Postgraduate medical journal
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One of the many challenges facing doctors in training during the COVID-19 pandemic was a significant reduction in postgraduate medical education in the form of formal teaching. Consequently, we sought to provide a blended and asynchronous teaching programme that would be delivered to anaesthetic trainees preparing for their postgraduate examinations. Six sessions of 90-minute duration were delivered during the months July, August and September 2020. ⋯ Evaluation was via qualitative and quantitative means using preset questions using the Likert scale and a free-text comments box. The results demonstrated positive feedback across all sessions with particular relevance to the interactive element of the course, the content and delivery. This article describes the requirement for a method of continuing postgraduate medical education in an era where traditional face-to-face teaching is not possible and how the introduction of various innovative educational applications and resources can be used to further postgraduate medical education in the future.
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New requirements for hospital clinicians to follow up and act on hospital-initiated investigations were introduced in 2016 in the National Health Service standard contract. We aimed to evaluate the tasks handed over from hospital clinicians to general practitioners (GPs). ⋯ The majority of outstanding tasks in the hospital setting were followed up by hospital clinicians. A considerable volume of tasks were delegated to GPs, of which a significant proportion were inappropriate. An increase in awareness and understanding among hospital clinicians of their responsibility to follow up hospital-initiated investigations is needed.
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The role of vitamin D in increased mortality with SARS-COV-2 virus, namely, COVID-19, remains uncertain. We analysed all the patients who were treated as COVID-19-positive with or without a positive swab and were tested for vitamin D levels. ⋯ Our findings suggest similar mortality risk from COVID-19 irrespective of the levels of vitamin D. Larger prospective studies will be needed to confirm these findings.
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Combined lifestyle factors are associated with the risk of ischaemic stroke in a Chinese population.
Lifestyle plays an important role in the development of ischaemic stroke (IS). The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between combined lifestyle factors and the risk of IS in an eastern Chinese population. ⋯ Our results showed that combined lifestyle factors including dietary pattern and life satisfaction are independently associated with the risk of IS.
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Hypertension is one of the most common comorbidities in COVID-19 pneumonia. However, whether it is an independent factor on the severity and mortality of COVID-19 has not been studied. ⋯ Hypertension was an independent risk factor for the severity and mortality of patients with COVID-19. ARBs/ACE inhibitors should not be discontinued in hypertensive patients with COVID-19.