Irish journal of medical science
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Psychological stressors may cause mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorders and fibromyalgia (FM) patients could be affected by these stressors. ⋯ Anxiety and widespread pain levels were higher in patients with FM and recovering from COVID-19 infection.
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Observational Study
Adherence to secondary prevention recommendations after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
This study was undertaken to assess and evaluate adherence to secondary prevention recommendations and risk factor modifications among a patient cohort at a single-tertiary centre in Ireland, following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). ⋯ In this patient population, adherence to medication and control of risk factors is acceptable. However, there is room for improvement in terms of attendance at cardiac rehab (59%) and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle post-CABG.
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Vitamin B12 (VB12) deficiency is a well-described complication post-gastrectomy. It is caused by the loss of parietal cell mass leading to megaloblastic anaemia. This closed-loop audit assesses patient understanding of and adherence with VB12 supplementation guidelines post-gastrectomy. ⋯ This study demonstrates good adherence in those undergoing TG. Patient understanding correlates with adherence, suggesting that patient education and knowledge reinforcement may be key to adherence with VB12 supplementation. A simple educational intervention can improve adherence with VB12 supplementation in patients undergoing gastrectomy.
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Acute appendicitis (AA) is a common cause of abdominal pain resulting in admission to the emergency room. Imaging methods such as ultrasonography and CT are usually used for diagnosing acute appendicitis. Reports regarding CT scans conducted during night shifts are prepared by private teleradiologists. ⋯ POCUS performed by an emergency medicine specialist showed a higher sensitivity for the diagnosis of AA compared with private teleradiology. Hence, POCUS is more successful in diagnosing AA than private teleradiology. In conclusion, we recommend the concurrent use of AS and POCUS in emergency departments rather than private teleradiology for the diagnosis of AA.
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COVID-19 has greatly impacted medical students' clinical education. This study evaluates the usefulness of a rapidly implemented on-site simulation programme deployed to supplement our disrupted curriculum. ⋯ Our rapidly implemented simulation programme for undergraduate medical students helped mitigate pandemic restrictions, enabling improved competence despite necessarily reduced clinical activity encouraging further development.