World AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) Day was first commemorated in 1988. It has since taken place on 1 December annually, and is a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and their care providers. Over the years, the landscape of HIV worldwide...

Malignant hyperthermia susceptibility (MHS) is a pharmacogenetic disorder, which usually develops during or immediately after the application of general anaesthesia (GA) involving volatile agents (e.g. halothane, isoflurane, sevoflurane, desflurane, and enflurane) and/ or the depolarising muscle relaxant suxamethonium. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a multidimensional concept that describes the aspects pertaining to health. It is generally agreed that HRQoL assesses the well-being and functioning of an individual, comprising physical and emotional aspects while opinions are divided as to whether it should also include the individual’s social...

A 34-year-old female presented with progressively worsening left flank pain. The pain was initially relieved by analgesics but subsequently increased in severity and frequency. There were no complaints of haematuria, dysmenorrhoea or dyspareunia. Physical examination was essentially unremarkable with no palpable abdominal mass or pelvic varicose veins. Urinalysis suggested...

Trisomy 21 is a common chromosomal disorder with an incidence of 1 in 750 live births. Many factors contribute to disorders of the respiratory system in children with trisomy 21, and these include structural abnormalities of the airways and lungs, recurrent lower respiratory tract infections and obstructive sleep apnoea. This...