Medical science, drawn into focus.

Parturition and Routine Care

Overview Parturition Physiology Preterm:  defined as babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed. Term:  defined as babies born alive after 37 weeks and before 42 weeks Postterm (induced for labour):  defined as babies born alive after 42 weeks. Birthweight Low birth weight: <2500g regardless of age Very low birth weight: <1500g regardless of…

Hypermobility Syndromes

Overview Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) describes symptomatic joint hypermobility with musculoskeletal (and sometimes systemic) consequences in people who do not meet the 2017 diagnostic criteria for hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (hEDS) or another heritable connective-tissue disorder (HCTD). Prevalence of generalised joint hypermobility varies (≈2–35% depending on age/sex/ethnicity and cut-offs), with symptomatic states more common in females…

Otitis Externa

Overview Acute otitis externa (AOE) is a common ear condition seen in the primary health care setting. Also known as ‘swimmer’s ear’ or ‘tropical ear’, it is prevalent in hot humid climates.  AOE is an inflammatory condition of the ear canal skin. The causes are infective or non-infective. Otitis externa: Inflammation of the outer ear…

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Overview Sleep apnea syndrome is an extremely common medical disorder associated with important morbidity. Sleep Apnea and can be classified as: Obstructive Sleep Apnea – is the most common, characterized by repetitive, intermittent collapse of the upper (pharyngeal) airway during sleep, which causes apnoeic episodes terminated by partial arousal Central Sleep Apnea - characterised by repetitive absent or diminished…

Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD)

Overview UCTD is a systemic autoimmune disease with features of connective tissue disease (CTD), but does not fulfill classification criteria for any specific CTD such as SLE, Sjögren’s syndrome, systemic sclerosis, or polymyositis. It is a diagnosis of exclusion used for patients with persistent autoimmune features who do not evolve into a defined CTD. Commonly…

Prostatitis

Overview Prostatitis refers to a spectrum of conditions involving inflammation of the prostate gland, ranging from acute bacterial infection to chronic pelvic pain syndromes. It is a common urological condition affecting men of all ages, particularly those aged 30–50 years. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) classifies prostatitis into four categories: acute bacterial, chronic bacterial, chronic…

Hyper-IgE Syndrome (Job’s Syndrome)

Overview Hyper-IgE syndrome (HIES) is a rare primary immunodeficiency characterised by markedly elevated serum IgE, recurrent staphylococcal skin and lung infections, eczema, and connective tissue/ skeletal abnormalities. Most commonly caused by autosomal dominant mutations in STAT3 , it results in impaired Th17 cell differentiation and defective neutrophil chemotaxis. Autosomal recessive forms (DOCK8, TYK2 mutations) present…

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