Irish journal of medical science
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Potential drug-drug interactions (pDDIs) are especially frequent in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who, if hospitalized, experience, on average 6.5 pDDIs on admission, and 7.2 on discharge. The aim of our study was to identify and analyze risk and/or protective factors for occurrence of pDDIs in hospitalized patients with COPD. ⋯ The COPD patients who were prescribed more drugs (especially antiarrhythmic and anticoagulants), by several independent prescribers, and having more comorbidities, were more prone to experience a pDDI; the only protective factor against pDDIs was age of the patients. In conclusion, COPD patients with the abovementioned risk factors should have their therapy more intensely monitored for pDDIs.
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This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and predictive factors of restenosis in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with sirolimus-eluting stent (SES). ⋯ Our findings provide a new insight into the prediction for restenosis in CHD patients underwent PCI with SES.
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Modification of antibiotic prophylaxis prior to transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUSPB) based on pre-procedure rectal culture results is effective for prevention of infection from fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) Escherichia coli strains. This has several implications for service delivery and cost. Our aim was to audit sepsis rates after introduction of ESBL screening and to identify risk factors for FQ resistance in ESBL strains and factors for sepsis risk. ⋯ In the face of rising TRUSPB sepsis and higher sepsis rates with ESBL carriers despite additional prophylaxis, introduction of a targeted antibiotic prophylaxis prior to TRUSPB sepsis prostate biopsies based on rectal swabs or urine cultures may reduce sepsis rates or clinicians may find themselves leaning towards increasingly performing transperineal biopsies with lower sepsis rates supporting the 'trexit' initiative.
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Axillary hyperhidrosis is a common complaint affecting 5% of the general population. It can significantly impact quality of life (QOL) and may be extremely debilitating. Administration of intra-dermal botulinum toxin type-A (Botox) has been proven to be effective in managing axillary hyperhidrosis; however, to date, no long-term data has assessed its efficacy. ⋯ These data suggest that the established early QOL benefits associated with intra-dermal botox administration for AH are sustained in the long term. This benefit was seen across all subsets of the DLQI tool.
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Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been shown to reduce mortality and morbidity in symptomatic patients with reduced left ventricular systolic function < 35%, a left bundle branch block (LBBB) and a widened QRS complex. This paper compares Irish national CRT practices with the European data that was gathered in the same multi-centre CRT Survey II. ⋯ Within Ireland, the majority of CRT implantation are adherent with ESC guidelines. It has also highlighted problems that are noted in other ESC member countries such as the underutilization of device therapy in women, lack of referrals from peripheral centres and further need for optimization of medical therapy before device implantation.