The Medical journal of Australia
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Practice Guideline
Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand position statement executive summary: coronary artery calcium scoring.
Introduction This article summarises the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand position statement on coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring. CAC scoring is a non-invasive method for quantifying coronary artery calcification using computed tomography. It is a marker of atherosclerotic plaque burden and the strongest independent predictor of future myocardial infarction and mortality. ⋯ Changes in management as a result of this statement Cardiovascular risk is reclassified according to CAC score. High risk patients are treated with a high efficacy statin and aspirin. Very low risk patients (ie, CAC score of zero) do not benefit from treatment.
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Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common inflammatory skin condition in adults and children. AD is a chronic disease that has a considerable negative impact on the quality of life of patients and their families. ⋯ Improved understanding of the immune pathogenesis of AD, including the role of T helper cells and the inflammatory pathways involved, has led to breakthrough translational clinical research and treatment. New targeted immunotherapies, such as inhibitors of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, IL-31, Janus associated kinase and phosphodiesterase, have had promising results from phase 2 and 3 trials for patients with moderate to severe AD.