Volume 5, Number 2

Kris Bowles MRCP Specialist Registrar in Haematology, Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, Norfolk

Venous thromboembolism can be a painful, disabling and potentially life-threatening condition and most clinicians are familiar with the presentation, investigation and management of venous thrombosis arising in the deep veins of the leg and pelvis. Fewer people will be as familiar with the management and significance of upper limb deep vein thrombosis (ULDVT), which accounts for approximately 2% of all episodes of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and is becoming increasingly common.

Sarah H Wild PhD MRCP MRCGP MFPHM Lecturer in Public Health Medicine, Health Care Research Unit; Christopher D Byrne PhD MRCPath FRCP Professor of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Director Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, Honorary Consultant Physician, University of Southampton School of Medicine, Southampton General Hospital

Various pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are effective in both preventing and reducing complications from atherosclerotic vascular disease (AVD). The purpose of this brief review is to discuss some of the recent evidence supporting a beneficial effect for the Mediterranean diet and the statin group of lipid-lowering therapy in reducing risk of AVD.

Barry Hill FIBMS Chief Biomedical Scientist, Blood Transfusion Department, Wigan Royal Infirmary

The use of platelet transfusions in British hospitals has dramatically increased over the last decade, primarily as a result of the growing treatment of patients with haematological bleeding disorders. Ever since Duke first demonstrated in 1910 that patients with bleeding due to thrombocytopenia showed marked improvements following transfusions of platelet-rich fresh blood,1 techniques to prepare and transfuse platelet components have steadily developed.

Peter Rose, Editor

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease have previously been reported to be at increased risk of venous thromboembolic disease. As with many clinical associations, the evidence to support this one is based on limited reports from case studies or from patients attending specialist inflammatory bowel clinics, where eager medical staff are only too keen to report any possible associations.

Derek Bell MD FRCP Chest Physician, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is known to be responsible, directly or indirectly, for approximately 18,000 deaths per year in England and Wales,1 and this figure may, in reality, be higher as clinicians often fail to recognise the condition in life. Both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and PE are associated with significant levels of morbidity and often require, or contribute to, prolonged hospitalisation. However, thromboembolic disease remains a condition that most doctors feel competent to diagnose and manage, with no single medical specialty taking a clear lead.