A spectrum of immune dysregulation has been described following SARS-CoV-2 infections—from the cytokine storm in the acute phase, to hyperinflammatory syndromes that occur after the resolution of the initial infection.1 Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) was first reported in children in April 2020 as a hyperinflammatory syndrome with features similar...

The last decade has seen a progressive change in the style of management of severe acute renal failure (acute renal failure which requires the use of renal replacement therapy) as well as in the epidemiology of this condition. Severe acute renal failure (SARF) is now most commonly seen in...

The relationship between lipid disorders and arthritis is manifold. Hyperlipidaemia may manifest clinically in the musculoskeletal system. In 1968, Khachadurian studied 14 families of whom 18 homozygotes of Type II hyperlipidaemia were identified. Ten of these patients experienced a migratory polyarthritis resembling rheumatic fever. This article is available only as...

Despite intensive research and intervention, trauma continues to be the leading cause of death during the first three decades of life in the USA, and currently ranks as the fourth leading cause of mortality with over 160,000 deaths each year. Mortality following trauma occurs in three distinct periods. This article...

Synder in 1932 wrote the first report on the Mendelian inheritance of the inability to taste phenylthiourea. Twenty-five years later, Arno Motulsky suggested hereditary factors might be the explanation to inter-individual differences in drug responses. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top...

CYP2D6 is a cytochrome P450 isoenzyme that plays a role in the metabolism of a wide range of drugs, particularly cardiovascular and psychotropic agents. The CYP2D6 locus at human chromosome 22 is a non-conserved locus with a heterogeneous number of genes and pseudogenes. This article is available only as a...

Minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) is the most common cause of childhood nephrotic syndrome. It is characterised by the presence of gross proteinuria, hypoalbuminaemia, oedema and hyperlipidaemia. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Autoimmune processes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Several pieces of indirect evidence point towards a role of autoimmune processes in at least some cases of schizophrenia. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

During intense exercise, immune disturbances can occur through an increase in plasma pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations, and post-exercise leukocytosis and lymphocytopenia. The increase in LPS in the central circulation, also known as endotoxaemia, has been attributed to the leakage of LPS from the gastrointestinal tract...

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterised by severe joint deformities due to bony erosions and tendon damage. The chronic inflammatory process is mediated through a complex cytokine network. The clinical expressions and outcome of the disease can vary among different ethnic groups, possibly depending upon the...