Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Jun 2020
Complicated skin and soft tissue infections in remote indigenous communities.
The burden and consequences of skin infections for remote living indigenous people are high. While skin infections are recognised as an antecedent to conditions such as acute rheumatic fever in children, data are limited concerning skin infection complications such as cellulitis, abscesses and osteomyelitis in older children and adults. In a 1-year retrospective audit of 439 patients presenting to two remote health clinics, 330/439 (75%) patients presented with a skin infection and 18 (4%) developed a complication.
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Internal medicine journal · Jun 2020
Australian and New Zealand consensus statement on the management of lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and myeloma during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic poses a unique challenge to the care of patients with haematological malignancies. Viral pneumonia is known to cause disproportionately severe disease in patients with cancer, and patients with lymphoma, myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia are likely to be at particular risk of severe disease related to COVID-19. This statement has been developed by consensus among authors from Australia and New Zealand. ⋯ General recommendations include those to minimise patient exposure to COVID-19, including the use of telehealth, avoidance of non-essential visits and minimisation of time spent by patients in infusion suites and other clinical areas. This statement also provides recommendations where appropriate in assessing indications for therapy, reducing therapy-associated immunosuppression and reducing healthcare utilisation in patients with specific haematological malignancies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific decisions regarding therapy of haematological malignancies will need to be individualised, based on disease risk, risks of immunosuppression, rates of community transmission of COVID-19 and available local healthcare resources.
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Internal medicine journal · Jun 2020
Monitoring skin temperature at the wrist in hospitalised patients may assist in the detection of infection.
Measuring temperature has always been a key observation in the diagnosis of infection. No studies have examined the usefulness of measuring temperature at the wrist to detect infection. ⋯ ROC of peripheral skin temperature measurements suggest that such a device may identify many patients requiring treatment for infection. This proof of principle study showed value in using a wearable device in the detection of infection and its potential as an early warning or monitoring device.