Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Dec 2023
Utilising clinical parameters to improve the selection of nerve biopsy candidates.
Peripheral nerve biopsy is a valuable final diagnostic tool; however, histopathological results can be non-diagnostic. ⋯ Selection of patients undergoing nerve biopsy requires careful consideration of clinical parameters, including peripheral nerve imaging. Several quality improvement measures are proposed to improve yield of clinically actionable information from nerve biopsy.
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Internal medicine journal · Dec 2023
ANZTCT consensus position statement on ruxolitinib in steroid-refractory acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease.
This position paper provides an overview of the assessment and management of both acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). There is a focus on the use of ruxolitinib, a selective inhibitor of Janus kinase (JAK)1 and JAK2, for the treatment of corticosteroid-refractory and corticosteroid-dependent GvHD.
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Internal medicine journal · Dec 2023
The valley of death: why Australia failed to develop clinically effective drugs in COVID-19.
There is a paucity of public discussion of costs spent on drug trials during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and their value, and of large public outlay on research funding for vaccine and drug development that did not deliver medicines nor vaccines for Australians. This oversight left us at the behest of global supply chains, politics and commercial cost-plus pricing for vaccines. ⋯ Biases included unawareness of the complexities of taking interesting chemicals in vitro to development into therapeutic use that can be tolerated, show efficacy and have appropriate disposition in humans; lack of a systems approach to therapeutic development; and an understanding of the relevance and translatability of pharmacology, physiology and clinical drug development. We believe that reflecting on and addressing these biases will help Australia reposition itself better with a therapeutics and clinical trial strategy for future pandemics, built into the strategy of a Centre for Disease Control.
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Internal medicine journal · Dec 2023
Clinical features of systemic lupus erythematosus patients with splenomegaly: focussed on the cytopenias.
This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of splenomegaly, mainly focussing on cytopenia, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Cytopenia was commonly observed in 111 SLE patients with splenomegaly (n = 79, 71.2%). During the follow-up period, two patients developed haematologic malignancy after the diagnosis of SLE and splenomegaly, but no patients experienced severe complications (e.g. splenic rupture) related to splenomegaly.
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Internal medicine journal · Dec 2023
"Intrapleural Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Deoxyribonuclease Administered Concurrently and Once Daily for Complex Parapneumonic Pleural Effusion and Empyema.".
Pleural infection is life-threatening and increasingly prevalent. In addition to usual care, twice-daily, separate administration of tissue plasminogen activator and deoxyribonuclease (tPA-DNase) reduces radiological pleural opacity with lower surgical referral rates. ⋯ This is pilot evidence that a practical regimen of concurrent, once-daily intrapleural tPA-DNase improved pleural opacification and inflammatory markers without bleeding or mortality. The surgical referral rate was higher than in studies assessing twice-daily administration, though the validity of this outcome as a measure of treatment success is limited, and further studies are needed to assess the optimal dose and frequency of intrapleural therapy and indications for surgical referral.