Liver disease is a significant health challenge globally. It can often progress unnoticed for years until it becomes life-threatening. Cirrhosis is the final stage of chronic liver diseases, and it can be caused by conditions such as viral hepatitis, excessive alcohol consumption, or metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease, which is linked to conditions such as obesity or diabetes. Once cirrhosis has set in, the tissue in the liver becomes permanently scarred, reducing its function, and this can progress to liver failure or liver cancer. Often, these conditions are not diagnosed in sufficient time for effective treatment. Happily, a new risk assessment tool called the LiverRisk score, developed by the LiverScreen Consortium, could pave the way for early liver disease diagnosis, potentially allowing clinicians to intervene before irreversible liver damage occurs. The LiverRisk score helps to identify those who are at risk of severe liver complications in the future. The diagnostic tool is designed to be easy to use, and is based on clinical markers that are widely available from routine blood tests.

In the high-stakes world of critical care, medical professionals are frequently called upon to perform life-saving procedures under intense pressure. Among these, airway intubation stands out as one of the most critical and technically demanding tasks. This procedure, which involves inserting a tube into a patient’s airway to ensure that they can breathe, is often performed in emergency situations where seconds count. The ability to intubate swiftly and accurately can mean the difference between life and death. However, this task is also fraught with stress, particularly for trainees who are still developing their skills. To better understand how these trainees cope with the stress of intubation, Dr Neil Cunningham of the University of Melbourne and colleagues conducted a groundbreaking study comparing physiological stress responses in simulated and clinical environments. Their findings offer valuable insights into the effectiveness of simulation-based training, which has become a cornerstone of medical education.