ASH is the largest organization of hypertension researchers and health care providers in the United States committed to preventing and treating hypertension and its consequences. The editors of ConsultantLive bring you updates from the 2013 ASH conference in San Francisco, CA. Read More
Prominent, pigmented polyangular scales on the extensor surfaces of the arms, legs, and trunk suggested recessive X-linked ichthyosis. More in this article.Read More
More than 1300 physicians of all specialties responded to the 2012 survey. Many of the respondents are primary care physicians. See how your colleagues responded and learn what concerns them most.Read more
Mucormycosis, an angioinvasive yeast infection of the mucorales order of the class of Zygomycetes, often grows in DM patients, especially in the presence of diabetic ketoacidosis. More »
Mucormycosis, an angioinvasive yeast infection of the mucorales order of the class of Zygomycetes, often grows in DM patients, especially in the presence of diabetic ketoacidosis. More »
More than one-third of adults in the United States have high blood pressure, but close to half of them do not have it controlled. This compact slide show provides visual presentations of a range of related problems. More »
Most patients have a sophisticated idea of what causes their headaches, but the chances of this information being wrong are higher than desirable unless the patient formally experimented with triggers. More »
Highlights from the International Headache Congress are presented by Stephen D. Silberstein, MD, professor of neurology at Jefferson Medical College and director of the headache center at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, as well as chair of the congress organizing committee.
We systematically reviewed the literature to evaluate the prevalence of phosphenes and the phosphene threshold (PT) values obtained during single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in adults with migraine. Controlled studies measuring PT by single-pulse TMS in adults with migraine with or without aura (MA, MwA) were systematically searched. Prevalence of phosphenes and PT values were assessed calculating mean difference (MD) and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Ten trials (277 migraine patients and 193 controls) were included. Patients with MA had statistically significant lower PT compared with controls when a circular coil was used (MD -28.33; 95% CI -36.09 to -20.58); a similar result was found in MwA patients (MD -17.12; 95% CI -23.81 to -10.43); using a figure-of-eight coil the difference was not statistically significant. There was a significantly higher phosphene prevalence in MA patients compared with control subjects (OR 4.21; 95% CI
To systematically review the evidence on the efficacy and safety of udenafil as treatment of erectile dysfunction from randomized controlled trials.|We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library database up to October 2011. The outcome measures assessed were the change from baseline for the International Index of Erectile Function erectile function domain score (primary), the change from baseline for Sexual Encounter Profile questions 2 and 3, the shift to normal rate (erectile function domain 26), the response to the Global Assessment Questionnaire and adverse effects (secondary). Two of us independently assessed the study quality and extracted data. All data were analyzed using Review Manager, version 5.0.2.|Five randomized controlled trials totaling 1109 patients were included. At the follow-up endpoints, udenafil was found to be more effective than placebo, and the tolerability was good. The pooled results showed that the udenafil group was significantly greater than
Droperidol is widely used for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in European countries. It is unclear how efficacious low-dose droperidol is in the prevention of PONV.|To test the efficacy of low-dose droperidol in the prevention of PONV in adults and to test for dose-responsiveness.|Systematic review of randomised controlled trials with meta-analyses.|Comprehensive search in electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Central) up to June 2011. Additional trials were obtained from bibliographies of retrieved reports. No language restriction was applied. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Randomised trials testing prophylactic intravenous droperidol 1mg or 15gkg compared with placebo (or no treatment) in adults undergoing general anaesthesia and reporting on PONV.|We analysed 25 trials (2957 patients). Doses varied from 0.25 to 1.0mg. For prevention of early nausea (within 6h postoperatively), relative risk (RR) was 0.45 (95% CI, 0.35 to 0.58); number
Pain relief and an acceptable safety profile have been reported in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of pregabalin in the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM) for up to 14 weeks.|To evaluate the safety profile and tolerability of pregabalin (75-300 mg BID) treatment for up to 1 year in patients with FM.|Twelve-week data were pooled from 3 open-label extension studies of pivotal RCTs. Study 1 was a 1-year extension of a 13-week RCT, and studies 2 and 3 were 12-week extensions of 14-week RCTs. The 1-year data were separately evaluated. The open-label data are summarized using descriptive statistics.|Overall, 1206 patients (92.4% female) with a mean (SD) age of 48.8 (10.7) years received open-label extended pregabalin treatment. A total of 119 of 1206 patients (9.9%) permanently discontinued study participation due to treatment-emergent adverse events (all causality) at 12 weeks (pooled data) and 53 of 429 (12.4%) within 1 year. Consistent with previous RCTs, the most commonly reported
To assess the safety and tolerability of the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor linagliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes.|Data were pooled from eight randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III clinical trials lasting 24 weeks. Incidences were calculated with descriptive statistics for the overall population and for subgroups of elderly and renally impaired patients.|A total of 2523 patients received linagliptin 5 mg once daily and 1049 patients received placebo. The overall incidence of adverse events (AEs) or serious AEs with linagliptin was similar to placebo (AEs 55.8% vs. 55.0%; serious AEs 2.8% vs. 2.7%). Overall aggregated infection incidence was 19.5% for linagliptin and 21.4% for placebo. Similar or reduced incidence of AEs versus placebo were seen with linagliptin for upper respiratory tract infection (3.3% vs. 4.9%), headache (2.9% vs. 3.1%), urinary tract infection (2.2% vs. 2.7%), blood and lymphatic disorders (1.0% vs. 1.2%), hypersensitivity (0.1% vs. 0.1
A case report is presented of a 35-year-old woman who developed a progressive right optic neuropathy while surfacing from a series of four recreational dives on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. The patient reported severe sudden onset blurred vision in the right eye associated with a mild headache and epistaxis on surfacing from diving. The patient had her first medical review the day after returning from her trip. At this time visual acuity in the right eye was 20/80, with left eye 20/20. There was a relative afferent pupillary defect in the right eye. A high-resolution computed tomography scan showed fluid in the right sphenoid sinus. Computed perimetry revealed patchy visual field loss in the right eye. The provisional diagnosis of sphenoidal sinus barotrauma-induced optic neuropathy was made. Over 10 days of observation, the visual acuity returned to 20/20 in the right eye and visual field changes resolved. This case highlights a very unusual cause of visual loss
To catalog the side effects of 2.4 atmospheres absolute (atm abs) hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) vs. sham on post-concussion symptoms in military service members with combat-related, mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).|Fifty subjects diagnosed with TBI were randomized to either a sham (1.3 atm abs breathing air) or treatment (2.4 atm abs breathing 100% oxygen) hyperbaric profile. Forty-eight subjects completed 30 exposures. Medical events during hyperbaric exposures were separately annotated by medical staff and chamber operators. After the blind was broken, events were segregated into the exposure groups.|These side effects were observed as rate (sham/treatment): ear block (ear barotrauma) 5.51% (1.09%/5.91%), sinus squeeze 0.14% (0.0%/0.27%), and confinement anxiety 0.27% (0.27%/0.27%). Other conditions that occurred included: headache 0.61% (0.68%/0.54%); nausea 0.2% (0.14%/0.27%); numbness 0.07% (0%/0.13%); heartburn 0.07% (0.14%/0%); musculoskeletal chest pain 0.07% (0%/0.13%); latex
23323904 2013 01 17 2013 01 23 1533-4406 368 3 Jan 17 N. Engl. J. Med. 267-77 10.1056/NEJMcpc1200089 Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, USA. Stankovic Konstantina M KM Eskandar Emad E El Khoury Joseph B JB Lev
Migraine is a common neurological disease with a genetic basis affecting approximately 12% of the population. Pain during a migraine attack is associated with activation of the trigeminal nerve system, which carries pain signals from the meninges and the blood vessels infusing the meninges to the trigeminal nucleus in the brain stem. The release of inflammatory mediators following cortical spreading depression (CSD) may further promote and sustain the activation and sensitization of meningeal nociceptors, inducing the persistent throbbing headache characterised in migraine. Lymphotoxin (LTA) is a cytokine secreted by lymphocytes and is a member of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) family. Genetic variation with the TNF and LTA genes may contribute to threshold brain excitability, propagation of neuronal hyperexcitability and thus initiation and maintenance of a migraine attack. Three LTA variants rs2009658, rs2844482 and rs2229094 were identified in a recent pGWAS study conducted in
The standard treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is interferon, which is administered subcutaneously and can have troublesome side effects. We evaluated sofosbuvir, an oral nucleotide inhibitor of HCV polymerase, in interferon-sparing and interferon-free regimens for the treatment of HCV infection.|We provided open-label treatment to eight groups of patients. A total of 40 previously untreated patients with HCV genotype 2 or 3 infection were randomly assigned to four groups; all four groups received sofosbuvir (at a dose of 400 mg once daily) plus ribavirin for 12 weeks. Three of these groups also received peginterferon alfa-2a for 4, 8, or 12 weeks. Two additional groups of previously untreated patients with HCV genotype 2 or 3 infection received sofosbuvir monotherapy for 12 weeks or sofosbuvir plus peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin for 8 weeks. Two groups of patients with HCV genotype 1 infection received sofosbuvir and ribavirin for 12 weeks: 10 patients with no
Five Steps to Improving Patient Access Judy Capko, May 21, 2013 Patient access is getting increased attention through reform initiatives. Here are five steps you can take to make sure patients get appropriate access to care in your office.
Growing HIPAA Threat – Ignore Windows XP at Your Own Peril Marion K. Jenkins, May 21, 2013 Chances are good that you have some major ticking software time bombs lurking in your medical practice's computer environment, namely Windows XP and Server 2003.
Three Areas to Reduce Costs at Your Medical Practice Greg Mertz, May 19, 2013 By taking a hard look at reducing costs for staffing, overhead, and technology at your medical practice, you may see increased physician compensation.
Dos and Don’ts for Starting a Physician Blog Michael Woo-Ming, MD, May 18, 2013 Starting a physician blog can provide your medical practice with marketing benefits, but it's important to do it right.
In many patients, episodic migraines increase in frequency and transform into a refractory pattern.
