The American journal of medicine
-
Cryofibrinogenemia is frequently associated with cryoglobulinemia. The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics associated with the presence of cryofibrinogenemia in patients with cryoglobulinemic vasculitis. ⋯ Our results strongly suggest that presence of cryofibrinogenemia is associated with a more severe phenotype among patients with cryoglobulinemic vasculitis.
-
Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Predictive Value of Computed Tomography in Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Many computed tomography (CT) parameters have been proposed as potential predictors of outcome in acute pulmonary embolism. We sought to summarize available evidence on the predictive value of CT severity parameters for short-term clinical outcome in pulmonary embolism. ⋯ Across all end points, the RV/LV diameter ratio on transverse CT sections has the strongest predictive value and most robust evidence base for adverse clinical outcomes in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.
-
Comparative Study
A Brief Patient Self-administered Substance Use Screening Tool for Primary Care: Two-site Validation Study of the Substance Use Brief Screen (SUBS).
Substance use screening is widely encouraged in health care settings, but the lack of a screening approach that fits easily into clinical workflows has restricted its broad implementation. The Substance Use Brief Screen (SUBS) was developed as a brief, self-administered instrument to identify unhealthy use of tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, and prescription drugs. We evaluated the validity and test-retest reliability of the SUBS in adult primary care patients. ⋯ The SUBS was feasible for self-administration and generated valid results in a diverse primary care patient population. The 4-item SUBS can be recommended for primary care settings that are seeking to implement substance use screening.
-
As residency programs move toward measuring milestones for competency-based education assessment, medical schools will need to collaborate with residencies to determine competencies for graduating students. The objective of this study is to define the educational milestones for fourth-year medical students during an Internal Medicine sub-internship. ⋯ Tasks in the reporter domain such as taking a history, collecting medical records, and reporting results can be characterized as medical student milestones.