Determinants of inter-practice variation in childhood asthma and respiratory infections: cross-sectional study of a national sentinel network.

Objectives: Respiratory infections are associated with acute exacerbations of asthma and accompanying morbidity and mortality. In this study we explore inter-practice variations in respiratory infections in children with asthma and study the effect of practice-level factors on these variations.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Peripheral oedema as a side-effect of fluticasone.

A 14-year-old girl had experienced gross peripheral oedema for nearly 2 years. She was under review by several paediatric specialists for a variety of problems. Her local paediatric team were unable to find the cause of her oedema, despite extensive investigations.

Herpetic neonatal pustular rash.

Pustular rash in a neonate is very common and is usually associated with staphylococcal infection. The present report describes the case of a 12-day-old neonate with a pustular rash, secondary to herpes simplex infection. A high index of suspicion is necessary in neonates presenting with suggestive signs, especially with negative bacterial cultures.