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Peripheral nerve disorders II
Neuromusc. Disord., Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 139-142, 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd Printed in Great Britain
Pergamon
BOOK REVIEWS The Book Review Editor would be very happy to hear from anyone who would be willing to review books of interest to readers of Neuromuscular Disorders.
Peripheral Nerve Disorders 11 Editors: A. K. Asbury and P. K. Thomas. Published 1995 by Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. ISBN 0 7506 1765 9, 316 pp. Price £45.00. This book is a continuation of the original Butterworth's BIMR Neurology series now published under the general title of the Blue Books of Practical Neurology. This new edition on Peripheral Nerve Disorders is not so much a second edition of the original book as an additional volume expanding some sections covered in Volume I and introducing some new topics which have emerged over the past decade. I have had the first edition on my consulting room shelf since publication and have referred to it frequently when seeking practical advice on peripheral nerve problems. This new book has contributions from twenty authors under the editorship of two recognised world authorities in peripheral nerve disorders. As with the previous volume it is essentially a book for the practising neurologist with emphasis on clinical disorders, assessment and treatment. In addition to sections covering sensory and motor neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, molecular genetics, inflammatory and toxic neuropathies, there are also some less expected but interesting chapters on positive motor symptoms in neuropathy (P. D. Thomson) and positive sensory symptoms (J. L. Ochoa). For the busy clinician the book also contains some very useful and interesting coverage of neuropathies associated with antiglycolipid antibodies, Lyme disease, and critical illness. Chapters are extremely well referenced and up-to-date. Illustrations are adequate with some good monochrome photo micrographs and the text quality is also excellent. t particularly liked the chapter covering toxic peripheral neuropathies (Schaumburg and Caplan) which covers a wide range of common and less common toxins that might be encoun-
tered by the clinician. The advances in molecular genetics underlying inherited peripheral neuropathies are well covered in a chapter by Harding and Reilly. The relatively newly described syndrome of multi-focal neuropathy with conduction block is also covered, although not as extensively as I would have expected, and the comments on its treatment are somewhat sketchy. As with the previous edition, this inexpensive little book contains a wealth of information for the clinical neurologist and can be firmly recommended both for background reading and as a reference work for the consulting room.
Roger E. Cull Royal Infirmary Edinburgh
Evaluation and Treatment of Myopathies. Robert C. Griggs, Jerry R. Mendell, Robert G. Miller. Published 1995 by F.A. Davies Co., Philadelphia, USA. ISBN 0 8036 4410 8, 434 pp. Price £125. In the preface the authors state that this is a book written for clinicians by clinicians. This they achieve in the concise yet readable text. The book has several strengths and a few weaknesses which I will try to outline in this review. The text is very well laid out with a good mix of clinical information, background science, case studies and useful illustrations. The authors are aware of the important clinical problems and then follow them through in a clear manner. The book is divided into three sections: approach to the patient with muscle disease; specific myopathies and general strategies of clinical management. The first section is a very helpful introduction focusing on the 139
Pergamon
BOOK REVIEWS The Book Review Editor would be very happy to hear from anyone who would be willing to review books of interest to readers of Neuromuscular Disorders.
Peripheral Nerve Disorders 11 Editors: A. K. Asbury and P. K. Thomas. Published 1995 by Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. ISBN 0 7506 1765 9, 316 pp. Price £45.00. This book is a continuation of the original Butterworth's BIMR Neurology series now published under the general title of the Blue Books of Practical Neurology. This new edition on Peripheral Nerve Disorders is not so much a second edition of the original book as an additional volume expanding some sections covered in Volume I and introducing some new topics which have emerged over the past decade. I have had the first edition on my consulting room shelf since publication and have referred to it frequently when seeking practical advice on peripheral nerve problems. This new book has contributions from twenty authors under the editorship of two recognised world authorities in peripheral nerve disorders. As with the previous volume it is essentially a book for the practising neurologist with emphasis on clinical disorders, assessment and treatment. In addition to sections covering sensory and motor neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, molecular genetics, inflammatory and toxic neuropathies, there are also some less expected but interesting chapters on positive motor symptoms in neuropathy (P. D. Thomson) and positive sensory symptoms (J. L. Ochoa). For the busy clinician the book also contains some very useful and interesting coverage of neuropathies associated with antiglycolipid antibodies, Lyme disease, and critical illness. Chapters are extremely well referenced and up-to-date. Illustrations are adequate with some good monochrome photo micrographs and the text quality is also excellent. t particularly liked the chapter covering toxic peripheral neuropathies (Schaumburg and Caplan) which covers a wide range of common and less common toxins that might be encoun-
tered by the clinician. The advances in molecular genetics underlying inherited peripheral neuropathies are well covered in a chapter by Harding and Reilly. The relatively newly described syndrome of multi-focal neuropathy with conduction block is also covered, although not as extensively as I would have expected, and the comments on its treatment are somewhat sketchy. As with the previous edition, this inexpensive little book contains a wealth of information for the clinical neurologist and can be firmly recommended both for background reading and as a reference work for the consulting room.
Roger E. Cull Royal Infirmary Edinburgh
Evaluation and Treatment of Myopathies. Robert C. Griggs, Jerry R. Mendell, Robert G. Miller. Published 1995 by F.A. Davies Co., Philadelphia, USA. ISBN 0 8036 4410 8, 434 pp. Price £125. In the preface the authors state that this is a book written for clinicians by clinicians. This they achieve in the concise yet readable text. The book has several strengths and a few weaknesses which I will try to outline in this review. The text is very well laid out with a good mix of clinical information, background science, case studies and useful illustrations. The authors are aware of the important clinical problems and then follow them through in a clear manner. The book is divided into three sections: approach to the patient with muscle disease; specific myopathies and general strategies of clinical management. The first section is a very helpful introduction focusing on the 139