Postgraduate Medical Journal articles from February 2004

Postgraduate Medical Journal archives from February 2004

Assessing clinical competency in medical senior house officers: how and why should we do it?(Review)
February 1, 2004... Most consultants are involved in the training and assessment of several grades of doctors in training especially senior house officers (SHOs) and specialist registrars. In the medical and other specialties there is an increasing trend towards...

Body dysmorphic disorder.(Review)
February 1, 2004... Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is defined as a preoccupation with an "imagined" defect in one's appearance. Alternatively, where there is a slight physical anomaly, then the person's concern is markedly excessive. The preoccupation is...

History of asbestos related disease.(Review)
February 1, 2004... The first medical article on the hazards of asbestos dust appeared in the British Medical Journal in 1924. Following inquiries by Edward Merewether and Charles Price, the British government introduced regulations to control dangerous dust...

Spilled gall stones during laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a review of the literature.(Review)
February 1, 2004... Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is associated with spillage of gall stones in 5%-40% of procedures, but complications occur very rarely. There are, however, isolated case reports describing a range of complications occurring both at a distance...

Neonatal congenital microvillus atrophy.(Review)
February 1, 2004... Congenital microvillous atrophy (CMVA) is the leading cause of neonatal secretory diarrhoea with onset either in the first 72 hours of life (early onset) or at 6-8 weeks after birth (late onset). To date over 30 cases have been reported...

Echocardiography and the general physician.(Cardiology Update)
February 1, 2004... Doctors from many medical specialties request echocardiography as part of their assessment of patients with a wide range of pathology. Recent advances in the technology and techniques of echocardiography are discussed. The role of...

Poor outcome in primary intracerebral haemorrhage: results of a matched comparison.(Original Article)
February 1, 2004... Background: Primary intracerebral haemorrhage (PICH) is associated with a poorer outcome than cerebral infarction. This study aimed to determine whether this is explained by the clinical severity of stroke. Methods: An observational study...

A questionnaire survey of stress and bullying in doctors undertaking research.(Original Article)
February 1, 2004... Background: Research is an increasingly important aspect of higher medical training for many doctors. Studies investigating sources of stress, isolation, and workplace bullying have not previously sought information in this setting. ...

Clinical and laboratory observations of tuberculosis at a Mumbai (India) clinic.(Original Article)
February 1, 2004... Objectives: To study the positivity of sputum acid fast bacilli (AFB) smears in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis using 24 hour sputum collection. To detect HIV seropositivity in patients suffering from tuberculosis, and to analyse the...

Retired physicians: a survey study by the Turkish Medical Association.(Original Article)
February 1, 2004... Background: The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life of retired Turkish physicians. The focus was on their working conditions, their health status, and the impact of their disabilities on activities of daily life. Methods:...

Evaluation of flexible sigmoidoscopy as an investigation for "left sided" colorectal symptoms.(Audit)
February 1, 2004... Background: Colonoscopy is the best way of imaging the colon with concurrent biopsy and treatment. However it is expensive, requires full bowel preparation, and carries a risk of complications. Flexible sigmoidoscopy is an alternative way to...

Warfarin and celecoxib interaction in the setting of cytochrome P450 (CYP2C9) polymorphism with bleeding complication.(Adverse Drug Reaction)
February 1, 2004... Drug metabolism may be perturbed by genetically determined differences in the metabolic activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes. The authors encountered extensive bleeding in a patient receiving warfarin for anticoagulation after the introduction...

Salmonella osteomyelitis of the thoracic spine: an unusual presentation.(Case Report)
February 1, 2004... A case of thoracic vertebral osteomyelitis due to Salmonella enteritidis phage type 2 in an immunocompetent patient is reported. The patient initially presented with abdominal, urinary and chest symptoms, which were followed by a large pleural...

Resolution of cryptosporidiosis with probiotic treatment.(Case Report)
February 1, 2004... Cryptosporidium infection is usually self limited, but can be a life threatening illness in immunocompromised patients. Probiotics have been used successfully in the treatment of acute diarrhoea and they have also been shown to limit...

Co-occurrence of thyroid binding globulin excess and a pituitary macroadenoma containing thyroid stimulating hormone-producing cells.(Case Report)
February 1, 2004... A patient is described in whom thyroid binding globulin (TBG) excess was found in association with a pituitary macroadenoma containing thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)-producing cells, and the potential for diagnostic confusion arising from...

Long uvula: an unusual cause of chronic cough.(Case Report)
February 1, 2004... Chronic cough is a distressing symptom for patients and parents in paediatric practice. Investigations of the child with persistent cough can be simple or complex depending on the underlying cause. There are some unusual reasons for chronic...

A patient with recurrent syncope.(Syncope)
February 1, 2004... Answers on p 120. A 43 year old man presented to the accident and emergency department with a history of feeling light headed followed by loss of consciousness after he had just finished jogging. There was no associated chest pain,...

Digital gangrene: an unusual cause.(Gangrene)
February 1, 2004... Answers on p 121. A 27 year old man, with no addictions, was admitted with a history of fever and blackening of his right little finger of one day's duration. There was no history of trauma or joint pains, and no previous symptoms of any...

Tachycardia in the presence of a pacemaker.(Tachycardia)
February 1, 2004... Answers on p 122. A 84 year old woman was admitted with palpitations of a few days' duration. She had a dual chamber permanent pacemaker (DDD) fitted five years ago for complete heart block. She was tachycardic with a heart rate of around...

The top 100 drug interactions. A Guide to Patient Management. 2003 Edition.
February 1, 2004... The top 100 drug interactions. A Guide to Patient Management. 2003 Edition. Philip D Hansten, John R Horn. (Pp 176; $14.95.) H&H Publications, 2003. ISBN 0-9674718-4-2. Drug interactions account for up to 20% of all adverse drug...

Systematic Reviews to Support Evidence-Based Medicine: How to Review and Apply Findings of Healthcare Research.
February 1, 2004... Systematic Reviews to Support Evidence-Based Medicine: How to Review and Apply Findings of Healthcare Research. Khalid S Khan, Regina Kunz, Jos Kleijnen, Gerd Antes. (Pp 136; [pounds sterling]17.50.) Royal Society of Medicine Press, 2003....

Living with Heart Failure--A Guide for Patients.
February 1, 2004... Living with Heart Failure--A Guide for Patients. Martin R Cowie. (Pp 58; [pounds sterling]9.95.) Bladon Medical Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-904218-22-9. Professor Cowie has written an authoritative, up-to-date, and relatively simple...

Fetal Medicine for the MRCOG and Beyond.
February 1, 2004... Fetal Medicine for the MRCOG and Beyond. Alan Cameron, Lena Macara, Janet Brennand, Peter Milton. (Pp 149; [pounds sterling]22 or [pounds sterling]16.50 to fellows and members.) RCOG Press, 2003. ISBN 1-900364-74-3. This book has been...

The Yearbook of Obstetrics & Gynaecology--volume 10.
February 1, 2004... The Yearbook of Obstetrics & Gynaecology--volume 10. Edited by David Sturdee, Karl Olah, David Purdie, Declan Keane. (Pp 420; [pounds sterling]48 or [pounds sterling]36 to fellows and members.) RCOG Press, 2002. ISBN 1-900364-72-7. ...

Medical Statistics Made Clear.
February 1, 2004... Medical Statistics Made Clear. Ashis Banerjee. (Pp 133; [pounds sterling]19.95.) Royal Society of Medicine Press, 2003. ISBN 1-85315-5446. This book starts by describing the common terms used in statistics, measures of central...