Primers

In this Primer, Plikus and colleagues review the epidemiology, pathophysiology and diagnosis of androgenetic alopecia, an inherited hair loss condition that affects both men and women, and highlight the current and emerging treatment and management options.

Listeriosis is a food-borne bacterial infection that causes severe illness in at-risk populations. In this Primer, Disson et al. review the epidemiology and pathogenesis of the disease; discuss its diagnosis, prevention and management; and identify areas of research that need to be prioritized in the future.

Lupus nephritis is an autoimmune-mediated glomerulonephritis and a serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus. In this Primer, Parodis and colleagues describe the epidemiology and pathophysiology of this disease, discuss current diagnosis and management, and highlight the effects on patient quality of life as well as future areas of research.

Peripheral artery disease is a vascular disorder characterized by narrowing of the peripheral arteries owing to atherosclerosis or thrombosis. In this Primer, Aboyans and colleagues review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of peripheral artery disease, and discuss areas for future research.

In this Primer, de Bruijin et al. discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, management and quality of life of adults with autoimmune encephalitis, a rare neurological condition that causes progressive inflammation of the brain. The authors also discuss unmet needs of the field and discuss strategies to improve long-term outcomes.

Diabetic retinal disease describes the spectrum of pathophysiological retinal changes due to diabetes mellitus. In this Primer, Sivaprasad et al. review the epidemiology, mechanisms, diagnosis and management of diabetic retinal disease, and highlight patient quality of life and future research areas.

The lungs are a common metastatic site for several cancers, including colorectal cancer, primary lung cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. This Primer summarizes the epidemiology, mechanisms and diagnosis of lung metastasis, discusses the various treatment options and effects on quality of life, and highlights ongoing and future research areas.

Hypertrophic cardiomyoapthy is a condition in which the left ventricle of the heart becomes thickened. In this Primer, Argirò and colleagues discuss the epidemiology, pathogenetic mechanisms, diagnosis and management of hypertrophic cardiomyoapthy and describe how the disease can affect patient quality of life.

Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that arises in the lining of the lung and is caused by exposure to asbestos. In this Primer, Fennell et al. discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of this disease, as well as patient quality of life and new research developments.

Differences of sex development (DSD) encompass a group of rare congenital conditions characterized by atypical sex development. In this Primer, Flück and colleagues provide insights into our current understanding of rare DSD pathophysiology, its prevalence and diagnosis as well as challenges and controversies related to clinical management.

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is the most common pregnancy-related gestational liver disease, manifesting typically during the third trimester of pregnancy with pruritus and elevated serum bile acids. In this Primer, Dajti et al. discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.

Prediabetes refers to individuals with blood glucose levels above the normal levels but below the thresholds for a diabetes mellitus diagnosis. In this Primer, Mohan and colleagues discuss the increasing prevalence of prediabetes, its pathophysiology and diagnosis as well as the importance of early intervention to improve adverse outcomes in patients.

Groin hernia is a common condition, especially in men, that is characterized by the protrusion of abdominal contents. In this Primer, Rosenberg and colleagues discuss hernia epidemiology, pathophysiology and diagnosis as well as management strategies for groin hernia, paediatric considerations and the impact on quality of life.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by cutaneous manifestations, which can also have systemic effects on joints, the cardiovascular system and metabolism. In this Primer, Armstrong et al. review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of psoriasis, and highlight the quality of life of patients and future research areas.

Bacterial vaginosis is a vaginal microbiome disorder that is associated with serious obstetric and gynaecologic complications and negative effects on quality of life. In this Primer, Bradshaw et al. review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of bacterial vaginosis, discuss its effects on quality of life and highlight areas for research.

Placenta accreta is a major complication of pregnancy that occurs when part of the placenta fails to separate normally from the uterus at delivery. In this Primer, Jauniaux et al. discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, current management options and future research areas.

Brugada syndrome is a rare heart condition that results in abnormal cardiac electrophysiology. In this Primer, Narasimhan and colleagues discuss the epidemiology, mechanisms, diagnosis and management of Brugada syndrome, and outline how the syndrome affects patient quality of life.

Hepatoblastoma is the most common primary liver cancer in children. In this Primer, Pio and colleagues discuss the current knowledge and research on this malignancy, summarizing its epidemiology, mechanisms, diagnosis and management as well as quality of life and future directions.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is characterized by dilation of the aorta. In this Primer, Berger et al. review the epidemiology, pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnosis and management of TAA, and provide insights into its effect on quality of life and suggestions for areas of future research.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic bacterial infection that causes considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. In this Primer, Rajapakse et al. review the epidemiology and pathogenesis of the disease; discuss its diagnosis, prevention, management and effects on quality of life; and identify areas of research that should be prioritized in the future.