Highlights of this issue

Breast size and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus

In this prospective cohort study involving 92 106 of the women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study II in the United States, Ray and colleagues found that larger breast sizes were independently associated with increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. In a related commentary, Sorisky describes the normal and abnormal biological activity of adipose tissue and how this might suggest systemic metabolic effects of breast tissue.

See pages 289 and 313

Paroxetine for major depression in adults

The risks and benefits of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the treatment of depression are controversial. In this meta-analysis of 40 randomized controlled trials comprising 6391 patients, Barbui and colleagues found that paroxetine did not differ from placebo in terms of early study withdrawal. Although patients taking paroxetine were more likely to show improvement in depression symptoms, they also experienced more side effects and suicidal tendencies.

See page 296

Nonsuicidal self-harm in youth

Nonsuicidal self-harm is self-injury without the conscious intent to take one's life. In this population-based, longitudinal survey of 568 youth aged 14–21 in Victoria, British Columbia, Nixon and colleagues found that 17% of participants reported harming themselves and that only about half had sought help for this behaviour. They advise physicians to assess youth for nonsuicidal self-harm.

See page 306

Diagnosis and treatment of dementia

Chertkow introduces a new series of review articles by highlighting the recommendations of the 2006 Canadian Consensus Conference on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia.

See page 316

Increasing the number of rural physicians

In this commentary, Rourke discusses the urgent need for more rural physicians, and he highlights factors that would help achieve increased recruitment and retention.

See page 322

Practice

Wong and colleagues describe a case of deep vein thrombosis due to cobalamin deficiency in a university student (page 279).

In this issue's Public Health column and related fact sheet, Kutcher and Szumilas discuss youth suicide and strategies for its prevention (pages 282 and 286).

In this Clinical Vista, Simon and Amann-Vesti describe a case of intermittent forearm cyanosis in a 42-year-old woman that occurred following removal of a central venous catheter (page 287).