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Biomedical subjects

F Mulcahy

Publications and source records attributed to F Mulcahy.

86 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

An open, comparative, study of the efficacy of 0.5% podophyllotoxin lotion and 25% podophyllotoxin solution in the treatment of condylomata acuminata in males and females.

The efficacy and safety of topical treatment for external condylomata acuminata with either self-applied 0.5% podophyllotoxin (PT) or hospital-applied 25% podophyllin (PODO) solution was compared in 138 males and 67 females in an open multicentre study. After one week of treatment, wart clearance was observed in 53% of males and 37% of females in the PT group as compared with 19% of males and 19% of females in the PODO group (P < 0.001 in males; P = 0.13 in females). At 5 weeks after commencing treatment, clearance of warts had been achieved in 86% males and 72% females in the PT group as compared with 78% of males and 62% females in the PODO group (P = 0.08 in males; P = 0.14 in females). Treatment had cleared 81% of 180 treated sites in all PT recipients as compared with 61% of 95 treated sites in all PODO recipients (P < 0.001). The increased speed of action of PT was associated with an increased incidence of symptoms and signs of inflammation at treatment sites in both males and females (P < 0.001). These were generally mild, did not interfere with continuing treatment, and were more frequent in those patients whose warts were eradicated most rapidly. Home-based treatment with 0.5% podophyllotoxin lotion in appropriately instructed patients of either sex is superior in efficacy to outpatient applied 25% podophyllin and has the potential to reduce the number of hospital attendances required in genital wart eradication.

Administration, Topical↗

Use of a Dublin inner city A & E department by patients with known HIV-1 infection.

During the period January 1990 to January 1992 260 patients known to be infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) attended the Accident & Emergency (A & E) Department of St James's Hospital, Dublin. There was a total of 709 visits with a mean annual attendance rate of 2.7, twice that for the general A & E population. Eighty-nine per cent of patients were intravenous drug users (IVDUs), 9% homosexual/bisexual and 2% heterosexual. Known HIV-1 seropositive patients accounted for 0.7% and 0.8% of the total number of patients who attended A & E in 1990 and 1991 respectively. The majority of patients disclosed their HIV status. Bacterial respiratory tract infection was the single most common reason for attending A & E and for admission to hospital. Seventy-two per cent of IVDUs fulfilled Centers of Disease Control (CDC) criteria for stage II and III disease; the majority of these used A & E for primary medical care, although listed with a general practitioner (GP) and attending during the daytime. Sixty-eight per cent of homosexuals/bisexuals were CDC stage IV with AIDS defining illnesses accounting for 52.6% of clinical presentations. Of this risk category, 79% required medical admission. Homosexuals/bisexuals represent more advanced disease, thus the full impact of HIV-1 infection in IVDUs in this A & E setting has yet to be realized.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Attitudes towards and experience of general practice among HIV-positive patients in the Republic of Ireland.

In order to study their attitudes to and experience of general practitioner care, 150 attenders at the only HIV specialist clinic in the Republic of Ireland were asked to complete an anonymous, self administered questionnaire. (81%) of respondents reported having a regular GP and 94% of those indicated that the GP was aware of their HIV diagnosis. The majority (64%) of patients with a regular GP reported seeing their doctor on more than 5 occasions during the previous year. Most patients were satisfied with the support which they received from their GPs. Even so, the majority of patients (72%) would go directly to the hospital clinic for any problem which they perceive to be HIV related.

Adult↗

Clinical parameters associated with recalcitrant oral candidosis in HIV infection: a preliminary study.

Clinical resistance in oropharyngeal candidosis is an increasingly significant management problem in HIV-seropositive patients. This study was undertaken to identify predisposing risk factors including the isolation of particular species of Candida which may be associated with the development of clinical resistance. The effect of particular antifungal prescribing regimens was also assessed. Data were compiled by chart review of 2 groups, each of 10 HIV-seropositive CDC stage IV patients with recurrent oropharyngeal candidosis. All patients had swabs taken at intervals during treatment and all candida isolates were species typed. The patients in group 1 exhibited candida infections which did not respond clinically to standard therapeutic regimens. The second patient group did respond to standard oral antifungal therapies. An association was found between the frequent utilization of azoles, particularly fluconazole and the development of clinically resistant oral candidosis. The number of candida isolates grown from the initial swab was also significantly related to the development of resistance.

Adult↗

Population based study of the cost of inpatient care for HIV-lnfected individuals in an Irish teaching hospital.

A microcosting evaluation of the cost of inpatient care of 69 HIV-infected patients in an Irish teaching hospital was conducted from the hospital perspective. The median cost per admission was 6220 Euros and median cost per inpatient day was 557 Euros. HIV related admissions were associated with a greater cost per admission than non-HIV related admissions. There was an inverse relationship between inpatient costs and CD4 count. Ward costs accounted for the majority of inpatient expenditure. This is the first detailed study of the cost of inpatient care for HIV-infected individuals in Ireland. This study provides the data necessary to estimate the burden of HIV disease in Ireland and to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of antiretroviral and other strategies to manage HIV infection in the Irish context.

Female↗

Increasing resistance to ciprofloxacin among isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoea in Dublin.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae cases are increasing in Ireland. Ciprofloxacin is often used as first line treatment for this infection in STI clinics. A retrospective study to analyze resistance in two Dublin clinics was undertaken. Cases were defined as patients from whom an isolate of N. gonorrhoea was recovered. All cases from two clinics between January 1997 and June 2003 were included. Antimicrobial resistance data was correlated with sex and sexuality. One thousand one hundred and eighty laboratory-confirmed cases were identified. Eighty seven percent were male. Sixty nine percent were MSM. Twenty seven percent of isolates demonstrated reduced susceptibility to penicillin and 6% to ciprofloxacin. Isolates with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin increased year on year from 3.8% in 1997 to 15% in 2003. Prevalence of isolates of N. gonorrhoea with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin has exceeded 10% in these clinics since 2002. In concordance with international guidelines, ceftriaxone became the treatment of choice for gonorrhoea in July 2003.

Ambulatory Care Facilities↗

Opportunistic cervical screening at a sexual health clinic.

Women attending sexual health services may be higher risk for cervical cancer than the general population. In the United Kingdom, where a national cervical screening programme is underway, sexual health clinics no longer routinely offer their attendees cervical smears. Abnormal cervical smears add considerably to the workload of a sexual health service. In the absence of an organised national cervical screening programme in Ireland opportunistic screening is heavily relied upon. Opportunistic screening is performed in primary care, sexual health services and other women's health services. In the absence of this opportunistic cervical screening treatable pre-cancerous lesions may go unrecognised.

Adolescent↗

Analysis of care of HIV positive patients: hospital and general practice components.

Fifty-seven HIV positive adults (mostly injecting drug users) attending two inner city Dublin general practices were followed for one year to identify the general practice and hospital components of their care. Many patients had advanced disease; during the year 10/57 (17.5%) died. The group made a median of seven visits to general practice (range 0-35) and two visits to hospital HIV clinics (range 0-21). A quarter of the group (14/57) was seen only in general practice and did not attend hospital; only two patients did not attend either the HIV Clinic or the GP during the year. Hospital admission was needed for 15/57 (26.3%) patients on a total of 31 occasions with an average length of stay of 10 days per admission; 80% of these admissions were generated by 10 patients with AIDS. The indication for almost all admissions was serious physical illness or diagnostic or therapeutic procedure. Patients with symptomatic or advanced HIV disease required a higher level of care than those with asymptomatic disease. It is essential that the agencies involved in meeting this level of demand be adequately resourced and that they liaise closely.

Adult↗

The spectrum of HIV related skin diseases in an Irish population.

A prospective study was carried out between January 1988 and January 1990 in St. James's hospital, Dublin, which is the chief referral centre for the HIV population in Ireland. Patients were routinely referred from the genitourinary medicine department to the dermatology clinic for a full dermatological assessment which was carried out by one physician (LB). The patients were not preselected on the basis of a skin complaint. The study aimed to detect the prevalence of skin disease amongst this HIV group of patients and to compare them with an age and sex matched group of normal controls. There were 92 patients in each group, with 62 intravenous drug users (IVDU), 21 homosexuals, eight haemophiliacs and one heterosexual in the HIV positive group. A wide spectrum of skin disorders were seen, with a significantly higher prevalence of seborrhoeic dermatitis, xerosis, Kaposi's sarcoma, oral candidiasis, folliculitis, molluscum contagiosum, onychomycosis, gingivitis, perianal herpes simplex and genital/perianal warts in the HIV positive group compared to controls.

Adolescent↗

A clinico-pathological study of 79 bronchoscopies in HIV-positive patients.

We investigated lung pathology in 61 HIV-positive patients who underwent 79 bronchoscopies. There were 27 cases of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), 22 cases of pyogenic pulmonary infection and six cases of mycobacterial infection. Eleven cases of non-specific interstitial pneumonitis were found and 10 intravenous drug abusers had birefringent pulmonary talc granulomata in biopsy specimens. Women and intravenous drug abusers had higher rates of pyogenic pulmonary infection than men and other risk groups respectively. When compared with a previous survey from the same hospital using the same methodology the present study showed a change in the risk groups with 50% more intravenous drug abusers, 42% more haemophiliacs and 45% fewer patients with sexually transmitted infection. However, apparent changes in the spectrum of diseases encountered were not significant.

Adolescent↗