Irish journal of medical science
-
Despite high vaccination rates, increasing case numbers continue to be reported with the identification of new variants of concern, and the issue of durability of the vaccine-induced immune response remains hot topic. Real-life data regarding time-dependent immunogenicity of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines are scarce. We aimed to investigate the changes in the antibody at the different times after the second dose of the CoronaVac vaccine. ⋯ While antibody positivity remained above 90% in the 6th month after two doses of inactivated vaccine in HCWs, the median titers of neutralizing antibodies decreased rapidly. The decrease was more rapid and significant in those with no history of prior COVID-19 infection. In this critical phase of the pandemic, where we are facing the dominance of the Omicron variant after Delta, booster doses have become vital.
-
This study aims to prospectively examine patients with ischemic wake-up stroke (WUS) presenting to the emergency department, to investigate the risk factors affecting the mortality occurring within 28, 90, and 180 days, and to create a new scoring system for the prediction of 28-day mortality. ⋯ We propose that IWUSMOS, a new scoring system, can be used to predict the 28-day mortality risk of patients with WUS.
-
Meningitis is one of the most dangerous infection affecting children. The need for rapid and accurate diagnosis is mandatory for improving the outcome. ⋯ Multiplex PCR may help in diagnosis and differentiation of bacterial and viral meningitis with accurate and rapid results.
-
Childhood obesity is a growing concern in Ireland. Childhood obesity can increase the risk of developing many non-communicable diseases and have lasting psychological and social consequences. ⋯ These findings provide regionally specific data and highlight the need for focussed public health efforts to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children aged 3 years in this area. Interventions from pregnancy through childhood are warranted, with an initial emphasis on breast feeding initiation and maintenance.
-
Diabetic foot neuropathy is one of the complications of diabetes that affects around 50% of diabetic people. Because peripheral neuropathy involves nerve loss around the foot areas, patients with diabetic neuropathy frequently lose sensation in their feet while walking or standing. Furthermore, since sensory nerves are damaged, the area that holds the majority of the foot pressure and temperature is at high risk of injury. If not diagnosed and treated properly, it can cause foot injury and eventually lead to edema, gangrene, ulcers, amputation, and even death. There are now several techniques of detecting diabetic neuropathy, but they are limited in their availability, cost-effectiveness, and complexity. ⋯ The early detection and treatment device developed in this study could be used at home by diabetic patients as well as in hospitals to test for and treat diabetic foot neuropathy at an early stage. The device incorporates two different methods of diabetic foot neuropathy detection with high measurement accuracy which makes it suitable for use in resource-limited areas at low cost. The incorporation of red light therapy together with the two methods of diabetic neuropathy detection gives another unique feature for our device.