Irish journal of medical science
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Multicenter Study
Increasing hip fracture volume following repeated lockdowns: an Irish multicentre study of periods pre-Covid, during Covid lockdown and following vaccination.
Older age groups were identified as a high-risk cohort for Covid-19 and thus were a focus of lockdown measures enacted internationally. Resultant decreased social mobility and physical activity levels are associated with sarcopenia, which may lead to increased risk of hip fracture upon resuming social integration and physical activities after easing of lockdown restrictions. ⋯ An increase in hip fracture volume was observed during the period post vaccination with subsequent relaxation of restrictions and increased social mobility, compared to those prior to and during the Covid pandemic. These findings have implications for hospital planning and orthopaedic resourcing as we navigate our way forward past the Covid-19 Pandemic.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
The relationship between infarct volume and high sensitivity troponin I level in patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke.
Various biomarkers and clinical variables are used to determine the probability risk, diagnosis, and the prognosis of acute ischemic stroke, but effective markers are still warranted. ⋯ Hs-troponin I may be an effective biomarker in predicting the prognosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke. Multicenter comprehensive prospective studies are warranted to obtain stronger results.
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Fatty liver disease and fibrosis are common in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recently published European Association for the Study of the Liver guidelines have suggested screening such patients using liver stiffness measurement (LSM) or fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) to exclude advanced fibrosis. ⋯ Screening of patients with T2DM using LSM alone rather than FIB-4 leads to reduced numbers of, and more appropriate, referrals to the hepatology clinic. Shifting from an exclusion (LSM < 8 kPa) to an inclusion based (LSM ≥ 10 kPa) approach may lessen the potential of screening to overwhelm hepatology services.
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We aimed to explore long-term results of oral antiviral agents in treatment-naïve "HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB)" and determine the factors affecting the complete virological response. ⋯ CVR was achieved at similar rates with all four antiviral agents, while younger age (≤ 40) and low baseline viral load were the main factors for virological response. However, drug resistance and virological breakthrough in the LAM group and side effects in the LdT group were detected during the long-term follow-up. Moreover, HBsAg seroclearance was achieved at very low rates with oral antiviral agents.