Background Schizophrenia is an illness or a group of illnesses aVecting language, planning, emotion, perceptions, and movement. In the UK, approximately 250 000 people suVer from schizophrenia or a schizophrenia-like illness. A quarter of those who have experienced an episode of schizophrenia recover and the illness does not recur. Another 25% experience an unremitting illness. The remaining 50...

It has recently been estimated that 12 million Americans have a severe form of tinnitus and that nearly 40 million Americans suffer from some form of tinnitus-related complaints [1]. The nature of patients' concerns at the time of the initial evaluation is very important in our overall patient management. Specific issues that we address in our practice include the following: (1) Why are patient...

INTRODUCTION Megatrials are large-scale randomised controlled clinical trials recruiting thousands of patients from large numbers of trial sites with the aim of providing reliable evidence on clinical outcomes of treatments. This review describes the characteristics, strengths and limitations of megatrials. METHODS Review of the literature on methodology of megatrials was performed after sear...

Abstinence is the deprivation of previously abused substances that lead to addiction. The long-term and excessive use of a drug causes different biochemical and neurophysiological changes. After addiction is established, deprivation causes withdrawal, whose symptoms, duration and degree vary among substances. Common symptoms include anxiety, depression, tremors, impaired thinking, and changes i...

The rapid proliferation of antibiotic-resistant pathogens has spurred the use of drug combinations to maintain clinical efficacy and combat the evolution of resistance. Drug pairs can interact synergistically or antagonistically, yielding inhibitory effects larger or smaller than expected from the drugs' individual potencies. Clinical strategies often favor synergistic interactions because they...

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Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition present in approximately 5 to 10 percent of women of childbearing age. Diagnosis can be difficult because the signs and symptoms can be subtle and varied. These may include hirsutism, infertility, menstrual irregularities, and biochemical abnormalities, most notably insulin resistance. Treatment should target specific manifestations and individualized pa...