International Textbook on Diabetes Mellitus. Volumes 1 and 2
K G M M Alberti, R A Defronzo, H Keen and P Zimmert, eds
Chichester: John Wiley, 1992, 2750 pp
ISBN 0-471-91497-5
Enormous strides have been made in the understanding and management of diabetes mellitus over the last few years. The subject is now so large that no one specialist is likely to be able to master all aspects. Professor K G M M Alberti and his colleagues have assembled a most distinguished panel of experts to produce a comprehensive volume covering all aspects of modern diabetes. These include diagnosis, epidemiology and aetiology, biochemistry and patho-physiology. There are beautiful chapters on the biochemistry of insulin action and on the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and its relationship to insulin resistance. The modern management of diabetes is comprehensively covered with excellent chapters on diet, oral hypoglycaemic drugs and insulin therapy. Newer aspects of insulin therapy are well covered. There are chapters on pancreas transplantation and the modern delivery and organization of diabetes care. The clinical aspects of diabetes in childhood and adolescence, brittle diabetes, and diabetes in pregnancy are also well covered. There are comprehensive chapters on diabetic emergencies and on the aetiology and management of the complications of diabetes. Also, ihere is comprehensive coverage on diabetes and public health and of the problems of diabetes in developing countries. All in all, this is a splendid reference book in two volumes. The specialist in diabetes will find a chapter on any aspect of diabetes on which he wants to up date himself. There is good uniformity of style despite the number of authors involved. The chapters are extensively referenced. There are many beautiful and informative illustrations and diagrams. I am confident that every diabetologist will want to have one in his study for reference.