May 1, 2018

Croup is a common respiratory illness that typically affects children six months to three years of age. It is a manifestation of upper airway obstruction resulting from swelling of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi, leading to inspiratory stridor and a barking cough. Laboratory…

Each year, a team of evidence-based medicine experts systematically reviews more than 100 journals to identify studies most likely to change practice. The studies selected are known as POEMs, or patient-oriented evidence that matters. Each POEM meets criteria for reporting…

Charcot neuroarthropathy of the foot and ankle is an inflammatory condition that affects the periarticular soft tissues and bone in persons with peripheral neuropathy. If untreated, the patient is at risk of ulceration, infection, and amputation. Physicians should suspect…

Residency Leaders Encourage Training in Opioid Prescribing | EveryONE Project Unveils Team-Based Tools | AAFP Approves Functional Medicine CME | New Immunization App Customizes Vaccine Recommendations

As obesity becomes more common, it is important for all maternity care clinicians to understand the risks and associated management of obesity in pregnancy. Elevated prepregnancy weight increases the absolute risk of many adverse fetal and maternal outcomes.

What is the effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes?

In patients with partial-onset (focal) seizures, levetiracetam (Keppra), lamotrigine (Lamictal), and carbamazepine (Tegretol) were associated with the longest time to treatment withdrawal (i.e., the recommended patient-oriented outcome measure that balances tolerability with…

Compared with placebo, celecoxib improves pain (number needed to treat [NNT] = 4) and clinical symptoms (NNT = 7), but it has no effect on physical function in patients with RA.

On April 6, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved marketing of the 23andMe Personal Genome Service, the first direct-to-consumer genetic test. This test uses genomic DNA collected from mail-in saliva collection kits to provide information on a patient's…

A man with a history of HIV infection, diabetes, alcohol use disorder, and tobacco use disorder presented with skin lesions on his upper extremities and hyperpigmented patches on his face.

Discontinuing the antidepressant treatment in patients with anxiety disorders will cause a relapse in almost one-third of them. One in six patients previously treated successfully will also relapse despite continued treatment.

Lumbar fusion for degenerative spinal disease appears to be most beneficial for patients undergoing the procedure for spondylolisthesis, but it is of little clear benefit for patients with other indications, such as spinal stenosis or chronic back pain.

Exercise alone; exercise combined with vision assessment and treatment; exercise combined with vision assessment and treatment, and environmental assessment and modification; and clinic-level quality improvement strategies combined with multifactorial assessment and treatment…

Three different diagnostic scoring tools have similar accuracy for identifying adults at risk of AMS. One tool, the clinical functional score, is the simplest to use and consists of asking a single question.

Gender-dysphoric/gender-incongruent persons require a safe and effective hormone regimen. These recommendations are an update to the clinical practice guideline on endocrine treatment of transsexual persons published in 2009 by the Endocrine Society.

The 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23; Pneumovax 23) decreases the relative risk of community-acquired pneumonia in adults by 13%. The risk is reduced by 28% in the population that includes adults older than 65 years, those with lung disease, and those…

Dog bites can have a primary closure at the time of injury. Primary closure of dog bites does not increase the rate of wound infections compared with nonclosure.

Pregabalin (Lyrica) provides good pain relief to some patients with acute fibromyalgia pain but does not work for most persons. Learn more.

Croup (“kroop”) is a common infection in children that causes swelling in the trachea (windpipe) and larynx (voice box). It is caused by a virus, so it can spread through coughing and sneezing. It can also spread by dirty hands, sharing toys, and sharing drinking glasses or…