E-Doc INTERACTIVE

Dermatology: Assessing skin disease in children

Jonathan M, Batchelor MRCP is Specialist Registrar at the Department of Dermatology, Addenbrooke�s Hospital, Cambridge, UK.

Nigel P Burrows, MD FRCP is Consultant at the Department of Dermatology, Addenbrooke�s Hospital, Cambridge, UK.

Abstract

Skin diseases often affect children, and it is important to develop a systematic approach to the assessment of a child presenting with a skin complaint. This article covers aspects of the history-taking, examination and investigation of skin diseases in children. It also gives clinical examples of important skin diseases likely to be encountered by those providing medical care in the paediatric setting.

Press release: Effective and affordable treatment for dermatalogical disorders

Unsightly scarring and skin conditions leave patients feeling self-conscious and withdrawn, especially when it comes to social activities. However, skincare therapies are available for effective treatment but the high cost of these products may be limiting for patients with limited or no medical aid insurance.

Nutrition: Top 10 Nutrients of 2010

Dr Craige Golding Specialist Physician & Anti Aging Physician MBChB (Cum Laude, Pretoria); FCP(SA) Specialist physician/Internist; ABAARM: Board Certified Anti-Aging Physician - American. Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine; FAARFM: Advanced Fellowship in Anti-aging, Regenerative and Functional

This year saw an exciting expansion of scientific knowledge in support of the field of nutrition and dietary supplements to benefit human health.� The more scientists learn about genes the more they realize that it is nutrients that make all the difference in terms of being healthy.� This should not come as a surprise to anyone, since our bodies evolved in the context of using nutrients to aid survival.� In the following sections I rank the top 10 nutrients of the year (don�t leave home without them).

Cardiology: Cipla adds ATOLIP (atorvastatin) to CVD stable

Cipla, acknowledged as one of the country�s fastest growing companies and recipient of the prestigious Frost & Sullivan 2009 South African Generic Pharmaceuticals Company of the Year award, reached another milestone in its development last month with the launch of world-leading lipid lowering agent, ATOLIP (atorvastatin).

Infection control: Bacterial pneumonia

Michael R Loebinger, MA MRCP is an MRC Clinical Training Fellow and Specialist Registrar in Respiratory and General Medicine at the Host Defence Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK. Competing interests: none declared
Robert Wilson, MD FRCP is an NHS Consultant at the Host Defence Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK. Competing interests: none declared

Abstract�

Bacterial pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality.This article discusses the evidence behind present practice and possible future directions for pneumonia management with the advent of new biomarkers.

HPV Vaccine: Long-term protection confirmed in HPV vaccine studies

In a Brazilian-based trial said to have provided the longest long-term follow up data on the human papillovirus vaccine (HPV) Cervarix, it was shown that, in young Brazilian women aged between 15 and 25, the vaccine provided 100% protection against 6- and 12- month persistent HPV infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2) associated with HPV types�16 and 18.

Influenza: The common cold

Common viral infection Introduction

A cold is an infection that affects the upper respiratory tract - the nose, throat, sinuses (small spaces in the skull behind the eyes and nose), trachea (the main airway that runs to the lungs), larynx (voice box) and bronchial tubes (the airways in the lungs).

Opportunity for aspiring researchers to gain cGCP skills

South Africa is recognised internationally as meeting the required ethical and regulatory standards of good clinical practice and as a result, South Africa attracts a good proportion of the multi-centre clinical trial work that is used to obtain registration of new medicines.� This creates the need and opportunity to build capacity for more trained health professionals to participate in clinical research, particularly researchers who are representative of the demographics of our country.

To this end, a course in current Good Clinical Practice is to be held under the auspices of the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) and sponsored by the Pharmaceutical Industry Association of South Africa (PIASA).� The course will be held in Durban on 26 and 27 August 2010.

Osteoporosis: Treating osteoporosis

Richard Eastell, FRCP FRCPath FMedSci is Professor of Bone Metablolism at the University of Sheffield, UK. He is an Honorary Consultant Physician in metabolic bone disease at the Northern General Hospital, Sheffield. He qualified in medicine from Edinburgh in 1977 and trained in endocrinology at the Mayo Clinic under Dr B L Riggs for 5 years

The aims of treatment of established osteoporosis are alleviation of symptoms and reduction of the risk of further fractures. Currently available drugs are used to prevent further bone loss and can reduce the risk of further fractures by up to 50%.

Journal round-up

Hair spray linked to hypospadias
New insight into motor neurone disease
Allergic rhinitis on the rise
Lack of sleep may be of heart disease risk