A young woman with severe H1N1 pneumonitis who was previously neutropenic with chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s disease has responded to intravenous zanamivir (Relenza) and methylprednisolone. Her case is reported in the Lancet.1 Although the use of intravenous zanamivir is unlicensed it exists and is being studied as part of a clinical trial2 (with oral Oseltamivir) in […]
Latest articles
Not every cough in bronchiolitis season is bronchiolitis
This case is a useful reminder that all coughs during the peak season for bronchiolitis are not necessarily bronchiolitis. Although rare, the cause in this young patient, reminds us that when the unexpected happens the first thing that should be questioned is the original diagnosis.” Not every cough in bronchiolitis season is bronchiolitis […]
Bloody tears. Tears as in ‘rip’ or tears as in ‘cry’?
News reports of the mother of Calvino Inman desperately looking for doctors that have experience of managing patients with “bloody tears” have been reported over the last few days treating the condition as a medical mystery. (Thanks to CasesNetwork for Tweeting!). nydailynews.com thisislondon.co.uk dailymail.co.uk However, it seems that she should go no further than her […]
Case Report CAT
This is a draft critical appraisal sheet for case reports. Would be interested in your views. Critical Appraisal is used to glean scientific evidence from papers. Case reports or case series are not normally considered as part of this process. The reason is that there is usually no hypothesis testing or comparison within a case […]
Pulmonary oedema and hyponatraemia after an ironman triathlon
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 […]
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 […]