To the Editor: I agree with Emery and colleagues1 that family history can add much to downstream clinical interventions that provide tangible benefits to the presenting patient and his or her kin. The pedigree chart has some advantages over simple narrative recording of the same details, including the ability to instantly visualise relationships between individuals and the ease with which the chart can be updated and annotated.2
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- Canberra Hospital, Canberra, ACT.
- 1. Emery JD, Walter FM, Ravine D. Family history: the neglected risk factor in disease prevention [editorial]. Med J Aust 2010; 192: 677-678. <MJA full text>
- 2. Johnson VP, Christianson C. Clinical genetics: a self-study guide for health care providers. http://www.kumc.edu/gec/prof/overview.html (accessed Aug 2010).
- 3. Medicine Encyclopedia. Genetics in medicine – Part 3. Pedigree – use of pedigrees, terminology, drawing and recording pedigrees, confidentiality: social and genetic. http://medicine.jrank.org/pages/2642/Pedigree.html (accessed Jul 2010).
- 4. Australian Cancer Network, National Health and Medical Research Council. Clinical practice guidelines. Familial aspects of cancer: a guide to clinical practice. Canberra: NHMRC, 1999. http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/cp67syn.htm (accessed Jul 2010).