The New Zealand medical journal
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Comparative Study
Return visits to the emergency department and related hospital admissions by people aged 65 and over.
To describe the factors most commonly associated with re-presentation to the emergency department (ED) and related hospital admissions by those aged 65 years and over in one New Zealand district health board (DHB) region. ⋯ Better documentation about changes in levels of function, both prior to presentation and on discharge, is needed to ensure that patients are physically able to manage at home. Specific interventions could be targeted to improve function if needs have been identified. The frequency of cardiovascular comorbidities and cardiac discharge diagnoses suggest that those aged 65 years and over re-present with an acute illness and not because of failure to cope at home. Findings support early primary healthcare follow-up since the majority of re-presentations occur within 2 weeks.
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We report a case of subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) (they are always alpha/beta) in a 36-year-old male who presented with a 6-week history of abdominal pain, fever and significant weight loss. Definitive diagnosis required a full thickness skin biopsy with PCR analysis for clonal T-cell gene arrangement. A literature search showed that SPTCL is a very rare cutaneous lymphoma limited to case reports.
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Editorial Comment
The disposition and mobility of medical practitioners in New Zealand.