Irish journal of medical science
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Presentation to the emergency department (ED) with self-harm provides an important opportunity for intervention. ⋯ The findings underline the importance of assessing all individuals who present with self-harm and highlight the need for comprehensively resourced 24hr services providing mental health care in the ED.
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Comparative Study Observational Study
A comparison of two weaning strategies for non-invasive ventilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with acute respiratory failure.
Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) is a crucial therapy for managing acute exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) with hypercapnic respiratory failure. Research has shown that NIV can decrease the rate of endotracheal intubation, length of hospital and Intensive Care Unit stays, and mortality. There are three main strategies for weaning patients off NIV: gradual reduction of NIV duration, gradual reduction of NIV pressure support, and immediate cessation of NIV. ⋯ On comparison of two methods of NIV withdrawal, it was found that neither method is superior to the other in terms of weaning failure, intubation rates, and average length of hospital stay.
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In Irish orthopaedic centres without dedicated spinal services, the care of patients is facilitated through tertiary referral centres in Dublin, Cork & Galway. The outpatient waiting list for elective spinal opinion remains lengthy and challenging. Previous practice in University Hospital Waterford (UHW) necessitated an assessment with a local non-spinal orthopaedic specialist following a GP referral, incurring up to a 2-year wait prior to subspecialist spinal referral. These patients subsequently incurred a further wait for an appointment at the tertiary referral centre. A novel virtual spine clinic in collaboration with the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH) was developed to fast-track this process. ⋯ This novel pathway is efficient for orthopaedic units without a dedicated spinal service. This can easily be replicated across other orthopaedic centres with minimal cost implications.
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Diabetes mellitus is a major health problem with a variety of implications: cellular, metabolic, and hematological. Hematological alterations observed in type 2 diabetes are related to hyperglycemia and have a vital role in vascular-associated diabetes complications which could be used as a marker for these complications. The aim of this study is to assess the association between hematological indices and blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes attending outpatient clinics in Mosul. ⋯ This study revealed statistically significant differences in various hematological parameters between patients with type 2 diabetes and healthy controls. Regular testing of hematological indices helps in early detection and proper management of diabetic complications.
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A few clinical studies have been conducted on the prognostic value of the Essen score in acute cerebral infarction (ACI), and this study explores whether the Essen score can assess the prognosis of ACI. ⋯ The Essen score is a valuable scoring system for predicting the prognosis of patients with ACI.