January 15, 2011

Diagnosis of respiratory syncytial virus infection is based on patient history and physical examination. The goal of treatment is to maintain hydration and oxygenation; most children recover uneventfully.

Diagnosis of cat-scratch disease is most often arrived at by obtaining a history of exposure to cats and a serologic test with high titers of immunoglobulin G antibody to Bartonella henselae. Most cases are self-limited and do not require antibiotic treatment. Cat-scratch…

Patients with intestinal obstruction often present with nausea and emesis, colicky abdominal pain, and a failure to pass flatus or bowel movements. Radiologic imaging can confirm the diagnosis. Clinically stable patients can be treated conservatively, but surgical intervention…

The decision to initiate specialized nutrition support is based on the patient's preexisting nutritional status, the impact of the disease process on nutritional intake, and the likelihood that it will improve patient outcome or quality of life. Parenteral nutrition should be…

Federal Government Exempts Physicians from Red Flags Rule | AAFP, Other Primary Care Organizations Adopt Joint Principles for Medical Education | CDC Updates Guidelines on GBS Disease and Revises STD Guidelines | New AAFP Performance Improvement CME Program Focuses on…

The increasing rate of cesarean deliveries and the lack of access to TOLAC have created a major public health concern. Maternal morbidity and mortality seem to be increasing in the United States, partly as a result of the increase in repeat cesarean deliveries.

What are the effects of oral and topical drug treatment in persons with shoulder pain?What are the effects of local injections, nondrug and surgical treatments in persons with shoulder pain?

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for visual acuity for the improvement of outcomes in older adults.

Case study: A 68-year-old black man presents for a routine checkup and refill of his hypertension medication. He has smoked a pack of cigarettes daily for more than 45 years. He asks if he should be screened for cataracts, which his father developed in his 60s. The patient…

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

Neuromuscular training programs that include plyometric and strengthening exercises significantly reduce noncontact ACL injuries in female soccer and handball players older than 14 years.

The rate of cesarean delivery has increased dramatically in the United States over the past four decades, perpetuated somewhat by the dictum “once a cesarean, always a cesarean.” However, evidence has shown that many women who have had a cesarean delivery can safely deliver…

Respiratory syncytial virus (RESS-per-uh-TORee sin-SISH-uhl VIE-russ), or RSV, causes lung infections in children, especially those younger than two years. Children younger than one year may get a cough and runny nose, and may wheeze when they breathe. Older children may have…

Intestinal obstruction is when there is a blockage in the small or large intestine that prevents food from passing through.