Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Jun 2012
Implementation of standardised surveillance for Clostridium difficile infections in Australia: initial report from the Victorian Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance System.
Detection of a hypervirulent strain of Clostridium difficile in Victoria led to commencement of targeted surveillance for C. difficile infection in 2010. Cases were reported through the Victorian Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance System. ⋯ Data reflect successful implementation of continuous surveillance for C. difficile infection. With hypervirulent C. difficile infection now reported in other Australian states, development of a national data repository for C. difficile infection is necessary.
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Internal medicine journal · Jun 2012
A variant in microRNA-196a2 is not associated with susceptibility to and progression of colorectal cancer in Chinese.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs with regulatory functions as tumour suppressors and oncogenes. Although single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in miRNA regions have been reported to be rare and unlikely to be functionally important, recent evidence suggested that rs11614913 SNP in miR-196a2 was associated with the susceptibility of lung cancer, breast cancer, congenital heart disease and shortened survival time of non-small-cell lung cancer. ⋯ Our results suggest that miR-196a2 polymorphism is not associated with both an increased risk and progression of CRC in Chinese.
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Internal medicine journal · Jun 2012
Socioeconomic deprivation, readmissions, mortality and acute exacerbations of bronchiectasis.
Bronchiectasis is known to cause significant morbidity in children in New Zealand. Little is known of the disease in adults. ⋯ We have shown that exacerbations of bronchiectasis in South Auckland are more common in patients who are predominantly of Maaori or Pacific descent and are socioeconomically deprived. Admission to hospital for an exacerbation is associated with high readmission and mortality rates.
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Internal medicine journal · Jun 2012
Evaluation of iron deficiency anaemia in tertiary hospital settings: room for improvement?
Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is a marker of occult blood loss from gastrointestinal (GI) lesions and requires thorough GI evaluation. ⋯ Almost one in two patients with IDA were not documented as undergoing GI endoscopy. More intense guideline promulgation, improved endoscopy access and ongoing practice audits are required to improve endoscopy rates.