An editorial from the Annals of Internal Medicine in the April 2015 edition: In 2003, mutations in the gene encoding the enzyme proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) were identified as genetic causes for familial hypercholesterolemia (1). Investigations soon showed that PCSK9 was a key regulator of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol metabolism that promoted the… Read More
If you spot a space-age contraption littering your reception area, there is every chance your company has joined the craze for health kiosks. These all-in-one devices allow staff to self-test for a variety of factors and then produce an actionable plan on how to manage any conditions they detect, and includes: Blood pressure; Weight; BMI;… Read More
Research Paper Title Access to Weight Reduction Interventions for Overweight and Obese Patients in UK Primary Care: Population-based Cohort Study. Objectives To investigate access to weight management interventions for overweight and obese patients in primary care. Setting UK primary care electronic health records. Participants A cohort of 91,413 overweight and obese patients aged 30-100 years was sampled from the Clinical… Read More
A forgotten cause of iron deficiency anaemia in young adults, so writes Marjan Wouthuyzen-Bakker and Sander van Assen in the British Journal of General Practice: Iron deficiency anaemia (lDA) is a common finding in general practice. The prevalence of IDA in the general population is around 2% and rises to >5% in pre-menopausal females. The presenting symptoms of IDA vary,… Read More
Research Paper Title The Evolution of Mobile Apps for Asthma: An Updated Systematic Assessment of Content and Tools. Background Interest in mobile apps that support long-term conditions such as asthma is matched by recognition of the importance of the quality and safety of apps intended for patient use. We assessed how changes over a 2-year… Read More
Yes (Iltifat Husain): A health app is a piece of smartphone software that purports to offer the user some health benefit. Many of these apps are aimed at people with diagnoses; for example, they teach the correct use of an asthma inhaler or collect blood pressure results by syncing wirelessly with a blood pressure monitor. But many are aimed at… Read More
Frank Shufflebotham writing about the 14 cases of lead poisoning he cam across in young men training for the British Army in 1915. Of the 14 men, 10 were pottery workers, 3 were house painters and 1 was a plumber. Symptoms started to show from 3-7 weeks after mobilisation or enlistment, and Shufflebotham suggested that… Read More
Boot Camp & Military Fitness Institute 