Failure to follow-up medical test results poses a great risk to patient safety and quality of care. A new stakeholder forum bringing together health consumers, clinicians and policy organisations aims to improve the situation. By Mary Dahm Pathology and medical […]
Thyroid disorders are among the most common diseases of the endocrine system. A new study now reveals that both an overactive as well as an underactive thyroid can have a negative impact on bone mass. By Vasilios Pergialiotis Thyroid dysfunction […]
Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplements are widely used by patients. On average, an American household spends up to USD 350 annually on various OTC drugs and dietary supplements. However, the general public is often not aware or informed about […]
Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in women. Its vague and non-specific symptoms often result in late presentation with advanced disease. Early detection of ovarian cancer, which allows timely treatment, can improve survival. Nevertheless, the […]
A personalised approach to patients’ treatment has been made possible with the advent of new “omics” technologies. These are laboratory diagnostics tailored to individual patients, which is much more effective than traditional diagnostics of a specific disease. Personalised laboratory medicine […]
Infrared spectroscopy of finger nails: an easy, comfortable and affordable way to diagnose without a need for blood sampling. The growing number of people with diabetes is creating a global public health problem. Blood glucose is widely used for monitoring […]
Theranos was meant to revolutionize the blood testing industry with groundbreaking technology. However, its’ failure to deliver and consequent collapse showed that “Theranos was like anything in life, what glitters may not be gold; it might not even be silver […]
Often a common condition for vegetarians and vegans, severe vitamin B12 deficiency can result in serious complications if undiagnosed or untreated. Vitamin B12 is vital for appropriate red blood cell formation, neurological function, and DNA and RNA synthesis. Vitamin B12 […]
Glucose measurements are among the most important analysis in clinical chemistry. Glucose concentrations can be determined with automated analyzers in medical laboratories or with point-of-care glucometers which are widely known from self-testing. This work evaluates glucose measurements of over 130,000 […]
Buprenorphine, the medication used to treat addiction to opioids is gaining increasing popularity for both maintenance treatment of opioid dependence and treatment of chronic non-cancer related pain. It is now being offered as an alternative to pure opioids which have […]
