Dairy and gluten in disease activity in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Many diets promoted specifically for multiple sclerosis have been suggested to improve disease activity. Dairy and gluten are two components for which the recommendations vary between these diets. Existing research into the association between these dietary components and disease activity has been conflicting.

Modelling infectious disease transmission with complex exposure pattern and sparse outcome data.

We present a regression modelling framework to analyse infectious disease transmission during a time period where extensive exposure data are available, but where the outcome data are sparse. A latent variable model is used for each exposure time, allowing a straight-forward accumulation of risk for a collection of exposures for which outcome data are available. We describe an analysis of HIV infection from blood products among a cohort of haemophiliacs in Ireland between 1980 and 1985.

Guided versus blind liver biopsy for chronic hepatitis C: clinical benefits and costs.

Background/aims: Our objectives were: (1) to assess the clinical benefits and costs of performing ultrasound-guided liver biopsy with an automated needle compared to blind biopsy with a conventional Trucut needle in patients with chronic hepatitis C; (2) to compare the histological yield of automated needles with Trucut needles.

Methods: We prospectively studied 166 patients with hepatitis C virus who underwent either ultrasound-guided biopsy using automated ASAP needles or blind biopsy using conventional Trucut needles. Both groups were matched for age, sex, cirrhosis, needle gauge and operator experience.

Severe aplastic anaemia in association with a unique constitutional translocation 46,XY,t(6;10)(q13;q22)c.

Severe aplastic anaemia (SAA) is an uncommon disorder which may be associated with several congenital syndromes. However, it has rarely been described in association with a constitutional karyotypic abnormality. The breakpoint of the balanced t(6:10)(q13:q22) translocation described here does not disrupt any currently recognized gene of haemopoietic or stromal importance.

A database for a National Haemophilia Centre.

A database system for registration, diagnosis, product treatment and laboratory data associated with the management of haemophilia and related disorders is described. The application was written with both adaptability and standardization in mind, and in particular to allow the incremental development of analytical and query methods for the haemophilia databases. The system will run on either single or multiple IBM compatible PCs.