Severe hyponatraemia in two patients with breast cancer caused by low-dose cyclophosphamide and precipitated by aprepitant.

Two postmenopausal women with breast cancer developed acute confusion and seizures, less than 24 hours after the first cycle of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with fluorouracil, epirubicin and low-dose cyclophosphamide. They were found to have severe, life-threatening hyponatraemia with sodium levels of 113 and 115 mEq/L, respectively. Both women made a full recovery within 24 hours of admission with slow correction of sodium levels.

Practice pattern variability in the management of acute severe colitis: a UK provider survey.

Introduction: Lack of comparative trial data on dosing regimens of infliximab in patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) failing intravenous corticosteroids has resulted in variability of rescue regimes in ASUC with potential impact on clinical outcomes. We aimed to evaluate practice variability and physician perspectives in decision-making with rescue therapy.

Methodology: An internet-based survey of members of the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) section of the British Society of Gastroenterology was conducted.

Depression and anxiety in ovarian cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence rates.

Objectives: To systematically review the literature pertaining to the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with ovarian cancer as a function of treatment stage.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Participants: 3623 patients with ovarian cancer from primary research investigations.

An integrated systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials evaluating nasogastric against postpyloris (nasoduodenal and nasojejunal) feeding in critically ill patients admitted in intensive care unit.

This article presents the systematic review of the randomized, controlled trials comparing the effectiveness of nasogastric (NG) versus postpyloris (PP) feeding in critically ill surgical patients and other patients in intensive therapy unit (ITU). Twenty randomized trials recruiting 1496 patients were retrieved from the standard electronic databases. There were 760 patients in the NG feeding group and 736 patients in the PP feeding group.

A precricoid swelling in a patient treated with Teflon injection in the vocal fold after idiopathic left vocal fold palsy.

Vocal fold palsy is a cause of dysphonia. Due to incomplete glottic closure during phonation, patients with a unilateral vocal fold palsy present with a weak and breathy voice and recurrent aspiration. To lessen the clinical manifestations of unilateral vocal fold palsy, polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) paste is one agent which has been injected into the paraglottic region, thus causing the vocal fold to move more medially.

Running a domiciliary nebuliser service.

A nebuliser service should be provided locally, according to local needs. It should be centralised and administered by a designated consultant or consultants and written guidelines should be provided for medical and para-medical staff. The service should: (1) provide compressor/nebuliser units suitable for the prescribed treatment, (2) provide a system for equipment replacement, repair and maintenance, and (3) show patients how to use the equipment and give them comprehensive written instructions.

The epidemiology of infertility in a rural population.

Background: To study the prevalence of infertility, outcome of pregnancy, and uptake of medical services in a rural population.

Methods: 1000 women aged 45-54 years, randomly selected from the Shropshire FHSA primary care register were sent a postal questionnaire.

Outcome Measures: Response rate, time to pregnancy, pregnancy outcome, medical advice sought, diagnoses, and any treatments.