Irish journal of medical science
-
There is an increasing demand for specialist public allergy services across Ireland. Little data exist on the patterns of allergic disease in Irish adults. The limited resources available require innovative strategies to ensure quality care delivery. ⋯ The majority of patients in this cohort did not have IgE-mediated allergic disease. Increased awareness of the features that differentiate allergy from non-allergic conditions such as food intolerance or chronic spontaneous urticaria is required. The allergy advice email service should be developed further to play a key role in education and care delivery in partnership primary care.
-
As the Irish population ages, the management of chronic conditions in primary care is emerging as a challenge. The presence of co-morbid depression is common among such patients and may affect their response to treatment. ⋯ Patients with type 2 DM are more likely to suffer from severe depression than those without. Depression itself is not an independent predictor of diabetes control. However, it may be that the increased rates of depression observed in patients with type 2 DM are at least partially attributable to the burden of additional illnesses seen in these patients.
-
Inferior vena cava filter insertion and retrieval patterns in a tertiary referral centre in Ireland.
Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters are widely used in clinical practice to prevent large, clinically significant pulmonary emboli. Modern filters are designed to be retrievable within a specific time window; however, many become lost to follow-up. ⋯ Inferior vena cava filter insertion and retrieval patterns in our centre were comparable to trends reported internationally with scope for improvement in terms of filter retrieval rates and minimising filter dwell time. Particular vigilance is required in younger patients where the indication for filter insertion was prophylactic.
-
In recent years, the enzyme collagenase has been developed for the percutaneous treatment of Dupuytren's contracture, allowing management of the condition as an outpatient. We present early results on the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture using injectable collagenase. ⋯ Collagenase is a safe and effective outpatient-based treatment for Dupuytren's contracture, which may be useful in controlling surgical waiting lists. We recommend its use as first-line treatment in patients who are unsuitable more invasive treatment alternatives.
-
Pre-pubertal varicocele can result in hypotrophy of testes, progressive deterioration of Sertoli cells and spermatogonia cell number, decrease in seminiferous diameter and cause to sperm damage. ⋯ This study suggests varicocele has a detrimental, time-dependent effect on cytokines levels and decreases Sertoli cells, spermatogonia cell number, seminiferous tubules diameter, and sperm indices.