Wardround 2vi6

This week’s two minute tutorials were themed around diabetes:

Diagnosis and investigation (JCM)
Presentations (CC)
Complications (EB)
Oral hypoglycaemics (JA)
Diet (RS)
Insulin ℞ (VA)

Well researched talks overall, and several well timed to the two minutes. I was surprised by the fact that by 55 years of age 35% of patients with T1DM would have died from MI. Nice touch by VA to have used the diabetes specialist nurses as a source. If you want to read a quick (<15 minutes ) review of DM try these documents:

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic133.htm
http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic134.htm

For next week the topic is renal:

Assessment of renal function (JCM)
Causes of acute renal failure (VA)
Management of ARF other than dialysis (EB)
Dialysis in ARF (CC)
Complications of CRF (PS)

Remember, two minutes only, so keep it concise and precise. Quote your sources.

The reading last week was A Mysterious Death. Oldach DW et al. NEJM 1998; 338(24):1763-1769. This is a case discussion of the death of Alexander the Great. The systematic approach to differential diagnosis is instructive, and the paper should act as a trigger to revise the features of those diseases mentioned. Perhaps if we do this paper again it would be useful to combine it with the two minute talks to revise the features of the major diagnoses discussed? Comments please?

For next time the reading is: Spellbinding and spellbreaking in convalescence. George Day. Lancet 1961; 279 (7222):211-213. Log on to the NHS Scotland elibrary with your Athens password and choose the Lancet. You will be offered several sources, choose the Sciencedirect Lancet site. If you have trouble (you shouldn’t) come and find me...I have a hard copy.

MJM