February 1, 2007

Bracing can be useful for acute injuries, chronic conditions, and prevention of injury but does not replace rehabilitative programs. Options include an unloader (valgus) knee brace for medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee, a functional ankle brace for acute ankle…

For most patients with undifferentiated dyspepsia, a “test-and-treat” strategy for Helicobacter pylori infection is recommended. Compared with the traditional 10 to 14 days of therapy, shorter courses of treatment (i.e., one to five days) have high eradication rates with the…

Early recognition of amblyogenic risk factors increases the chance for recovery of visual acuity. Treatment options depend on the etiology and include patching, atropine drops, and corrective lenses. Parents should be educated about the need for regular follow-up and the risk…

Most patients with parvovirus B19 infection are asymptomatic or have mild, nonspecific, cold-like symptoms. However, several clinical conditions have been linked to the virus. Treatment usually is supportive, although transfusions or intravenous immune globulin therapy may be…

We suspect that when our readers think of the people behind AFP, they think of our authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial staff—the people responsible for putting the words on the page. But how many of you have thought of the people responsible for the pages themselves—the…

Coalition Urges Congress to Enact Health System Reform | New Law Encourages Use of Health Savings Accounts | Universal Health Proposal Emphasizes Primary Care, Medical Homes | States Increase Health Care Access for Low-Income Children and Parents | Study Shows Increase in…

Does a chocolate bar a day keep the cardiologist away? Perhaps, which would mean that flunking out may have been a good thing for defiant chocolate lovers participating in a trial that studied the effects of aspirin on heart disease. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University…

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is very different today, in both magnitude and character, than a mere two decades ago. The clinical presentation of COPD has evolved, and the prevalence of this syndrome has grown substantially. COPD was not among the leading causes…

Regular exercise reduces A1C levels, adiposity, and triglyceride levels. However, no research has definitively proved a benefit of exercise on patient-oriented outcomes such as diabetes-related morbidity and mortality.

Screening for Prostate Cancer

Vaccines for Preventing Influenza in Older Patients

What are the effects of drug, nondrug, and surgical treatment? What are the effects of postoperative treatment?

Emerging lipid risk factors for cardiovascular disease include lipoprotein remnants, lipoprotein (a), small LDL particles, HDL subspecies, apolipoprotein B, apolipoprotein A-I, and oxidized LDL. Measurement of these levels should not be used for routine cardiovascular risk…

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

There is no question that physician training in emergency response is available and effective, and that physicians, if properly prepared, are extremely valuable in mitigating mortality and morbidity during an emergency.

Guideline source: American Gastroenterological Association

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has published guidelines on the clinical evaluation of children with developmental delays or mental retardation. Family physicians play a major role in the early recognition and referral of children with possible developmental problems.

AHRQ Evaluates Peptides as Determinants for Patients with Heart Failure

CDC Releases Survey Results on STD Counseling in Adolescents

Amblyopia (AM-blee-OH-pee-ah), also called “lazy eye,” is the loss of sight in one or both eyes. For children and young adults it is the most common cause of vision loss in one eye.

Parvovirus B19 is a virus that causes an infection. Most people get it in late winter or early spring.