Development and evaluation of pharmacist-provided teach-back medication counselling at hospital discharge.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacists can use teach-back to improve patients' understanding of medication; however, the evidence of its impact on patient outcomes is inconsistent. From the literature, there is no standardised way to provide pharmacist-delivered medication counselling at hospital discharge, with limited reporting on training. AIM: To develop a standardised medication counselling procedure using teach-back at hospital discharge, and to evaluate feedback from patients and pharmacists on this initiative. METHOD: A standardised intervention procedure was developed. Participating pharmacists (n = 9) were trained on teach-back via an online education module and watching a demonstration video created by the researchers. Pharmacists provided patients with discharge medication counselling utilising teach-back and a patient-friendly list of medication changes to take home. To obtain feedback, patients were surveyed within seven days of discharge via telephone and pharmacists answered an anonymous survey online. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients (mean age: 57 years; range: 19-91) were counselled on a mean 2.94 medications/patient with the mean counselling time as 23.6 min/patient. All patients responded to the survey, whereby 93.7% had increased confidence regarding medication knowledge and were satisfied with the counselling and the information provided. All pharmacist survey respondents (n = 8) agreed they were given adequate training and that teach-back was feasible to apply in practice. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to evaluate patients' views on pharmacist-provided teach-back medication counselling. With positive patient outcomes, a standardised procedure, and a comprehensive description of the training, this study can inform the development of discharge medication counselling utilising teach-back going forward.

The scope for radiology to contribute to the NHS net zero target: findings from a survey of radiology staff in the UK.

AIM: To assess attitudes towards the climate emergency among radiology staff and to identify current practices that may contribute towards the National Health Service (NHS) net zero target. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online survey of radiology staff was conducted assessing current attitudes to the climate emergency. Further questions focused on staff travel, home working, virtual conferences, and recycling. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-two responses were received from all staff groups within radiology. There were high levels of concern about the climate emergency among radiology staff. Active travel accounts for a relatively small proportion of commuting related to provision of radiology services. Some energy-saving measures are implemented commonly in radiology departments but these are likely to account for only a small proportion of energy use within a department. CONCLUSION: There is significant scope for reducing the carbon footprint of radiology services by reducing travel, both for work and for radiology education. We discuss the potential for large savings related to energy-saving measures.

The Cheshire & Merseyside Collaborative trainee-led on-call service: a review of safety and efficiency.

AIM: To assess safety and efficiency of the Cheshire & Merseyside Collaborative, the largest trainee led on-call service in the UK, based on discrepancy rates and time taken to issue reports. MATERIALS & METHODS: All studies reported by the collaborative in a 4-week period were evaluated for discrepancy and the time taken to issue a report. These figures were compared against the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) guidelines and a recent national audit of discrepancy rates. The time taken to report was measured against the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and Trauma Audit Research Network (TARN) guidelines. RESULTS: The overall discrepancy rates for the collaborative were 2.5% for minor discrepancies and 2% for major discrepancies, which is within the RCR standard. The median time taken to issue a report was 30 min, which is within the NICE and TARN 1-h targets. CONCLUSIONS: The Cheshire & Merseyside Collaborative can be deemed a safe and efficient way of delivering an out-of-hours radiology service.

A prospective study of placental growth factor in twin pregnancy and development of a dichorionic twin pregnancy specific reference range.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a dichorionic twin pregnancy specific reference range for placental growth factor (PlGF), and to compare gestation-specific placental growth factor levels in twin pregnancies later complicated by pre-eclampsia, hypertensive disorder of pregnancy or fetal growth restriction with control pregnancies. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Single large tertiary maternity unit in Ireland. POPULATION OR SAMPLE: Women with a twin pregnancy. METHODS: Consenting pregnant women, across a variety of gestations, had a single blood sample taken at one time-point only during their pregnancy. The plasma was initially biobanked and PlGF was measured later in batches using the point of care Triage® PlGF test. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Development of pre-eclampsia, hypertensive disorder of pregnancy or fetal growth restriction. RESULTS: Placental growth factor levels in uncomplicated dichorionic twin pregnancies were significantly lower in the women who later developed pre-eclampsia than in the controls at all gestational intervals. In those that later developed any hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, median PlGF was lower only in those recruited before 24 weeks of gestation, whereas in infants with a customised birthweight below the third centile, PlGF was lower only in those sampled after 24 weeks of gestation. CONCLUSIONS: Placental growth factor levels in twin pregnancy differ significantly between those women with a pregnancy that will later be complicated by pre-eclampsia and those that will not. This difference is present many weeks before clinical signs or symptoms of disease are present. Using cross-sectional values from uncomplicated twin pregnancies, we have developed a dichorionic twin pregnancy specific reference range for PlGF. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Placental growth factor levels in twin pregnancy differ significantly between women that will later develop pre-eclampsia and those that will not.

The Experience of the Management of Eating Disorders in a Pop-up Eating Disorder Unit

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. This paper provides an overview of the service and care of these patients in a general hospital setting in Ireland. In response to a number of acute presentations a cross discipline Pop-up Eating Disorder Unit (psychiatrist, physician, dietician, nurse) was established in Sligo University Hospital in 2014 and has experience of 20 people treated according to the MARSIPAN guideline (Management of Really Sick Inpatients with Anorexia Nervosa). They are nursed in a designated ward with continuous cardiac monitoring (in addition 2 required ICU admission), with one-to-one continuous supervision, complete bed rest, careful calorie titration (usually nasogastric) with twice daily phosphate, magnesium, calcium and potassium concentrations measured and replaced. Sabotaging behaviour witnessed includes micro-exercising, requests for windows to be opened (in order to shiver/micro exercise), food concealment, faecal/urinary loading on weighing days, heavy hair accessories, vigorous page turning/toothbrushing/use of computer keypads and animated conversations. A cross disciplinary coordinated approach to this cohort, who often inventive in their resistance to treatment, allows safe management in a general hospital setting.

Screening for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology in adult mental health clinics.

OBJECTIVES: This study estimates the symptomatology of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adult mental health services (AMHS) outpatient clinics. METHODS: All consecutive patients attending any of the outpatients' clinics in Sligo/Leitrim AMHS were invited to participate. Participants completed the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) and the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) self-report. Clinical notes were reviewed to identify those with a pre-existing ADHD diagnosis. RESULTS: From 822 attending the clinics, 62 did not meet inclusion criteria, 97 declined to participate and 29 had incomplete data in either of the screening scales, leaving 634 (77%) eligible for full study analysis. Mean age was 40.38 (s.d.: 12.85), and 326 (51.4%) were females. In total, 215 (33.9%) screened positive on the WURS for childhood onset ADHD and 219 (34.5%) participants scored positive on the ASRS. Applying a more stringent criteria of scoring above cut-offs on both scales, suggested 131 (20.7%) screened positive on both. Only three (2.3%) had a prior clinical diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study suggests the possibility of relatively higher rates of ADHD in a general AMHS than previously thought, however, given the possibility of overlapping symptoms with other major psychiatric disorders in adulthood and recall bias further research is needed before drawing firm conclusions.

Epidemiology and molecular typing of VRE bloodstream isolates in an Irish tertiary care hospital.

OBJECTIVES: Ireland has the highest rate of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) isolated from blood of nosocomial patients in Europe, which rose from 33% (110/330) in 2007 to 45% (178/392) in 2012. No other European country had a VREfm rate from blood cultures of >25%. Our aim was to elucidate the reasons for this significantly higher rate in Ireland. METHODS: The epidemiology and molecular typing of VRE from bloodstream infections (BSIs) was examined in a tertiary care referral hospital and isolates were compared with those from other tertiary care referral centres in the region. RESULTS: The most common source of VRE BSIs was intra-abdominal sepsis, followed by line-related infection and febrile neutropenia. Most of the isolates were positive for vanA; 52% (43/83) possessed the esp gene and 12% (10/83) possessed the hyl gene. Genotyping by SmaI macrorestriction analysis (PFGE) of isolates revealed clonal relatedness between bloodstream isolates and environmental isolates. VRE BSI isolates from two other tertiary care hospitals in the Dublin region showed relatedness by PFGE analysis. MLST revealed four STs (ST17, ST18, ST78 and ST203), all belonging to the clonal complex of hospital-associated strains. CONCLUSIONS: Irish VRE BSI isolates have virulence factor profiles as previously reported from Europe. Typing analysis shows the spread of individual clones within the hospital and between regional tertiary care hospitals. Apart from transmission of VRE within the hospital and transfer of colonized patients between Irish hospitals, no other explanation for the persistently high VREfm BSI rate in Ireland has been found.

A dietary survey of patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Food is one of the most commonly reported triggers of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. However, the role of diet in the aetiology and management of IBS has not been clearly established. The present study aimed to examine the dietary practices of Irish patients with IBS and to determine whether these practices increased their vulnerability to nutritional inadequacies. METHODS: A questionnaire was completed by 135 IBS patients on their perceptions of the role of diet in their symptoms and whether they restrict their diet according to the symptoms experienced. A similar questionnaire was used to investigate the perceptions of 111 healthy subjects to the gastrointestinal symptoms experienced on the consumption of food. RESULTS: Food was considered to cause or worsen their gastrointestinal symptoms in 89.6% of IBS patients compared to 55% of healthy subjects (P < 0.001). Cereal-based foods, predominantly bread or its components, were the most frequently cited (53.3%), and spicy foods (39.3%), vegetables and fatty foods (35.6% for both) also featured prominently. A significantly greater number of patients with IBS reported changing their diet to minimise symptoms compared to healthy controls (91.9% versus 45.5%, P < 0.001). In relation to whole food groups, milk products (9.6%), fruit (7.4%) and vegetables (5.2%) were those most commonly restricted, with only a small number of IBS patients seeking professional healthcare advice. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of IBS patients consider their symptoms to be related to food, and change their diet by limiting the foods that they perceive as problematic, with some restricting whole food groups. Few patients sought professional healthcare advice when implementing dietary change, possibly exposing a considerable number to an increased risk of nutritional deficiency.

Inclusivity, exclusivity and limit of detection of commercially available real-time PCR assays for the detection of Salmonella.

The traditional cultural detection of Salmonella spp. is both time- and labour-intensive. Salmonella is often a release criterion for the food industry and time to result is therefore an important factor. Storage of finished products and raw materials can be costly and may adversely impact available shelf-life. The application of real-time PCR for the detection of Salmonella spp. in food samples enables a potential time-saving of up to four days. The advancement of real-time PCR coupled with the development of commercially available systems in different formats has made this technology accessible for laboratories in an industrial environment. Ideally these systems are reliable and rapid as well as easy to use. The current study represents a comparative evaluation of seven commercial real-time PCR systems for the detection of Salmonella. Forty-nine target and twenty-nine non-target strains were included in the study to assess inclusivity and exclusivity. The limit of detection for each of the method was determined in four different food products. All systems evaluated were able to correctly identify the 49 Salmonella strains. Nevertheless, false positive results (Citrobacter spp.) were obtained with four of the seven systems. In milk powder and bouillon powder, the limit of detection was similar for all systems, suggesting a minimal matrix effect with these samples. Conversely, for black tea and cocoa powder some systems were prone to inhibition from matrix components. Up to 100% of the samples were inhibited using the proprietary extracts but inhibition could be reduced considerably by application of a DNA clean-up kit.

Comparison of rapid cultural methods for the detection of Salmonella species.

Three newly developed rapid cultural methods (Rapid Salmonella, Precis™ Salmonella, IBISA Salmonella) for the detection of Salmonella spp. were compared to a reference method. All methods performed comparably on inclusivity/exclusivity testing. Similar limits of detection were observed for all methods with milk, cocoa and bouillon matrices. Some tea varieties appeared to disturb the normal color formation of all selective agars tested.

Issues patients would like to discuss at their review consultation: variation by early and late stage oral, oropharyngeal and laryngeal subsites.

PURPOSE: The patient concerns inventory (PCI) was developed to help patients raise issues/concerns during routine follow-up and to indicate team members they want to see. This paper reports the use of the PCI across various H&N Cancer sub-sites (oral, oropharyngeal and laryngeal) and stages of disease (early and late) and describes the main concerns that patients want to discuss using a cross-sectional survey comprising the PCI with the University of Washington Quality of Life questionnaire. Patients treated for primary H&N squamous cell carcinoma, 1998-2009, were identified from the University Hospital Aintree H&N Cancer database. 447/775 (58 %) patients responded. Fear of recurrence concerns was common to all clinical groups (range 32-67 %). Speech issues were more common with laryngeal tumours, and saliva issues with oropharyngeal tumours (32 % early, 48 % late). Apart from early-stage laryngeal tumours, patients consistently reported issues concerning dental health/teeth and chewing. The median (IQR) number of concerns overall was 4 (2-7), with significant variation (p < 0.001) between clinical groups ranging from 2 (1-6) for early-stage oral to 6 (2-10) for late-stage oropharyngeal and 7 (5-9) late-stage laryngeal. The results indicated that PCI can be readily incorporated into managing HNC patients and supports a holistic multidisciplinary approach to clinic consultations. It accommodates difficult issues such as fear of recurrence and intimacy. Completion of the PCI by patients before consultation can highlight problems and concerns that doctors can target for discussion, thereby streamlining consultations, and ensuring that patient needs are better met, thus creating a more effective service.

Developmental outcome post allogenic bone marrow transplant for Niemann Pick Type C2.

Niemann Pick Type C2 (NPC2) is a rare autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the NPC2 gene (OMIM 601015). Clinically, NPC2 presents in most cases in the neonatal period with inflammatory lung disease, which may lead to death in the first year. If patients survive the neonatal period, they may develop a severe neurological disease. Here we present the developmental and neurological follow up at 5 years of age of a child with NPC2 successfully treated with allogenic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) at the age of 16 months. A homozygous p.E20X sequence variation previously associated with a severe phenotype was identified. In contrast to the previously reported patients with the same mutations, our patient has no respiratory compromise and has made some developmental progress (especially gross motor), though is significantly delayed (particularly in speech and language). Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) could be considered for patients with this mutation as long as performed early in the course of the disease.

Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from dairy animals in Ireland.

Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus frequently contaminate milk and milk products causing food poisoning. Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from bovine, ovine and caprine milk and milk filters from 78 dairy production holdings supplying the farmhouse cheese sector in Ireland, using standard culture methods. Molecular methods were applied to study the distribution of genes encoding staphylococcal enterotoxins and toxic shock syndrome toxin in the collection. Multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis was used to subtype the collection. One hundred and two Staphylococcus aureus (54 milk filters and 48 bulk milk) were recovered from apparently healthy animals; half of the isolates were toxigenic. Our findings are discussed in light of the risks posed to public health.

Prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in a subset of intensive poultry flocks in Ireland.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Campylobacter species in a subset of intensive poultry flocks by examining samples collected in geographically disparate areas on the island of Ireland. METHODS AND RESULTS: Faecal, water and environmental samples were collected from the interior of poultry houses on nine farms. Three cultural methods were used for Campylobacter isolation: direct plating, enrichment culture and a recovery method for emerging Campylobacter spp. Presumptive Campylobacter isolates were confirmed using biochemical tests and further identified to species level by multiplex PCR. All flocks sampled in this study were found to be contaminated with Campylobacter at the time of sampling. Structural and air samples taken from the interior of broiler houses were also found to be Campylobacter positive. All water samples were found to be Campylobacter negative. The Campycheck method was used for the isolation of emerging Campylobacter spp. CONCLUSIONS: Campylobacter spp. were recovered (as contaminants) from the poultry house interior, air and environmental samples in all intensive poultry flocks surveyed. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study highlights the need for improved biosecurity on selected poultry farms.

Stage 2 of the Wellcome Trust UK-Irish bipolar affective disorder sibling-pair genome screen: evidence for linkage on chromosomes 6q16-q21, 4q12-q21, 9p21, 10p14-p12 and 18q22.

Bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) is a common psychiatric disorder with complex genetic aetiology. We have undertaken a genome-wide scan in one of the largest samples of bipolar affected sibling pairs (ASPs) using a two-stage approach combining sample splitting and marker grid tightening. In this second stage analysis, we have examined 17 regions that achieved a nominally significant maximum likelihood LOD score (MLS) threshold of 0.74 (or 1.18 for the X-chromosome) in stage one. The second stage has added 135 ASP families to bring the total stage 2 sample to 395 ASPs. In total, 494 microsatellite markers have been used to screen the human genome at a density of 10 cM in the first stage sample (260 ASPs) and 5 cM in the second stage. Under the broad diagnostic model, two markers gave LOD scores exceeding 3 with two-point analysis: D4S392 (LOD=3.30) and D10S197 (LOD=3.18). Multipoint analysis demonstrated suggestive evidence of linkage between BPAD and chromosomal regions 6q16-q21 (MLS=2.61) and 4q12-q21 (MLS=2.38). 6q16-q21 is of particular interest because our data, together with those from two recent genome scans, make this the best supported linkage region in BPAD. Further, our data show evidence of a gender effect at this locus with increased sharing predominantly within the male-male pairs. Our scan also provides support for linkage (MLS> or =1.5) at several other regions that have been implicated in meta-analyses of bipolar disorder and/or schizophrenia including 9p21, 10p14-p12 and 18q22.

Comparison of morphological characters in Irish and English populations of the acanthocephalan Pomphorhynchus laevis (Müller, 1776).

Pomphorhynchus laevis is believed on ecological evidence to exist as three strains in the British Isles. However, the strains have never been shown to be capable of being distinguished using morphological characters. A morphological comparison was made between a sample of P. laevis from Salmo trutta in L. Feeagh in the west of Ireland and a sample from Leuciscus cephalus in R. Culm in the south of England. The length and width of the trunk, neck, bulb, proboscis and hooks were measured. The number of hooks per row, the number of rows and the positions of the stoutest and longest hooks were also recorded. A Principal Components Analysis based on the morphological measurements confirmed the separation of the two populations and showed that two characters successfully identified the populations: the position of the stoutest hook and the ratio of numbers of anterior to posterior hooks.

Evidence for the hypothesis of strain formation in Pomphorhynchus laevis (Acanthocephala): an investigation using mitochondrial DNA sequences.

A hypothesis has been erected stating that in the British Isles the acanthocephalan, Pomphorhynchus laevis can be separated into 3 strains, an English, Irish and marine strain. Ecological and morphological evidence exists in support of this hypothesis. An investigation at the molecular level was conducted in order to test the validity of the existing evidence. A mitochondrial gene, subunit I of cytochrome c oxidase was partially sequenced from 3 Irish populations of P. laevis, 1 Scottish population and 3 English populations. P. laevis sequences from brown trout from Ireland, England and Scotland were very similar, showing a mean sequence divergence of 0.7%. Sequences from two populations of P. laevis from English chub and bullhead were also similar to each other (0.35% divergence). These two groups of sequences, the brown trout group and the chub/bullhead group were 2.2% different. These data confirm the existence of at least 2 strains in Ireland and Britain, although there is evidence to suggest that these strains are defined by their host species rather than by their geographical distributions.

Sibling pairs with affective disorders: resemblance of demographic and clinical features.

BACKGROUND: As part of a collaborative linkage study, the authors obtained clinical and demographic data on 160 families in which more than one sibling was affected with a bipolar illness. The aim of the study was to identify clinical characteristics that had a high degree of familiality. METHOD: Data on age at onset, gender, frequency of illness-episodes and proportion of manic to depressive episodes were examined to determine intra-pair correlations in affected sibling pairs. Dimension scales were developed measuring frequency and severity of lifetime mania, depression, psychosis and mood-incongruence of psychotic symptoms; degree of familial aggregation for scores on these dimensions was calculated. RESULTS: Sibling pairs correlated significantly for age at onset (p = 0.293, P < 0 001); dimension scores for psychosis (p = 0.332, P < 0.001); and proportion of manic to depressive episodes (p = 0.184, P = 0.002). These findings remained significant when correcting for multiple testing. Of the other test variables; mania (p = 0.171, P = 0.019); incongruence dimensions (p = 0.242, P = 0.042); .frequency of manic episodes (p = 0.152, P = 0.033); and frequency of depressive episodes (p = 0.155, P = 0.028) were associated with modest correlations but these were not significant after correction. Degree of familial aggregation was not significant for sex (kappa = 0.084) or dimension scores for depression (p = 0.078, P = 0.300). CONCLUSIONS: Significant but modest familial resemblance has been shown for some specific features of bipolar illness, particularly age at onset and degree of psychosis. Further research may establish the extent to which these findings are mediated by genetic and/or environmental factors.

The Wellcome trust UK-Irish bipolar affective disorder sibling-pair genome screen: first stage report.

We have completed the first stage of a two-stage genome wide screen designed to identify chromosomal regions that may harbour susceptibility genes for bipolar affective disorder. The first stage screening sample included 509 subjects from 151 nuclear families recruited within the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. This sample contained 154 narrowly defined affected sibling pairs (DSM-IV BPI) and 258 broadly defined affected sibling pairs (DSM-IV BPI, SABP, BPII, BPNOS or MDD(R)), approximately two thirds of all families contained at least one other additional typed individual. All individuals were genotyped using 398 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers from Applied Biosystems's Linkage Mapping Set Version 2. The average inter-marker distance was 9.6 cM and the mean heterozygosity was 0.78. Analysis of these data using non-parametric linkage methods (MAPMAKER/SIBS) found no evidence for loci of major effect and no regions reached genome-wide significance for either suggestive or significant linkage. We identified 19 points across the genome where the MLS exceeded a value set for follow up in our second stage screen (MLS > or = 0.74 (equivalent to a nominal pointwise significance of 5%) under the narrowest diagnostic model). These points were on chromosomes 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 17, 18 & X. Some of these points overlapped with previous linkage reports both within bipolar affective disorder and other psychiatric illnesses. Under the narrowest diagnostic model, the single most significant multipoint linkage was on chromosome 18 at marker D18S452 (MLS=1.54). Overall the highest MLS was 1.70 on chromosome 2 at marker D2S125, under the broadest diagnostic model.

Cigarette smoking and psychotic symptoms in bipolar affective disorder.

BACKGROUND: An association exists between smoking and schizophrenia, independent of other factors and related to psychotic symptomatology. AIMS: To determine whether smoking is associated with psychosis in bipolar affective disorder. METHOD: Smoking data were collected from 92 unrelated patients with bipolar affective disorder. An ordinal logistic regression analysis tested the relationship between smoking severity and psychotic symptomatology, allowing for potential confounders. RESULTS: A significant relationship was detected between smoking/heavy smoking and history of psychosis (68.7%, n=44). Smoking was less prevalent in patients who were less symptomatic (56.5%, n=13) than in patients with a more severe psychosis (75.7, n=31). Prevalence and severity of smoking predicted severity of psychotic symptoms (P=0.001), a relationship independent of other variables (P=0.0272). CONCLUSION: A link between smoking and psychosis exists in bipolar affective disorder and may be independent of categorical diagnosis.