Research by staff affiliated to the University Hopsitals in Limerick, comprising Univeristy Hospital Limerick,Dooradoyle, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital, University Maternity Hospital, Ennis Road, Limerick

Recent Submissions

  • Women's Opinions on Cardiotocograph Monitoring and Staff Communication During Labour.

    McMahon, G; Rogers, A; Woulfe, Z; Tuthill, E; Doyle, M; Burke, G; Imcha, M (2019-12-16)
    Aims This study was undertaken to ascertain women’s opinions of having fetal monitoring done in labour, how they felt the staff taking care of them communicated with them about cardiotocograph (CTG) and how they rated their birthing experience. Methods An anonymous survey was given to women in September 2018, asking them about their experience of CTG monitoring and staff communication. Results All forty-eight women said the staff explained the CTG to them, and 93.8% were satisfied with this communication. Nearly all women, 97.9%, felt confident that the staff knew what they were doing and 89.6% felt included in any clinical decision that was made. Of the forty-eight women, 20.8% said they wanted to know something about the CTG but didn’t ask at the time. When asked about their overall experience of communication from staff, 60.4% said excellent. Conclusions It is important to assess patient’s satisfaction with communication from staff members.
  • How do delirium motor subtypes differ in phenomenology and contributory aetiology? a cross-sectional, multisite study of liaison psychiatry and palliative care patients.

    Glynn, Kevin; McKenna, Frank; Lally, Kevin; O'Donnell, Muireann; Grover, Sandeep; Chakrabarti, Subho; Avasthi, Ajit; Mattoo, Surendra K; Sharma, Akhilesh; Gosh, Abhishek; et al. (2021-04-14)
    Objectives: To investigate whether delirium motor subtypes differ in terms of phenomenology and contributory aetiology. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: International study incorporating data from Ireland and India across palliative care, old age liaison psychiatry and general adult liaison psychiatry settings. Participants: 1757 patients diagnosed with delirium using criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth edition (DSM IV). Primary and secondary outcome measures: Hyperactive, mixed and hypoactive delirium subtypes were identified using the abbreviated version of the Delirium Motor Subtype Scale. Phenomenology was assessed using the Delirium Rating Scale Revised. Contributory aetiologies were assessed using the Delirium Aetiology Checklist (DEC), with a score >2 indicating that the aetiology was likely or definitely contributory. Results: Hypoactive delirium was associated with dementia, cerebrovascular and systemic infection aetiologies (p<0.001) and had a lower overall burden of delirium symptoms than the other motor subtypes. Hyperactive delirium was associated with younger age, drug withdrawal and the DEC category other systemic aetiologies (p<0.001). Mixed delirium showed the greatest symptom burden and was more often associated with drug intoxication and metabolic disturbance (p<0.001). All three delirium motor subtypes had similar levels of impairment in attention and visuospatial functioning but differed significantly when compared with no subtype (p<0.001). Conclusions: This study indicates a pattern of aetiology and symptomatology of delirium motor subtypes across a large international sample that had previously been lacking. It serves to improve our understanding of this complex condition and has implications in terms of early detection and management of delirium.
  • Quantifying the impact of COVID-19 on chronic pain services in the Republic of Ireland.

    Mullins, Cormac Francis; Harmon, Dominic; O'Connor, Therese (2021-02-05)
    Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, most medical services were shut down and resources were redistributed. Closures included pain management departments where many staff were redeployed. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on chronic pain services in the Republic of Ireland. Methods: An online survey was sent to pain consultants working in public hospitals in the Republic of Ireland between the 22nd and 28th September 2020. Results: We received responses from 18 consultants from all 15 public hospitals in the Republic of Ireland with chronic pain services. Procedural volume during lockdown fell to 26% of pre-COVID levels. This had recovered somewhat by the time of the survey to 71%. Similarly, in-person outpatient clinic volume fell to 10% of per-COVID numbers and recovered to 50%. On average, 39% of public hospital activity was made up for by the availability of private hospitals. This varied significantly across the country. The use of telemedicine increased significantly during the pandemic. Before COVID, on average, 13% of outpatient clinic volume was composed of telephone or video consultations. This increased to 46% at the time of the survey. Conclusion: This survey of consultant pain physicians in the Republic of Ireland has revealed how chronic pain services have been affected during the pandemic and how they have evolved.
  • Homelessness amongst psychiatric Inpatients: a cross-sectional study in the mid-west of Ireland.

    Moloney, Noreen; O'Donnell, Patrick; Elzain, Musaab; Bashir, Ahmad; Dunne, Colum P; Kelly, Brendan D; Gulati, Gautam (2021-02-15)
    Background: This cross-sectional study sought to establish the prevalence of homelessness amongst inpatients in two psychiatric units in Ireland and explore the perceived relationship between psychiatric illness and homelessness. Methods: The study employed a semi-structured interview format utilising a specifically designed questionnaire which received ethical approval from the Limerick University Hospitals Group ethics committee. Results: Fifty psychiatric inpatients were interviewed. Fifteen were either "currently" homeless (n = 8) or had experienced "past" homelessness (n = 7). Those who had experienced homelessness were more likely to have a psychotic illness. A majority of those who had experienced homelessness believed that psychiatric illness contributed to their homelessness. Involuntary admission rates were more than double for patients in the homeless group. A number of participants also reported that a lack of accommodation was preventing their discharge. Conclusion: Homelessness affects a significant number of psychiatric patients and can be both a contributory factor to, and consequence of, mental illness. With homelessness at unprecedented levels, there is a need for the development of tailored programmes aimed at supporting these vulnerable groups.
  • Outcomes of point-of-care testing for influenza in the emergency department of a tertiary referral hospital in Ireland

    T.K. Teoh a, b,d , J. Powell a , J. Kelly c , C. McDonnell b , R. Whelan c , N.H. O’Connell a,b,d , C.P. Dunne; a Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Limerick Hospital Group, Limerick, Ireland b Department of Serology and Immunology, University Limerick Hospital Group, Limerick, Ireland c Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland d Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation & Immunity (4i) and School of Medicine, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland (Elsevier, 2021-01-19)
  • Assessment of the FilmArray® multiplex PCR system and associated meningitis/encephalitis panel in the diagnostic service of a tertiary hospital.

    Mostyn, Amanda; Lenihan, Marie; O'Sullivan, Donnchadh; Woods, Sara; O'Hara, Maureen; Powell, James; Power, Lorraine; O'Connell, Nuala H; Dunne, Colum P (2020-02-11)
    Rapid and accurate diagnosis of meningitis/encephalitis (M/E) is essential for successful patient outcomes. The FilmArray® meningitis/encephalitis Panel (MEP) is a multiplexed PCR test for simultaneous, rapid detection of pathogens directly from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. 94 prospectively collected CSF specimens from patients with clinical suspicion of infective M/E underwent testing for 14 pathogens simultaneously, including Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Varicella zoster. MEP demonstrated 95% agreement with current PCR methods, resulting in 16 diagnosed cases of M/E. Typically, the FilmArray® MEP results were delivered within approximately one hour, contrasting with current practices taking up to 5.6 days. Given the significant morbidity and mortality associated with delayed diagnosis of central nervous system infections, the FilmArray® MEP is a useful addition to the diagnostic capabilities of a clinical microbiology department.
  • Systemic Molecular Mediators of Inflammation Differentiate Between Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, Implicating Threshold Levels of IL-10 and Relative Ratios of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in Therapy.

    Health Service Executive; Kiernan, Miranda G; Coffey, J Calvin; Sahebally, Shaheel M; Tibbitts, Paul; Lyons, Emma M; O'leary, Eimear; Owolabi, Funke; Dunne, Colum P; Graduate Entry Medical School and Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation & Immunity [4i], University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. 2Department of Surgery, University Hospital Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. (Oxford University Press, 2019-06-26)
  • Health Care Professionals' Perspectives on Life-Course Immunization: A Qualitative Survey from a European Conference.

    Philip, Roy K; Di Pasquale, Alberta (2020-04-14)
    Today, fewer children die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases than older adults. Health systems need new immunization strategies to tackle the burden of vaccine-preventable disease in an aging society. A life-course immunization (LCI) approach-which entails vaccination throughout an individual's lifespan-enables adults to age with reduced risk to disease, thereby enabling healthy, active and productive aging. We conducted an audience response system (ARS)-based survey to investigate HCP perspectives on LCI in an opportunistic sample of 222 health care professionals (HCPs) from around the world who attended a European infectious diseases conference. Survey results show that LCI is a priority for HCPs (77.4%-88.6%), with most of them stating the need to frame it as a part of a healthy lifestyle (91.0%-100.0%). Insufficient LCI recommendations by vaccine providers (12.9%-33.3%) and governments (15.2%-41.9%) and insufficient targeted budget allocation (6.1%-21.7%) were indicated as the main barriers to implement LCI, ahead of vaccine hesitancy (9.7%-15.2%). HCPs were willing to make LCI a gateway to healthy aging but need support to work together with other stakeholders involved in the vaccination journey. This could be a step towards equitable health care for all of society.
  • Covid-19: safe PPE - hand hygiene first in all cases.

    University of Limerick Hospitals (University pf Limerick Hospitals, 2020-04-03)
    Care of patients with respiratory symptoms/ suspected/confirmed COVID-19.
  • A Technological Review of Wearable Cueing Devices Addressing Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease.

    Sweeney, Dean; Quinlan, Leo R; Browne, Patrick; Richardson, Margaret; Meskell, Pauline; ÓLaighin, Gearóid (2019-03-13)
    Freezing of gait is one of the most debilitating symptoms of Parkinson's disease and is an important contributor to falls, leading to it being a major cause of hospitalization and nursing home admissions. When the management of freezing episodes cannot be achieved through medication or surgery, non-pharmacological methods such as cueing have received attention in recent years. Novel cueing systems were developed over the last decade and have been evaluated predominantly in laboratory settings. However, to provide benefit to people with Parkinson's and improve their quality of life, these systems must have the potential to be used at home as a self-administer intervention. This paper aims to provide a technological review of the literature related to wearable cueing systems and it focuses on current auditory, visual and somatosensory cueing systems, which may provide a suitable intervention for use in home-based environments. The paper describes the technical operation and effectiveness of the different cueing systems in overcoming freezing of gait. The "What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)" tool was used to assess the quality of each study described. The paper findings should prove instructive for further researchers looking to enhance the effectiveness of future cueing systems.
  • Performing diagnostic radial access coronary angiography on uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulant therapy: a prospective analysis.

    Chongprasertpon, Napohn; Zebrauskaite, Aiste; Coughlan, John Joseph; Ibrahim, Abdalla; Arnous, Samer; Hennessy, Terence; Kiernan, Thomas John (Open Heart, 2019-01-01)
    This was a prospective observational analysis of 49 patients undergoing elective diagnostic coronary angiography while receiving uninterrupted anticoagulation with direct oral anticoagulants. This population was compared with a control group of 49 unselected patients presenting to the cardiology service for elective diagnostic coronary angiography. Continuous variables were analysed using the independent samples t-test and categorical variables using Pearson's χ2 test.
  • A Dedicated Perineal Clinic – An Audit in Support

    Corry, E; O’Connor, E; Eogan, M; Fitzpatrick, M; O’Sullivan, S; Imcha, M (Irish Medical Journal, 2019-04)
    To assess the quality of care in both the initial management of obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI) and subsequent follow up postnatally in a tertiary maternity hospital without direct access to a perineal clinic.
  • Estimated Weight of Paediatric Patients versus Measured Weight – A Prospective Comparison

    Lineen, C; O’Donnell, S; Birrane, K; O’Riordan, A; Twomey, J; Murphy, A.M; O’Gorman, C (Irish Medical Journal, 2019-04)
    Weight measurement is fundamental in the management of paediatric patients. Many methods have been described for estimating a patient’s weight. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of the APLS 2017 estimated weight guidelines.
  • Bereavement Counselling for Healthcare Workers in the Aftermath of Child Death

    O’Sullivan, D; Stone, G; Mahomed, H; O’Reilly, P; Stewart, P; Noonan, H; Murphy, A.M (Irish Medical Journal, 2019-05)
    To assess the views and experiences of bereavement counselling services among healthcare staff dealing with paediatric ward death at UHL.
  • The Human Mesenteric Lymph Node Microbiome Differentiates Between Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.

    Kiernan, Miranda G; Coffey, J Calvin; McDermott, Kieran; Cotter, Paul D; Cabrera-Rubio, Raul; Kiely, Patrick A; Dunne, Colum P (Journal of Crohn's and Colitis, 2019-01-01)
    Mesenteric lymph nodes are sites in which translocated bacteria incite and progress immunological responses. For this reason, understanding the microbiome of mesenteric lymph nodes in inflammatory bowel disease is important. The bacterial profile of Crohn’s disease mesenteric lymph nodes has been analysed using culture-independent methods in only one previous study. This study aimed to investigate the mesenteric lymph node microbiota from both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients.
  • Ustekinumab-induced subacute cutaneous lupus.

    Tierney, Emma; Kirthi, Shivashini; Ramsay, Bart; Ahmad, Kashif (JAAD Case Reports, 2019-03-01)
    Drug-induced lupus erythematosus (DILE) is a lupus-like syndrome temporally related to continuous drug exposure. DILE can be divided into systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) and chronic cutaneous lupus.1 Hydrochlorothiazide was the first drug associated with SCLE in 1985,2 but at least 100 other agents have since been reported to induce/exacerbate SCLE, with terbinafine, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors, antiepileptics, and proton pump inhibitors, the most frequently associated medications. We present a case of ustekinumab-induced SCLE in a patient being treated for psoriasis.
  • Erectile Dysfunction and Ischaemic Heart Disease.

    Ibrahim, Abdalla; Ali, Mohamed; Kiernan, Thomas J; Stack, Austin G (European Cardiology Review, 2018-12-01)
    Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common disorder that affects the quality of life of many patients. It is prevalent in more than half of males aged over 60 years. Increasing evidence suggests that ED is predominantly a vascular disorder. Endothelial dysfunction seems to be the common pathological process causing ED. Many common risk factors for atherosclerosis such as diabetes, hypertension, smoking, obesity and hyperlipidaemia are prevalent in patients with ED and so management of these common cardiovascular risk factors can potentially prevent ED. Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors provide short-term change of haemodynamic factors to help initiate and maintain penile erection. They have been shown to be an effective and safe treatment strategy for ED in patients with heart disease, including those with ischaemic heart disease and hypertension.
  • Pulmonary aspiration in preschool children with cystic fibrosis.

    Clarke, D; Gorman, I; Ringholz, F; McDermott, M; Cox, D W; Greally, P; Linnane, B; Mc Nally, P (Respiratory Research, 2018-12-17)
    Pulmonary aspiration of gastric refluxate (PAGR) has been demonstrated in association with pulmonary inflammation in school aged children with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). We sought to determine if similar findings were present in preschool children. Pepsin was measured in Broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid collected from clinically stable preschool children with CF and controls. Elevated pepsin levels were found in a subgroup of children with CF, but this was not found to be associated with pulmonary infection, pulmonary inflammation or respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms.

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