Annals of family medicine
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Annals of family medicine · Jan 2023
Randomized Controlled TrialFeasibility Study for Randomised Control Trial for Topical Treatment of Impetigo in Australian General Practice.
Context Impetigo affects millions of children worldwide. Most guidelines recommend antibiotics as first-line treatment however topical antiseptics present a potentially valuable, understudied, antibiotic-sparing treatment for mild impetigo. Objective We aimed to determine the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing efficacy of soft white paraffin (SWP), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and mupirocin for mild impetigo. ⋯ Conclusions Valuable insight was gained into the practicality of conducting a RCT of impetigo treatments in general practice. Future trials should consider recruiting outside of general practice clinics to capture patients at earlier, more mild stages of infection. Further investigation into the prevalence and impact of use of at-home expired antibiotics may be beneficial.
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Annals of family medicine · Jan 2023
Randomized Controlled Trial Pragmatic Clinical TrialRapid Detection of Influenza Outbreaks in Long Term Care Facilities Reduces Emergency Room Visits and Hospitalization.
Context: Influenza is a significant respiratory pathogen for residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs). Rapid influenza detection tests (RIDT) may enable early outbreak detection allowing a timely response. Objective: We assessed whether RIDT for LTCF residents with acute respiratory infection is associated with increased antiviral use and decreased healthcare utilization. ⋯ There were significant reductions in the rates of all-cause ED visits (22% decline), hospitalizations (21% decline), and hospital length of stay (36% decline) across three combined influenza seasons. No significant differences were noted in respiratory-associated and all-cause deaths between intervention and control sites. This feasible, and low-cost intervention may provide significant benefit and should be further tested in other settings.
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Annals of family medicine · Jan 2023
Bodyweight Changes During COVID-19 for Patients Diagnosed with Depression: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
Context: The COVID-19 pandemic led to an unprecedented lockdown of millions of Americans from the spring of 2020 to the fall of 2020. Studies done on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and body weight have been important to our understanding of the effects of the pandemic. However, these studies on depression and BMI change have not identified a possible direction of the causality of the relationship between depression and body weight as affected by lockdown measures during a pandemic. ⋯ Conclusion: Individuals with depression had significant changes in BMI during the COVID-19 pandemic, and age predicted these changes in middle-aged adults (30-50 years old). These findings highlight the importance of identifying and following up with individuals with a diagnosis of depression to alleviate effects on their BMI during extended isolation. Identifying patients who might be susceptible to these changes could lead to patient health outcomes.