Excessive water drinking during sporting events is sometimes encouraged openly by colleagues and tacitly by the drinks industry. This case highlights the risk of drinking more fluid than you actually need. A reviewer commented “The article makes some excellent points and is very well written. It is an important contribution in the continuing fight to […]
Month: August 2009
Unexpected visual gain with gene therapy suggests new areas for research
A pseudo-fovea develops in the gene-therapy treated eye of a patient in a Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis trial. The authors show analysis of this region of cone function outside the fovea and compares it with the early fovea gain seen in the other patients in the trial. “The unexpected late emergence of visual gain in [this] […]
Phase 1 trial of Talaporfin (Laserphyrin / NPe6) in neurofibromatosis treats first patient
Not a full case report or a medical first but it is the first patient in a phase 1 trial of this intriguing, light-activated chemotherapy drug in children with plexiform neurofibromas. “Light Sciences Oncology, Inc. (LSO) today announced the treatment of the first patient in an investigator-sponsored Phase 1 pediatric study of its novel light-activated […]
Heart transplant record holder dies of cancer
“Heart transplant recipient (Tony Huesman) who lived a record 31 years with a single donated organ has died at age 51 of cancer, his heart still going strong, his widow said.” Associated Press 12th August 2009 When he received the heart transplant in 1978 he was told he may have had 5 years to live. […]
First internet-connected pacemaker? No.
Recently noticed this claim. “NEW YORK (Reuters) – After relying on a pacemaker for 20 years, Carol Kasyjanski has become the first American recipient of a wireless pacemaker that allows her doctor to monitor her health from afar — over the Internet.” http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5790AK20090811 (Strangely it became a World first when taken up by Yahoo! http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090810/lf_nm_life/us_pacemaker_2) […]
A case of eyelash transplantation a first in the UK or not?
“A woman from Greater Manchester has become the first person in the UK to undergo an eyelash transplant, surgical teams have claimed. Louise Thomas, 19, from Stockport, had the treatment because she suffers from trichotillomania – obsessive plucking or pulling out hair.” http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8191440.stm The surgery was performed by a private cosmetic surgery firm, Transform, who […]
Case reports of cancer in children on TNF blockers
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requiring the manufacturers of Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) blockers to update the Boxed Warning in the prescribing information to alert healthcare professionals of an increased risk of lymphoma and other malignancies in children and adolescents treated with TNF blockers. FDA ALERT [8/4/2009] The FDA analysed 48 cases […]
Plant sterol enriched margarines increase cardiovascular risk?
Maybe the assumption that natural substances can do no harm has again been shown to be wrong. Are these margarines good or bad for you? A case published in BMJ Case Reports this week raises an interesting question about plant sterol-enriched margarines and cardiovascular risk. They reduce LDL cholesterol but do not seem to reduce […]
Aggressive Infantile Fibromatosis in an Iraqi child treated in the UK
The case of three-year-old Saif Basim with Agressive Infantile Fibromatosis is in the news this week. The young boy was flown from Iraq to be treated by British surgeons since the appropriate facilities were not available in Baghdad. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1204230/Iraqi-boy-smile-life-saving-surgery-UK-remove-tumour-face.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8188149.stm http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2571657/Iraqui-tumour-boys-first-smile.html Royal Jordanian airlines paid for the family’s flight to the UK but the British […]
An unusual neurological presentation after exposure to snails.
http://casereports.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/2009/aug03_1/bcr1020081075?q=w_casereports The reviewer (Dr Marion Woods, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Australia) commented: “The case of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection with the clinical manifestations of eosinophilic meningo-encephalitis and myeloradiculitis that caused lower limb weakness and bladder dysfunction described in this issue of the journal is the likely consequence of ingestion of a very high worm burden […]