General Medicine: Archives

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Aspirin Lengthens Survival in Patients with Nonmetastatic Colorectal Cancer

• September 1, 2009
• Anthony L. Komaroff, MD

Starting regular aspirin therapy after colorectal cancer diagnosis was associated with lower mortality during 12 years. Interview

• Reviewing:
• Chan AT et al., JAMA 2009 Aug 12; 302:649

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Is 140/90 Low Enough for Nondiabetic Hypertensive Patients?Free

• August 27, 2009
• Bruce Soloway, MD

A study supports a more aggressive approach to BP reduction.

• Reviewing:
• Verdecchia P et al., Lancet 2009 Aug 15; 374:525

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Smokeless Tobacco Use Is Associated with Fatal MI and Stroke

• August 27, 2009
• Paul S. Mueller, MD, MPH, FACP

Let patients who use smokeless tobacco know that it is not a "safe" alternative to cigarettes and cigars. CME

• Reviewing:
• Boffetta P and Straif K., BMJ 2009 Aug 18; 339:b3060

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Optimism and Risk for Heart Disease

• August 27, 2009
• Kirsten E. Fleischmann, MD, MPH

Women with sunny outlooks were less likely to develop heart disease and more likely to live longer.

• Reviewing:
• Tindle HA et al., Circulation 2009 Aug 25; 120:656

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Hepatic Transaminase Screening in Suspected Child Abuse

• August 27, 2009
• Howard Bauchner, MD

An AST or ALT level >80 IU/L had 77% sensitivity and 82% specificity for identifying children with abdominal injury.

• Reviewing:
• Lindberg D et al., Pediatrics 2009 Aug; 124:509

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

New Approach to Stroke Prevention in AF Patients

• August 27, 2009
• Bruce Soloway, MD

An experimental device was used for percutaneous closure of the left atrial appendage.

• Reviewing:
• Holmes DR et al., Lancet 2009 Aug 15; 374:534

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Compound Identified That Inhibits Breast Cancer Stem Cells

• August 27, 2009
• Anthony L. Komaroff, MD

Salinomycin was 400 times more effective than paclitaxel in eradicating breast CSCs.

• Reviewing:
• Gupta PB et al., Cell 2009 Aug 21; 138:645

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Radiation Exposure from Imaging Procedures

• August 26, 2009
• Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH

In a large study, about 2% of patients underwent procedures that resulted in high annual effective doses.

• Reviewing:
• Fazel R et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Aug 27; 361:849

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Repeat Stool Testing for C. difficile Colitis Might Not Be Cost-Effective

• August 25, 2009
• Abigail Zuger, MD

In a large study, almost all cases were identified with the first sample.

• Reviewing:
• Nemat H et al., Am J Gastroenterol 2009 Aug; 104:2035

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Possible New Option for Treating OsteoporosisFree

• August 20, 2009
• Allan S. Brett, MD

Both men who were receiving androgen-deprivation therapy and postmenopausal women gained bone density with denosumab. CME

• Reviewing:
• Cummings SR et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Aug 20; 361:756 Smith MR et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Aug 20; 361:745 Khosla S., N Engl J Med 2009 Aug 20; 361:818