• 10th annual research conference celebrating health researchers from the North West: Conference booklet Research & Education Foundation Sligo General Hospital

      Research & Education Foundation Sligo General Hospital (Research & Education Foundation Sligo General Hospital, 2009-11-28)
    • 11th annual research conference: Conference booklet Research & Education Centre Sligo General Hospital

      Research & Education Centre Sligo General Hospital (Research & Education Centre Sligo General Hospital, 2010-11-26)
    • Adult-trained perioperative nurses' practice of family-centered care.

      Hamilton, Grainne; Corlett, Jo; Dowling, Maura; Senior Staff Nurse, Trauma and Orthopaedic Theatres, Sligo Regional Hospital, Ireland. (British Journal of Nursing, 2014)
      The aim of this study was to explore adult-trained perioperative nurses' practice of family-centered care (FCC).
    • Anticholinergic treatment in airways diseases.

      Flynn, Robert A; Glynn, Deirdre A; Kennedy, Marcus P; Sligo General Hospital, The Mall, Co., Republic of Ireland. (2009-10)
      The prevalence of chronic airways diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma is increasing. They lead to symptoms such as a cough and shortness of breath, partially through bronchoconstriction. Inhaled anticholinergics are one of a number of treatments designed to treat bronchoconstriction in airways disease. Both short-acting and long-acting agents are now available and this review highlights their efficacy and adverse event profile in chronic airways diseases.
    • Attritional rupture of extensor pollicis longus: a rare complication following elastic stable intramedullary nailing of a paediatric radial fracture.

      Sproule, James A; Roche, Simon J; Murthy, Eswara G; Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Sligo General Hospital, Sligo, Ireland. sproulejames@hotmail.com (2011)
      Elastic stable intramedullary nail fixation has become established as an acceptable method of treatment for diaphyseal fractures of both forearm bones in the paediatric population. It is considered safe, minimally invasive and does not compromise physeal growth. We report a case of delayed rupture of extensor pollicis longus due to attrition over the sharp edges of a protruding nail end after elastic stable intramedullary nailing of a paediatric radial diaphyseal fracture.
    • Carcinoid tumour of the middle ear

      Baig, Salman; Patil, Nash; Considine, Niall; Department of Otolaryngology, Sligo General Hospital, Sligo, Republic of Ireland. drsalmanbaig@gmail.com (2012-09)
      A case of middle ear mass in a young female from Ireland is described, who presented with left ear hearing loss and intermittent bloody discharge from the same ear. Examination under microscope revealed occlusive polyp in the left ear and a biopsy had been taken under general anaesthesia. Histopathology report described an adenoma / carcinoid tumour of the middle ear confirmed by positive immunohistochemical staining. CT temporal bones revealed the extension of the disease. The patient underwent left tympanotomy and excision of the tumour. In general, these tumours are regarded as benign but may be mistaken for adenocarcinomas because of their histological heterogenecity.
    • Caries status in 16 year-olds with varying exposure to water fluoridation in Ireland.

      Mullen, J; McGaffin, J; Farvardin, N; Brightman, S; Haire, C; Freeman, R; Health Service Executive, Sligo, Republic of Ireland. joej.mullen@hse.ie (2012-12)
      Most of the Republic of Ireland's public water supplies have been fluoridated since the mid-1960s while Northern Ireland has never been fluoridated, apart from some small short-lived schemes in east Ulster.
    • Cortical curvature analysis in MRI-negative temporal lobe epilepsy: A surrogate marker for malformations of cortical development

      Ronan, Lisa; Scanlon, Cathy; Murphy, Kevin; Maguire, Sinead; Delanty, Norman; Doherty, Colin P.; Fitzsimons, Mary (2011-01)
    • COVID-19 pandemic and the risk of infection in multiple sclerosis patients on disease modifying therapies: "what the bleep do we know?"

      Mansoor, Salman; Kelly, Siobhan; Murphy, Kevin; Waters, Aine; Siddiqui, Nauman Saleem (2020-05-01)
      The novel coronavirus which emerged in Wuhan province of China has taken world by surprise. Since been diagnosed in December 2019, it has been termed a "Pandemic" and there is a growing concern in physicians across the globe. As new evidence is emerging, there are various preventative strategies which are being deployed. Multiple sclerosis patients who are on disease modifying therapies (DMTs) might be at a higher risk of acquiring or a poorer outcome due to their immune status. This review looks at the available evidence in managing this global crisis.
    • Developing a quality management information system (QMIS) in an acute Irish hospital setting

      Reynolds, K; Lynch, S; Ward, D; Fagan, P; Sweeney, J; Sligo General Hospital (The International Society for Quality in Health Care, 2009)
      To develop, and evaluate, a Quality Management Information System to co-ordinate quality and patient safety activities in an acute care setting.
    • Development of a residential care policies and procedures framework (ResPaP)

      Fagan, P; Sweeney, J; Sligo General Hospital (The International Society for Quality in Health Care, 2009)
      Development, and evaluation, of a framework of policies and procedures which can be utilised as a basis for the individual process mapping of key care activities in the nursing home sector.
    • The Experience of the Management of Eating Disorders in a Pop-up Eating Disorder Unit

      McHugh, CM; Harron, M; Kilcullen, A; O’Connor, P; Burns, N; Toolan, A; O’Mahony, E (Irish Medical Journal, 2018-09)
      Anorexia nervosa affects 0.5% of the population (90% female) with the highest mortality of any psychiatric illness, usually suicide, or cardiovascular or neurological sequelae of either malnutrition or refeeding syndrome. The latter two conditions occur in the inpatient setting, carry a high mortality and are thoroughly avoidable with careful informed clinical management.
    • Haemochromatosis gene frequency in a control and diabetic Irish population.

      Kirk, L; Bird, J; Ramadan, S; Samad, A; Adebayo, G; Lourens, W; Williams, J; Pathology Department, Sligo General Hospital, Sligo, Ireland. (2009-03)
      Hereditary haemochromatosis is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Two major mutations have been identified and the condition is emerging as one of the most common recessive mutations among subjects of Northern European descendants.
    • Infants of hypothyroid mothers- are postnatal Thyroid Function Tests necessary? A Retrospective Study in a Regional Hospital

      Hawke, A; Stanzelova, A; Ruth, E; Neylon, OM (Irish Medical Journal, 2017-02)
      Congenital hypothyroidism is a preventable cause of intellectual disability. The aim of this study was to establish whether adding an additional thyroid function check between days of life 10-14 in infants born to mothers with known hypothyroidism identified any additional cases of congenital hypothyroidism requiring treatment that were not detected by the national newborn bloodspot screening programme. Babies who had Thyroid Function Tests (TFTs) measured at 10-14 days of age were identified using the Paediatric Ward attenders log from the years 2012-2014. Data were collected on patients’ TFTs and their mothers’ Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase (Anti-TPO) antibody levels. Of the 121 patients included, none were found to have a significantly raised TSH requiring treatment. 40 infants had repeat TFTs performed. None of the 121 infants had a significantly raised TSH, which required treatment with thyroxine. Congenital hypothyroidism is already being screened for as part of the National Newborn Screening Programme. The findings of our study have led us to recommend stopping current practice of routinely checking TFTs on day 10-14 of life in infants of hypothyroid mothers.
    • Inflammatory marker alteration in response to systemic therapies in psoriasis.

      Grechin, Cristina; Gheucă Solovăstru, Laura; Vâță, Dan; Ionela Pătrașcu, Adriana; Ioana Grăjdeanu, Alina; Porumb-Andrese, Elena (2020-02-18)
      Substantial research has focused on the presence of biomarkers involved in both the pathogenesis of psoriasis and its comorbidities. The identification of these biomarkers has a crucial role in establishing the diagnosis and prognosis, in understanding the physiopathological mechanism and in determining the therapeutic response. The aim of this study was to emphasize the alteration in inflammatory markers in response to systemic therapies in psoriasis. Evolution of inflammatory marker alteration was studied in 194 patients with psoriasis, aged between 7 and 87 years. Two groups were set up: the first comprised of patients treated with methotrexate (n=51), while the second comprised patients treated with biological therapy (n=143). Each group was evaluated for blood values of C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and fibrinogen before and after treatment, the fluctuation of these values according to the treatment, the interrelation between inflammatory markers and inflammatory activity of the disease and the evolution of the disease after treatment. In group I, 46 out of 51 patients had elevated levels of acute phase reactants before treatment. After treatment with methotrexate 7.5 mg/week, 12 out of 46 patients had elevated blood levels of ESR and 18 out of 46 patients of CRP and fibrinogen. Before treatment with biological therapy, 138 patients out of 143 presented abnormal high range for acute phase reactants. After treatment with biological therapy, 18 patients out of 138 had elevated blood levels of ESR and 37 patients out of 138 had elevated CRP and fibrinogen. A favorable evolution was noted in 98 patients out of 138. It was concluded that the systemic treatment with both methotrexate and biological therapy showed a marked decline in the patients with abnormal values of CRP, ESR and fibrinogen, indirectly showing a decline in the inflammatory activity of psoriasis.
    • Laboratory test costs: Attitudes and awareness among staff in a regional hospital

      Clancy, C; Murphy, M (Irish Medical Journal (IMJ), 2013-01)
      There continues to be an unrelenting rise in the volumes of laboratory tests ordered in medicine, which is both expensive and has the potential for over-investigation. We performed a quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study of staff with the authority to initiate a laboratory test, using a voluntary, anonymous questionnaire. Our aim was to assess the awareness of and attitudes towards laboratory test costs. 226 surveys were completed over 2 weeks in June, 2012. Most numerous respondents were Staff nurses 125 (55.3%) followed by senior house officers (SHOs) 26 (11.5%) and clinical nurse managers/ specialists (CNMs and CNSs) 23 (10.2%). The majority of staff, 191(85.6%), felt unaware of the cost of laboratory tests, which they ordered. For non urgent tests, the majority of respondents, 136 (61.8%) felt cost was either quite of very important. For urgent tests, the majority of respondents, 188(84.6%) felt cost was of minor or of no importance. Doctors felt more aware of costs than nurses (26.9% vs. 9.3%) and doctors test cost estimates were correct more often than nurses (33% vs. 21%). The results indicate poor awareness of laboratory test cost amongst doctors and nurses. Given the expenditure incurred by a rise in the volume of tests and the potential for over-investigation for patients, strategies for improving the awareness of and attitudes towards laboratory tests need to be developed.
    • Management of Epistaxis – A Single Centre Experience and Economic Considerations

      Keane, E; Subramaniam, T; Khan, AH; Patil, N (Irish Medical Journal, 2016-06)
      Epistaxis represents the most common ENT emergency and its management has been a focus of audit recently, with consideration given to the associated economic burden. The aim of our study is to evaluate the management of epistaxis in terms of treatments used, duration of stay, recurrence and cost. A retrospective review of hospital inpatient enquiry (HIPE) data from a single secondary referral centre was undertaken during a four year period. Four hundrefd and thirty-four patients were identified. The majority (n= 262, 60.3%) were male and the average age was 64.2 years. The vast majority (n=362, 83.4%) were managed non-operatively. Only 15 patients (3.4%) were managed surgically. The average length of stay was 2.5 days and did not vary greatly between the treatment groups. The recurrence rate was 8.2% (n=36). Approximate costs of packing vs EUA and cautery suggest that packing alone is more economical but more data is needed to fully compare the options.
    • Natalizumab-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in multiple sclerosis (MS): "a case report from Ireland with review of literature, clinical pitfalls and future direction".

      Mansoor, Salman; Mullane, Gerard; Adenan, Mohammad Hijaz; Kelly, Siobhan; Water, Aine; McPartland, Grainne; Murphy, Kevin (2021-01-07)
      Background: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is one of the most serious treatment-related complications that is encountered in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). PML is a serious complication of MS treatment which is most commonly related to natalizumab. Case presentation: We report clinical course of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in a 40-year-old man who was on treatment for highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis with natalizumab (Nz). He was treated with steroids, cidofovir, and mirtazapine and went on to develop long-term disability. The case describes the evolution of PML from diagnosis up till 5 months with changes on sequential brain scans and clinical symptoms in our patient. Conclusion: Patients who are on natalizumab should be aware and consented for the risk of PML. They should be periodically re-assessed for their relative PML risk. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests switching patients from natalizumab who have a higher risk of PML to other safer treatment options.
    • Negative pressure wound therapy: a study on patient perspectives.

      Bolas, Niamh; Holloway, Samantha; Sligo General Hospital, Ireland. bolas@eircom.net (2012-03)
      to explore patients' lived experience of using negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT).
    • Poor compliance with child safety restraint use while travelling.

      Fallon, R; Bruton, K; Kandamany, N; Greaney, H; Department of Paediatrics, Sligo General Hospital, The Mall, Sligo. (2011-02)
      Road traffic accidents are a leading cause of death of children. It is the law that all children should be appropriately secured when traveling in vehicles. The aim of this study was to evaluate parental conformity with these regulations and to test if advice given at a Paediatric outpatient clinic could improve compliance. Two groups were assigned, an intervention group (parents given an information leaflet and a clear explanation about appropriate restraints for their children) and a non-intervention group (received no information). They were contacted again after 2 months and asked regarding compliance. A total of 394 children from 186 families were initially given the questionnaire. Nearly one third of children (29.2%) were not using any restraint while travelling rising to 35.3% on follow up. This study concluded that once off parental education made negligible difference to an already inconsistent and haphazard approach to compliance with safety regulations.