectives: To investigate the associations of plasma lamivudine (3TC), abacavir (ABC), emtricitabine (FTC) and tenofovir (TFV) concentrations with cognitive function in a cohort of treated people with HIV (PWH).

Methods: Pharmacokinetics (PK) and cognitive function (Cogstate, six domains) data were obtained from PWH recruited in the POPPY study on either 3TC/ABC or FTC/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-containing regimens. Association between PK parameters (AUC0-24: area under the concentration-time curve over 24 hours, Cmax: maximum concentration and Ctrough: trough concentration) and cognitive scores (standardized into z-scores) were evaluated using rank regression adjusting for potential confounders.

Global reporting of pulmonary embolism-related deaths in the World Health Organization mortality database: Vital registration data from 123 countries.

Introduction: Pulmonary embolism (PE) has not been accounted for as a cause of death contributing to cause-specific mortality in global reports.

Methods: We analyzed global PE-related mortality by focusing on the latest year available for each member state in the World Health Organization (WHO) mortality database, which provides age-sex-specific aggregated mortality data transmitted by national authorities for each underlying cause of death. PE-related deaths were defined by International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes for acute PE or nonfatal manifestations of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Sarcoidosis-Related Cardiomyopathy: Current Knowledge, Challenges, and Future Perspectives State-of-the-Art Review.

The prevalence of sarcoidosis-related cardiomyopathy is increasing. Sarcoidosis impacts cardiac function through granulomatous infiltration of the heart, resulting in conduction disease, arrhythmia, and/or heart failure. The diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) can be challenging and requires clinician awareness as well as differentiation from overlapping diagnostic phenotypes, such as other forms of myocarditis and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.

Modeling Cervical Cancer Screening Strategies With Varying Levels of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination.

Importance: Cervical cancer screening is a lifesaving intervention, with an array of approaches, including liquid-based cytology (LBC), molecular testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and combinations via parallel cotesting or sequential triage. Maximizing screening efficacy while minimizing overtreatment is vital, especially when considering how the HPV vaccine will affect the interpretation of results.

Objectives: To estimate the likely outcomes of different screening modalities and to model how the increasing uptake of the HPV vaccine could affect the interpretation of screening results.

Inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-17 enhance the efficacy of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulators.

Without cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator-mediated (CFTR-mediated) HCO3- secretion, airway epithelia of newborns with cystic fibrosis (CF) produce an abnormally acidic airway surface liquid (ASL), and the decreased pH impairs respiratory host defenses. However, within a few months of birth, ASL pH increases to match that in non-CF airways. Although the physiological basis for the increase is unknown, this time course matches the development of inflammation in CF airways.

Late Toxicity and Long-Term Local Control in Patients With Ultra-Central Lung Tumours Treated by Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy-Based Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy With Homogenous Dose Prescription.

Aims: To report late toxicity and long-term outcomes of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)-based stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) in patients with ultra-central lung tumours.

Materials And Methods: This is a single-institution retrospective analysis of patients treated with SABR for ultra-central tumours between May 2008 and April 2016. Ultra-central location was defined as tumour (GTV) abutting or involving trachea, main or lobar bronchi.

Awareness, knowledge and practice of healthcare professionals following implementation of a Pregnancy Prevention Program for sodium valproate in Ireland: a multi-stakeholder cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To establish awareness, knowledge, use and experience in practice of a sodium valproate pregnancy prevention program (PPP) in Ireland ("prevent") among three healthcare professional (HCP) groups.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using anonymous online surveys was conducted among general practitioners (GPs), pharmacists, and specialist consultants. Descriptive analyses are presented.

Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 in people with cystic fibrosis in Europe between February and June 2020.

Background: Viral infections can cause significant morbidity in cystic fibrosis (CF). The current Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic could therefore have a serious impact on the health of people with CF (pwCF).

Methods: We used the 38-country European Cystic Fibrosis Society Patient Registry (ECFSPR) to collect case data about pwCF and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Barriers to and facilitators of HIV serostatus disclosure to sexual partners among postpartum women living with HIV in South Africa.

Background: Disclosure of HIV serostatus to a sexual partner can facilitate partner's support and testing and better treatment outcomes. Studies examining changes in disclosure rates of serostatus from delivery and postpartum periods are scarce. Our study fills this gap by using a follow-up survey of postpartum women with HIV to examine if disclosure prevalence has improved compared to the proportion recorded at childbirth.

Hypokalaemic paralysis as the initial clinical presentation of Sjogren's syndrome induced distal renal tubular acidosis.

A 41-year-old woman presented by ambulance with a 1-day history of new-onset paralysis and nausea and vomiting ongoing for 48 hours. She had no history of any similar episodes. Biochemical analysis showed profound hypokalaemia with a non-anion gap metabolic acidosis.

Body Mass and Body Composition Changes over 7 Years in a Male Professional Rugby Union Team.

The purpose of this study was to investigate longitudinal body mass and body composition changes in one professional rugby union team (n=123), (i) according to position [forwards (n=58) versus backs (n=65)], analysis of players with 6 consecutive seasons of DXA scans (n=21) and, (iii) to examine differences by playing status [academy and international], over 7 years. Players [mean age: 26.8 y, body mass index: 28.

Therapeutic Potential of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) has established anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but there is increasing evidence of its role in other inflammatory and immune-mediated conditions, like diabetes mellitus (DM). AAT activity is altered in both developing and established type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) as well in established type 2 DM (T2DM). Augmentation therapy with AAT appears to favorably impact T1DM development in mice models and to affect β-cell function and inflammation in humans with T1DM.

A snapshot in time: a 1-month review of all referrals to paediatric liaison psychiatry services in Dublin following emergency department presentation.

Introduction: An emerging picture has seen increasing numbers of young people with mental health crisis attend paediatric emergency departments in Ireland. Following paediatric review, many are referred to in-house paediatric liaison psychiatry (PLP) services. This pilot study describes referral patterns and practice over a 1-month period across three Dublin centres.

Cell-specific epigenetic drivers of pathogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex, inflammatory autoimmune disease, which is characterized by pain, swelling and joint damage driven by the altered behavior of a number of different cell types such as synovial fibroblasts macrophages and lymphocytes. The mechanism underlying pathogenesis is unclear but increasing evidence points to altered epigenetic regulation within these cell types which promotes the activated destructive behavior that underlies disease pathogenesis. This review summarizes the key epigenetic modifications in the most important cells types in rheumatoid arthritis, which are associated with disease activity.

Independent and combined effects of biotin and hemolysis on high-sensitivity cardiac troponin assays.

Objectives: This study compared the independent and combined effects of hemolysis and biotin on cardiac troponin measurements across nine high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) assays.

Methods: Parallel cTn measurements were made in pooled lithium heparin plasma spiked with hemolysate and/or biotin using nine hs-cTn assays: Abbott Alinity, Abbott ARCHITECT i2000, Beckman Access 2, Ortho VITROS XT 7600, Siemens Atellica, Siemens Centaur, Siemens Dimension EXL cTnI, and two Roche Cobas e 411 Elecsys Troponin T-hs cTnT assays (outside US versions, with and without increased biotin tolerance). Absolute and percent cTn recovery relative to two baseline concentrations were determined in spiked samples and compared to manufacturer's claims.