Bhaskar Somani – Professor and Consultant Urological Surgeon, University of Southampton, UK; Clinical Director of South Coast Lithotripter Services, UK; Endourology Lead, University Hospital Southampton, UK

Metabolic acidosis is characterised by a primary decrease in the serum bicarbonate concentration, a secondary decrease in the arterial partial pressure of CO­2, and a reduction in blood pH. Metabolic acidosis, acute or chronic, may have deleterious effects on cellular function and cause increased morbidity and mortality.

Dr Imran Ahmad. Consultant Anaesthetist and Deputy Clinical Director for Theatres, Anaesthetics and Peri-operative Medicine, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, UK; President, Difficult Airway Society (DAS); Honorary Clinical Lecturer, King’s College London, UK.

Ben Challacombe |Consultant Urological Surgeon, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London, UK. Having spent over 10 years in your current role with Guy’s and St Thomas’, what initially sparked your interest in urology and has pushed you to reach your established position today?

Amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare systemic disease caused by plasma cell dyscrasia. These plasma cells produce excess Ig light chains, which can misfold, aggregate, and deposit in tissues, resulting in toxicity and organ dysfunction. The heart is among the most commonly affected organs and cardiac involvement is associated with significantly worse outcomes.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has increased substantially among community-acquired uropathogens that cause urinary tract infections (UTI), limiting the availability of effective oral antibiotic treatments. This review includes coverage of an expert-led Learning Lounge, symposium session, and several poster presentations, that took place between 20th–22nd October 2022 as part of IDWeek2022 in Washington, D.C., USA.

Gene therapy for haemophilia A and B was discussed during several sessions at the 64th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, held 10th–13th December 2022.

FIRSTS were a theme at the annual World Health Summit (WHS) 2022 International Conference, which welcomed over 6,000 participants, attending both online and in-person in Berlin, Germany. For the very first time, the WHS was delivered in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), and the inaugural Virchow Prize for Global Health, an international award honouring outstanding achievements in addressing global health challenges, was awarded.

RAPID digital transformation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the increased use of telehealth, although it has been long-established, dating back to the use of television and radio for patient care delivery.