Medicine and Science from The BMJ

Why don’t WHO guidelines on fluid resuscitation in children include the FEAST trial results?

Read the article: http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.f7003The 2013 World Health Organization guidelines continue to recommend rapid fluid resuscitation for children with shock, despite evidence from the FEAST trial that this can increase mortality.Katheryn Maitland, professor of tropical paediatric infectious disease at Imperial College London, who led the FEAST trial, joins us to discuss it.

Should journals stop publishing research funded by the drug industry?

Read the head to head:http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g171The BMJ no longer publishes research funded by tobacco companies. Richard Smith says that research funded by drug companies is also flawed and published to encourage sales, but Trish Groves says that the industries are fundamentally different and that moves are afoot to increase integrityJoin the authors live on Twitter to debate the issue on 21 January, 1200-1230 GMT at #pharmaban.

Solving the case, making the diagnosis: Neurology and detective writing

When searching for clues to reach a diagnosis, neurologists often empathise with the detective who is trying to solve a case, write Peter Kempster and Andrew Lees in BMJ sister journal Practical Neurology bit.ly/1dqReQq.In this podcast, journal editor Phil Smith and Andrew Lees, director of the Queen Square Brain Bank in London, discuss how neurologists draw upon detective skills. They also talk about neurologists who have turned these skills to crime fiction writing, and the use of narrative in clinical case histories.The expert witnesses called upon are:- Oliver Sacks, best selling author and professor of neurology at NYU School of Medicine- Peter Gautier Smith, now retired from consulting at Queen Square and author of 31 detective novels- Chris Goetz, who worked at Rush University Medical Centre with Harold Klawans, crime fiction writer and authority on Parkinson’s diseaseListen to the full interviews here:Andrew Lees bit.ly/1cPaoxMPeter Gautier-Smith bit.ly/1d5HhKjHarold Klawans bit.ly/19cXROliver Sacks bit.ly/1hBsbgz

Virgin births, poor house hospital and right or happy

It is generally agreed that sex is useful when getting pregnant, but is it necessary? Professors Amy Herring, and Carolyn Halpern from the University of North Carolina explain how they found virgin births in the US for their Christmas BMJ paper.Also Gareth Jones, emeritus professor of anaesthesia at Cambridge University, recalls his early life in the City Lodge Hospital – formerly Cardiff Union WorkhouseFinally, does being right always make you happy? Bruce Aroll, professor of primary care at the University of Auckland wanted to know, and so designed a pilot study.See also:Like a virgin (mother): analysis of data from a longitudinal, US population representative sample survey (http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f7102)Being right or being happy: pilot study (http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f7398)Growing up over the shop (http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f6922)

James Bond’s drinking and caring for undocumented migrants

James Bond, legendary secret agent, marksman, womaniser, smoker, but perhaps most famously, drinker. Neil Guha and Patrick Davies from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, and Graham Johnson from the Royal Derby Hospital, have documented Commander Bond's drinking in a Christmas BMJ paper, and join us to discuss its findings.Also this week, Doctors of the World, The BMJ's Christmas charity, has a role beyond emergency response to humanitarian crises, helping undocumented migrants in the UK access healthcare. Richard Hurley visits its clinic in the east end of London to find out out more. See alsoWere James Bond’s drinks shaken because of alcohol induced tremor?http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f7255

Christmas charity appeal and treating polymyalgia rheumatica

This year The BMJ has chosen Doctors of the World as it's Christmas appeal. This week we hear about the charity's international work. Deputy magazine editor Richard Hurley talks to some of the doctors who are working in Syria and the camps surrounding the stricken country. Also this week, a clinical review on BMJ.com looks at polymyalgia rheumatica. Clinical reviews editor Sophie Cook asks Sarah Mackie, from the Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, how she explains this difficult condition to patients.After the typhoon: how volunteer doctors are bringing medical care to those most in needhttp://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f7193Polymyalgia rheumaticahttp://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f6937

Patient centred research and doctors burnout

Professor Sir John Oldham, from the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London, talks about reforming reform, and why he worries that research agendas are more influenced by career aspirations than patient care. Tom Kenny, director of external relations at the Evaluation, Trials, and Studies Coordinating Centre at the National Institute for Health Research, explains how the NIHR is trying to put patients at the centre of the research it funds.Finally doctors' health - Michael Peters from the BMA's Doctors for Doctors Unit, explains why life's everyday struggles are hard for doctors to cope with.See also:Reform reform: an essay by John Oldham http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f6716Doctors’ health: taking the lifecycle approachhttp://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f7086

Aneurysmal subarachnoid haermorrhage

The latest NCEPOD (National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death) report examines the management of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage, in England's National Health Service.Two of the report's clinical co-ordinators, Mike Gough, a vascular surgeon at Leeds General Hospital, and Alex Goodwin, anaesthetist at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, join us to discuss the reports findings and recommendations.Read the full report: http://www.ncepod.org.uk/sah.htm

Population ageing, the timebomb that isn’t

The population timebomb: The idea that an ageing population is making it harder and harder to fund pensions, social care, and healthcare, as the number of older people grows in proportion to the working population. Jeroen Spijker, senior research fellow at the School of Social and Political Science in the University of Edinburgh, explains why he thinks the risk has been overblown.
Also, Michael Kidd, current president of WONCA – the world organisation of family doctors - talks about the pressures on primary care, and how he would like to attract the best medical talent to the specialty.
http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f6598

A sugary drinks tax, liver tests in pregnancy

A modelling study on bmj.com suggests that a 20% tax on sugar sweetened drinks would reduce the number of obese adults in the UK by 1.3%, and by 0.9 for those who are overweight. The health gains are fairly similar across all income groups. Oliver Mytton, one of the study's authors, describes why a 20% figure was chosen and how the modelling was done. Also, liver function tests follow a different normal range during pregnancy. Catherine Williamson, professor of women’s health at King's College London, explains why.Read the articles:Overall and income specific effect on prevalence of overweight and obesity of 20% sugar sweetened drink tax in UK - http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f6189Abnormal liver function tests in pregnancy - http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f6055