ANNUAL REVIEW master Final3a - St Vincent's University Hospital

St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group Limited - Annual Review 2007
Department of Nephrology
Lublin FD, Miller DH, O'Connor PW, Phillips JT, Polman CH, Radue EW, Rudick RA, Stuart WH, Wajgt A,
Weinstock-Guttman B, Wynn DR, Lynn F, Panzara MA.
Natalizumab reduces visual loss in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis. Neurology 2007 Apr
17;68(16):1299-304.
Beetz C, Zuchner S, Ashley-Koch A, Auer-Grumbach M, Byrne P, Chinnery PF, Hutchinson M, McDermott CJ,
Meijer IA, Nygren AO, Pericak-Vance M, Pyle A, Rouleau GA, Schickel J, Shaw PJ, Deufel T.
Linkage to a known gene but no mutation identified: comprehensive reanalysis of SPG4 HSP pedigrees
reveals large deletions as the sole cause. Hum Mutat 2007 Jul;28(7):739-40.
McHugh JC, Bradley D, Hutchinson M, Brett F, Heffernan J, Howley R, Farrell M, Tubridy N. Variant
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: first two indigenous cases in Republic of Ireland. Case report and perspective.
Eur J Neurol 2007 Apr;14(4):467-9.
Costelloe L, O'Rourke K, Kearney H, McGuigan C, Gribbin L, Duggan M, Daly L, Tubridy N, Hutchinson M.
The patient knows best: significant change in the physical component of the Multiple Sclerosis Impact
Scale (MSIS-29 physical). J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2007 Aug;78(8):841-4.
Future Plans
GP-led Migraine Clinic – we plan to have a weekly GP-led migraine clinic for the many thousands of people
with migraine in our area and require funding for the GPs sessions, a migraine registrar and a migraine nurse.
Such an investment would substantially reduce attendances at the Emergency Department and thus hospital
admissions. It would have a major impact for our patients in terms of waiting times and overall economic
savings would be substantial.
Audit
Consultation service for in-patients of all services
The Neurology service sees 10-20 in-patients with neurological problems each week. Over a 6-month period,
254 referrals were seen. There was a significant change in diagnosis in 55%, and in management in nearly
70%. Neurological referral facilitated earlier discharge for 65% patients.
Neurology in the Emergency Department (ED). We previously performed an audit of the ED admissions at
SVUH that had a neurological problem. Between 13and 15% of all ED admissions had a neurological
problem. The most common conditions were headaches (19%), post-traumatic neurological signs (16%),
seizures (10%), stroke (17%), loss of consciousness (6%), and dizzy/syncope (6%).
Teaching
The Department has an excellent reputation in teaching under-graduate and post-graduate students
Department runs the MRCP examinations three times a year
We also run an annual MRCPI course in Neurology as well as in hospital MRCP teaching sessions there
times a year.
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