A systematic review of the characteristics of interventions that promote physical activity in adults with asthma.

Physical activity is promoted in the asthma population through pulmonary rehabilitation, but limited funding and facilities are available. This review aimed to examine the effectiveness of interventions that promote physical activity and identify the behaviour change techniques (BCTs) and other intervention components used. Five databases were searched, and 25 studies met the inclusion criteria.

Food for Thought: Dietary Intervention in a Rare Cause of Severe Ventilatory Failure.

Unlabelled: Plastic bronchitis is a rare condition characterised by endobronchial cast formation. We report the case of a 53-year-old women who deteriorated following an elective bronchoscopy procedure. She developed refractory ventilatory failure and required repeated bronchoscopy, which identified thick tenacious casts as the cause of her airway compromise.

Bone health and disease in cystic fibrosis.

Low bone mineral density is common in children and adults with CF. It has a multifactorial aetiology that includes direct effects of CFTR dysfunction on bone cell activity, as well as the secondary effects of CFTR dysfunction including pancreatic insufficiency (leading to malnutrition/malabsorption of fat soluble vitamins) and pulmonary infection (leading to systemic inflammation and increased bone resorption). Strategies to improve bone health in CF include optimising general CF nutritional and pulmonary care and the judicious use of bisphosphonates in selected patients.

Cardiac device-associated lead infection: a diagnosis not to be missed.

A 66-year-old gentleman was admitted to hospital with a history of general malaise for 5 months. His symptoms worsened 2 weeks prior to presentation. He experienced swinging pyrexia, night sweats and shortness of breath on exertion.

Normoammonemic encephalopathy: solely valproate induced or multiple mechanisms?

A 77-year-old woman presented with subacute onset progressive confusion, aggression, auditory hallucinations and delusions. In the preceding months, the patient had a number of admissions with transient unilateral hemiparesis with facial droop, and had been started on valproate for presumed hemiplegic migraine. Valproate was withdrawn soon after admission and her cognitive abilities have gradually improved over 3 months of follow-up.