The American journal of medicine
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Review Comparative Study
Comparability of control and comparison groups in studies assessing long COVID.
Awareness of long coronavirus disease (COVID) began primarily through media and social media sources, which eventually led to the development of various definitions based on methodologies of varying quality. We sought to characterize comparison groups in long COVID studies and evaluate comparability of the different groups. ⋯ Long COVID studies in high-impact journals primarily examine symptoms and risk factors of long COVID; often lack an adequate comparison group and often do not control for potential confounders. Our results suggest that standardized definitions for long COVID, which are often based on data from uncontrolled and potentially biased studies, should be reviewed to ensure that they are based on objective data.
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In the academic professions, publications are essential for high-stakes decisions about employment, recognition, and promotion. Therefore, impartial frameworks are needed for evaluating the rigor of scholarly physicians' bibliographies. ⋯ Key threats to the fair assessment of physicians' bibliographies include disparities regarding underrepresentation and professional opportunities, not recognizing the successes of disadvantaged authors, and exploiting publications to gain favor and abuse positions of power. Unbiased criteria for evaluating bibliographies mitigate these threats to fair assessment.
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This narrative review takes a personal approach in detailing the progression of cognitive decline in a loved one, and the measures taken to care for the patient. The author provides suggestions for a compassionate care plan and advice for clinicians helpful to both patient and caregiver.
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Opioids, prescribed to manage pain, are associated with safety risks. Quality improvement strategies such as audit and feedback and academic detailing may improve prescribing in primary care. ⋯ This study demonstrated declining secular trends in prescribing and suggests that two large-scale initiatives had limited additional benefits. We found some additional reductions after audit and feedback among the highest-volume opioid prescribers. Future interventions should focus on these physicians for the greatest benefit.
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Cross-sectional evidence suggests a higher burden of chronic respiratory diseases in people with inflammatory bowel disease, but there is a lack of prospective evidence to clarify the direction of their associations. We aimed to investigate the association of inflammatory bowel disease with the risk of 2 major chronic respiratory diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma. ⋯ This study suggested that individuals with inflammatory bowel disease have a higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, highlighting the importance of preventing chronic respiratory diseases among inflammatory bowel disease patients.