Admittedly I've been pretty slack on updating the blog recently, mainly because I've decided that I shouldn't use this space to talk about tutorials etc, rather use it to mention interesting articles I've read. Also because it seems that copying and pasting from Microsoft Word is a total nightmare! Not really worth the bother!
The following are some of the interesting things I picket up from listening to the BMJ podcast over the past few weeks:
Firstly, confidentiality rules have been changed with regards to disclosure of genetic information. Previously if a family member was given a risk of inheritance of eg. BRCA1 / 2 genes, if the information directly affected a family member it was at the patient's discretion whether or not to tell a relative. Sometimes eg. in the case of two sisters who no longer speak to each other, the information is not passed on, however now the clinical geneticist is allowed to disclose information to relatives if the information directly affects them, eg. their chance of inheriting the BRCA1 / 2 genes.
Secondly, a revent review suggests that one in four people are victims of domestic abuse. This is a remarkably high number and the article I listened to was discussing the importance of picking up the signs of domestic abuse. Sometimes patients will go at great lengths to hide abuse and doctors are often criticised for treating the acute problem and not recognising the underlying cause. Evidence shows that domestic abuse is predictable up to 3 years in advance.
Tumour markers are often not specific for certain cancers and can be raised in patients with benign tumours. As a result they should not be relied on and certainly not used to exclude presence of an underlying malignancy. For example in its early stages colorectal cancer will not have raised tumour markers. Tumour markers are most useful in monitoring patients with already diagnosed cancer who are undergoing treatment.
Finally, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the tragic sudden death of a child under the age of one where thorough investigation does not reveal the cause of death. The new campaign 'Back to Sleep' has helped reduce numbers of cot deaths but another message which also needs to be addressed is the dangers of drinking alcohol and sleeping in the same bed as baby. If it's not safe to drive, its not safe to share a bed with an infant. Sleeping on a sofa with a baby carries one of the highest risks of SIDS.
