Dr Muiris Houston and Sylvia Thompson look at latest progress in asthma research, new drugs, a new study that shows treating simple lacerations of the hand conservatively instead of with sutures is faster and less painful.
Hand stitching: A new study has shown that treating simple lacerations of the hand conservatively instead of with sutures is faster, less painful, and produces similar cosmetic and functional outcomes. Ninety-one patients presented at an emergency department with simple lacerations of the hand that would normally be treated with sutures. Patients received either sutures or conservative treatment and were asked to return in eight to 10 days for their sutures to be removed or their wound to be assessed. Patients also rated the pain of their treatment using a standard pain rating scale. The mean time to resume normal activities was the same in both groups but patients treated conservatively reported less pain. There was no difference in cosmetic appearance after three months.
Asthma research: The impact of asthma is being investigated nationally in research into 5,000 households in the Republic. This study forms part of a multinational survey assessing the level of asthma control among asthma sufferers in Western Europe. A preliminary audit of the results indicates that a significant number of patients' symptoms are poorly controlled, with many experiencing both daytime and night-time problems. Some 55 per cent of those surveyed reported being awakened at night by asthma symptoms, 73 per cent reported some limitation in their normal activities due to asthma and 70 per cent experienced asthma symptoms as a result of being exposed to cigarette smoke. "These results suggest that the management of asthma in Ireland falls well short of the therapeutic goals of elimination or minimisation of symptoms as laid down by the Global Initiative on Asthma," says Dr Peter Greally, consultant respiratory paediatrician at Tallaght Hospital. The Asthma Society helpline is 1850 445464.
Be wary of new drugs: Doctors should be wary of commencing their patients on new drugs, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This is because of the high rate of adverse effects that can go undetected until late in the post-marketing surveillance period. Of 548 new drugs, 56 either acquired new warnings or were withdrawn from the market, researchers found. They advise that doctors should avoid using new drugs when older agents of similar effectiveness are available.
Lifelines is compiled by Dr Muiris Houston and Sylvia Thompson