Irish journal of medical science
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Bilateral total hip arthroplasty may be performed simultaneously (SIMTHA) or in two staged operations. ⋯ Half of the Irish arthroplasty surgeons report SIMTHA is a regular aspect of their practice. Performing SIMTHA is associated with greater arthroplasty volume, more recent consultant appointments, and a perception that the operation is underutilised.
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One of the most important aspects of healthcare knowledge is having a thorough understanding of the triage system which is used in emergency departments. This study aims to assess the level of awareness of Jordanian patients who visit the ED about the triage procedure. ⋯ More investigation is required to determine the causes of the low knowledge of the triage system. The study suggests increasing staffing levels, giving nursing staff ongoing education and training, and integrating technology and automation to reduce the load of patient care.
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Aging is accompanied by changes in body composition, such as an increase in fat mass (FM), a decrease in skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI) and muscle strength, combined with a chronic inflammatory process (CI). ⋯ Our findings suggest that excess fat mass is a risk factor that has a significantly greater influence than aging per se on the index of skeletal muscle mass and strength.
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Preeclampsia (PE) poses a substantial risk to prenatal and maternal health. Folic acid (FA) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) play roles in DNA methylation and genomic integrity maintenance, with MTHFR polymorphisms potentially impacting PE occurrence. Human microRNA 149 (miR-149) remains underexplored in PE despite its involvement in folate metabolism. This study seeks to evaluate serum miR-149 levels with the MTHFR C677T polymorphism for diagnosing PE. ⋯ Merging miR-149 and MTHFR polymorphism assessment improves discrimination between healthy and PE groups, offering valuable insights into PE pathogenesis and potential diagnostic strategies.
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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.