This Month’s IMJ

October 2018 Vol 111, Number 9

Commentary

Vaccination Concerns Across Europe

JFA Murphy
Editor
IMJ

Editorials

PARIS: One Swallow Does Not A Spring Make!

M. Nadeem, P. Greally

What is the Most Efficacious Pharmacological Therapy for Patent Ductus Arteriosus Closure in Premature Infants?

N. Bussmann, A. EL-Khuffash

Original Papers

Exercise Rehabilitation Services Provided by Physiotherapy Departments in Cancer Care in Ireland

S. Mulcahy, J Prendergast, G. Foley,A O Hare, E. Murphy, E.M. Guinan, J. Hussey

Mulcahy et al examined the issue of exercise rehabilitation services for cancer patients. 24 managers reported on 26 services. 5 services offered exercise services for cancer patients. Ten hospitals provide oncology post-operative exercise rehabilitation.

Coming of Age in Ireland: the Twilight Zone!

B.D Power, P. Stewart, G. Stone, P. O’Reilly, C. Costigan, C. O’Gorman, A.M. Murphy

Power et al studied the hospital admissions and OPD attendances of children aged 14-16 years. There were 10,992 admissions and 41,456 OPD visits. 17% were admitted to an age appropriate ward, and only 11.3% were under the care of a paediatrician.

Ankylosing Spondylitis Response to TNF Inhibition Is Gender Specific: A 6-Year Cohort Study

C. Murray, C. Fearon, M. Dockery, D. Moran, E. Heffernan, O. Fitzgerald, D.J. Veale, L. Harty

Murray et al report on 147 AS patients who received TNFi therapy. Post-TNFi women had higher disease activity.

Prevalence of Smoking and Provision of Smoking Cessation Advice during Hospitalization

N. Najeeb, M. Halawani, N.G. McElvaney, F. Doyle

Najeeb et al report on a hospital smoking cessation programme. Among 203 patients, 30 (14.8%) were current smokers. In previous studies at the hospital the smoking prevalence was 17% in 2013 and 21% in 2011. There were socio-economic differences in the prevalence rates.

Occasional Pieces

Health Literacy, Health Service Delivery and Health Outcomes: Current Understanding and Future Directions

Y.F Finn

The Case for Shared Medical and Psychiatric Units: Are They Needed and How They Could Run?

R.M Duffy, M. Sadlier, A.H. Van Der Ploeg, J. Sheehan

Case Reports

IgG4 Related Disease, A Case of Large Vessel Vasculitis

A. O’Sullivan, S. Ghazi Al Qatari, G. Murphy

O’Sullivan et al describe a case of vasculitis in a 50 year old woman. The ultimate diagnosis was IgG4 related disease. She was treated with steroids and rituximab.

Case Series

Sarcomatoid Carcinoma of the Prostate Presenting in a 44 Year Old

M. Conroy, M. Greally, O. MacEneaney, C. O’Keane, J. McCaffrey.

Conroy et al a case of sarcomatoid carcinoma, a rare form of prostate cancer. It represents 0.1% of prostatic malignancies. The presentation was haematuria. It is an aggressive tumour with a median survival of 9 months.

Figure 1: MRI prostate demonstrating mass arising from left side of prostate

Figure 2: 100x magnification of prostate lesion with inserts demonstrating IHC findings.

Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A Case Series

S.A Zafar, O.M. Ahmed, M.R. Boland, N. Aucharaz, A. Lal

Zafar et al report 3 cases of MCC. It is a cutaneous tumour with local spread and distal metastases. The 3 patients presented with a lesion on the chest wall, right buttock and right forearm respectively.

Figure A: Case 3 lesion on the right forearm.

Continual Professional Development

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