OUTCOMES IN EMERGENCY PATIENTS ADMITTED WITH ANGINA OR MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Longer term case fatality was similarly high in patients with angina as in acute myocardial infarction survivors—approximately 5% per year. A study in Scotland identified all first emergency admissions for angina (37 403) and acute myocardial infarction (96 026) between 1990 and 2000. After excluding deaths within 30 days the crude 5 year case fatality was 23.9% versus 21.6% for men and 23.5% versus 26.0% for women. Half the patients had a fatal or non-fatal event within 5 years. These data may strengthen the case for aggressive secondary prevention in all patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome. (

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TUBERCULOSIS IN CHILDREN IN WALES

The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in children in Wales remains low but the situation is changing as more cases of TB are found in children of black African ethnicity (mainly Somali). These findings come from a survey of children aged 0–15 years from July 1996 to December 2003 using the Welsh Paediatric Surveillance Scheme. A total of 232 children, 102 with active TB (2.3 per 100 000) and 130 with latent TB (2.9 per 100 000) were reported. Nearly half of these were from ethnic minorities, including 19% of black …