2011

Practice

Clinical Comment 1

"Positive psychology reaches far and wide"

References
1.    Seligman ME, Csikszentmihalyi M. Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist 2000; 55(1):5-14.
2.    Fredrickson BL. The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist 2001; 56(3):218-26.
3.    Fredrickson BL, Levenson RW. Positive emotions speed recovery from the cardiovascular sequelae of negative emotions. Cognition and Emotion 1998; 12(2):191-220.
4.    Pressman S, Cohen S. Does positive affect influence health? Psychological Bulletin 2005; 131(6):925-71. D

Practice

Palliative care medicines

"Hiccups - many ways to control them"

Further reading
1.    Wilkes G. Hiccups. Medscape 19 July 2010 online (http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/775746-overview)
2.    Karwacki MW. Gastrointestinal symptoms - Hiccup. In: Goldman A, Hain R, Liben S (eds). Oxford Textbook of Palliative Care for Children, p361. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003.
3.    Guelaud C, Similowski et al. Baclofen therapy for chronic hiccup. Eur Respir J 1995;8(2):235-37.
4.    Ramírez FC, Graham DY. Treatment of intractable hiccup with baclofen: results of a double-blind randomized, controlled, cross-over study. Am J Gastroenterol 1992;87(12):1789-91.
5.    Walker P, Watanabe S, Bruera E. Baclofen A Treatment for Chronic Hiccup. J Pain Symptom Manage 1998;16(2):125-32.
6.    Smith HS, Busracamwonds A. Management of hiccups in the palliative care population. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2003;20(2):149-54.
7.    Porzio G, Aielli F, Narducci F, et al. Hiccup in patients with advanced cancer successfully treated with gabapentin: report of three cases. NZ Med J 2003; 116(1182); 26 Sept online (www.nzma.org.nz/journal/116-1182/605)
8.    Moretti R, Torre P, Antonello RM, et al. Gabapentin as a drug therapy of intractable hiccup because of a vascular lesion: a three-year follow up. Neurologist 2004;10(2):102-06.
9.    Tegeler ML, Baumrucker SJ. Gabapentin for intractable hiccups in palliative care. Am J Hosp Care 2008;25(1):52-54.

News

2 November 2011

"Death and disease in the Forty Mile Bush"
  Ian St George

References
1.    Modern Hamua, on the Woodville-Masterton highway, north of Eketahuna. The name "Hawera" is still preserved in the district.
2.    Ihuraua Stream flows past Alfredton, 16 miles by road east of Ekatahuna. Colenso never visited the village.
3.    Modern Masterton: the village site is on what is now the Masterton golf course.
4.    Ngawapurua is located on the north bank of the Manawatu River immediately to the east of the junction with the Mangatainoka (of Tui Beer fame).
5.    Napier  

News

(feature)

19 October

"Are we there yet, equity, the kids & getting on board"
Virginia McMillan

References
1.    Wellington Regional Public Health. Rheumatic Fever Update to Hutt Valley DHB community and public health advisory committee, September 2011.
2.    Robson B, Harris R. (eds). Hauora: Maori Standards of Health IV. A study of the years 2000-2005. Wellington: Te Roopu Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pomare; 2007.
3.    Finau S. Marching from the margin: a health vision for Pacificans of Aotearoa. NZ Med J 2001;114:296-8.
4.    Ho E. Health in Asian Communities: Disparities and Challenges. Presentation, Public Health Association Conference 2011. Online at www.pha.org.nz/conference2011/presentations
5.    Blakely T, et al. Inequities in health and the Marmot symposia. NZ Med J 2011; 124:1338. Online at www.nzma.org.nz/journal/124-1338/4754/content.pdf
6.    Compass Health. Ka Po, Ka Ao, Ka Awatea. Regional Maori Health Action Plan 2011-2016. Online at compasshealth.co.nz
7.    Harris R, et al. Effects of self-reported racial discrimination and deprivation on Maori health and inequalities in New Zealand: cross-sectional study. Lancet 2006;367:2005-2009.

Practice

"Consider culture when feeding the ill"

References
1.    Bell K.et al. Perceptions of food and eating among Chinese patients with cancer. Cancer Nursing 2009; 32(2):118-26.
2.    Mitch W, Klahr S. Handbook of Nutrition and the Kidney, 5th Edn. Philadelphia: Lipincott Williams & Wilkins; 2002.
3.    Lawson J et al. Prevalence and prognostic significance of malnutrition in chronic renal insufficiency. J Ren Nutr. 2001 Jan;11(1):16-22.
4.    Barnes L et al. Illness beliefs and adherence in diabetes mellitus: a comparison between Tongan and European patients. NZ Med J. 2004; 117(1188).
5.    Cram F et al. Mapping the themes of Maori talk about health. NZ Med J. 2003;116(1170).
6.    Wong W, Fielding R. Eating ability predicts subsequent quality of life in Chinese patients with breast, liver, lung, or nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a longitudinal analysis. Acta Oncol. 2008;47(1):71-80.
7.    Campbell K et al. The impact of nutrition intervention on quality of life in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients. Clin Nutr. 2008;27(4):537-44

Practice

10 August 2011
(Medicolegal column)

'Third parties can be a legal minefield'

References
1.    Nelson v Sarfati (High Court Wellington, CP18/93, 5 October 1996, Heron J).
2.    The staff member was a solicitor, which may explain the ease with which the doctor was drawn into protracted litigation.
3.    Midgley v Atkinson (High Court Auckland, CP293/86.14 June 1990, Gault J).
4.    Singh v Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal (MPDT), 50/98/28C. 12. RACP: Australasian Faculty of Occupational and. Environmental Medicine.
5.    Health Information Privacy Code 1994, Rule 2.
6.    Medical Council Guidelines.

Feature

27 July 2011

"Hygiene hijinks"
Virginia McMillan

For people with a keen interest in infection prevention and control, a three-day course at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology is geared to general practice, as is a year-long Medlab South course. Seminar providers include the Australasian company Bug Control Infection Control Advisory Service. The health ministry makes online training available at http://learnonline.health.nz

References
1.    Longtin Y et al. Hand Hygiene. N Engl J Med 2011; 364:e24.
2.    WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care. Geneva, WHO 2009.
3.    Niagara Health System. Outbreak Notice. 17 July 2011. www. niagarahealth.on.ca/outbreak
4.    Ram A et al. BMC Proceedings 2011; 5(Suppl 6):185. Cited in, To What Extent Does Environmental Cleaning Affect Contamination Levels? Inf Cont Today http://bit.ly/pEP9XY
5.    Curtis V et al. Hygiene: new hopes, new horizons. Lancet Inf Dis 2011; 11(4):312-21.
6.    Ferguson, JK et al. Clostridium difficile laboratory testing in Australia and New Zealand: national survey results and Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases recommendations for best practice. Pathology 2011; 43(5):482-87.

Practice

'Consider CAM for depression' - 13 July 2011
Shaun Holt

References
1.    Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Clinical Practice Guidelines Team for Depression. Australian and New Zealand clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of depression. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2004;38:389-407.
2.    Non-pharmaceutical management of depression in adults. A national clinical guideline. Edinburgh (Scotland): Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN); Jan 2010.
3.    Moore M, Yuen HM, Dunn N et al. Explaining the rise in antidepressant prescribing: a descriptive study using the general practice research database. BMJ 2009;339:b3999.
4.    Fournier JC, DeRubeis RJ, Hollon SD et al. Antidepressant drug effects and depression severity: a patient-level meta-analysis. JAMA 2010;303(1):47-53.
5.    Eyding D, Lelgemann M, Grouven U et al. Reboxetine for acute treatment of major depression: systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished placebo and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor controlled trials. BMJ 2010; 12 Oct; 341.
6.    Shelton RC. The nature of the discontinuation syndrome associated with antidepressant drugs. J Clin Psychiatry 2006; 67 (Suppl 4): 3-7.
7.    Olfson M, Shaffer D, Marcus SC, Greenberg T. Relationship between antidepressant medication treatment and suicide in adolescents. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2003;60(10):978-82.
8.    Thachil AF et al. The evidence base of complementary and alternative therapies in depression. Journal of Affective Disorders 2007;97:23-35.
9.    Ravindran AV et al. Canadian network for mood and anxiety treatments (CANMAT) clinical guidelines for the management of major depressive disorder in adults. V. Complementary and alternative medicine treatments. Journal of Affective Disorders 2009;117:S54-S64.
10.    Arroll B, Elley CR, Fishman T et al. Antidepressants versus placebo for depression in primary care. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 3.
11.    Jorm AF, Morgan AJ, Hetrick SE. Relaxation for depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 4.
12.    Golden RN, Gaynes BN, Ekstrom RD et al. The efficacy of light therapy in the treatment of mood disorders: a review and meta-analysis of the evidence. Am J Psychiatry 2005;162(4):656-62.
13.    Tuunainen A, Kripke DF, Endo T. Light therapy for non-seasonal depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 2.
14.    Lin PY, Su KP. A meta-analytic review of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of antidepressant efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids. J Clin Psychiatry 2007;68(7):1056-61.
15.    Mead GE, Morley W, Campbell P et al. Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 3.
16.    Wang C, Bannuru R, Ramel J et al. Tai Chi for psychological well­being: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Altern Med 2010;10:23.
17.    Linde K, Berner MM, Kriston L. St John's wort for major depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 4.
18.    Hardy M, Coulter I, Morton SC et al. S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine for Treatment of Depression, Osteoarthritis, and Liver Disease. Evidence Reports/Technology Assessments, No. 64. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); October 2002. ISBN-10: 1-58763-122-9.
19.    Lam RW, Levitt AJ, Levitan RD et al. The Can-SAD Study: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effectiveness of Light Therapy and Fluoxetine in Patients With Winter Seasonal Affective Disorder. Am J Psychiatry 2006;163:805-12.
20.    Jazayeri S, Tehrani-Doost M, Keshavarz SA et al. Comparison of therapeutic effects of omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid and fluoxetine, separately and in combination, in major depressive disorder. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 2008, Vol. 42, No. 3, 192-98
21.    Lavretsky H, Alstein LL, Olmstead RE et al. Complementary Use of Tai Chi Augments Escitalopram Treatment of Geriatric Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2011 Mar 6.

Comment

29 June 2011

Hitting the target and missing the point
Don Matheson and Belinda Loring

References
1.     Ministry of Health, New Zealand. Health Targets. Questions and Answers. [Internet]. 2011 May 2 [cited 2011 May 25]; Available from: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/healthtargets-questions
2.     National Health Board. We are Targeting Better Health Services [Internet]. Wellington: Ministry of Health; 2011. Available from: http://www.nationalhealthboard.govt.nz/sites/all/files/We%20Are%20Targeting%20Better%20Health%20Services.pdf
3.     Palmer R, What has gone? Dominion Post 2009;8 May:4.
4.    Tenbensel T, National health targets revised. Health Policy Monitor [Internet]. 2009 Oct; Available from: http://www.hpm.org/survey/nz/a14/1
5.     OECD. OECD Health Data 2009: How Does New Zealand Compare [Internet]. [cited 2011 May 13]; Available from: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/43/22/40905041.pdf
6.    Morgan G, Simmons G. Health Cheque: the truth we should all know about New Zealand's public health system [Internet]. Wellington: New Zealand: The Public Interest Publishing Co Ltd; 2009. Available from: http://www.healthcheque.co.nz/
7.     OECD. Obesity and the Economics of Prevention: Fit not Fat [Internet]. 2010; Available from: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/21/19/46004918.pdf
8.     Ministry of Health. The Burden of Disease and Injury in New Zealand.Public Health Intelligence Occasional Bulletin No. 1[Internet]. Wellington: Ministry of Health; 2001. Available from: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/0/a313645fbc60bf02cc2569f400791b9b/$FILE/BurdenofDisease.pdf
9.    Ministry of Health. Like Minds, Like Mine National Plan 2007-2013: Programme to Counter Stigma and Discrimination Associated with Mental Illness [Internet]. Wellington: Ministry of Health; 2007. Available from: http://www.likeminds.org.nz/file/downloads/pdf/1plan-bw-indd.pdf
10.    Tobias M, Blakely T, Matheson D, Rasanathan K, Atkinson J. Changing trends in indigenous inequalities in mortality: lessons from New Zealand.Int. J. Epidemiol 2009;38(6):1711-1722.
11.    Clark H. A New Relationship: introducing the new interface between the government and the public health sector. Wellington: Ministry of Health; 1989.
12.     Mays N. Use of Targets to Improve Health System Performance: English NHS Experience and Implications for New Zealand. 2006 Jun
13.    Mays N, Blick. How Can Primary Health Care Contribute Better to Health System Sustainability? A Treasury Perspective. 2008
14.    UK Minister of State for Health. Reform: More for Less in the NHS: Saving Money and Improving Quality [Internet]. 2010 Jul 22 [cited 2011 May 25];Available from: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/MediaCentre/Speeches/index.htm
15.    NS6 Project Leader's Team. Literature Scan 2. Complexity theories: What are they and what do theytell us about public administration in the 21st Century? [Internet]. 2009; Available from: http://www.ns6newsynthesis.com/documents/literaturescans/literaturescan2
16.    Whitehead M, Doran T, Exworthy M, Richards S, Matheson D. Delivery Systems and Mechanisms: Task Group 7. Consultation report for Marmot Review [Internet]. London: University College London; 2010. Available from: http://www.marmotreview.org/AssetLibrary/pdfs/summary%20tg%20reports/delivery%20t.g.%20summary.pdf

Letters

15 June 2011

"Probiotics have place in treating vaginal thrush"

1.    Reid G, Charbonneau D, Erb J, Kochanowski B, Beuerman D, Poehner R and Bruce, A.W. (2003), Oral use of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and L. fermentum RC-14 significantly alters vaginal flora: randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 64 healthy women. FEMS Immunology & Medical Microbiology 2003; 35:131-134. doi:10.1016/S0928-8244(02)00465-0.
2.    Kingsley C. Anukam, Emmanuel O. Osazuwa, Ijeoma Ahonkhai, Michael Ngwu, Gibson I. Osemene, Andrew A. Bruce, and Gregor Reid. "Augmentation of antimicrobial metronidazole therapy of bacterial vaginosis with oral probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14: randomised, double-blind placebo controlled trial" Microbes and infection 2006; 8.6 :1450-1454.
3.    Petricevic L, Unger FM, Viernstein H, Kiss H. Randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled study of oral lactobacilli to improve the vaginal flora of postmenopausal women. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod biol 2008;141(1):54-7. Epub 2008 Aug 12.
4.    Martinez RC, Franceschini SA, Patta MC, Quintana SM, Candido RC, Ferreira JC, De Martinis EC, Reid. Improved treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis with fluconazole plus probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14. G.Lett Appl Microbiol 2009;48(3):269-74. Epub 2009 Feb 2.
5.    Anukam K, et al, Augmentation of antimicrobial metronidazole therapy of bacterial vaginosis with oral probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14: randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. Microbes Infect. 2006. 8(6):1450-4.
6.    Anukam KC, Hayes K, Summers K. Reid G. Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 may help down regulate TNF-Alpha, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12 (p70) in the neurogenic bladder of spinal cord injured patient with urinary tract infections: a two-case study. Adv Urol. 2009:680363. Epub 2009 Jun 4.

Practice

Mental health

1.    Ronan K et al. Promoting child and ramily resilience to disasters: effects, interventions and prevention effectiveness. Children, Youth and Environments 2008;18(1):332-53.
2.    Jennings A. Models for developing trauma informed behavioural health systems and trauma specific services. A report for NTAC, SAMHSA, NASMHPD, HHS, 2004.

Clinical update

"Is paracetamol linked with asthma?"

1.    Beasley RW, Clayton TO, Crane J, von Mutius E, Lai CKW, Montefort SR, Stewart AW, ISAAC Phase Three Study Group. Association between paracetamol use in infancy and childhood, and risk of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in children aged 6-7 years. Lancet 2008;32:1039-48
2.    Beasley RW, Clayton TO, Crane J, Lai CKW, Montefort SR, von Mutius E, Stewart AW, ISAAC Phase Three Study Group. Acetaminophen use and risk of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in adolescents. Am J Resp Crit Care Med 2011;183: 171-78
3.    Lowe AJ, Carlin JB, Bennett CM, Hosking CS, Allen KJ, Robertson CF, Axelrad C, Abramson MJ, Hill DJ, Dharmage SC. Paracetamol use in early life and asthma: prospective birth cohort study. BMJ 2010; 15 September early online publication
4    Schnabel E, Heinrich J, LISA Study Group. Respiratory tract infections and not paracetamol medication during infancy are associated with asthma development in childhood (Letter to the Editor). J Allergy Clin Immunol 2010 Nov;126(5):1071-73.
5.    Wickens K, Beasley R, Town I, Epton M, Pattemore P, Ingham T, Crane J and the New Zealand Asthma and Allergy Cohort Study. The effects of early and late paracetamol exposure on asthma and atopy: a birth cohort. Clin and Experimental Allergy 2010: 29 September online
6.    Lesko SM, Louik C, Vezina RM, Mitchell AA. Asthma morbidity after the short term use of ibuprofen in children. Pediatrics 2002; 2 February online

2010

Practice

8 Sept 2010

"Helping patients to help themselves"

References
1.    The MaGPle Research Group. The nature and prevalence of psychological problems in New Zealand primary healthcare: a report on Mental Health and General Practice Investigation (MaGPle). NZ Med J 2003;116(1171):1-15.
2.    Oakley Browne M, et al. Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. Wellington: Ministry of Health 2006.
3.    New Zealand Guidelines Group. Identification of Common Mental Disorders and Management of Depression in Primary Care. An Evidence-based Best Practice Guideline. Wellington: New Zealand Guidelines Group, 2008.
4.    National Health Committee. Meeting the needs of people with chronic conditions. Wellington: National Advisory Committee on Health and Disability NZ, 2007.
5.     Zwar N, et al. A systematic review of chronic disease management, in: Institute APHCRI, editor. Sydney: School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, 2007.
6.     Lorig K, et al. Evidence suggesting that a chronic disease self-management program can improve health status while reducing utilization and costs: A randomized trial. Medical Care 1999;37(1):5-14.
7.     Barlow JH, et al. Self-management approaches for people with chronic conditions: a review. Patient Education & Counseling 2002;48(2):177-87.
8.     Battersby M. The Statewide Chronic Disease Self-Management Initiative: Executive Summary: http://som.flinders.edu.au/FUSA/CCTU/pdf/Statewide_Exec_Summary_Aug_04.pdf
9.     Bodenheimer T. Interventions to improve chronic illness care: Evaluating their effectiveness. Disease Management 2003;6(2):63-71.
10.     Griffiths K, Christensen H. Depression in primary health care: from evidence to policy. Medical Journal of Australia 2008;188 (8 Suppl): S81-83.
11.    Ritchie JE. From health education to education for health in Australia: a historical perspective. Health Promotion International 1991;6(2):157-63.
12.     Bodenheimer T, et al. Patient Self-management of Chronic Disease in Primary Care. JAMA 2002;288(19):2469-75.
13.     Copeland ME. Mental Health Recovery and WRAP Resources www.mentalhealthrecovery.com, 2010.
14.     Henry-Edwards S, et al. Brief Intervention for Substance Use: A Manual for Use in Primary Care. Geneva: World Health Organization 2003.
15.     Lorig K, et al. Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions: Self Management of Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Asthma, Bronchitis, Emphysema and others. 2nd edn. Colorado: Bull Publishing Company, 2000.
16.     Lorig K, et al. Effect of a self-management program for patients with chronic disease. Effective Clinical Practice 2001;4(6):256-62.
17.     Flinders Human Behaviour & Health Research Unit. The 'Flinders Model' of Chronic Condition Self-Management. http://tinyurl.com/28bml5l, Adelaide: Flinders University, Accessed August 2010.
18.     Battersby M. Health reform through coordinated care: SA HealthPlus. British Medical Journal 2005;330:662-65.
19.     Lawn S, et al. The mental health expert patient: findings from a pilot study of a generic chronic condition self-management programme for people with mental illness. International Journal of Social Psychiatry 2007;53(1):63-74.
20.     Zhang S, et al. The effectiveness of the Mental Health Recovery (including Wellness Recovery Action Planning) Programme with Chinese consumers. www.tepou.co.nz/file/Knowledge-Exchange-stories/bo-ai-she-the-effectiveness-of-the-mental-health-recovery-research-paper.pdf
21.     Blashki G, Morgan H, et al. Structured problem solving in general practice. Australian Family Physician 2003;32, (10):836-42.

Practice

25 August 2010

"Getting to grips with a painful shoulder"

References
1.    Mitchell C et al. BMJ 2005;331(7525):1124-28.
2.    Hay EM et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2003;62:394-99.
3.     Kuhn JE et al. J Shoulder Elbow Surgery 2009;18:138-66.
4.     Buchbinder R et al. Cochrane Database Sys Rev 2003;(1):CD004016.
5.     Wolf BR et al. Am J Sports Med 2007;35(6):1007-16.
6.     Bang M et al. J Ortho Sports Phys Ther 2000;30:1263-7.
7.     Conroy DE et al. J Ortho Sports Phys Ther 1998;28:3-14.
8.     Senbursa G et al. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2007;15:915-21.

Feature

28 July 2010

"Are we missing something?"
Elizabeth Harris

References
1.    Roberts E, et al. Maternal residence near agricultural pesticide applications and autism spectrum disorders among children in the California central valley. Environ Health Perspect 2007;115:1482-89.
2.    Pharmac Annual Review 2002:16.
3.    Ross BM, et al. Increased levels of ethane, a non-invasive marker of n-3 fatty acid oxidation, in breath of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Nutritional Neuroscience 2003;6(5):277-81.
4.    Foster WG, Agarwal SK. Environmental contaminants and dietary factors in endometriosis. Ann NY Acad of Sci 2002;955:213-32.
5.    Sinaii N, et al. High rates of autoimmune and endocrine disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and atopic diseases among women with endometriosis: a survey analysis. Human Repro 2002;17(10):2715-24.
6.    Fernandez MF. Human exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and prenatal risk factors for cryptorchidism and hypospadias: a nested case-control study. Environ Health Perspect 2007;115(supp 1):8-14.
7.    Soto et al, 1994, 1995; Bradlow et al, 1995; Toniolo et al, 1995; Berrino et al, 1996; Dorgan et al, 1996; Andersen et al, 2002; Cossette et al, 2002; Rousseau et al, 2002; Ibarluzea et al, 2004, Grunfeld & Bonefeld-Jorgensen, 2004; Kojima et al, 2004; Bonefeld-Jorgensen et al, 2005; Wozniak et al, 2005; Je et al, 2005; Laville et al, 2006; Lemaire et al, 2006; Wong & Matsumura, 2006; Chatterjee et al, 2008.
8.    Kouznetsova M, et al. Increased rate of hospitalization for diabetes and residential proximity of hazardous waste sites. Environ Health Perspect 2007;115:75-79.

Issue

14 July 2010

'O le taeao afua' : the new dawn

References
1.    Ministry of Health. Improving Quality of Care for Pacific Peoples.
Wellington: Min of Health, 2008.
2.    Ministry of Health. Pacific Child Health: A Paper for the Pacific
Health and Disability Action Plan Review. Wellington: Ministry of Health, 2008.
3.    Ministry of Health. Pacific Health Factors Affecting Pacific Peoples¹
Health. nd. Retrieved from www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/pacifichealth-health-factors
4.    Ministry of Health and Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs. Tupu Ola
Moui: Pacific Health Chart Book 2004. Wellington: Ministry of Health, 2004.
5.    Pacific Health Research Centre. The Pacific Island Primary Health Care
Utilisation Study. Auckland: Pacific Health Research Centre, University of Auckland, 2003.
6.    Elder H. A psychiatric registrar¹s viewpoint: Hinemoa Elder. nd. Te
Iho. Retrieved from www.teiho.org
7.    Ministry of Health. He Tatai i te Ara: Guidelines for Developing Mäori
Health Education Resources. Wellington: Ministry of Health, 1997.

Letters

30 June 2010

Should we close a medical school?

1.    P Zurn, J-C Dumont. Health Workforce and International Migration: Can
New Zealand Compete? OECD Health Working Paper No 33, 2008.
2.    Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS), Survey Summary, 29
July 2007. Available at: www.asms.org.nz
3.    Moran EML, French RA. A comparison of anaesthetic trainees¹ career
outcomes with previously expressed intentions. In publication.

Letters

30 June 2010

"Need to think twice before bagging tests"
from William Ferguson

1.     Gibson RS. Zinc: a critical nutrient in growth and development. Leading Article NZMJ 13/3/1998 vol. 111 no. 1061.
2.    Ferguson W. The importance of Zinc: a response to Dr Davidson's letter. NZMJ 7/11/08 vol. 121 no. 1285.
3 .    Maes M, Vandoolarghe E, Neels H et al. Lower serum zinc in major depression is a sensitive marker of Treatment Resistance and of the Immune/Inflammatory response in that illness. Biol Psychiatry 1997: 42:349-58.
4.    Nowak G, Szewczky B, Pilc A. Zinc and Depression. An update. Pharmacologic Reports 2005, 57, 713-18.
(5.     Szewczyk B, Poleszak E. et al. Antidepressant activity of zinc and magnesium in view of the current hypotheses of antidepressant action. A review. Pharmacological Reports 2008, 60, 588-99.
(6)    Gibson RS. Principles of Nutritional Assessment 2005. 2nd edn. Oxford Univ Press.

Practice

30 June 2010

Child health: common illness can have serious effect
By Marguerite Dalton and Lynn Taylor

1.    Word Health Organization, online (www.who.int/vaccine_research/diseases/rotavirus/en).
2.    Ministry of Health New Zealand, online (www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/immunisation-diseasesandvaccines-rotavirus).
3.    Grimwood K, Huang QS et al. Rotavirus Hospitalisation in New Zealand children under 3 years of age. J Paediatr Child Health. 2006 Apr;42(4):196-203.
4.    Milne RJ, Grimwood K. Budget impact and cost-effectiveness of including a pentavalent rotavirus vaccine in the New Zealand childhood immunisation schedule. Value Health. 2009 Sep;12(6):888-98. Epub 2009 Mar 18.
5.    Grimwood K and Buttery J. Clinical update: Rotavirus gastroenteritis and its prevention, Lancet. 2007 Jul 28;370(9584):302-04.
6.    Manish M Patel†, Penina Habe et al. Intussusception and rotavirus vaccination: a review of the available evidence, online (www.expert-reviews.com/doi/abs/10.1586/erv.09.106).
7.    De Vos B, Han HH et al. Live attenuated human rotavirus vaccine, RIX4414, provides clinical protection in infants against rotavirus strains with and without shared G and P genotypes. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2009 Apr;28(4):261-66.
8.    Tate JE, Panozzo CA et al. Decline and change in seasonality of US rotavirus activity after the introduction of rotavirus vaccine. Pediatrics 2009;124;465-71.
9.    Therapeutic Goods Administration, online (www.tga.gov.au/alerts/medicines/rotarix.htm)
10.    FDA, online (www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm 205585.htm).
11.    European Medicines Agency, online (www.ema.europa.eu/humandocs/PDFs/EPAR/rotarix/20192310en.pdf).
12.    WHO, online (http://tinyurl.com/yfsubr8).
13.    Grimwood K, Milne R. Should rotavirus vaccines be included in the national immunization program of a small developed country? Online (www.expert-reviews.com/doi/pdf/10.1586/erp.09.46).

Practice 

16 June 2010

Mental health column
by David Codyre

1.    American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edn, text revision (DSM IV TR). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000.
2.    Michael E Thase. Atypical depression: a useful concept but it's time to revise the DSM criteria. Neuropsychopharmacology 2009;34:2633-41.
3.    Louis S Matza et al. Depression with atypical features in the national comorbidity survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003;60:817-26.
4.    Parker G et al. Atypical depression: a reappraisal. Am J Psychiatry 2002;159:1470-79.
5.    Jonathon W Stewart. Treating depression with atypical features. J Clin Psychiatry 2007;68 [suppl 3]:25-29.
6.    Stephen P Roose et al. An open trial of venlafaxine for the treatment of late-life atypical depression. Int J Geriatric Psychiatry 2004;19:989-94

News

5 May 2010

"Taking a second look at drug action"
by Michael Syme

1.     Minnema MC, van der Spek E, van de Donk NW et al. New developments in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. Neth J Med 2010 Jan;68(1):24-32.
2.    Kamm CP, Mattleand HP and the SWABIMS Study Group. Trials 2009, 10:115doi:10.1186/1745-6215-10-115.
3.    Thompson IM, Goodman PJ, Tangen CM et al. The influence of finasteride on the development of prostate cancer. N Engl J Med. 2003 Jul 17;349(3):215-24.
1.1    Frankel PH and Twardowski P. Guideline for 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitors in the Prevention of Prostate Cancer Is Premature. J Clin Oncol 2009 Oct 20;27(30):e164.
1.2    Vickers AJ, Savage CJ, and Lilja H. Finasteride to Prevent Prostate Cancer: Should All Men or Only a High-Risk Subgroup Be Treated? J Clin Oncol 2010 Feb 1. [Epub ahead of print]

2009

Letters

"Herceptin generally well tolerated: Roche"
from Barbara Holmes

1.     Herceptin (trastuzumab) Data Sheet, 19 February 2009.
2.     Casciato DA. Manual of Clinical Oncology. 6th edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009.
3.     Smith I, Procter M, Belber RD et al. 2-year follow-up of trastuzumab after adjuvant chemotherapy in HER2-positive breast cancer: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2007;369(9555):29-36.
4.     Rastogi P, Jeong J, Geyer C et al. Five year update of cardiac dysfunction on NSABP B-31, a randomized trial of sequential doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide (AC)→paclitaxel (T) vs AC→T with trastuzumab (H). Presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Meeting 2007. Abstract #LBA513.
5.     Perez EA, Suman VJ, Davidson NE et al. Cardiac safety analysis of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by paclitaxel with or without trastuzumab in the North Central Cancer Treatment Group N9831 adjuvant breast cancer trial. J Clin Oncol 2008;26(8):1231-38.
6     Gianni L, Goldhirsch A, Gelber RD et al. Update of the HERA trial and the role of 1-year trastuzumab as adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. Presented at the St Gallen Oncology Conference 2009. Abstract and oral presentation #S25.

Viewpoint 

7 October 2009

"PHO data superior to census figures"
by Laurence Malcolm

1.   Malcolm L, Barnett R. Utilisation of inpatient cardiology services including by Maori: a study of hospital discharges for patients enrolled with Partnership Health practices for the two years ending June 2007. In press, NZ Med J.
2.   Malcolm L, Barnett R. General practice records can provide a more reliable data base for district health services analysis than national hospital data: analysis of Partnership Health general practice data. In press, NZJPHC.

Practice

23 September 2009

"Pandemic vaccine: weighing the odds"
by Lynn Taylor

1.     Centers for Disease Control. MMWR 2009: Aug 28;58 (33):918­21 [www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5833a2.htm].
2.     Baker MG, Wilson N, Huang QS, et al. Pandemic influenza A(H1N1)v in New Zealand: the experience from April to August 2009. Euro Surveillance 2009;14(34) pii:19319 [www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19712648?ordinalpos=11&itool=EntrezSystem2.Pentrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum).
3.     Ministry of Health. Pandemic Influenza (H1N1) 09 Swine Flu. Update 144 [www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/influenza-a-h1n1-update-144-280809?Open].
4.     World Health Organization. Global Alert and Response (GAR) Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 briefing note 9 [www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/notes/h1n1_second_wave_20090828/en/index.html]
5.     WHO. Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 briefing note 2 [www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/notes/h1n1_vaccine_20090713/en/index.html].
6.     CDC novel H1N1 vaccination planning, questions and answers [www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/statelocal/qa.htm].
7.     Ministry of Health. Influenza A (H1N1) swine flu, questions and answers. Who is at risk of developing a more serious illness from swine flu? [www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/influenza-a-h1n1-questions#immunity].

Practice

9 September 2009

"Heat signal early cancer marker"
by Mike Godfrey

1.     Kerr J. Review of the effectiveness of infrared thermal imaging (thermography) for population screening and diagnostic testing of breast cancer. New Zealand Health Technology Assessment (NZHTA) Tech Brief Series July 2004 (Vol.3); No.3.
2.     Parisky YR, Sardi A, Hamm R, et al. Efficacy of computerized infrared imaging analysis to evaluate mammographically suspicious lesions. American Journal of Roentgenology 2003;180:263-69.
3.     BreastScreen Aotearoa handout to GPs for patient information (2005/2006). CMP Medica(NZ) Ltd, Milford, Auckland.
4.     Miglioretti DL, Smith-Bindman R, Abraham L, et al. Radiologist characteristics associated with interpretive performance of diagnostic mammography. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2007;99:1854-63.
5.    Boyd NF, Guo H, Martin LJ, Sun L, et al. Mammographic density and the risk and detection of breast cancer. N Engl J Med 2007;356:227-36.
6.     Guidi AJ and Schnitt SJ. Angiogenesis in pre-invasive lesions of the breast. The Breast J 1996;2:364-69.
7.     Spitalier J, Amalric D, et al. The importance of infrared thermography in the early suspicion and detection of minimal breast cancer. Thermal Assessment of Breast Health (Proceedings of an International Conference 1983), MTP Press Ltd, 173-79.
8.     Gautherie M. Thermobiological assessment of benign and malignant breast diseases. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1983;147(8):861-69.
9.     Gautherie M and Gros C. Breast thermography and cancer risk prediction. Cancer 1980;45(1):51-6.
10.     Arora N, Martins D, Ruggerio D, et al. Effectiveness of a noninvasive digital infrared thermal imaging system in the detection of breast cancer. Am J Surg 2008; 196(4):523-26.
11.     Ionescu JG, Novotny J, Stejskal V, et al. Increased levels of transition metals in breast cancer tissue. Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2006; 27(Suppl.1):36-9.
12.     Johnston JA and Clee CZ. Analysis of 308 localisation breast biopsies in a New Zealand Hospital. Australasian Radiology 1991;35(2):148-51.
13.     Greenberg D, et al. Stereotactic breast biopsy: an audit of 18 months at BreastScreen Auckland. Australasian Radiology 2003;47(3):261-66.

Practice

9 September 2009

"Heat signal physiological marker only"
by Belinda Scott

1.     Nystrom L, Rutqvist LE, Wall S, et al. Breast cancer screening with mammography: overview of Swedish randomized trials. Lancet 1993;341:973-78.
2.     Wald NJ, Hackshawb A, Chamberlain J. The efficacy and safety of periodic mammographic screening: summary of report of the European Society of Mastology. Clin Radiol 1994;49:592-93.
3.     Parisky YR, Sardi A, Hamm R, et al. Efficacy of computerized infrared imaging analysis to evaluate mammographically suspicious lesions. American Journal of Roentgenology 2003;180:263-69.
4.     Boyd NF, Guo H, Martin LJ, Sun L, et al. Mammographic density and the risk and detection of breast cancer. N Engl J Med 2007;356:227-36.
5.     The National Screening Unit, Cancer Society of New Zealand, New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation. Position Statement. The use of thermography as a breast cancer screening or diagnostic tool, January 2005.
6.     Tabar L, Fagerberg G, Duffy S, et al. Update of the Swedish two-county program of mammographic screening for breast cancer. Radiol Clin North Am 1992;30:187-210.

Practice

15 July 2009

"Untreated PND casts long shadow"
by William Ferguson

1.     Hay DF, Pawlby S, Sharp D et al. Intellectual problems shown by 11-year-old children whose mothers had postnatal depression. J Child Psychol Psychiatr 2001;42(7):871­89.
2.     Francis D, Diori J, Liu D, Meaney MJ. Non-genomic transmission across generations of maternal behaviour and stress responses in the rat. Science 1999;286(5442):1155­58.
3.    Meaney MJ, Szyf M, Seckl JR. Epigenetic mechanisms of perinatal programming of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function and health. Trends in Molecular Medicine 2007;13(7):269­77.
4.     McGill H, Burrows VL, Holland LA et al. Postnatal depression: a Christchurch study. NZ Med J 1995;108(999):162­65.
5.     Yim IS, Glynn LM, Schetter CD et al. Risk of postpartum depressive symptoms with elevated corticotropin-releasing hormone in human pregnancy. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2009;66(2):162­69.

Practice

15 July 2009

"GPs influence culture of care"
by Ngaire Kerse

1.     Davies HT, Nutley SM, Mannion R. Organisational culture and quality of health care. Quality in Health Care 2000;9(2):111­19.
2.     Schein EH. Organizational Culture and Leadership. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, 1985.
3.     Svarstad BL, Mount JK, Bigelow W. Variations in the treatment culture of nursing homes and responses to regulations to reduce drug use. Psychiatric Services 2001;52(5):666­72.

Practice

3 June 2009

"I think my child's allergic to..."
by Marguerite Dalton

1.     Lack G. Epidemiologic risks for food allergy. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2008;121(6):1331­6.
2.     Sporik R, et al. Specificity of allergen skin testing in predicting positive open food challenges to milk, egg and peanut in children. Clin Exp Allergy 2000;30(11):1540­6.
3.     Sampson HA. Update on food allergy. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2004;113(5):805­19.

Practice

3 June 2009

"Helping users kick their opioid habit"
by Brian McAvoy

1.    United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNIDCP). World Drug Report. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
2.    Amato L et al. An overview of systematic reviews of the effectiveness of opiate maintenance therapies: available evidence to inform clinical practice and research. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 2005;28:321-329.
3.    Day E, Ison J, Strang J. Inpatient versus other settings for detoxification for opioid dependence. Cochrane Reviews 2005, Issue 2. Art. No:CD004580. DOI: 10.1002/14651858. CD004580.pub2.
4.    Amato L et al. Methadone at tapered doses for the management of opioid withdrawal. Cochrane Reviews 2005, Issue 3. Art.No: CD003409.DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD003409.pub3.
5.    Gowing L, Ali R, White J. Buprenorphine for the management of opioid withdrawal. Cochrane Reviews 2006, Issue 2. Art.No: CD002025.DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD002025.pub3.
6.    Gowing L et al. Alpha 2-adrenergic agonists for the management of opioid withdrawal. Cochrane Reviews 2009, Issue 2. Art.No: CD002024.DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD002024.pub3.
7.    Gowing L, Ali R, White JM. Opioid antagonists under heavy sedation or anaesthesia for opioid withdrawal. Cochrane Reviews 2006, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD002022. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD002022.pub2.
8.    Amato L et al. Psychosocial and pharmacological treatments versus pharmacological treatments for opioid detoxification. Cochrane Reviews 2008, Issue 3. Art. No: CD005031. DOI:.1002/14651858.CD005301.pub2.

Practice

22 April 2009

"Unlocking story behind bruises"
by Charles Essex

1.     Bruce Arroll and Ngaire Kerse. GPs should prescribe more benzodiazepines for the elderly. J Primary Health Care 2009;(1):57­58.
2.     Gillespie L, et al. Interventions for preventing falls in elderly people. Systematic Review. Cochrane Musculoskeletal Injuries Group. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2001; Issue 3. (new update coming soon).

Practice

22 April 2009

"IMMP study looks at Mirena use in adolescents"
by Helen Paterson, Janelle Ashton and Mira Harrison-Woolrych

1.     Mohllajee AP, Curtis KM, Peterson HB. Does insertion and use of an intrauterine device increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease among women with sexually transmitted infection? A systematic review. Contraception 2006;73(2):145­53.
2.     Hubacher D. Copper intrauterine device use by nulliparous women: review of side effects. Contraception 2007;75(6 Suppl):S8­S11.
3.     Kives S. The IUCD ­ is it an acceptable option for the adolescent? J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 2006;19(4):301.
4.     McNaught J. Adolescents and IUCDs ­ not a contraindication. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 2006;19(4):303­05.
5.     Paterson H, Ashton J, Harrison-Woolrych M. A nationwide cohort study of the use of the levonorgestrel intrauterine device in New Zealand adolescents. Contraception 2009 (in press). To access early online publication go to: http://dx.doi.org then enter doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2008.12.001
6.     Zhou L, Harrison-Woolrych M, Coulter DM. Use of the New Zealand Intensive Medicines Monitoring Programme to study the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (Mirena). Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2003;12(5):371­77.
7.     World Health Organization, Department of Reproductive Health and Research. Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use, 3rd edition. Effectiveness of method. WHO: Geneva, 2004 ( www.who.int/reproductive-health/publications/mec/mec.pdf).

Practice

8 April 2009

"UTIs in children: UK guidelines"
by Marguerite Dalton

1.     National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Urinary tract infection in children. Diagnosis, treatment and long-term management of urinary tract infection in children. Clinical guideline (CG54), August 2007. Online: www.nice.org.uk/Guidance/CG54
2.     National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Feverish illness in children. Assessment and initial management in children younger than five years. Clinical guideline (CG47), May 2007. Online: www.nice.org.uk/Guidance/CG47

Practice

11 February 2009

"Diabetic asks about vitamin C dosing"
by Lyn Gillanders

1.     Blot WJ et al. Nutrition intervention trials in Linxian, China: supplementation with specific vitamin/mineral combinations, cancer incidence, and disease-specific mortality in the general population. J Natl Cancer Institute 1993;85(18):1483­92.
2.     Greenberg ER et al. A clinical trial of antioxidant vitamins to prevent colorectal adenoma. Polyp Prevention Study Group. N Engl J Med 1994;331(3):141­7.
3.     Heart Protection Study Collaborative Group. MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study of antioxidant vitamin supplementation in 20,536 high-risk individuals: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2002;360(9326):23­33.
4.     Ness A, Egger M, Smith JD. Role of antioxidant vitamins in prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Meta-analysis seems to exclude benefit of vitamin C supplementation. BMJ 1999;319(7209):577.
5.     Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand, 2006. (www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagesmh/4678).