La Revue de médecine interne
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This paper provides an overview of the hierarchy between the main descriptives clinical studies, with their respective weaknesses and strength. ⋯ The overview of the descriptive studies leads to the notion of confounding factor, which may be better addressed by analytical studies.
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Case Reports
[Dilated cardiomyopathy and lipid-lowering drug muscle toxicity revealing late-onset Becker's disease].
The Becker's muscular dystrophy is a genetic myopathy due to mutations of the dystrophin gene, located in the Xp21 region, with a clinical expression usually occurring in young adults. ⋯ The diagnostic of Becker's muscular dystrophy must be considered in all patients with persistently elevated CPK and/or primitive dilated cardiomyopathy, whatever the age of the patient.
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This paper introduces a series of short articles focusing on methodological tools in clinical research, and describes some of the relations existing between medical practice and clinical research. ⋯ The nature of the differences between statistical, epidemiological, and clinical uncertainty, and the lack of knowledge regarding relations between in vivo and in vitro phenomenon are explored. Also, notions of precision of numbers and validity of quantification are discussed and compared with the validity of narrative description of a pathological process, such as it is supposed to actually occur. PERSPECTIVES AND PROJETS: Intrinsic limitations of analytical and observational methods being explained, the usefulness of these same methods in the understanding of a disease or the evaluation of a therapy will be progressively described in more details.
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Scurvy is the clinical manifestation of vitamin C deficiency. It is historically linked to the era of great maritime expeditions. But it is remerging in Western countries as in France. ⋯ Scurvy must still be prevented in at risk-populations. Indeed a pocket meal enriched with vitamin C is distributed to homeless people in Paris.