Irish journal of medical science
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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.
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Observational Study
A cross-section observational study on the seroprevalence of antibodies to COVID-19 in patients receiving opiate agonist treatment.
The HSE National Drug Treatment Centre is an inner city drug treatment centre in Dublin which provides opiate agonist treatment (OAT) to approximately 565 patients, many of whom have complex care needs. ⋯ These findings indicate (a) possible low level of exposure to COVID-19 among this patient cohort or (b) that those patients who have been exposed have not developed or maintained detectable antibody levels, nor developed symptoms of the disease. Public health measures could explain the low level of COVID-19 in this cohort. The findings are also consistent with the possibility of a protective effect of OAT medications on development of the disease.
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As genomic profiling of constitutional and tumour-derived DNA becomes increasingly critical in cancer risk estimation, prognostication and treatment, there is a growing need for clinicians involved in cancer care to up-skill in Cancer Genetics. In the Republic of Ireland (ROI), this is particularly crucial, given a paucity of vocationally trained Clinical Geneticists per capita compared to other European countries. ⋯ This study demonstrates an unmet need in dedicated Cancer Genetics training for postgraduate specialty trainees in ROI.
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It is necessary to identify critical patients requiring hospitalization early due to the rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. ⋯ MEWS and TREWS calculated at emergency services are effective in predicting 28-day mortality in patients requiring hospitalization due to COVID-19.