OAR@UM Collection:

A case of acute low back pain

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Title: A case of acute low back pain Authors: Abela, Jurgen C. Abstract: A forty-year old gentleman, walks into your clinic complaining of low back pain, which has been present for the past four days. The pain is quite severe and poorly localized, forcing the patient to abstain from work. The patient is not on any medication and has no relevant past medical history, except for an episode of back pain years back. He is annoyed by the pain and by the fact that he had to stop working. What would you do?

Smoking and Disease

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Smoking and Disease Authors: Lanfranco, Anthony Abstract: It all started in America, and long before the arrival of Columbus but then the Red Indians smoked a pipe. The European villain of the piece is said to have been Sir Walter Raleigh, though some say that tobacco-smoking was introduced in Europe by Bristol seamen when Sir Walter was still in his boyhood. However, smoking was not unknown in Europe before the th 16 century; Roman remains in Great Britain and Ireland suggest that hemp and aromatic herbs had already been smoked in pipes. During the last War, at least in Malta, the wheel had turned full-circle; because of the shortage of tobacco due to the siege enterprising "addicts" started smoking dried fig, vine and lemon leaves as well. After the second World War, a worldwide rise in the consumption of tobacco occurred, largely due to an increase in smoking by women.

Lupus Vulgaris in a Maltese patient

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Lupus Vulgaris in a Maltese patient Authors: Boffa, Michael J.; Farrugia, Brian; DeGaetano, James Abstract: Introduction The incidence of cutaneous tuberculosis (TB) in the developed world has fallen, in parallel with the decline of other forms of TB. Nevertheless cases still occur and their diagnosis may be difficult. We report a case of lupus vulgaris in a Maltese patient who went on to have an excellent response to antituberculous chemotherapy.

Cigarette smoking across three Maltese generations

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Cigarette smoking across three Maltese generations Authors: Sant Portanier, Charlotte; Sant Fournier, Marianne; Montefort, Stephen Abstract: Cigarette smoking, currently the single most preventable cause of disease and death, is very common in the Maltese Islands. Various aspects of smoking among three different Maltese generations were investigated using a standardized questionnaire among 200 randomly chosen subjects from each of three age groups (16-21yrs, 40-45 yrs and 60-65 yrs). They were asked to answer questions regarding duration, amount, mode and effects of smoking and their attempts at quitting. They were also asked to undergo spirometry and expired CO measurement. 66.1% of 16-21 yr olds, 59% of 40-45 yr olds and 75% of 60-65 yr olds chosen participated in the study. 27.7% of the participants were smokers - this comprised 31.1% of the 16-21 yr olds, 34.8% in the 40-45 yr olds and 19.2% in the 60-65 yr older age subset. (p = 0.0105). As a total study population 35 % of the males and 21% of the females (p = 0.0013) were regular smokers. In the 16 21 year olds 43.6% of the males smoked vs 20% of the females, while the gender differences for the other two groups were 32.7% males vs 36.5% females in the 40-45 year olds and 28.1% males vs 6.5% females in the oldest age group. The mean cigarette consumption in the 16-21 yr olds was significantly less than the other two age groups studied (p=0.0076). Females were more likely to be heavier smokers in the 40-45 yr olds. There was no significant geographical distribution in smoking and the less skilled workers and unemployed were more likely to be smokers (p=0.0001). 43.9% of the 16-21 year olds tried to stop smoking while 73.2% and 82.8% of the two older age groups tried even harder (p=0.0013). Only 5.3 % of smokers sought medical help to try and stop smoking. Smokers had more chest symptomatology (p<0.0001) but only the oldest age-group of smokers had decreased PEFR 19% of smokers suffered from asthma, 29% from ischaemic heart disease and 16% were diabetics. The Maltese are quite heavy smokers across all ages and gender and most are not seeking medical help to try and stop the habit.