The origins of the English adjective “fit” are obscure, but over the last century it has come to mean “in good physical condition

Anyone mapping the patterns of diagnostic thinking in primary care must give a prominent place to the concept of alarm symptoms, often known as “red flags

One week after the New England Journal published the two FUTURE studies, The Lancet publishes three trials of a quadrivalent vaccine against human papillomavirus types 6,11, 16 and 18. And it is indeed a case of back to the FUTURE – the vaccine shows protection against new high-grade vulval and vaginal lesions when given before, but not after, infection. more…

I suppose that I receive about half a dozen autoanalyser reports of serum phosphorus levels from my patients every day, but I can’t remember ever having made a clinical decision based on them. I don’t think this paper from Framingham will change that: more…

At first glance, the message from the abstract of this paper is startling: an in-practice intervention can reduce 5-year mortality in seriously depressed elderly patients by 40%, entirely due to a reduction in cancer deaths. more…

The Monument to the Heroes of Warsaw 1939-45, which now stands in front of the beautiful rebuilt Grand Theatre, is known locally as “Nike

Health secretary Patricia Hewitt has announced plans to drop the flawed Medical Training Application Service — but only from now on.

Round 1 interview set up through MTAS and which have already taken place, or which are due to take place, will still be valid.

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After myocardial infarction, areas of the myocardium may remain ischaemic without producing any symptoms – this is known as silent ischaemia and is revealed by sophisticated forms of stress imaging. Between 1991 and 1997, well before it became clear that all patients with MI do better with immediate percutaneous intervention (PCI), a group of Swiss hospital randomised their heart attack patients with silent ischaemia to drug treatment or PCI after investigation. more…

In the USA, there is much debate about compulsory vaccination of girls at the age of 11 or 12 against the most oncogenic strains of human papillomavirus (HPV). Opposition comes from the religious right who believe that this undermines the message of chastity before marriage and faithfulness thereafter. more…

This is one of three important papers on aspirin to appear this week and it shows that whatever the merits of this drug in other contexts, it does not prevent cognitive decline in women over 65. more…