Brit J Hosp Med
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Obstructive sleep apnoea represents a sizable public health and economic burden. Owing to rising obesity rates, the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea is increasing, and it is a condition that is significantly underdiagnosed. Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the backlog of elective surgeries is also sizable and growing. ⋯ This article reviews sleep apnoea, its prevalence and its impact on operative management and perioperative outcomes for patients. The evidence base for screening and treating undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea is also comprehensively assessed. Finally, a pathway to manage patients with possible undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea is proposed, and areas for further research identified.
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In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a dramatic shift in the patterns of traditionally seasonal childhood respiratory viruses which may be the result of changes in population immunity.
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Almost all cancer therapies lead to a wide array of side effects, owing to the disruption of normal physiological processes and alteration of immunological responses. Of these, mucositis is one of the most commonly encountered side effects, presenting in about 20-40% of all patients receiving chemotherapy and 80% of those being treated with radiotherapy for head and neck malignancies. ⋯ The key to management is a multidisciplinary approach, revolving around pain control, oral hygiene, nutritional support and management of superimposed infection. The scarcity of therapeutic options for prevention or treatment of mucositis has resulted in clinical difficulty in controlling it, which, in turn, seriously affects the patient's quality of life and cancer management, contributing to patient morbidity and mortality.
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This study aimed to explore definitions of diversity, and views and attitudes towards diversity in healthcare among future generations of surgical trainees. ⋯ Important components of diversity continue to be under-recognised. Surgery must maximise diversity to attract, support and motivate the next generation of surgeons, for the benefit of the health service and the populations it serves.