Prevalence of anaemia, iron, and vitamin deficiencies in the health system in the Republic of Ireland: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Anaemia is a common but treatable condition that predicts adverse clinical outcomes. However, standards of anaemia management vary considerably. AIM: To estimate the prevalence of anaemia and extent of screening for common underlying causes in the healthcare system in the Republic of Ireland. DESIGN & SETTING: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 112 181 adult patients, aged ≥18 years, who had a full blood count performed in 2013, using data from the National Kidney Disease Surveillance System. METHOD: The prevalence of anaemia was determined across demographic and clinical subgroups, according to World Health Organization (WHO) definitions. The proportion screened for iron, vitamin B12, and folate deficiency was determined within a 3-month follow-up period and the corresponding prevalence for each deficiency determined. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of anaemia was 12.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 11.8% to 12.2%) and was higher in women than men (13.2% versus 10.5%, P<0.001). Anaemia increased with advancing age (33.4% for those aged >75 years) and worsening kidney function (8.2%, 10.9%, 33.2%, and 63.8% for each estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] categories >90, 60-89, 30-59 and <30 ml/min/1.73 m², respectively, P<0.001). After 3-months' follow-up, the proportion screened for iron deficiency was 11.2% based on transferrin saturation and 33.7% using serum ferritin. Screening for folate and B12 deficiency was 17.6% and 19.8%, respectively. Among screened patients, the prevalence of iron deficiency, B12, and folate deficiency was 37.0%, 6.3%, and 5.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The burden of anaemia in the healthcare system is substantial especially for older patients and those with advanced kidney disease. Low screening rates for iron, B12, and folate deficiency are common and warrant quality improvement initiatives.

Sweat testing in the modern era: A national survey of sweat testing practice in the Republic of Ireland.

BACKGROUND: The sweat test has been the "gold standard" diagnostic test for cystic fibrosis for more than 40 years. We hypothesized that there would be a change in the pattern of sweat testing in Ireland since the introduction of cystic fibrosis newborn screening in 2011, when practices were last reviewed. This is a follow up survey looking at sweat testing numbers and practices. METHODS: A national survey compiled data on sweat collection, conductivity and sweat chloride testing in all hospitals previously identified as performing sweat tests. RESULTS: All 13 centres in Ireland performing sweat testing in 2018 responded to the survey (100% return rate). Our results indicate that 1007 sweat tests were performed in 2018 compared to 2555 in 2011, equating to a 61% reduction. Seven out of 13 centres are performing less than 50 sweat tests per year. Nine out of 13 centres (69%) had a sweat test failure rate greater than the recommended allowable rate of ≤ 10%. We detected a trend of sweat testing in patients with an existing diagnosis of CF who had commenced cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a significant reduction in the number of sweat tests performed in Ireland since the introduction of newborn screening for CF. There remains a lack of standardisation in many aspects of the service ranging from sample collection to reporting of results. We have identified a new trend of sweat testing in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulator era.

Cholesterol screening and statin use in children: a literature review.

Atherosclerosis begins in childhood. Fatty streaks, the earliest precursor of atherosclerotic lesions, have been found in the coronary arteries of children of 2 years of age. Hypercholesterolaemia is a risk factor for coronary artery disease. Hypercholesterolaemia can be either primary, when it is characteristic of the main disease, or secondary when it occurs as a result of either a disease process or drug treatment. Given the risk of vascular disease, including myocardial infarction (MI), cerebrovascular accidents (CVA, also known as strokes), peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and ruptured aortic aneurysm, which may follow atherosclerosis, it is important to prevent or slow the early development of atherosclerotic lesions. This prevention necessitates the control of key risk factors such hypercholesterolaemia, dyslipidaemia, hypertension etc. However, at what point this prevention ought to occur, and in what form, is uncertain. Using pharmacological primary prevention for hypercholesterolaemia in the paediatric population is controversial. In an adult patient, hypercholesterolaemia warrants the initiation of a statin. Statins, also known as hydroxymethylglutaryl co-enzyme A inhibitors (or HMG-CoA inhibitors) act by altering cholesterol metabolism. In the paediatric population, the clinical course of vascular disease and the effect of altering this clinical course are less certain. This article reviews the published literature on hypercholesterolaemia in children and the use of statins as a treatment for dyslipidaemia in children. The US National Cholesterol Expert Panel on Integrated Guidelines for Cardiovascular Health and Risk Reduction in Children and Adolescents 2012 guidelines (NCEP guidelines) regarding the recognition and treatment of childhood dyslipidaemia are reviewed.

Significance of High-Sensitivity Troponin T After Elective External Direct Current Cardioversion for Atrial Fibrillation or Atrial Flutter.

External transthoracic direct current (DC) cardioversion is a commonly used method of terminating cardiac arrhythmias. Previous research has shown that DC cardioversion resulted in myocardial injury as evidenced by increased levels of cardiac troponin, even though only minimally. Many of these studies were based on the outdated monophasic defibrillators and older, less sensitive troponin assays. This study aimed to assess the effect of external transthoracic DC cardioversion on myocardial injury as measured by the change in the new high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) using the more modern biphasic defibrillators. Patients who were admitted for elective DC cardioversion for atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter were recruited. Hs-cTnT levels were taken before cardioversion and at 6 hours after cardioversion. A total of 120 cardioversions were performed. Median (twenty-fifth to seventy-fifth interquartile range) cumulative energy was 161 J (155 to 532 J). A total of 49 (41%) patients received a cumulative energy of 300 J or higher. The median hs-cTnT level before cardioversion was 7 ng/L (4 to 11 ng/L) and that after cardioversion was 7 ng/L (4 to 10 ng/L). A Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed no significant difference between pre- and post-cardioversion hs-cTnT levels (Z = -0.940, p = 0.347). In conclusion, external DC cardioversion did not result in myocardial injury within the first 6 hours as measured by high-sensitivity troponin T. Patients who are cardioverted and are found to have a significant increase in cardiac troponin after cardioversion should be assessed for causes of myocardial injury and not assumed to have myocardial injury due to the cardioversion itself.

Standardization of assay methods reduces variability of total PSA measurements: an Irish study.

UNLABELLED: What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Today, numerous assays for PSA detection are available from various manufacturers. However, these various assays do not detect PSA equally and several studies have demonstrated variability between them. In order to harmonise PSA results and reduce the discrepancies, reference materials are available for assay calibration. We have demonstrated significantly variability between 6 different assay methods currently in use in 9 hospitals despite assay calibration. Variability in PSA values was reduced with the standardisation of the assay method in 4 hospitals. Our results highlight the dilemma of PSA assay variability and stress the need for nationwide standardisation of PSA testing. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether standardization of total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA) assay methods reduces variability in tPSA measurements. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Blood samples from 84 patients attending a single urology department were distributed across nine hospitals selected throughout Ireland for the independent determination of tPSA under the same conditions. The selected hospitals collectively used six different assay methods for tPSA detection: Beckman Hybritech WHO Calibrated (used as reference method), Tosoh AIA 1800, Roche E170 (used in three hospitals), Abbott AxSYM, Immulite 2500 2nd Generation (used in two hospitals) and Siemens ADVIA Centaur. The method of tPSA detection was next standardized in a subset of four hospitals using the same assay method and the measurements were repeated. The difference in mean tPSA in the cohort across the hospitals tested was determined and the Bland-Altman test was used to assess the agreement between each test. Analysis was performed over both the full (0.5-30 µg/L, N = 84) and a narrow (3-7 µg/L, n = 25) tPSA range. RESULTS: The range and the mean tPSA of the full cohort were inflated across the eight test hospitals, when compared with the reference hospital. The poorest agreement between assay methods was associated with a bias of 2.2 ± 2.4 µg/L. The variability in tPSA measurements between assay methods was inconsistent across the range of tPSA values tested and increased with increasing mean tPSA. Agreement in reported tPSA was excellent after standardization of tPSA assay methods (bias <0.2 µg/L). Over the narrow 3-7 µg/L PSA range, 12/25 (48%) patients had a tPSA range of values across all hospitals in excess of 2 µg/L. Following standardization of the tPSA assay method, patient tPSA ranges were <0.5 µg/L for 13/25 (52%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown that the lack of standardization of tPSA assay methods across a panel of Irish hospitals leads to significant variability in the measured tPSA values for the same patient samples. Variability in tPSA values was reduced with the standardization of the assay method in four hospitals. Standardization of PSA testing on a nationwide scale is warranted.