BACKGROUND: The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) informs a wide range of important policy and clinical decisions by providing nationally representative data about outpatient practice. However, the validity of the NAMCS methods has not…
Five hundred ninety patients were enrolled in a prospective, multicenter, randomized trial comparing the efficacy and safety of 7 to 14 days of levofloxacin treatment with that of ceftriaxone and/or cefuroxime axetil in the management of…
OBJECT: treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) in chronically ill or debilitated patients is challenging. The percutaneous remodeling of ligamentum flavum and lamina (PRLL) technique is a novel method for decompression of the hypertrophic…
Historically, appendicitis in the elderly is associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Ninety-six patients over 60 years of age with appendicitis treated over a 10-year period were reviewed. Only 20% presented classically with anorexia, fever,…
OBJECTIVES: To determine the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of nuclear scintigraphy for the diagnosis and localization of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding and to determine whether nuclear scintigraphy accurately predicts the results of angiography.…
A prospective exploratory study was conducted to characterize the oral mycobiome at baseline and determine whether changes occur after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). We found that ICU admission is associated with alterations in the oral…
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the foramina of the cribriform plate which transmit cranial nerve I decrease in size with age, but this finding has never been supported with quantitative data. It has also been observed that olfactory function…
Dendritic cells (DCs) are major antigen-presenting cells that play a key role in initiating and regulating innate and adaptive immune responses. DCs are critical mediators of tolerance and immunity. The functional properties of DCs decline with age.…
OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of this retrospective study of death records was to determine whether there were significant differences in years of potential life lost (YPLL) between decedents with serious and persistent mental illness at a community…
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: While existing studies about onabotulinumtoxinA for chronic migraines have focused on injection location and appropriate dosing, little consideration has been given to patient body habitus and its potential impact on…
BACKGROUND: Appendicitis in elderly patients is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Early and correct diagnosis together with minimally invasive surgery can lead to more favorable outcomes than occurred in the prelaparoscopic era.…
BACKGROUND: The effects of the use of technological devices on dimensions that affect the physician-patient relationship need to be well understood. OBJECTIVES: Determine patients' perceptions of physicians' personal digital assistant (PDA) use,…
BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QoL) measurements are important in evaluating cancer treatment outcomes. Factors other than cancer and its treatment may have significant effects on QoL and affect assessment of treatments. Baseline data from longitudinal…
We retrospectively evaluated the charts of 112 patients with diabetic foot infection to determine if early aggressive surgical intervention improves outcome. All patients were classified into two groups on the basis of the timing of surgical…
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether ultrasonography is helpful in predicting malignancy in patients with a thyroid nodule and atypia/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (AFLUS). METHODS: All patients with a…
BACKGROUND: A better understanding of the factors affecting the outcome of inpatient cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is crucial in making key clinical decisions. We aim to study the impact of various patient-related and hospital-related variables…
STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine the feasibility of a case-finding program for cognitive impairment in elderly emergency department patients, and to describe the prevalence of cognitive impairment in screened patients and identify factors associated…
This case series describes the caudate body (CB) sign noted in computed tomography (CT) scans of patients who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) clinically manifesting symptoms suggestive of anterior cerebral circulation infarction. This sign…
PURPOSE: A simple measure to predict chemotherapy tolerance in elderly patients would be useful. We prospectively tested the association of baseline Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) score with ability to complete 4 cycles of first line…
The clinical characteristics of 26 patients with community-acquired pneumonia due to Chlamydia pneumoniae as the only identified pathogen who required hospitalization were evaluated. Most patients (18) had reinfection based on serological results.…
A subtle artifact of patchy hypodensities in computed tomography images of the head mimicked acute or subacute cerebral infarct. The cause of the artifact was air in the oil of the x-ray tube. The artifact manifested only when the acquisition…
Continuous measurement of arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) using pulse oximetry has become a common monitoring and management technique in critically ill hospitalized patients. To determine the impact of SaO2 monitoring on emergency patient…
BACKGROUND: Controversy exists regarding possible correlation of periodontal disease with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Confounding factors may relate to stringency of inflammatory disease diagnosis and the effect of…
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing the treatment of large leiomyomas by laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) versus abdominal hysterectomy (AH). STUDY DESIGN: Twenty consecutive…
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing the treatment of large leiomyomas by laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) versus abdominal hysterectomy (AH). STUDY DESIGN: Twenty consecutive…
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that giving cranberry capsules to elderly women residing in nursing homes did not result in any significant benefits, including no reduction in symptomatic urinary tract infections.
The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model is a specialized police response program for people in a mental illness crisis. We analyzed 2174 CIT officers' reports from one community, which were completed during a five year period. These officers'…
BACKGROUND: Falls are a common cause of hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality among the elderly in the United States. Evidence-based imaging recommendations for evaluation of delayed intracranial hemorrhage (DICH) are not generally agreed upon.…
Localized scaling and hyperpigmentation is a common finding and often a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Dermatosis neglecta (DN) represents a failure to adequately clean or scrub the skin, often in an area of hyperesthesia or prior trauma. We…
STUDY OBJECTIVES: To characterize the clinical presentation and identify factors predictive of bacteremia in elderly patients. DESIGN: Retrospective review of emergency department charts, hospital records, and microbiology reports. SETTING: Community…
BACKGROUND: Older patients may visit the emergency department (ED) when their illness affects their function. OBJECTIVES: To quantify the function of older ED patients, to assess whether functional decline (FD) had occurred, and to determine whether…
BACKGROUND: Older patients may visit the emergency department (ED) when their illness affects their function. OBJECTIVES: To quantify the function of older ED patients, to assess whether functional decline (FD) had occurred, and to determine whether…
The purpose of this randomized, controlled, clinical trial was to determine the effect of the digital rectal examination (DRE) on the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) serum levels in view of conflicting literature reports and screening methods and…
