Fifty years of allergy: 1965–2015

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

Volume 51, Issue 1, pages 91–93, January 2015

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Keywords:

• advances;
• allergy;
• future;
• history

Abstract

The last 50 years in allergy could almost be considered the first 50 years. Over this time period, we have witnessed the emergence of allergy as a subspecialty, have seen and continue to observe a tremendous change in prevalence of allergic disease and have gained insight into the mechanisms that underlie allergic predisposition and disease manifestation. We have improved the care of children with many forms of allergic disease and now sit poised to be able to alter the natural history of allergic disease with the use of specific immunotherapy. There is much left to do in the next 50 years including understanding what underlies both the predisposition to atopic disease and its natural resolution and identifying the environmental cofactors involved in the ‘allergic epidemic’ and therefore targets for effective primary prevention.

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Evidence-based medicine: What has happened in the past 50 years?

Volume 51, Issue 1, pages 65–68, January 2015

Craig Mellis^*

Article first published online: 24 DEC 2014

DOI: 10.1111/jpc.12800

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Keywords:

• clinical epidemiology;
• evidence based medicine;
• general paediatrics;
• history

Abstract

Although the phrase ‘evidence-based medicine’ (EBM) was used for the first time in the medical literature less than 25 years ago, the history of EBM goes back for centuries. What is remarkable is how popular and how globally accepted the EBM movement has become in such a short time. Many famous, past clinicians have played major roles in the disciplines that preceded EBM, particularly ‘clinical epidemiology’. It soon became clear to the early EBM champions that ‘evidence’ was only part of the clinical decision-making process. Consequently, both clinical expertise and the patient's values and preferences were rapidly incorporated into the concept we now know as ‘EBM’. The current need for high-quality, easily accessible ‘evidence-based summaries’ for busy clinicians is now apparent, as traditional EBM requires both considerable time and skill. Consequently, there is a progressive move away from the primary literature (such as randomised controlled trials) to systematic reviews and other ‘evidence-based summaries’. The future of EBM will almost certainly involve widespread utilisation of ‘clinical (computer)-based decision support systems’.

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High body mass index and allergies in schoolchildren: the French six cities study

BMJ Open Resp Res 2014;1:e000054 doi:10.1136/bmjresp-2014-000054

• Respiratory epidemiology

1. Danielle Saadeh1,7, 
2. Pascale Salameh1, 
3. Denis Caillaud2, 
4. Denis Charpin3, 
5. Frédéric de Blay4,
6. Christine Kopferschmitt4, 
7. François Lavaud5, 
8. Isabella Annesi-Maesano6, 
9. Isabelle Baldi7 and
10. Chantal Raherison7,8

+Author Affiliations

1. ¹Clinical and Epidemiological Research Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon
2. ²Hôpital Gabriel Montpied, Clermont-Ferrand, France
3. ³Hôpital Nord, Marseille, France
4. ⁴Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg, France
5. ⁵Hôpital Maison Blanche, Reims, France
6. ⁶EPAR, UMR-S 1136, Institute Pierre Louis of Epidemiology and Public Health, INSERM and UPMC Sorbonne Universites, Paris, France
7. ⁷INSERM U897, Institut de Santé Publique d'Epidémiologie et de Développement, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
8. ⁸Service des maladies respiratoires, Hôpital du Haut-Lévèque, Avenue de Magellan, Pessac, France

1. Correspondence toDanielle Saadeh; daniellesaadeh@hotmail.com

• Received 23 July 2014
• Accepted 3 October 2014
• Published 24 December 2014

Abstract

Background The prevalence of allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis is increasing rapidly worldwide, especially among children and in western countries. This coincides with an increase in body mass index (BMI), which might be a major risk factor for atopic diseases.

Clinical Documentation in the 21st Century: Executive Summary of a Policy Position Paper From the American College of Physicians

• PDF

Position Papers | 13 January 2015

FREE ONLINE FIRST

Thomson Kuhn, MA; Peter Basch, MD; Michael Barr, MD, MBA; Thomas Yackel, MD, MPH, MS, for the Medical Informatics Committee of the American College of Physicians*

[+] Article and Author Information

See Also:

• Clinical Documentation to Improve Patient Care

Ann Intern Med. Published online 13 January 2015 doi:10.7326/M14-2128