Irish journal of medical science
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Festival drug-related deaths are a growing public health concern. ⋯ The evidence from this survey indicates that those young people who use drugs at festivals would be prepared to utilise drug checking services and amnesty bins should help inform the public health response to this important area.
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Accumulating evidence suggests that oxidative stress is closely related to the pathogenesis and severity of COVID-19 infection. Here, we attempted to compare thiol, total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) levels between COVID-19 patients who need and do not need intensive care unit (ICU) support, and determine whether these markers could be used as predictors of ICU admission. ⋯ Our results revealed that the increase in oxidative stress and decrease in antioxidant levels in COVID-19-infected patients were associated with worsening of disease. Thiol, TAS, TOS, and OSI parameters can be used to distinguish between ICU patients and those who do not, among which thiol was the best predictor of ICU requirement.
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General practitioners are the gatekeepers of Irish healthcare and they offer continuity of care to patients. Irish general practice is therefore considered appropriate for preventing, diagnosing and managing most mental health problems. ⋯ Coding of SMDs in Irish general practice appears incomplete. Patients with SMDs have high consultation rates. Patients with depressive disorder are more likely to be female and public patients. This research suggests that the improvement of coding in Irish general practice is the first practical step required to detecting prevalence rates.
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Mycoplasma genitalium is an emerging cause of sexually transmitted infections (STI) with a capacity to rapidly develop antibiotic resistance. The aim of this work was to carry out an evaluation and descriptive analysis of routine molecular testing of M. genitalium in symptomatic women at the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin January 2018-December 2019. 1972 specimens were tested from1291 individual symptomatic female patients > 18 years old. The median age was 29 (range 18-71). ⋯ This initial pilot study prompts the following recommendations which require further study and consideration: 1. promotion of M. genitalium status to notifiable disease; 2 widespread screening of female population not warranted; 3. M. genitalium testing for women symptomatic for STIs; 4. antibiotic resistance testing of all positive cases. 5. Further research into other potential risk groups.
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The World Health Organisation declared a global pandemic on the 11 March 2020 resulting in implementation of methods to contain viral spread, including curtailment of all elective and non-emergent interventions. Many institutions have experienced changes in rostering practices and redeployment of trainees to non-surgical services. Examinations, study days, courses, and conferences have been cancelled. These changes have the potential to significantly impact the education and training of surgical trainees. ⋯ Surgical training and education have been significantly impacted in light of COVID-19. This is likely to continue to fluctuate in line with subsequent waves. Significant efforts have to be made to enable trainees to meet educational and operative targets.