Postgraduate medical journal
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A systematic review is conducted to identify effective interventions that improved adherence to antihypertensive drugs among patients with coronary heart diseases (CHDs). Primary studies designed to measure interventions to improve adherence on antihypertensive drugs in patients with CHD were included. Three online databases, COCHRANE, EMBASE and MEDLINE, were searched for primary studies published in English from 2005 to 2019. ⋯ The importance of the continuity of interventions was also established. It is recommended that health service institutions should provide continuous education programmes, daily reminders and regular follow-ups for their patients who have CHD. It is recommended that further research ought to be carried out by using only one intervention in each trial with a standardised outcome measure, or using factorial designs, so that further cost-effectiveness evaluation of each intervention can be carried out independently, leading to the formulation of a comprehensive, optimised intervention programme for patients with CHD taking antihypertensives.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Surgical factors associated with new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation after lung resection: the EPAFT multicentre study.
Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a recognised complication in approximately 10% of major lung resections. In order to best target preoperative treatment, this study aimed at determining the association of incidence of POAF in patients undergoing lung resection to surgical and anatomical factors, such as surgical approach, extent of resection and laterality. ⋯ Among patients undergoing lung resection, POAF was significantly associated with age, increasing invasiveness of approach and increasing extent of resection. In addition, POAF carried a significant long-term mortality rate and burden of cerebrovascular accident. Appropriate prophylaxis should be targeted at these groups.
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For years, the dog, man's best friend, was the most widely employed scent-detector tool for civilian and military purposes. Recently, many studies highlighted the role of canine olfactory ability in the medical field, specifically in detecting different infectious, metabolic and neoplastic conditions. The objective of this literature review is to clarify the rationale behind dog's ability to detect diseases, to assess the possible application for COVID-19 detection and to discuss the evidence available on the matter. ⋯ And since COVID-19 positive persons have a specific volatilome different from non-infected persons, they can be recognised by the dogs, by sniffing different body fluids consequently aiding in the diagnosis of COVID-19. Possible applications of dogs as COVID-19 detectors will be an easy real-time mobile diagnostic aid with low cost and good performance. More evidence is needed to be able to describe standardised measures concerning the best fluid to test, testing procedure, time of possible detection according to disease evolution, risks associated with the dog exposure and to translate the good results in study setting into the real-life operational one.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparison of an e-learning package with lecture-based teaching in the management of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT): a randomised controlled study.
To compare the impact of an e-learning package with theoretical teaching on the ability of both graduate and undergraduate medical students to learn the management of supraventricular tachycardia. ⋯ E-learning seems to be the preferred method of learning and the method that confers longer retention time for both postgraduate and undergraduate medical students.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the use of enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE) in healthcare workers in patient-facing roles. We describe the impact on the physical and mental well-being of healthcare professionals who use enhanced PPE consistently. ⋯ Our study demonstrates the undeniable negative impact on the front-line healthcare workers using enhanced PPE and lays the ground for larger multicentric assessments given for it to potentially be the norm for the foreseeable future.