• Articles

    Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis

    CRAIG C. YOUNG, DARIN S. RUTHERFORD, MARK W. NIEDFELDT

    The characteristic sign of plantar fasciitis is heel pain that is most severe with the first few steps taken in the morning.

    Plasma Viral Load Testing in the Management of HIV Infection

    ELEFTHERIOS MYLONAKIS, MARIA PALIOU, JOSIAH D. RICH

    Plasma human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA measurements can help physicians determine when to start or change antiretroviral therapy. Plasma viral load is also useful in assessing the effectiveness of treatment and, in a select group of patients, diagnosing HIV infection.

    Detection, Education and Management of the Asplenic or Hyposplenic Patient

    MALCOLM L. BRIGDEN

    Patients without a functioning spleen have a lifelong increased risk of potentially serious infections and are more susceptible to parasitic infestations of the blood, such as malaria.

    Screening for Cancer: Evaluating the Evidence

    THOMAS J. GATES

    Because even the best screening tests have a low positive predictive value, most positive screening results are false-positives, increasing the likelihood of further testing and patient anxiety.

    Inside AFP

    AFP Moves Into the Millennium

    Janis Wright

    A new year usually brings on a lot of changes, and this year's start was no exception. While everyone expects a new year to begin with resolutions and changes, it was impossible for us to have predicted the string of events that would affect AFP at the turn of the millennium....

    Quantum Sufficit

    Quantum Sufficit

    Sarah Morgan, Lori Parry

    More doesn't always mean better. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, lower dosages of estrogen are just as effective as higher dosages in reducing bone turnover. A group of 107 women was given a placebo, 1.0 mg of 17-beta...

    Newsletter

    Newsletter

    Rosemarie Sweeney, Toni Lapp

    New Medicare Policy Mandates Medical Error Disclosure | Surgeon General Satcher Warns of Children's Mental Health Crisis | Registry Is Established for Two Types of Muscular Dystrophy | Study of State CHIP Programs Finds Access Problems | HHS Issues Rule on Physician Self...

    Editorials

    Hope for Patients with Asplenia or Hyposplenism

    ALAN TICE

    In his article on the detection, education and management of asplenic and hyposplenic patients in this issue,1 Brigden reviews important information on the role of the spleen and what can be done when this organ is absent or not functioning.

    The Science and Politics of Cancer Screening

    LARRY L. DICKEY

    The article in this issue, “Screening for Cancer: Evaluating the Evidence,”1 clearly reviews the basic science behind screening tests. Most readers will find this article useful, although it contains little new data. We should have learned this information in medical school...

    Diary from a Week in Practice

    Diary from a Week in Practice

    Many of WLL's patients have tried glucosamine and chondroitin products for osteoarthritis. Although some patients report that glucosamine (with or without chondroitin) seems to help, no patients who have tried chondroitin alone have reported success. Initially, this was a...

    Photo Quiz

    Pigmented Preauricular Papules

    RAJANI KATTA, IDA ORENGO

    Photo Quiz presents readers with a clinical challenge based on a photograph or other image.

    Tips from Other Journals

    Helical CT for the Diagnosis of Colonic Angiodysplasia

    JIM NUOVO

    Thromboembolism in Pregnancy: Clinical Guidelines

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Cognitive Behavior Treatment of Bulimia Nervosa

    KARL E. MILLER

    Mechanical “Bug-Busting” Is Ineffective for Head Lice

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Thrombolytic Therapy Linked to Intracranial Hemorrhage

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Fatigue, Tiredness and Lack of Energy: Sleep Apnea?

    JEFFREY T. KIRCHNER

    Estradiol Concentration Levels and Cognitive Impairment

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Hysterectomy Increases the Risk of Urinary Incontinence

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Adverse Effects Following Stapled Hemorrhoidectomy

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Using Clinical Predictors for Aspiration Risk After Stroke

    KARL E. MILLER

    Is Rizatriptan Effective in Menstrual Migraine?

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Family Practice International

    Family Practice International

    Anne D. Walling

    (Great Britain—The Practitioner, September 2000, p. 764.) Patients with Peyronie's disease develop thick plaques on the dorsal shaft of the penis, resulting in painful erection. These plaques can also lead to fibrous scarring and curvature of the penis. The condition occurs...

    Practice Guidelines

    AAP Develops Guidelines for Early Detection of Dislocated Hips

    SHARON SCOTT MOREY

    The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has developed a clinical practice guideline on the early detection of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), which includes frank dislocation, partial dislocation, instability and inadequate formation of the acetabulum. Written by...

    Clinical Briefs

    Clinical Briefs

    Monica Preboth

    AAP Statement on Pediatric Palliative Care | Weaning Patients from Mechanical Ventilation | Use of EEG to Evaluate First Seizure in Children | ACSM Statement on Exercise During Pregnancy

    Curbside Consultation

    A “Hopeless” Patient

    ALAN DAVID

    For all of my professional life, I have been seeing overweight, diabetic, hypertensive patients with severe osteoarthritis in their knees and hips. I admit thinking to myself, “Don't they know how much better they would feel if they would only lose some weight? Don't they...

    Multimedia Review

    Multimedia Review

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    Until about 1994, herbal products languished in the backwaters of medicine, far from the mainstream. Pharmacognosy—the branch of pharmacology focusing on natural products—was, at best, an obscure area of study. Clinicians generally had no knowledge of most natural remedies...

    Letters to the Editor

    Fluoxetine and Side Effects in the Geriatric Population

    Treatment of Depression in the Elderly

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Help for Plantar Fasciitis

    Plantar fasciitis (say: plant-er fash-ee-eye-tis) is a common cause of pain in the heel of your foot. Your heel may hurt, feel hot, swell or turn red. This is called inflammation. The inflammation occurs in the plantar fascia, which is a thin layer of tough tissue that...

    Plasma Viral Load Testing and HIV

    A plasma viral load test (also called a PVL test) measures how much HIV is in your blood. The amount of virus in your blood is called your viral load. HIV means “human immunodeficiency virus.”

    After Your Spleen Has Been Removed: What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself

    Your spleen plays an important part in your resistance to infection (immunity). Your spleen is in the upper left side of your abdomen, partly protected by your lower ribs. The spleen may have to be taken out (splenectomy) or may stop working right for many reasons.

    Corrections

    Correction

    The article “Acute Renal Failure” (April 1, 2000, page 2077) contained two errors. The second sentence of the first paragraph should have stated that 0.5 percent of all hospitalized patients (not just those with acute renal failure) require dialysis. Table 3, which lists...



    Disclosure

    All editors in a position to control content for this activity, AFP journal, are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships. View disclosures.


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