This article systematically analyses the evidence behind the use of intravenous magnesium sulphate in adults with severe acute exacerbations of asthma.
Category: Articles
Nikhil Kumar and Andrew Victor report a decrease in aerobic capacity in patients who do not participate in cardiac rehabilitation.
Reflection of a paediatric cardiac surgery elective demonstrating high-level care. Unravelling the broad systems at play that influence clinical outcomes through the lens of history, innovation, and present-day communication strategies.
Improved collaboration between doctors and veterinarians is needed to tackle challenges facing human and animal health. This article discusses the history and importance of One Health.
Categories
Book Review: Compendium of Histology
A review of Compendium of Histology by Dr Anders Rehfeld, Dr Malin Nylander, and Dr Kirstine Karnov, a succinct and sufficiently detailed compilation of histology.
A review of Dermatology Made Easy by Dr. Amanda Oakley; a concise resource and perfect introductory companion for any medical student with a dermatological disposition.
Dr Mileham Hayes reflects on how the medical curriculum has changed and evolved over time; and how this has affected new doctors.
The bill to amend the Therapeutic Goods Act was referred to the Senate for enquiry in late 2017, and since has been passed with further amendments. The bill triggered outcry by stakeholders who voiced concern that some of the proposed amendments may make the already widely criticised system, even worse.
A/Prof Stuart Lane:
“In the most recent edition of AMSJ, I discussed the concepts of professionalism and professional identity, and encouraged medical students to consider what they understood by them, and how they might influence their future practice. In this edition of AMSJ, I will discuss some of the other concepts that were mentioned: intellectual humility, growth mindset, and situational awareness. These concepts are integral to how students and doctors develop their beliefs and attitudes towards professionalism and professional identity, and I will outline in this article how they relate to clinical decision making, life-long learning, and working relationships.”
Allergic asthma is a significant disease of childhood, of which, house dust mite is the most common trigger. There have been many investigations into the role of allergen immunotherapy in preventing the development of allergic asthma, and potentially its treatment following formal diagnosis, as evidenced by studies demonstrating significant improvements in medication use, asthma symptoms, and respiratory function. However, there is a paucity of research into specific populations – significantly, paediatric populations. This article reviews the recent literature regarding the efficacy and safety of allergen immunotherapy in the treatment of house dust mite-allergic asthma, with a focus on paediatric populations.
This review suggests that immunotherapy effectively improves asthma symptoms and severity in paediatric populations. While adverse reactions may occur, serious or life-threatening reactions are rare. More research is required to investigate immunotherapy in populations who are polysensitised or who have severe or uncontrolled asthma – preliminary evidence suggests immunotherapy may have a role in the treatment of these patients.