Original Articles

• Health and Gender: What is the Situation with Older Persons and How Do We Address Healthcare Needs?

  K Mitchell-Fearon, D Willie-Tyndale, J McKoy-Davis, NK Waldron, D Holder Nevins, D Eldemire-Shearer
  Older women in Jamaica have a disproportionately higher burden of chronic non communicable diseases. Gender sensitive approaches to health promotion and disease prevention are needed.

• The Thickness of Epicardial Adipose Tissue Adjacent to Right Coronary Artery Predicts Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation After Cryoballoon Ablation: A Simpler Method

  NS Yelgeç, S Şahin, AT Alper
  This study investigated the importance of epicardial fat-tissue round the right coronary artery (RCA), highly sensitive C-reaction protein (Hs-CRP) and left atrial (LA) volume index on recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after cryoballoon ablation (CBA).

• An Utstein-style Investigation into the Association between Prognoses and the Conditions of Patients with Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest

  T Iwamura, S Inoue, KC Yamada, H Koami, T Miike, M Yahata, H Imahase, Y Sakamoto
  At the time of the emergency call (119), the subsequent survival rate is high, particularly in conscious cases with chest pain/back pain/respiratory distress or in cases in which the caller cannot confirm respiratory arrest.

• Characterization of Neuropathic Pain in Sickle Cell Disease

  M Nalbandian, H Kyotakoze, H Kaminsky, D Keleny, P Baghdasaryan, A McDonald, T Erwes, T Mylläri, K Nalbandyan, TO Jalonen
  This study sought to identify the amount of nociceptive, affective and neuropathic pain components in sickle cell disease (SCD) in Grenada, West Indies. Characterization of pain in SCD will contribute to increased awareness and promote the development of adequate and effective pain management guidelines.

• Does Intra-operative Dexmedetomidine Attenuate Postoperative Inflammatory Response in the Adult Surgical Patients with General Anaesthesia? A Meta-analysis of Randomized Control Trials Studies

  W-Q Sun, Q Zhou, A-G Zhou, H Mo
  We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to determine the postoperative anti-inflammatory effects of dexmedetomidine on surgical patients' outcome. The results showed that intra-operative dexmedetomidine reduced postoperative concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α at the end of surgery and on the first day after surgery.