Unintentional Fatal Opioid Overdoses
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Most cases in West Virginia were associated with inappropriate diversion and "doctor shopping."
By Thomas L. Schwenk, MD
December 24, 2008
Covering:
Hall AJ et al., JAMA 2008 Dec 10; 300:2613
McLellan AT and Turner B., JAMA 2008 Dec 10; 300:2672
Add PMS to the Antismoking Arsenal
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Free
Smokers were more likely to develop moderate-to-severe PMS than were nonsmokers.
By Diane E. Judge, APN/CNP
December 4, 2008
Covering:
Bertone-Johnson ER et al., Am J Epidemiol 2008 Oct 15; 168:938
What Price Smoking Cessation?
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Cash rewards motivated volunteers to quit — but even the well-paid had a long-term failure rate of almost 90%.
By Abigail Zuger, MD
February 11, 2009
Covering:
Volpp KG et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Feb 12; 360:699
Diabetes Treatment and Alzheimer Pathology
Neurology Summary and Comment
Free
Do hypoglycemic agents directly alter neuritic plaques or contribute to dementia in another way?
By David A. Wolk, MD
November 25, 2008
Covering:
Beeri MS et al., Neurology 2008 Sep 2; 71:750
Antihypertensive Treatment and Cognition in Elders
Neurology Summary and Comment
Hypertension can lead to cognitive decline, but can "overtreatment" contribute to decline as well?
By Vladimir Hachinski, MD, FRCPC, DSc
November 25, 2008
Covering:
Hadjiev DI and Mineva PP., Acta Neurol Scand 2008 Sep; 118:139
Testosterone’s Effect on Sexual Function in Postmenopausal Women Distressed by Low Libido
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Transdermal testosterone improved sexual function in women who were not receiving estrogen.
By Sandra Ann Carson, MD
November 5, 2008
Covering:
Davis SR et al., N Engl J Med 2008 Nov 6; 359:2005
Heiman JR., N Engl J Med 2008 Nov 6; 359:2047
Cancer and Suicide: A Complicated Association
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Contrary to most assumptions, even patients in remission can be at high risk for suicide.
By Abigail Zuger, MD
November 13, 2008
Covering:
Misono S et al., J Clin Oncol 2008 Oct 10; 26:4731
Walker J et al., J Clin Oncol 2008 Oct 10; 26:4725
Miller M et al., J Clin Oncol 2008 Oct 10; 26:4720
Quill TE., J Clin Oncol 2008 Oct 10; 26:4705
Just How Common Is Sexual Distress Among U.S. Women?
General Medicine Summary and Comment
About one in eight adult American women has sexual problems that cause distress.
By Robert W. Rebar, MD
December 11, 2008
Covering:
Shifren JL et al., Obstet Gynecol 2008 Nov; 112:970
Nygaard I., Obstet Gynecol 2008 Nov; 112:968
Second-Generation Antidepressants to Treat Depression: Clinical Practice Guideline
General Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline Watch
Efficacy of antidepressants in treating major depression did not differ; the incidence of specific adverse events did differ.
By Richard Saitz, MD, MPH, FACP, FASAM
December 4, 2008
Covering:
Qaseem A et al., Ann Intern Med 2008 Nov 18; 149:725
Gartlehner G et al., Ann Intern Med 2008 Nov 18; 149:734
Can We Predict Psychogenic Nonepileptic Attacks?
Neurology Summary and Comment
Three quarters of patients with psychogenic nonepileptic attacks have traumatic antecedents, including sexual abuse, bereavement, health problems, accidents, and assaults.
By Orrin Devinsky, MD
December 2, 2008
Covering:
Duncan R and Oto M., Neurology 2008 Sep 23; 71:1000
Outcomes of Health Programs for Physicians with Substance-Use Disorders
General Medicine Summary and Comment
The primary problem substances were alcohol, opiates, and stimulants.
Statins and Cognitive Impairment
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Free
Findings from a prospective observational study support the thesis that statin use may protect against the eventual development of dementia.
By Joel M. Gore, MD
July 28, 2008
Covering:
Cramer C et al., Neurology 2008 Jul 29; 71:344
Psychosocial Factors and Sexual Function in Men with Epilepsy
Neurology Summary and Comment
New findings reinforce the idea that sexual dysfunction in men with epilepsy is a complicated problem in which psychosocial factors are probably at least as important as biochemistry.
By Daniel B. Hoch, MD, PhD
September 9, 2008
Covering:
Talbot JA et al., Neurology 2008 Apr 15; 70:1346
Continued Support for Protective Effects of NSAIDs in Alzheimer Disease
Neurology Summary and Comment
The largest epidemiologic survey to date of NSAIDs and prevention of Alzheimer disease suggests highly significant, duration-dependent effects of common NSAIDs.
By Joseph Rogers, PhD
September 2, 2008
Covering:
Vlad SC et al., Neurology 2008 May 6; 70:1672
Cerebral Impairment in Chronic Solvent-Induced Encephalopathy
Neurology Summary and Comment
In patients diagnosed with solvent-induced encephalopathy, imaging abnormalities in the frontostriatothalamic regions correlated with psychomotor abnormalities.
By Jonathan Rutchik, MD, MPH
August 12, 2008
Covering:
Visser I et al., Ann Neurol 2008 May; 63:572
Parental Advice to Diet Is Counterproductive for Overweight Adolescents
Overweight teens whose parents recommended dieting were less likely to lose weight than overweight teens whose parents did not recommend dieting.
Risk Factors for Starting to Binge or Purge in Adolescents
Risk factors for eating disorders differ by age, sex, and type of eating disorder behavior.
By Robin Drucker, MD
August 6, 2008
Covering:
Field AE et al., Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2008 Jun; 162:574
Validation of PiB-PET Imaging in Alzheimer Disease
Neurology Summary and Comment
Comparison of the distribution and burden of plaques with PiB-PET imaging from the same patient provides strong support for this imaging method as an accurate marker of disease in AD.
By Matthew P. Frosch, MD, PhD
August 5, 2008
Covering:
Ikonomovic MD et al., Brain 2008 Jun; 131:1630
Restoring Behavioral Function After Stroke
Neurology Summary and Comment
A review highlights therapies and neuroimaging techniques that may one day greatly enhance functional recovery from chronic stroke.
By Jeffrey Samuels, MD
August 5, 2008
Covering:
Cramer SC., Ann Neurol 2008 May; 63:549
SSRIs and Gastrointestinal Bleeding
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Acid suppression might be indicated in patients who receive both SSRIs and NSAIDs.
By Allan S. Brett, MD
July 29, 2008
Covering:
de Abajo FJ and García-Rodríguez LA., Arch Gen Psychiatry 2008 Jul; 65:795
PANDAS: Two Studies of Clinical Exacerbations
Most exacerbations of tics and OCD are not explained by streptococcal infection.
By Peggy Sue Weintrub, MD
July 23, 2008
Covering:
Kurlan R et al., Pediatrics 2008 Jun; 121:1188
Singer HS et al., Pediatrics 2008 Jun; 121:1198
Cognitive-Behavioral Stress Management Shows Mixed Results for HIV-Infected Patients
In a randomized, controlled trial in Switzerland, cognitive-behavioral stress management was associated with improvements in quality of life and psychological well-being but not in clinical markers of HIV infection.
By Eric Strachan, PhD
May 12, 2008
Covering:
Berger S et al., AIDS 2008 Mar 30; 22:767
Brief Alcohol Counseling in the ED
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Brief counseling by an ED clinician was no more effective than scripted discharge instructions.
By Richard Saitz, MD, MPH, FACP, FASAM
June 19, 2008
Covering:
D’Onofrio G et al., Ann Emerg Med 2008 Jun; 51:742.e2
Bernstein E and Bernstein J., Ann Emerg Med 2008 Jun; 51:751
St. John’s Wort Is Not Effective for Treatment of ADHD
No evidence of benefit as a single therapy for ADHD in children
By F. Bruder Stapleton, MD
June 10, 2008
Covering:
Weber W et al., JAMA 2008 Jun 11; 299:2633
Chan E., JAMA 2008 Jun 11; 299:2685
Postnatal Depression in Fathers Has Adverse Effects on Their Children’s Mental Health
Paternal depressive symptoms increase the vulnerability of their children to psychiatric disorders.
By Martin T. Stein, MD
May 7, 2008
Covering:
Ramchandani PG et al., J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2008 Apr; 47:390
