March 15, 2002

Selective ordering can improve the utility and cost-effectiveness of serum rheumatologic tests. These tests are generally most useful for confirming a clinically suspected diagnosis.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disabling illness characterized by persistent fatigue, and treatment should be tailored to each patient.

Thrombolytic therapy is potentially lifesaving when used in conjunction with standard anticoagulation, but its significant side effects demand extreme caution with use.

The five-stage transtheoretic model for readiness to change can be applied to an addictive behavior such as smoking. Combined nicotine replacement and bupropion therapy can increase the chances of successful smoking cessation.

With present-day chemotherapy and surgical techniques, 90 to 95 percent of patients with osteosarcoma can be treated with limb-sparing resection and reconstruction, rather than amputation.

Physicians should be aware of the risks of herpes simplex virus infections in pregnant women. Potential consequences include premature birth and devastating neonatal herpes infections.

Punch biopsy of the skin is considered the primary method of obtaining diagnostic full-thickness skin specimens. This article provides details of the procedure.

AFP offers a variety of article series developed to cover core curriculum topics in family medicine, while drawing from a pool of unsolicited articles to balance the topics. Since it's not possible to put articles from each series into any single issue, it's easy to lose sight…

Jeffrey Koplan Resigns as Director of the CDC | White House Budget to Cut All Funding for FP Training Programs | HHS Budget for HIV/AIDS Research Increases 8 Percent | Report Shows Improved Health Among Racial and Ethnic Minorities | Physicians with Heart Completes Aid Project…

The ill effects of diabetes start early. Study results published in Pediatrics show that complications from type 1 diabetes mellitus cause longer hospital stays and higher medical charges for nonwhite and poor children. Children from the National Inpatient Sample data set, who…

Children living in the United States are less active and more obese than ever before.1 They are, therefore, at increased risk for negative health outcomes such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, which are associated with sedentary lifestyles. Multiple social…

A 59-year-old woman came into the office today with pain in her left foot along with some leg and knee discomfort that has been ongoing for about two months. There was no history of injury, but the patient was moderately overweight. She had previously been seen by a physician…

This statement summarizes the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations for screening pregnant women for bacterial vaginosis and the supporting scientific evidence.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued recommendations for physicians to diagnose, evaluate, and treat patients between one and 21 years of age who present with uncomplicated acute, subacute, and recurrent acute bacterial sinusitis.

Garlic Supplements and HIV Medication | Report on Management of Diabetes | Updated ADA Position on Needle Reuse | Cigarette Smoking in Adults | National Poison Hotline Number | Consumer Assessment of Health Care | Expert Consensus Guidelines for Managing Epilepsy | Combination…

This case concerns the justification of moral constraints that a physician group decides to apply to itself in the provision of patient services. Family physicians confront this issue with regard to reproductive medical services and state laws such as those in Oregon regarding…

No one is sure what causes chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The symptoms may be caused by an immune system that isn't working well. They may be caused by a kind of virus. Researchers are looking for a cause of CFS.

Stopping smoking is the best thing you can do for your health.

Osteosarcoma is a kind of bone cancer. It most often starts in a leg bone (either the femur or the tibia) in the area of the knee or in the upper arm bone (the humerus) near the shoulder. Osteosarcoma can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body, most often to the lungs…

Genital herpes infections are sexually transmitted diseases. Symptoms can include painful sores in the genital area, itching, painful urination, vaginal discharge and tender lumps in the groin. With the first episode, many people have a fever and general aches, like the flu…

Punch biopsy is a commonly performed diagnostic procedure on abnormal skin growths or skin tumors. It is performed using a local anesthetic (numbing medicine). A pencil-like instrument is used to remove a small, thin cylinder of tissue. The small hole in the skin then may be…