Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Implementation and Adoption of a Virtual Fracture Clinic Pathway: A Closed Loop Audit.

Introduction: Trauma and orthopedics departments have traditionally used face-to-face (FTF) fracture clinics for non-operative fractures. Developed in 2011, the virtual fracture clinic (VFC) was fully implemented at an institution during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce in-person interactions.

Aims: First, the study aims to measure the percentage of non-operative patients triaged through the VFC when this was optional and re-audit after implementing a COVID-19-related policy change mandating VFC triage.

The Clinical Utility of Pulmonary Function Tests in the Diagnosis and Characterization of Central Airway Obstruction: A Narrative Review.

Central airway obstruction is of major clinical importance since it is a major cause of morbidity and mortality and is usually clinically diagnosed late. Pulmonary function tests, with the recent incorporation of oscillometry, can have a crucial role in earlier diagnosis. In this review, we summarize all recent advances in that view, including the crucial role of oscillometry.

Vision difficulty and dementia: economic hardships among older adults and their caregivers.

Introduction: Limited research has examined the economic impact of vision difficulty (VD) and dementia on older adults and their caregivers. We aimed to determine whether older adults with VD and/or dementia, and their caregivers, face more economic hardships than their counterparts without VD or dementia.

Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), a population-based survey of Medicare beneficiaries, linked to their family/unpaid caregivers from the National Study of Caregiving (NSOC).

Ethnic disparities and COVID-19 pneumonia in Ireland: a single-centre descriptive study of hospitalised patients in a tertiary university teaching hospital.

In this study, we aim to describe the demographic, clinical and imaging characteristics, treatment course and subsequent outcomes of the first 116 cases presenting to a tertiary Dublin hospital with COVID-19 infection and to compare whether ethnic minority background was a risk factor for poorer disease outcomes in this cohort. Of 116 cases analysed, 100 (86%) patients presented from the community, 6 (5%) from care homes and 10 (9%) were existing inpatients. Fifty-four (46%) patients identified as being from an ethnic minority group.

Extracranial internal carotid aneurysm treated with a covered stent in an infant.

Background: Extracranial internal carotid aneurysms consist a rare pathology with an overall incidence less than 1% in the general population, and warrant treatment due to their association with cerebrovascular events and neurological complications. The incidence is even lower in the pediatric population.

Case Report: A 14-month infant presented in our clinic with neck swelling of unknown origin, with subsequent MR imaging revealing an extracranial internal carotid aneurysm.

Conventional anatomical landmark versus preprocedural ultrasound for thoracic epidural analgesia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Thoracic epidural analgesia is the gold standard for major thoracic and abdominal surgeries.

Aim: Ultrasound-guided and landmark-based thoracic epidural insertion are compared in this systematic review.

Methods: Randomised controlled trials were sought in six databases for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Risk factors for relapse in non-infectious cryoglobulinemic vasculitis, including type I cryoglobulinemia: a systematic review.

Background: Data on non-infectious cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (NICV) is scarce, especially concerning the management of relapses, which are troublesome. We aimed to investigate risk factors for relapse in NICV.

Methods: A systematic literature search of CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, Scopus, and the Web of Science databases was implemented until April 2023.

Higher Ustekinumab Levels in Maintenance Therapy are Associated with Greater Mucosal Healing and Mucosal Response in Crohn's Disease: An Experience of 2 IBD Centers.

Background: Ustekinumab (UST), a human monoclonal antibody that binds the p40 subunit of interleukin 12 (IL-12) and IL-23, is licensed for induction and maintenance therapy of moderate to severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To date, there is limited data published on any potential association between ustekinumab serum trough levels and mucosal healing in order to guide treatment strategies and appropriate dosing.

Aim: This study aims to identify a relationship between maintenance ustekinumab serum trough levels and mucosal healing and/or response in patients with Crohn's disease in an observational cohort study.

Boswellic acids as promising agents for the management of brain diseases.

Boswellic acid (BA)s are pentacyclic triterpenic acids present in gum resin of Boswellia species (such as B. serrata and B. carterii).

Fontaine progeroid syndrome-A case report.

Fontaine progeroid syndrome (FPS) is an autosomal dominant condition caused by pathogenic variants in the SLC25A24 gene. Eleven cases have been described in the literature, with early lethality in some. We discuss the clinical course of a patient from birth until his death at 7 months.

Seizure management in a Model Three hospital: what does specialist neurology add?

Background: The commonest reason for admissions to hospital in Ireland annually for patients with a neurological condition is due to convulsions/epilepsy and their care is often managed by Internal Medicine physicians.

Aims: The study aims to evaluate the care provided for patients admitted with seizures in a Model Three hospital before and after the commencement of a specialist onsite neurology service.

Methods: Retrospective chart review of patients admitted from Emergency Department (ED) with the term "seizure" during a 4-month period in 2018 and 2019 was undertaken.

A clinical audit and cost analysis of latent TB management at a tertiary referral centre in Ireland.

Introduction: It is estimated that 24.8% of the world's population has latent TB. The World Health Organization's (WHO) End TB Strategy states that the systematic identification and management of LTBI in groups of people at high risk of reactivation is an essential part of TB elimination in low-incidence countries.

Similar overall survival with reduced vs. standard dose bevacizumab monotherapy in progressive glioblastoma.

Introduction: Bevacizumab has demonstrated activity in glioblastoma (GBM), but the true benefits and optimal dose-schedule are debated. A lower dose-schedule than standard-dose bevacizumab (10 mg/kg 2-weekly) might offer similar benefits with lower costs. At our Institution, patients are randomly assigned at time of primary diagnosis to Neuro-Oncologists, who have varying practices in terms of bevacizumab dose-schedule upon progression.

Male sexual dysfunction in obesity: The role of sex hormones and small fibre neuropathy.

Context: Multiple factors contribute to sexual dysfunction in men with obesity. Sex hormone levels are commonly abnormal in men with obesity and this abnormality is often the focus of management in clinical practice. The role of small fibre neuropathy in obesity-related sexual dysfunction is not well established.

The Prevalence of Respiratory Symptoms in Irish Dairy Farmers.

Work-related respiratory disease is a significant risk in the farming community. We assessed respiratory symptoms using a validated work-related respiratory questionnaire in 126 dairy farmers (19-75 years; 91.3% male).