The Impact of Cognitive Impairment on Poststroke Outcomes: A 5-Year Follow-Up.

Aim: To explore the impact of cognitive impairment poststroke on outcomes at 5 years.

Methods: Five-year follow-up of the Action on Secondary Prevention Interventions and Rehabilitation in Stroke (ASPIRE-S) prospective cohort. Two hundred twenty-six ischemic stroke survivors completed Montreal Cognitive Assessments at 6 months poststroke.

Identifying hospital-acquired infections using retrospective record review from the Irish National Adverse Events Study (INAES) and European point prevalence survey case definitions.

Background: Point prevalence surveys (PPSs) collect data on hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) at one point in time but do not provide information on incidence over the entire admission or impact on patients or healthcare resources. Retrospective record review examines the entire admission to determine adverse event prevalence, incidence, preventability, physical impairment and additional length of stay.

Aim: To establish whether European HAI surveillance definitions can be applied to the Irish National Adverse Events Study (INAES) retrospective record review data to determine HAI burden.

A systematic review of the clinical effectiveness of emergency endovascular therapy using mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischaemic stroke: implications for service delivery.

Background: Twelve randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing mechanical thrombectomy against traditional treatment options for patients experiencing acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) have been published.

Aims: To evaluate whether this technology is more effective and/or safer than traditional treatment options and to assess the potential for implementation of this technology as a treatment strategy for acute ischaemic stroke in Ireland.

Methods: RCTs published up to February 2017 were included.

Altered expression of caspases-4 and -5 during inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer: Diagnostic and therapeutic potential.

Caspases are a group of proteolytic enzymes involved in the co-ordination of cellular processes, including cellular homeostasis, inflammation and apoptosis. Altered activity of caspases, particularly caspase-1, has been implicated in the development of intestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the involvement of two related inflammatory caspase members, caspases-4 and -5, during intestinal homeostasis and disease has not yet been established.

Safety of drugs used in the treatment of osteoporosis.

A number of drug classes are licensed for the treatment of osteoporosis including bisphosphonates, recombinant human parathyroid hormone (PTH), strontium, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMS) and denosumab. This review discusses the safety of osteoporosis treatments and their efficacies. Recent concerns about the safety of calcium and high-dose vitamin D are discussed.