Journal of general internal medicine
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Risk of ovarian cancer in women with frequent perineal talcum powder product is not well understood. Prior systematic reviews focused on ever use. The purpose of this study is to estimate the association between frequent (at least 2 times per week) perineal talcum powder use and ovarian cancer. ⋯ This review suggests an increased risk of ovarian cancer associated with frequent perineal powder exposure of 31-65%.
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The coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic continues to have an impact on health care. A potential new wave can be foreseen concerning the impact of the pandemic on medical research and literature. ⋯ This occurred at the expense of non-COVID-19-related scientific papers as most journals did not increase the total number of their published articles. Thus, our analysis may outlook a new potential scientific wave related to COVID-19, in addition to the clinical ones, possibly delaying the improvement in the quality of care for other diseases in the next years.
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Observational Study
Characteristics Associated with Low-Value Cancer Screening Among Office-Based Physician Visits by Older Adults in the USA.
After a certain age, cancer screening may expose older adults to unnecessary harms with limited benefits and represent inefficient use of health care resources. ⋯ Thousands of cervical, breast, and colorectal cancer screenings at ages beyond routine guideline thresholds occur each year in the USA. Further research is needed to understand whether this pattern represents clinical inertia and resistance to de-adoption of previous screening practices, or whether physicians and/or patients perceive a higher value in these tests than that endorsed by experts writing evidence-based guidelines.
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Dyskalemia involves critical electrolyte abnormalities and increases mortality risk in patients with acute clinical conditions. However, the association between dyskalemia and adverse outcomes in the general population is less well established. ⋯ Hyperkalemia is associated with an increased risk of all-cause and CVD death, and this risk is more pronounced in patients with multiple risk factors. Our findings suggest that early identification and management of hyperkalemia in the general population are warranted.
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Comparative Study
A Comparison of Individuals with Diabetes and EMPA-REG Trial Participants: Exploring Aspects of External Validity.
There is increasing use of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors to treat diabetes. Since trials apply specific entry and exclusion criteria to ensure internal validity, comparisons of trial populations with nationally representative samples can inform the applicability of study findings to practice. ⋯ The EMPA-REG population differed from a nationally representative sample, which could affect generalizability.