BMJ print issue
This week
This week's BMJ print issue looks at how to manage drug resistant tuberculosis, asks if asprin prevents cognitive decline and explains why continuity of care matters. To find out more read Fiona Godlee's Editor's Choice and the print issue table of contents. All articles have already appeared on bmj.com as part of our continuous publication policy.
News
Isotope shortage is limiting nuclear medicine across Europe
A worldwide shortage of medical isotopes used as radiotracers in molecular imaging will persist at least until the end of September, limiting European hospitals to between 20% and 40% of their usual nuclear medicine activities, the European Association of Nuclear Medicine has warned.(Picture credit: CC Studio/SPL).
Other news published on 5 September:
Head to Head
Should primary care be nurse led?
Yes, says Bonnie Sebald. Nurses are well able to undertake the bulk of work in general practice, including management of long term conditions, preventive health care and first contact care for minor illness, referring on to GPs in a new role as consultants in primary care. No, argues Rhona Knight, who believes the concept is driven by cost cutting agendas rather than adequate evidence.
Comment
Medical law and protection of children
Responding to recent high profile cases, such as that of Sir Roy Meadow and David Southall (pictured), David Foreman and Juliet Williams call for better guidance so doctors are not deterred from raising concerns about child abuse, and to restore confidence in child protection processes.
Education
Endgames goes live
Endgames, our new weekly educational clinical quiz, is now live. Compiled from peer reviewed contributions from readers, it will cover clinical medicine and statistics. There’s also a prize quiz, pulled from the BMJ’s sister product OnExamination. Find out more at the links below.
This week's Endgames articles:
Research
Paracetamol plus ibuprofen for the treatment of fever in children
This randomised controlled trial investigates whether paracetamol (acetaminophen) plus ibuprofen are superior to either drug alone for increasing time without fever and the relief of fever associated discomfort in febrile children managed at home. An accompanying editorial says no persuasive evidence exists for recommending a combination or an alternating regimen of paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Other recent research:
- Effect of illicit direct to consumer advertising on use of etanercept, mometasone, and tegaserod in Canada: controlled longitudinal study
- Low dose aspirin and cognitive function in middle aged to elderly adults: randomised controlled trial
- Drug eluting and bare metal stents in people with and without diabetes: collaborative network meta-analysis
- Effect on birth outcomes of a formalised approach to care in hospital labour assessment units: international randomised controlled trial.
- Exposure to antipsychotics and risk of stroke: self controlled case series study
Comment
Jabbering about jabs
As an American, Douglas Kamerow took pride in the US healthcare system's ability to fully vaccinate virtually all children by the time they started school. So why are vaccination rates now falling there, he wonders.
Other Comment articles published on 3 September:
Education
Preventing new foot ulcers in people with diabetes
Little evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) is available to inform clinical guidelines on preventing diabetic foot ulcers. What should doctors do in light of such uncertainty, asks this Practice article. Picture credit: (SPL/Scott Camazine).
Other Practice articles published on 3 September:
