Reviews & Analysis

Rickets is a bone disease that is associated with low serum calcium and/or phosphate levels, primarily leading to widening and delayed mineralization of growth plates. The prevalence of rickets has decreased substantially compared with 200 years ago, but the disorder is re-emerging.

Rickets is a bone disease that is associated with abnormalities in serum calcium and/or phosphate levels in blood, leading to bowing deformities of the legs, short stature and widening of joints. This Primer highlights the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of rickets.

Chronic constipation is a prevalent condition characterized by hard stools, excessive straining, infrequent bowel movements, bloating and abdominal pain. This PrimeView focuses on the different types of primary chronic constipation, which include normal-transit constipation, rectal evacuation disorders and slow-transit constipation.

Constipation describes a variety of symptoms, including hard stools, excessive straining, infrequent bowel movements, bloating and abdominal pain. This Primer by Camilleri et al. describes the epidemiology, mechanisms, diagnosis and management of primary chronic constipation in adults.

This PrimeViews focuses on the metabolism of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and illustrates how, in familial hypercholesterolaemia, genetic mutations result in the insufficient removal of LDL cholesterol from the circulation.

Familial hypercholesterolaemia is a common inherited condition, but it is often diagnosed only in adulthood. Individuals with familial hypercholesterolaemia have chronic increased plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which can cause early-onset cardiovascular disease.

Rabies has a mortality close to 100%. Thus, prevention is essential; this PrimeView illustrates the available approaches, which focus on stopping the transmission of rabies virus from dogs to humans (via dog vaccination campaigns) and preventing symptoms onset (via post-exposure prophylaxis).

Rabies is a deadly neglected tropical zoonosis caused by infection with rabies virus (RABV). In almost every case, RABV is transmitted by dogs, which are the main RABV reservoir; thus, almost every case could be prevented via dog vaccination campaigns together with effective post-exposure prophylaxis and disease awareness.

Chronic kidney disease is caused by numerous possible contributing factors that result in the loss of functional nephrons. This PrimeView highlights some of the key features of this increasingly common condition.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the progressive, irreversible loss of renal function that has many causes and contributing factors. In this Primer, the authors describe the many consequences of CKD and how understanding — and treating — the underlying cause can substantially slow CKD progression.

Hepatitis E virus infection is the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis worldwide. The virus spreads through the food chain via infected animals or drinking water contaminated with human faeces, but iatrogenic transmission is also possible.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is often asymptomatic but can lead to acute and chronic hepatitis as well as to extrahepatic manifestations such as neurological or renal disease and pregnancy complications. In this Primer, Kamar et al. describe the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of HEV infection.

Rotaviruses are one of the leading causes of diarrhoeal diseases in children <5 years of age. This PrimeView focuses on the prevention of Rotavirus infection, for which, vaccination is crucial.

Rotaviruses are double-stranded RNA viruses that are a leading cause of severe, dehydrating gastroenteritis in children <5 years of age. This Primer gives an overview of the pathophysiology of rotavirus infection and describes how the introduction of vaccinations has altered the epidemiology and demographics of this disease.

Functional dyspepsia is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder that is characterized by discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen with no apparent organic cause. This PrimeView summarizes the contributing factors, which are multifactorial.

Functional dyspepsia is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen (generally associated with food intake) with no apparent underlying organic cause. The three subtypes of functional dyspepsia are postprandial distress syndrome, epigastric pain syndrome and a subtype with mixed features.

This PrimeView accompanies the Primer on Merkel cell carcinoma by Becker and colleagues and focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the pathogenesis of this rare but highly metastatic cutaneous cancer.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly metastatic skin cancer. MCC pathogenesis is associated with either the presence of Merkel cell polyomavirus or chronic exposure to ultraviolet light, which can cause a characteristic pattern of multiple DNA mutations.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic, progressive and irreversible interstitial lung disease that is characterized by fibrotic scarring of the lung parenchyma. This PrimeView summarizes the potential mechanisms underlying the condition.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung disease characterized by progressive lung scarring that is thought to occur in a genetically susceptible, ageing individual through aberrant reparative responses to repeated injury to the alveolar epithelium. This Primer summarizes the processes thought to underlie the development of IPF and clinical challenges faced in treating patients with this irreversible condition.