Emma CiafaloniPatrick F ChinneryRobert C Griggs

2nd edition Edited by: ISBN: 978-0-19-987393-7 Published by Oxford University Press Retail price: ÂŁ97.00/$149.95

The new edition of Evaluation and Treatment of Myopathies focuses on the clinical aspect of myopathies, that is, topics that all clinicians who care for myopathy patients need to know.

The textbook is divided into three primary sections. The first one opens with the general principles of myopathies, essential information about anatomical structure and function of muscles and about the diagnostic steps in myopathies. In particular, I find very useful the chapter about differential diagnosis of clinical symptoms of all types of myopathies in different age. At the end of this section there is a fitting and short overview of genetic evaluation.

The second part provides more detailed information about specific types of myopathy, all types of muscular dystrophies, myofibrillar myopathies, congenital myopathies, metabolic myopathies, mitochondrial myopathies, muscle chanelopathies, inflammatory myopathies and myopathies of systemic diseases, as well as toxic myopathies. All these chapters are well organized with all clinically relevant information included.

The final part provides practical guidance about general strategies of clinical management as muscle pain and fatigue, and prevention of cardiac and respiratory failure in myopathies.

In general, I find this book very practical; all chapters are clearly organized with lots of helpful summary tables and figures. At the end of each chapter there is a reference list. All chapters provide comprehensive overviews of up-to-date information; the second part also sometimes includes a short summary of future directions. The different chapters’ authors are the best guarantees of the quality as they are one of the best experts in their fields.

I consider this book easy to read, with full of practical information. It provides plentiful advice on how to elicit symptoms and signs and how to manage the diagnosis and suggest proper treatment.

I would fully recommend this book to all clinicians who are involved in diagnostics, care and treatment of patients with all types of myopathies and to all clinicians and doctors in training who want to learn more about myopathies.