The prescription and monitoring of conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs: British Society for Rheumatology guideline scope.

This guideline will provide up-to-date, evidence-based recommendations on the safe use of non-biologic DMARDs, also called conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARD), across the full spectrum of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The guideline will update the guideline published in 2017 and will be expanded to include people of all ages. Updated information on the monitoring of DMARDs and vaccinations will be included.

Predictive value of hepatic transaminases during febrile phase as a predictor of a severe form of Dengue: analysis of adult Dengue patients from a tertiary care setting of Sri Lanka.

Objectives: Dengue viral infection is an ongoing epidemic in Sri Lanka, causing significant mortality and morbidity. A descriptive-analytical study was carried out using serologically confirmed Dengue patients during a 6 month period. The relationship between the elevation of hepatic enzymes and severity of Dengue was assessed after stratifying recorded maximum AST/ALT (SGOT/SGPT) values 2-15 times elevated and by the phases of the illness.

A case of systemic lupus erythematosus presenting as bilateral avascular necrosis of femur.

Background: Avascular necrosis occur as a result of diverse etiology. Chronic inflammatory conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus considered as a recognize cause. Many cases were reported in systemic lupus erythematosus after treating with corticosteroids.

Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis leading to posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome: a case report.

Background: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is a clinical radiographic syndrome of heterogeneous etiologies. Developing hypertensive encephalopathy following post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis is a known but uncommon manifestation and developing posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in such a situation is very rare. We report a case with contrast-enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in the background of acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis.

Knowledge of prescribed medication information among patients with limited English proficiency in Sri Lanka.

Background: Patients' knowledge on prescribed medications play a key role in the long term management of cardiac diseases and in determining their outcome. The present study evaluates the knowledge about prescribed medication among cardiac patients and aim to identify factors influencing knowledge.

Methods: A descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 adult patients attending clinics at the Cardiology Unit of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka.