The 11th edition of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine welcomes Anthony Fauci to its editorial staff, in addition to more than 85 new contributors. While the organization of the book is similar to previous editions, major emphasis has been placed on disorders that affect multiple organ systems. Important advances in genetics, immunology, and oncology are emphasized. Many chapters of the book have been rewritten and describe major advances in internal medicine. Subjects that received only a paragraph or two of attention in previous editions are now covered in entire chapters. Among the chapters that have been extensively revised are the chapters on infections in the compromised host, on skin rashes in infections, on many of the viral infections, including cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus, on sexually transmitted diseases, on diabetes mellitus, on disorders of bone and mineral metabolism, and on lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. The major revisions in these chapters and many

Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine

Measuring Health: A Guide to Rating Scales and Questionnaires

L'incidence annuelle du syndrome de Guillain-Barre est de 1,5/100000 habitants La mortalite actuelle est estimee a environ 5 % d'apres des essais therapeutiques recents, bien conduits Dix pour cent des malades gardent des sequelles motrices tres invalidantes un an apres le debut des premiers signes neurologiques La prise en charge de ces malades necessite des equipes entrainees, multidisciplinaires, pouvant pratiquer l'ensemble des therapeutiques specifiques La corticotherapie per os'ou par voie intraveineuse est inefficace Les echanges plasmatiques sont le premier traitement dont l'efficacite a ete demontree par rapport a un groupe controle Les indications sont maintenant mieux connues Les formes benignes (marche possible) beneficient de 2 echanges plasmatiques; 2 echanges supplementaires sont realises en cas d'aggravation Dans les formes intermediaires (marche impossible) et les formes severes (recours a la ventilation mecanique), 4 echanges plasmatiques sont conseilles Il n'est pas utile d'augmenter leur nombre dans les formes severes ou en cas d'absence d'amelioration De fortes doses d'immunoglobulines donnees par voie intraveineuse (lq IV) [0,4 g/kg/j pendant 5 jours] sont aussi efficaces que les echanges plasmatiques dans les formes intermediaires et severes Dans ces formes, le choix entre Ig IV et echanges plasmatiques depend des contre-indications respectives de ces traitements et de leur faisabilite Les travaux en cours ont comme objectif de mieux preciser les indications respectives des echanges plasmatiques et des lq IV dans des formes de gravite differente, leur morbidite comparee, la dose optimale des lq IV

[Guillain-Barré syndrome].

https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(06)68175-0.pdf

Guillain-Barré syndrome

The American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) Journal of Clinical Apheresis (JCA) Special Issue Writing Committee is charged with reviewing, updating, and categorizing indications for the evidence-based use of therapeutic apheresis in human disease. Since the 2007 JCA Special Issue (Fourth Edition), the Committee has incorporated systematic review and evidence-based approaches in the grading and categorization of apheresis indications. This Seventh Edition of the JCA Special Issue continues to maintain this methodology and rigor to make recommendations on the use of apheresis in a wide variety of diseases/conditions. The JCA Seventh Edition, like its predecessor, has consistently applied the category and grading system definitions in the fact sheets. The general layout and concept of a fact sheet that was used since the fourth edition has largely been maintained in this edition. Each fact sheet succinctly summarizes the evidence for the use of therapeutic apheresis in a specific disease entity. The Seventh Edition discusses 87 fact sheets (14 new fact sheets since the Sixth Edition) for therapeutic apheresis diseases and medical conditions, with 179 indications, which are separately graded and categorized within the listed fact sheets. Several diseases that are Category IV which have been described in detail in previous editions and do not have significant new evidence since the last publication are summarized in a separate table. The Seventh Edition of the JCA Special Issue serves as a key resource that guides the utilization of therapeutic apheresis in the treatment of human disease. J. Clin. Apheresis 31:149-162, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Guidelines on the Use of Therapeutic Apheresis in Clinical Practice—Evidence-Based Approach from the Writing Committee of the American Society for Apheresis: The Sixth Special Issue

Wilson disease: description of 282 patients evaluated over 3 decades.

Study of MRI changes may be useful in diagnosis, prognosis and better understanding of the pathophysiology of Wilson’s disease (WD). We aimed to describe and correlate the MRI abnormalities of the brain with clinical features in WD. MRI evaluation was carried out in 100 patients (57 males, 43 females; mean age 19.3±8.9 years) using standard protocols. All but 18 patients were on de-coppering agents. Their history, clinical manifestations and scores for severity of disease were noted. The mean duration of illness and treatment were 8.3±10.8 years and 7.5±7.1 years respectively. MRI of the brain was abnormal in all the 93 symptomatic patients. The most conspicuous observations were atrophy of the cerebrum (70%), brainstem (66%) and cerebellum (52%). Signal abnormalities were also noted: putamen (72%), caudate (61%), thalami (58%), midbrain (49%), pons (20%), cerebral white matter (25%), cortex (9%), medulla (12%) and cerebellum (10%). The characteristic T2-W globus pallidal hypointensity (34%), “Face of giant panda” sign (12%), T1-W striatal hyperintensity (6%), central pontine myelinosis (7%), and bright claustral sign (4%) were also detected. MRI changes correlated with disease severity scores (P<0.001) but did not correlate with the duration of illness. MRI changes were universal but diverse and involved almost all the structures of the brain in symptomatic patients. A fair correlation between MRI observations and various clinical features provides an explanation for the protean manifestations of the disease.

Wilson’s disease: cranial MRI observations and clinical correlation

Post-stroke balance training: role of force platform with visual feedback technique.

Stroke although rare in children, is an important cause of morbidity in the paediatric age group. Over a period of 8 years, 43 children (17 boys and 26 girls) in the age groups of 1-16 years (mean 8.02 yrs) presented with stroke which constituted 10% of all strokes in the young and 0.7% of all paediatric admissions. The chief clinical features were hemiplegia (86%), convulsions (27%), fever (23%), dysphasia (23%), headache (11%) and altered level of consciousness (11%). Routine laboratory tests were non-contributory. Cranial computerized tomography (CCT) on 21 patients was abnormal in 95% and was useful in revealing the extent of infarction. Infarction was confined to middle cerebral artery territory, often involving basal ganglionic structures and was associated with focal or diffuse atrophy. Angiograms were abnormal in 78% of the patients (18/23) and were complimentary to the CCT. Etiological factors identified were: Moya-moya disease 6, arteritis 5, fibromuscular dysplasia 2, scorpion sting 2, and venous sinus thrombosis and small vessel occlusion one each. Though 23% of the patients had fever at onset, no obvious evidence of systemic or CNS infection was noticed. Stroke in children continues to pose a diagnostic challenge.

Cerebrovascular disease in children

Introduction: Sleep-related disorders (SRDs) though frequent, are under-reported and their implications are often neglected Objective: To estimate SRDs in an apparently healthy South Indian population Materials and Methods: Data was collected by administering a questionnaire including Sleep Disorders Proforma, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to 1050 apparently healthy attendants/relatives of patients attending a tertiary healthcare institution Results: The mean age of the respondents was 351±87 years with even gender distribution (male: female; 29:21), work hours were 78±133 h and had regional representation from the southern Indian states The majority of the respondents did not report any significant medical/psychiatric co-morbidities, hypertension was noted in 426%, in one-fourth, the body mass index (BMI) was >25, and in 77% the neck size was >40 cm Daily tea (703%) and coffee (179%) consumption was common and 222% used tobacco Average time-to-fall-asleep was 22 min (range: 5-90 min), average duration-of-actual-sleep was 7 h (range: 35-91 h) with the majority (938%) reporting good-quality sleep (global PSQI ≤5) The reported rates of SRDs varied between 200% and 342% depending on the instrument used in the questionnaire Insomnia, sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD), narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome (RLS) were reported by 186%, 184%, 104% and 29%, respectively Obesity was not strongly associated with SRBD in 518% of subjects with SRBD BMI was <25 kg/m 2  Of the respondents with insomnia, 18% had difficulty in initiating sleep, 18% in maintaining sleep and 79% had early morning awakening Respondents attributed insomnia to depression (117%) or anxiety (25%) Insomnia was marginally high in females when compared to males (103% vs 83%) and depression was the major reason RLS, which was maximal at night, was responsible for delayed sleep onset (742%) Other SRDs included night terrors (06%), nightmares (15%), somnambulism (06%), and sleep-talking (26%) Family history of SRDs was present in 314% respondents While, only 22% of the respondents self-reported and acknowledged having SRD, health-seeking was extremely low (03%) Conclusion: SRDs are widely prevalent in India Considering the health implications and poor awareness, there is a need to sensitize physicians and increase awareness among the public

Arun B Taly

Papers

Wilson disease: description of 282 patients evaluated over 3 decades.

Wilson’s disease: cranial MRI observations and clinical correlation

Post-stroke balance training: role of force platform with visual feedback technique.

Cerebrovascular disease in children

Sleep-related disorders among a healthy population in South India