Hospital Medicine: Archives

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

FOUR Score Coma Scale in Medical Intensive CareFree

• October 20, 2009
• David M. Greer, MD, MA
• Neurology

This relatively new coma assessment scale performed well in predicting outcome in medical intensive care, but it needs further validation.

• Reviewing:
• Iyer VN et al., Mayo Clin Proc 2009 Aug; 84:694

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Gabapentin for Alcohol Withdrawal

• October 19, 2009
• Deborah Cowley, MD
• Psychiatry

A high dose was at least as effective as lorazepam in outpatients with moderate withdrawal symptoms.

• Reviewing:
• Myrick H et al., Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2009 Sep; 33:1582

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Should We Be Focusing on Resident Burnout and Quality of Life?

• October 19, 2009
• Aaron J. Calderon, MD, FACP

Resident burnout and diminished QOL contribute to self-reported medical errors.

• Reviewing:
• West CP et al., JAMA 2009 Sep 23/30; 302:1294

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Long-Term Outcomes of Patients Who Receive Short-Term Dialysis

• October 19, 2009
• Neil H. Winawer, MD, FHM

Acute kidney injury is associated with risk for chronic dialysis but not for death.

• Reviewing:
• Wald R et al., JAMA 2009 Sep 16; 302:1179 Waikar SS and Winkelmayer WC., JAMA 2009 Sep 16; 302:1227

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Early Endoscopy for Older Patients with Bleeding Peptic Ulcers

• October 16, 2009
• David J. Bjorkman, MD, MSPH (HSA), SM (Epid.)
• Gastroenterology

Compared with delayed endoscopies, early procedures were associated with shorter hospital stays and lower rates of surgery.

• Reviewing:
• Cooper GS et al., Gastrointest Endosc 2009 Aug; 70:229

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Are D-Dimer Results Used to Guide Imaging in Suspected VTE?

• October 16, 2009
• Richard D. Zane, MD, FAAEM
• Emergency Medicine

Clinical practice was not consistent with guidelines at this study institution.

• Reviewing:
• Teismann NA et al., Ann Emerg Med 2009 Sep; 54:442

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Dialysis in Elders

• October 14, 2009
• Thomas L. Schwenk, MD
• General Medicine

When dialysis is initiated in older patients, death or substantial functional decline often is noted at 1 year.

• Reviewing:
• Kurella Tamura M et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Oct 15; 361:1539 Arnold RM and Zeidel ML., N Engl J Med 2009 Oct 15; 361:1597

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Clinical Course of Advanced DementiaFree

• October 14, 2009
• Allan S. Brett, MD
• General Medicine

As we suspected: Advanced dementia is a terminal illness. Interview CME

• Reviewing:
• Mitchell SL et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Oct 15; 361:1529

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Should Coronary Angiography Be Routine Before Vascular Surgery?

• October 14, 2009
• Howard C. Herrmann, MD
• Cardiology

Findings from a small randomized trial show long-term benefits.

• Reviewing:
• Monaco M et al., J Am Coll Cardiol 2009 Sep 8; 54:989 Landesberg G and Mosseri M., J Am Coll Cardiol 2009 Sep 8; 54:997

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

H1N1 Rapid Tests: Poor SensitivityFree

• October 14, 2009
• Stephen G. Baum, MD
• Infectious Diseases

Rapid tests for seasonal influenza generally have relatively low sensitivity; their sensitivity for detecting the 2009 H1N1 virus seems even worse.

• Reviewing:
• Drexler JF et al., Emerg Infect Dis 2009 Oct; 15:1662