The Medical journal of Australia
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How can epidemiology contribute to understanding the cause of clinical disease? We discuss the nature of causality and the intrinsic limitations of all empirical science, including epidemiology, in establishing "proof" of causality. Our examples relate to eye disease: How the cause of blindness from retrolental fibroplasia was unravelled. How the congenital rubella syndrome was discovered as a cause of congenital cataract. How allopurinol was cleared from suspicion as a cause of cataract.
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A 53-year-old man presented to hospital after an overdose (4.8 g) of verapamil. He developed profound bradycardia and hypotension, requiring treatment with calcium salts, dobutamine, isoprenaline and cardiac pacing. As calcium channel blockers are more widely used, self-poisoning will become more common. The effects, although serious, are self-limiting and recovery within 48 hours is the rule provided adequate support is given.
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Vega testing (the Vega test method) is an unorthodox method of diagnosing allergic and other diseases. It has no established scientific basis and there are no controlled trials to support its usefulness. Vega testing may lead to inappropriate treatment and expense to the patient and community.