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This week

What do we know about A/H1N1? How should primary hypothyroidism be diagnosed and treated? What steps should be taken to reduce antiobiotic use for acute cough? To find out more, read Tony Delamothe's editor's choice, The problem with ISTCs, and the print issue's table of contents. All articles have already appeared on bmj.com as part of our continuous publication policy.

Podcast

Freedom of information

This week Tony Delamothe talks to Allyson Pollock, from the University of Edinburgh, about problems researchers have in prying information from the UK Department of Health. Helen Morant finds out from Geoff Watts about how the media are responding to the potential of pandemic swine flu, and we delve into the BMJ's archive to find an eye watering description of surgery. Trevor Jackson takes us through the news.

News

UK adopts growth charts based on data from breastfed babies

All newborn babies and children up to the age of 4 years in the United Kingdom will have their growth measurements plotted on new charts from this week, which will lead to more infants classed as overweight or obese. The UK is the first country in Europe to adopt the new standards, which are based on data from the World Health Organization on breastfed babies.

Other news published on 8 May:

Research

Home versus outpatient ultraviolet B phototherapy for mild to severe psoriasis

Ultraviolet B phototherapy administered at home is as safe and effective as ultraviolet B phototherapy administered in an outpatient setting, according to this randomised controlled trial (PLUTO study). Furthermore, ultraviolet B phototherapy at home resulted in a lower burden of treatment and led to greater patients’ satisfaction. Now that safety and efficacy concerns have been tackled, an economic assessment of different UVB service models is needed, concludes an accompanying editorial. (Psoriasis image: Dr P. Marazzi/SPL)

Video and £1000 competition

The new BMJ online archive

The new BMJ online archive is now available, which means that a single search can find any article published in the BMJ since 1840, writes Tony Delamothe in an editorial. For an introduction to the archive, we commissioned a series of videos, featuring the former head of Britain's Medical Research Council, Colin Blakemore. The videos focus on some of the important subjects and people that have appeared in the journal's pages, and the first one is now live (watch video).

£1000 reward: archive competition
To mark the online availability of every BMJ article published since 1840, we're offering a prize for the most interesting use of the archive. This should be actual, not hypothetical. (Find out more.)

Research

Prognostic value of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in elderly people with acute myocardial infarction

In this large cohort of patients with myocardial infarction, NT-proBNP concentration had incremental prognostic value even in the oldest patients, above and beyond the GRACE risk score and traditional biomarkers after acute myocardial infarction. The prognostic value of natriuretic peptides in elderly people with acute myocardial infarction is clear, says an accompanying editorial, but more research is needed to define their role in treatment. (ECG of electrical activity in a man's heart during myocardial infarction: SPL)

Comment

No gifts, please, we're doctors

New recommendations on conflicts of interest from the US Institute of Medicine are broad and deep, and they just might make an important difference across research, education, and health care, says Doug Kamerow, remembering his delight at receiving drug industry gifts early on in his career. The institute's report, Conflict of Interest in Medical Research, Education, and Practice, covers much more than just gifts and looks at how conflicts of interest might be eliminated at all levels.

Also published on 7 May:

Wendy Moore: Of rabbit and humble pie

Education

The role of surgery in Clostridium difficile colitis

This clinical review summarises evidence on the indications for, and optimum timing of, surgical intervention for C difficile associated colitis. The quality of evidence for the treatment of C difficile associated disease is poor, and the recommendations in this review are based mainly on non-randomised observational studies. (Coloured transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of Clostridium difficile bacteria: Southampton Imaging Unit/SPL)

Endgames published on 6 May:

Comment

Open government?

The Freedom of Information Act has helped expose NHS overpayment to private healthcare companies, showing that it has great potential to promote transparency and accountability. However, things are not always straightforward for researchers turning to the act to shed light on health policy decisions, as Jane Cassidy reports.

Swine flu

Keeping up to date

Follow the latest developments on swine flu by following the links below to current and archived BMJ articles, blogs, and podcasts. You can also join the discussions taking place on doc2doc, BMJ Group's new professional networking site for doctors worldwide.
All BMJ articles on swine flu can be accessed for FREE

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