September 2015

90 Articles

No Section

Deprivation index and dependency ratio are key determinants of emergency medical admission rates

24 September 2015
Author(s): Richard Conway, Declan Byrne, Deirdre O'Riordan, Seán Cournane, Seamus Coveney, Bernard Silke

Patients from deprived backgrounds have a higher in-patient mortality following an emergency medical admission; there has been debate as to the extent to which deprivation and population structure... more

Do statins prevent Alzheimer's disease? A narrative review

2 September 2015
Author(s): Homayoun L. Daneschvar, Mark D. Aronson, Gerald W. Smetana

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and occurs commonly in patients 65 and older. There is an urgent need to find an effective management that could help prevent or at least slow... more

Rituximab in autoimmune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: A success story

17 August 2015
Author(s): Antoine Froissart, Agnès Veyradier, Miguel Hié, Ygal Benhamou, Paul Coppo, French Reference Center for Thrombotic Microangiopathies

Despite a significant improvement of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) prognosis since the use of plasma exchange, morbidity and mortality remained significant because of poor response to... more

Hyponatremia in hospitalised patients with heart failure in internal medicine: Analysis of the Spanish national minimum basic data set (MBDS) (2005–2011)

25 June 2015
Author(s): Manuel Méndez-Bailón, Raquel Barba-Martín, Jose María de Miguel-Yanes, Antonio Zapatero-Gaviria, Beatriz Calvo-Porqueras, Mariam Farid-Zahran Osuna, Carla Nuñez-Fernández, Nuria Muñoz-Rivas, Susana Plaza Canteli, Javier Marco-Martínez

Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder seen in clinical practice. Numerous studies have reported increased inhospital mortality associated to this condition, which is also an... more

Gout is associated with organic and psychogenic erectile dysfunction

15 June 2015
Author(s): Chao-Yu Hsu, Cheng-Li Lin, Chia-Hung Kao

Gout is a deposition disease with an inflammatory response that can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Gout is stressful for affected individuals, and can cause erectile dysfunction (ED).... more

Commentary

Appropriateness of antithrombotic prophylaxis in the oldest old with non-valvular atrial fibrillation: ARAPACIS and REPOSI

5 September 2015
Author(s): Pier Mannuccio Mannucci, Alessandro Nobili

In the frame of the Atrial Fibrillation Registry for Ankle–Brachial Index Prevalence Assessment-Collaborative Italian Study (ARAPACIS) involving 93 Internal Medicine wards, Pignatelli et al. [1]... more

Internal Medicine Flashcard

A deadly cause of syncope

1 September 2015
Author(s): Shing Ching, Ka Hing Lee, Kai Ming Li

A 64-year-old woman of good past health presented to the emergency department with syncope. She had upper respiratory symptoms and dizziness followed by worsening exertional dyspnea and palpitation... more

A young woman with a heart attack?

29 July 2015
Author(s): Amy Schimke, Andrew Weintraub

A 38year-old nulliparous woman with no cardiac risk factors abruptly developed chest discomfort during a routine exercise run. The discomfort recurred with minimal exertion for the next three days,... more

A 64-year old woman with right hand swelling and paresthesia

29 July 2015
Author(s): Or Kalchiem-Dekel, Sharon Davidesko, Nimrod Maimon

A 64-year old woman presented to the emergency department with a 6-month history of right lateral cervical pain and a 2-week history of erythema and swelling of her right hand and wrist, accompanied... more

Memory of an exotic holiday

18 July 2015
Author(s): Evelyne Franon, Patrick Manckoundia

A 66-year-old man with no particular medical history and back from a 10-day trip to South Africa, consulted for headache, myalgia, odynophagia and low-grade fever (38°), which had lasted for 3days.... more

Malignant syphilis

18 July 2015
Author(s): Paula Hernández Martínez, Jairo Bada Da Silva, Santiago Echevarría Vierna

A previously healthy 54-year-old bisexual man presented with a 2-week history of generalized nonpruritic skin rash and painless genital ulcerations. He reported low-grade fever, and admitted having... more

Unilateral calf swelling

18 July 2015
Author(s): Shing Ching, Soo Moi Ting, Kai Ming Li

An 81-year-old man presented to the emergency department with left calf painful swelling for 4days. He has a history of hypertension and ischemic heart disease. He denied any injury. Physical... more

An umbilical nodule in a patient with enlarged uterus

16 July 2015
Author(s): Supakanya Wongrakpanich, Soumya Patnaik, Mark Morginstin

A previously healthy 59-year-old female presented with weakness in the lower extremities and abdominal distension of one month. She also experienced unintentional weight loss of 20 pounds within... more

An unusual emphysema

8 May 2015
Author(s): Massimo R. Mannarino, Francesco Di Filippo, Anna Maria Scarponi

An 87year-old woman with a history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes and post-menopausal osteoporosis presented with a 5-day history of low-grade intermittent fever, epigastric pain and shortness of... more

The brain of STEMI

8 May 2015
Author(s): Ashwini Sharma, Rehan Sarmad, Kenneth Wool

An 83y/o African American male with a history of hypertension and chronic kidney disease presented following a fall. The fall occurred while he was trying to get up from a sitting position. The... more

Back pain: An old cause in a young adult

17 February 2015
Author(s): Barbara Ferrari, Raffaella Rossio, Flora Peyvandi

A 23-year-old man from the Philippines was admitted to our emergency department for a three-weeks-lasting thoracic back pain, followed by an onset of postural instability; he also complained about... more

An uncommon case of post partum seizures

16 February 2015
Author(s): Q. Reynaud, M. Killian, B. Tardy

A 30-year-old woman was admitted for headaches and altered somnolence and agitation few days after uncomplicated vaginal delivery. No complications occurred during this first pregnancy. Four days... more

Calcified pulmonary nodules

16 February 2015
Author(s): Chih-Chen Chou, Te-Chun Shen, Chih-Yen Tu

A 78-year-old female with stroke and hydrocephalus post-ventriculo-peritoneal shunt insertion presented with shortness of breath, productive cough, and fever that had been present for several days.... more

Internal Medicine Flashcards

A patient presenting with an acute shortness of breath

6 September 2014
Author(s): Abdel-Rauf Zeina, Mika Shapira-Rootman

A 37-year-old woman presented with shortness of breath, cough, and fever that began a few days earlier. Her pulse rate was high (110bpm) with a body temperature of 38.6°C. Pulmonary auscultation... more

Letter to the Editor

More on Scylla and Charybdis

30 September 2015
Author(s): Paolo Reggiani, Giorgio Rossi

At the onset of their article: “Managing a research hospital at the time of a global economics crisis: cruising between Scylla and Charybdis” Macchi and Pavan [1] cite the interesting paper published... more

Circadian aspects of myocardial infarction among young STEMI patients

23 September 2015
Author(s): Loukianos S. Rallidis, Andreas S. Triantafyllis, Christos Varounis, Maria Rallidi, Jonh Lekakis

We read with interest the letter by Fournier and Muller [1] in which few issues have been raised regarding our work [2].

Diabetes care for the Hajj

18 September 2015
Author(s): Safwaan Adam, Akheel A. Syed

Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (https://goo.gl/maps/47x1l), attracts two million Muslim men and women, including over 45,000 Hajjis (pilgrims) from the European Union [1,2]. It is an arduous... more

Mesenteric panniculitis: A controversial entity. Many unanswered questions

18 September 2015
Author(s): Carlos Enrique Suarez Acosta, Esperanza Romero Fernandez, Elpidio Calvo Manuel

In the last years, we have observed an increase of clinicopathological knowledge and, therefore, a more accurate diagnosis of diseases. However, sometimes there are confused diagnoses without... more

Efficacy but not effectiveness of sublingual immunotherapy for grass pollen allergy: Time to avoid waste in health-care expenditure

13 September 2015
Author(s): Salvatore Corrao, Danilo Di Bona, Gabriele Di Lorenzo

Last June JAMA Internal Medicine published an excellent systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials of sublingual immunotherapy for grass pollen allergy [1]. The team of Di Lorenzo of the... more

Anticholinergic risk: Use and limitations of anticholinergic scales

10 September 2015
Author(s): Angela Mª. Villalba-Moreno, Eva Rocío Alfaro-Lara, Bernardo Santos-Ramos

The side effects of anticholinergic drugs are well known. Peripheral adverse effects are, amongst others: dry mouth, dry eyes, blurred vision, constipation, fecal impaction, urinary retention and... more

Circadian aspects of myocardial infarction among young STEMI patients

18 August 2015
Author(s): Stephane Fournier, Olivier Muller

We read with interest the recent publication of Rallidis et al. [1] reporting the circadian pattern of symptoms onset in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).... more

Depressive symptomatology in patients with metabolic syndrome: A cross-sectional study of stable coronary artery disease patients

12 August 2015
Author(s): Christos Varounis, Loukianos S. Rallidis, Oscar H. Franco, Christos Kotakos, John Lekakis

The metabolic syndrome is a common disorder, which includes the presence of at least 3 out of 5 metabolic risk factors according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel... more

Next Accreditation System outcomes and Special Review as part of Graduate Medical Oversight of Internal Medicine Programs in the United States: A review

1 August 2015
Author(s): Michael T. Flannery

The Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) previously evaluated programs with direct site visits, every 1–5years. The length of time between visits would depend on program data... more

The value of software that provides clinically relevant information on drug interactions

20 July 2015
Author(s): Stefania Antoniazzi, Maria Teresa Chiarelli, Alessandro Nobili, Luca Pasina, Francesca Venturini

Potential drug–drug interactions (pDDIs) are critical issues in the management of the elderly. The development of multiple diseases with increasing age leads to therapies based upon many concomitant... more

History of alcohol abuse after major non-cardiac surgery and postoperative cognitive dysfunction

18 July 2015
Author(s): Ljiljana Gvozdenović, Ana Antanasković

The risk factors for postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) after non-cardiac surgery include advanced age and preexisting cognitive impairment.

Proton pump inhibitors and risk of hypomagnesemia

9 July 2015
Author(s): Luca Pasina, Danilo Zanotta, Silvana Puricelli, Djade Codjo Djignefa, Guido Bonoldi

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most commonly prescribed medicines and overuse is widespread in both primary and secondary care [1]. Although generally well tolerated, PPIs can cause... more

Deprescribing in patients with multimorbidity: A necessary process

4 July 2015
Author(s): Aitana Rodríguez Pérez, Eva Rocío Alfaro Lara, María Dolores Nieto Martín, Alberto Ruiz Cantero, Bernardo Santos Ramos

As featured in several publications, the term deprescribing has not yet been standardized [1], and different points of view have thus been used to define it. One of the first concepts came from... more

Whatever happened to the doctor's opinion?

29 June 2015
Author(s): John Kellett

A year or so ago I spent a short while in Africa collaborating on a validation study of the National Early Warning Score [1]. As I went over the results of the study it was clear that African... more

Fibromyalgia is frequent in obstructive sleep apnea and responds to CPAP therapy

28 June 2015
Author(s): Maurizio Marvisi, Laura Balzarini, Chiara Mancini, Sara Ramponi, Chiara Marvisi

Fibromyalgia is a common disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, stiffness, paresthesia and proneness to fatigue. The prevalence has been reported to be 3.4 percent in women and 0.... more

Lights and shadows in the management of old and new oral anticoagulants in the real world of atrial fibrillation by Italian internists. A survey from the Atrial Fibrillation Registry for Ankle-Brachial Index Prevalence Assessment-Collaborative Italian...

26 June 2015
Author(s): Pasquale Pignatelli, Daniele Pastori, Francesco Perticone, Gino R. Corazza, Francesco Violi, on behalf of the ARAPACIS (Atrial Fibrillation Registry for Ankle-Brachial Index Prevalence Assessment-Collaborative Italian Study) Study group

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent cardiac arrhythmia, which is associated with an enhanced risk for stroke and myocardial infarction [1–3]. Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) have been the... more

Sarcopenia evaluated by fat-free mass index in patients with chronic heart failure

5 June 2015
Author(s): G. Sengul Aycicek, F. Sumer, B. Canbaz, O. Kara, Z. Ulger

The article published by Narumi et al. is important as they reveal a connection between fat-free mass index (FFMI) and cardiac prognosis in cardiac failure patients [1]. However, we think that there... more

Prognostic value of multidimensional indices in ambulatory COPD patients

21 May 2015
Author(s): Rafael Golpe, Noemí Mengual-Macenlle, Irene Martín-Robles, Pilar Sanjuán-López, Luis A. Pérez de Llano

The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) advocates the use of multidimensional prognostic indices for staging, monitoring and guiding decision-making in chronic obstructive... more

More on homeopathy

20 May 2015
Author(s): Silvio Garattini

Finally a government body has had the courage to express a clear opinion on homeopathy. The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council has declared that homeopathy is not an effective... more

Association of tuberculosis and deep venous thromboembolism in patients with autoimmune diseases

22 April 2015
Author(s): Marion Valence, Olivier Decaux, Matthieu Revest, Patrick Jégo, Pierre Tattevin

Tuberculosis (TB) can complicate the course of various autoimmune diseases, especially with prolonged use of immunosuppressive treatment [1–9]. Limited data are currently available regarding risk... more

Letters to the Editor

Hypervitaminemia B12 in elderly patients: Frequency and nature of the associated or linked conditions. Preliminary results of a study in 190 patients

22 September 2015
Author(s): Abrar-Ahmad Zulfiqar, Alexandre Sebaux, Moustapha Dramé, Jean-Loup Pennaforte, Jean-Luc Novella, Emmanuel Andrès

Hypervitaminemia B12 is a common laboratory abnormality, frequently unknown. Hypervitaminemia B12 has been associated or linked with a range of conditions, the majority of which are serious, with a... more

The issue of dual infection with m.tuberculosis and non-mycobacterial pathogens

27 August 2015
Author(s): Oscar M.P. Jolobe

In order to address more fully the mortality rate associated with pneumonia in the elderly, attention should be paid, not only to adherence to guidelines [1], but, also to the misdiagnosis of... more

Simple measurement popularizes sarcopenia evaluation in patients with heart failure

22 June 2015
Author(s): Taro Narumi, Tetsu Watanabe, Isao Kubota

Dear Editor.

Choosing ACE-inhibitors instead of sartans: Encouraging results of an evidence-based policy in Emilia-Romagna, Italy

20 April 2015
Author(s): Giulio Formoso, Nicola Magrini, Anna Maria Marata

Pharmaceutical policies favoring appropriate prescribing must be based on solid evidence on drug effectiveness and safety, better if shared with relevant stakeholders [1]. To translate this knowledge... more

Original Article

Sitagliptin use and risk of acute pancreatitis in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A population-based case-control study in Taiwan

30 September 2015
Author(s): Kuan-Fu Liao, Cheng-Li Lin, Shih-Wei Lai, Wen-Chi Chen

There is still lack of definite evidence to establish the association between sitagliptin use and acute pancreatitis. The study aimed to test this issue in Taiwan.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and risk of heart failure exacerbation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

29 September 2015
Author(s): Patompong Ungprasert, Narat Srivali, Wonngarm Kittanamongkolchai

The association between exacerbation of heart failure (HF) and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has long been recognized but the data on this adverse effect are limited.

Celiac disease detection in hypothyroid patients requiring elevated thyroid supplementation: A prospective cohort study

27 September 2015
Author(s): Richard Zubarik, Eric Ganguly, Muriel Nathan, James Vecchio

Celiac disease (CD) is associated with hypothyroidism, but the disease prevalence is not thought to be great enough to warrant testing all hypothyroid patients. We hypothesized that hypothyroid... more

Association of macrolides with overall mortality and cardiac death among patients with various infections: A meta-analysis

24 September 2015
Author(s): Xiang Li, Min Wang, Guiyang Liu, Jianli Ma, Chuntong Li

A large body of evidences suggested that macrolide therapy could improve the survival of patients with various infections. While in the same time, macrolides are known to increase fatal... more

Clinical profile, management, and mortality in very-elderly patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure: An analysis from the ATTEND registry

18 September 2015
Author(s): Masayuki Mizuno, Katsuya Kajimoto, Naoki Sato, Dai Yumino, Yuichiro Minami, Koji Murai, Ryo Munakata, Kuniya Asai, Takehiko Keida, Yasushi Sakata, Nobuhisa Hagiwara, Teruo Takano, ATTEND Investigators

Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is a leading cause of hospitalization among the elderly. Discussion of optimal management of ADHF in older patients is a growing health care priority. The aim... more

Trends in referral patterns, invasive management, and mortality in elderly patients referred for exercise stress testing

17 September 2015
Author(s): Alberto Bouzas-Mosquera, Jesús Peteiro, Francisco J. Broullón, Ramón Calviño-Santos, Víctor X. Mosquera, Cayetana Barbeito-Caamaño, José María Larrañaga-Moreira, Nicolás Maneiro-Melón, Nemesio Álvarez-García, José Manuel Vázquez-Rodríguez

Scarce data are available on the temporal patterns in clinical characteristics and outcomes of elderly patients referred for exercise stress testing. We aimed to assess the trends in baseline... more

Social deprivation, population dependency ratio and an extended hospital episode — Insights from acute medicine

11 September 2015
Author(s): Seán Cournane, Ann Dalton, Declan Byrne, Richard Conway, Deirdre O'Riordan, Seamus Coveney, Bernard Silke

Patients from deprived backgrounds have a higher in-patient mortality following an emergency medical admission; this study aimed to investigate the extent to which Deprivation status and the... more

Thromboembolic events in patients with severe pandemic influenza A/H1N1

10 September 2015
Author(s): Lone Sølling Avnon, Daniela Munteanu, Alexander Smoliakov, Alan Jotkowitz, Leonid Barski

The 2009 pandemic influenza A/H1N1 developed as a novel swine influenza which caused more diseases among younger age groups than in the elderly. Severe hypoxemic respiratory failure from A/H1N1... more

Approvals of drugs with uncertain benefit–risk profiles in Europe

2 September 2015
Author(s): Rita Banzi, Chiara Gerardi, Vittorio Bertele', Silvio Garattini

This paper examines conditional approvals that allow the marketing of medicines with unsettled benefit–risk profiles in the European Union.

Under-detection of delirium and impact of neurocognitive deficits on in-hospital mortality among acute geriatric and medical wards

31 August 2015
Author(s): G. Bellelli, A. Nobili, G. Annoni, A. Morandi, C.D. Djade, D.J. Meagher, A.M.J. Maclullich, D. Davis, A. Mazzone, M. Tettamanti, P.M. Mannucci, REPOSI (REgistro POliterapie SIMI) Investigators

Delirium is a neuropsychiatric disorder, triggered by medical precipitants causes. Study aims were to describe the prevalence and impact on in-hospital mortality of delirium identified through ICD-9... more

Medical teleconsultation to general practitioners reduces the medical error vulnerability of internal medicine patients

29 August 2015
Author(s): Nando Campanella, Pierpaolo Morosini, Guido Sampaolo, Vania Catozzo, Andrea Caso, Maurizio Ferretti, Moreno Giovagnoli, Mariangela Torniai, Ettore Antico

e-Health strategies are supposed to improve the performance of national health systems. Medical teleconsultation (MT) is an important component of such e-Health strategies.

Functional status and mortality at month and year in nonagenarians hospitalized due to acute medical illness

26 August 2015
Author(s): Alberto Socorro García, María de la Puente, Beatriz Perdomo, Patricia López Pardo, Juan J. Baztán

To analyze risk factors associated with short and long-term mortality in nonagenarians hospitalized due to acute medical conditions.

Incremental value of exercise echocardiography over exercise electrocardiography in a chest pain unit

25 August 2015
Author(s): Alberto Bouzas-Mosquera, Jesús Peteiro, Francisco J. Broullón, Nemesio Álvarez-García, Jorge L. Rodríguez-Garrido, Víctor X. Mosquera, Dolores Martínez, Juan C. Yáñez, José M. Vázquez-Rodríguez

Limited data are available on the added value of exercise echocardiography (ExEcho) over exercise electrocardiography (ExECG) in patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes (ACS) referred to a... more

Cost-effectiveness analysis of preoperative treatment of acromegaly with somatostatin analogue on surgical outcome

20 August 2015
Author(s): Luis Margusino-Framiñán, Sonia Pertega-Diaz, Lara Pena-Bello, Susana Sangiao-Alvarellos, Elena Outeiriño-Blanco, Francisco Pita-Gutierrez, Salvador Pita-Fernandez, Fernando Cordido

There is no uniform standard of care for acromegaly. Due to the high costs involved, steps must be taken to ensure the cost-effective delivery of treatment.

Clinical implications and outcome prediction in chronic hemodialysis patients with lower serum potassium×uric acid product

20 August 2015
Author(s): Ming-Yan Jiang, Jyh-Chang Hwang, Yi-Hua Lu, Charn-Ting Wang

The aims of this study were to evaluate correlations between serum potassium (S[K]) and uric acid (S[UA]) in hemodialysis patients and to determine whether lower levels of both S[K] and S[UA] were... more

Comparison of risk factors for acute worsening renal function in heart failure patients with and without preserved ejection fraction

19 August 2015
Author(s): Tamiharu Yamagishi, Kenichi Matsushita, Toshinori Minamishima, Ayumi Goda, Konomi Sakata, Toru Satoh, Hideaki Yoshino

We compared the risk factors for acute worsening renal function (AWRF) in patients with acute decompensated heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) versus those with reduced ejection... more

Perceived stress status and sympathetic nervous system activation in young male patients with coronary artery disease in China

18 August 2015
Author(s): You Yang, Minghui Bi, Lin Xiao, Qiaopin Chen, Wenron Chen, Wensheng Li, Yanxian Wu, Yunzhao Hu, Yuli Huang

Young Chinese male adults have faced increasing psychological stress. Whether this is associated with the increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) in young Chinese males remains unclear. This... more

Increased circulating adiponectin in males with chronic HCV hepatitis

17 August 2015
Author(s): Elena Canavesi, Marianna Porzio, Massimiliano Ruscica, Raffaela Rametta, Chiara Macchi, Serena Pelusi, Anna Ludovica Fracanzani, Paola Dongiovanni, Silvia Fargion, Paolo Magni, Luca Valenti

Increased levels of adiponectin, a major adipokine with insulin sensitizing properties showing a strong sexual dimorphism, have been reported in individuals with chronic HCV infection (CHC), but data... more

Malignant transformation and overall survival of morphological subtypes of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas: A network meta-analysis

11 August 2015
Author(s): Xiaolong Qi, Xin Zhao, Junlei Su, Mingxin Xu, Weifeng Zhang, Hui Sheng, Zhiwei Li, Jiping Wang

Emerging evidence suggests the predictive role of morphological subtypes (gastric, intestinal, pancreatobiliary, and oncocytic) of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) in malignant... more

Prognostic significance of changes in red cell distribution width in an internal medicine ward

6 August 2015
Author(s): Miriam Shteinshnaider, Dana Barchel, Dorit Almoznino-Sarafian, Irma Tzur, Neli Tsatsanashvili, Muhareb Swarka, Natan Cohen, Oleg Gorelik

The prognostic significance of red cell distribution width (RDW) during hospitalization in internal medicine wards was not sufficiently investigated.

The effect of statins on the occurrence of peptic ulcer

28 July 2015
Author(s): Anning Feng, Eric Chuang, Szu-Hsien Wu, Jia-Chi Wang, Shih-Ni Chang, Cheng-Li Lin, Chia-Hung Kao

This study was to determine the association between the use of statins and the occurrence of peptic ulcer diseases (PUD).

Gender difference in drug use in hospitalized elderly patients

22 July 2015
Author(s): Paola Santalucia, Carlotta Franchi, Codjo D. Djade, Mauro Tettamanti, Luca Pasina, Salvatore Corrao, Francesco Salerno, Alessandra Marengoni, Maura Marcucci, Alessandro Nobili, Pier Mannuccio Mannucci, REPOSI Investigators

The aims of this study were to evaluate whether or not there are gender differences in drug use at hospital admission and prescription at discharge and to evaluate the effect of hospitalization on... more

Development and multi-centre evaluation of a method for assessing the severity of potential harm of medication reconciliation errors at hospital admission in elderly

21 July 2015
Author(s): Sébastien Doerper, Julien Godet, Jean François Alexandra, Benoit Allenet, Emmanuel Andres, Pierrick Bedouch, Anne Charlotte Desbuquois, Armèle Develay-Rambourg, Odile Bauge-Faraldi, Sophie Gendarme, Bénédicte Gourieux, Amandine Grain, Kivan Long, Bertrice Loulière, Myriam Roudot, Marie Christine Roussel-Galle, Clarisse Roux-Masson, Nathalie Thilly, Edith Dufay, Bruno Michel

Medication reconciliation is a powerful process to correct medication errors (ME) resulting from miscommunicated information at transitions of care. This study aims to develop and evaluate a scoring... more

The diagnostic usefulness of fecal lactoferrin in the assessment of Crohn's disease activity

18 July 2015
Author(s): Katarzyna Klimczak, Liliana Lykowska-Szuber, Piotr Eder, Iwona Krela-Kazmierczak, Kamila Stawczyk-Eder, Aleksandra Szymczak, Michal Michalak, Adam Studniarek, Krzysztof Linke

Diagnosis and monitoring of Crohn's disease (CD) is difficult and time-consuming. In recent years, diagnostic usefulness of fecal calprotectin has been proven. However, data on the utility of other... more

Online combination algorithm for non-invasive assessment of chronic hepatitis B related liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in resource-limited settings

17 July 2015
Author(s): Nermin N. Salkic, Elmir Cickusic, Predrag Jovanovic, Mirela Basic Denjagic, Samra Iljazovic-Topcic, Milenko Bevanda, Sead Ahmetagic

The use of commercially available noninvasive markers for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) related fibrosis is not widely available in developing countries so clinicians in those countries frequently use... more

The influence of gender on the communication skills assessment of medical students

6 July 2015
Author(s): Chin-Chou Huang, Chia-Chang Huang, Ying-Ying Yang, Shing-Jong Lin, Jaw-Wen Chen

Opinions on the interaction between the genders of standardized patients and examinees are controversial. Our study sought to determine the influence of gender on communication skills assessment in... more

Oral health information from the dentist to the diabetologist

6 July 2015
Author(s): Mohamed Ahdi, Wijnand J. Teeuw, Hedvig G.T.A. Meeuwissen, Joost B.L. Hoekstra, Victor E.A. Gerdes, Bruno G. Loos, Eelco W. Meesters

Diabetes care includes annual evaluation of micro- and macrovascular complications, however, oral pathologies are not included. We studied retrieving oral health information, in particular... more

Duration of clopidogrel-based dual antiplatelet therapy and clinical outcomes after endeavor sprint zotarolimus-eluting stent implantation in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome

4 July 2015
Author(s): Pil Sang Song, Joo-Yong Hahn, Doo-Il Kim, Young Bin Song, Seung-Hyuk Choi, Jin-Ho Choi, Dong Ryeol Ryu, Seung Ho Hur, Jin-Ok Jeong, Hun Sik Park, Hyo-Soo Kim, Hyeon-Cheol Gwon

The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) remains controversial in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We sought to compare outcomes after the implantation of zotarolimus-... more

Venous thromboembolism and preoperative steroid use: Analysis of the NSQIP database to evaluate risk in surgical patients

3 July 2015
Author(s): Rami S. Kantar, Anthony G. Haddad, Hani Tamim, Faek Jamali, Ali T. Taher

Despite several prophylactic strategies, postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the search for modifiable preoperative risk factors is... more

Long-term risk of pancreatitis and diabetes after cholecystectomy in patients with cholelithiasis but no pancreatitis history: A 13-year follow-up study

2 July 2015
Author(s): Ming-Shian Tsai, Cheng-Li Lin, Yao-Chun Hsu, Hui-Ming Lee, Chia-Hung Kao

Patients with biliary pancreatitis are suggested to undergo cholecystectomy to prevent the recurrence of pancreatitis. However, it remains controversial whether cholecystectomy is associated with... more

Predicting prolonged length of hospital stay in older emergency department users: Use of a novel analysis method, the Artificial Neural Network

30 June 2015
Author(s): C.P. Launay, H. Rivière, A. Kabeshova, O. Beauchet

To examine performance criteria (i.e., sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value [PPV], negative predictive value [NPV], likelihood ratios [LR], area under receiver operating characteristic... more

Reducing weight in an internal medicine outpatient clinic using a lifestyle medicine approach: A proof of concept

13 June 2015
Author(s): Daniela Lucini, Giovanna Cesana, Chiara Vigo, Mara Malacarne, Massimo Pagani

Chronic non-communicable diseases represent the major drivers of disease burden, being responsible for the majority of health care cost and deaths. Almost half of premature deaths is due to behaviors... more

Circadian pattern of symptoms onset in patients ≤35years presenting with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction

13 June 2015
Author(s): Loukianos S. Rallidis, Andreas S. Triantafyllis, Eleftherios A. Sakadakis, Argyri Gialeraki, Christos Varounis, Maria Rallidi, Georgios Tsirebolos, Georgios Liakos, Nikolaos Dagres, Jonh Lekakis

There are scarce data regarding the circadian pattern of symptoms onset in young patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We explored whether young patients with ST-segment... more

Is chronic neutropenia always a benign disease? Evidences from a 5-year prospective study

8 June 2015
Author(s): Bruno Fattizzo, Anna Zaninoni, Dario Consonni, Alberto Zanella, Umberto Gianelli, Agostino Cortelezzi, Wilma Barcellini

To evaluate infections and oncohematologic evolution in adult patients with chronic idiopathic and autoimmune neutropenia in a prospective study.

Thalassemia and risk of dementia: A nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study

5 June 2015
Author(s): Yu-Guang Chen, Te-Yu Lin, Hsuan-Ju Chen, Ming-Shen Dai, Ching-Liang Ho, Chia-Hung Kao

This study is a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study to investigate the risk for developing dementia in thalassemia population.

Hypermagnesemia is a strong independent risk factor for mortality in critically ill patients: Results from a cross-sectional study

3 June 2015
Author(s): Dominik G. Haider, Gregor Lindner, Sufian S. Ahmad, Thomas Sauter, Michael Wolzt, Alexander Benedikt Leichtle, Georg-Martin Fiedler, Aristomenis K. Exadaktylos, Valentin Fuhrmann

Patients with electrolyte imbalances or disorders have a high risk of mortality. It is unknown if this finding from sodium or potassium disorders extends to alterations of magnesium levels.

Prognostic role of atrial fibrillation in patients affected by chronic heart failure. Data from the MECKI score research group

27 May 2015
Author(s): Stefania Paolillo, Piergiuseppe Agostoni, Daniele Masarone, Ugo Corrà, Claudio Passino, Domenico Scrutinio, Michele Correale, Gaia Cattadori, Marco Metra, Davide Girola, Massimo F. Piepoli, Elisabetta Salvioni, Marta Giovannardi, Annamaria Iorio, Michele Emdin, Rosa Raimondo, Federica Re, Mariantonietta Cicoira, Romualdo Belardinelli, Marco Guazzi, Francesco Clemenza, Gianfranco Parati, Angela B. Scardovi, Andrea Di Lenarda, Rocco La Gioia, Maria Frigerio, Carlo Lombardi, Paola Gargiulo, Gianfranco Sinagra, Giuseppe Pacileo, Pasquale Perrone-Filardi, Giuseppe Limongelli, On behalf of the Metabolic Exercise test data combined with Cardiac and Kidney Indexes (MECKI) Score Research Group (see Appendix A)

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in heart failure (HF). It is unclear whether AF has an independent prognostic role in HF. The aim of the present study was to assess the prognostic role of AF in HF... more

Risk of psychiatric disorders following gastroesophageal reflux disease: A nationwide population-based cohort study

25 May 2015
Author(s): Zi-Hong You, Chin-Lin Perng, Li-Yu Hu, Ti Lu, Pan-Ming Chen, Albert C. Yang, Shih-Jen Tsai, Yi-Shin Huang, Hon-Jhe Chen

Recent studies have shown that the peripheral inflammation may cause the up-regulation of central nervous system inflammation and therefore possibly plays a vital role in the pathophysiology of... more

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg–Strauss) (EGPA) Consensus Task Force recommendations for evaluation and management

9 May 2015
Author(s): Matthieu Groh, Christian Pagnoux, Chiara Baldini, Elisabeth Bel, Paolo Bottero, Vincent Cottin, Klaus Dalhoff, Bertrand Dunogué, Wolfgang Gross, Julia Holle, Marc Humbert, David Jayne, J. Charles Jennette, Romain Lazor, Alfred Mahr, Peter A. Merkel, Luc Mouthon, Renato Alberto Sinico, Ulrich Specks, Augusto Vaglio, Michael E. Wechsler, Jean-François Cordier, Loïc Guillevin

To develop disease-specific recommendations for the diagnosis and management of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg–Strauss syndrome) (EGPA).

Initiation of rivaroxaban in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at the primary care level:

30 April 2015
Author(s): Rolf P. Engelberger, Georg Noll, Dominique Schmidt, Adriano Alatri, Benedikt Frei, Walter E. Kaiser, Nils Kucher

Rivaroxaban has become an alternative to vitamin-K antagonists (VKA) for stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients due to its favourable risk–benefit profile in the... more

Reflections in Internal Medicine

Reducing the risk of hospital admission: A call to action from the Italian Society of Internal Medicine

10 July 2015
Author(s): Rodolfo Sbrojavacca, Antonello Pietrangelo, Luigi Fenoglio, Francesco Violi, Francesco Perticone, Gino Roberto Corazza

The belief that hospital stays may constitute per se a risk for patients is not widespread among patients and health care professionals. In the balance between advantages and disadvantages of... more

Review Article

Acute Complex Care Model: An organizational approach for the medical care of hospitalized acute complex patients

10 September 2015
Author(s): Filomena Pietrantonio, Francesco Orlandini, Luca Moriconi, Micaela La Regina

Chronic diseases are the major cause of death (59%) and disability worldwide, representing 46% of global disease burden. According to the Future Hospital Commission of the Royal College of Physicians... more

Thyroid disorders and gastrointestinal and liver dysfunction: A state of the art review

7 August 2015
Author(s): Angelos Kyriacou, John McLaughlin, Akheel A. Syed

Thyroid disorders commonly impact on the gastrointestinal system and may even present with gastrointestinal symptoms in isolation; for example, metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma typically... more

Peripheral neuropathy: An underreported neurologic manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease

23 July 2015
Author(s): Carmen García-Cabo, Germán Morís

One of the most frequent neurologic complications reported in inflammatory bowel disease population is peripheral neuropathy; however, clinical aspects of peripheral nerve damage are not well... more

Multidisciplinary care in patients with chronic kidney disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

14 July 2015
Author(s): Su-Ming Wang, Lien-Cheng Hsiao, I-Wen Ting, Tung-Min Yu, Chih-Chia Liang, Huey-Liang Kuo, Chiz-Tzung Chang, Jiung-Hsiun Liu, Che-Yi Chou, Chiu-Ching Huang

Multidisciplinary care (MDC) was widely used in multiple chronic illnesses but the effectiveness of MDC in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) was inconclusive. The aim of this meta-analysis... more

Effect of routine diagnostic imaging for patients with musculoskeletal disorders: A meta-analysis

14 July 2015
Author(s): Yasmaine H.J.M. Karel, Karin Verkerk, Silvio Endenburg, Sven Metselaar, Arianne P. Verhagen

The increasing use of diagnostic imaging has led to high expenditures, unnecessary invasive procedures and/or false-positive diagnoses, without certainty that the patients actually benefit from these... more

Challenges and misconceptions in the aetiology and management of atrial fibrillation-related strokes

8 July 2015
Author(s): V. Thijs, K. Butcher

Strokes, whether ischaemic or haemorrhagic, are the most feared complications of atrial fibrillation (AF) and its treatment. Vitamin K antagonists have been the mainstay of stroke prevention.... more

Newsletters

Stay informed on our latest news!

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

randomness