Journal of general internal medicine
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Meta Analysis
Effectiveness of Very Brief Advice on Tobacco Cessation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Very brief advice (VBA; ≤ 3 min) on quitting is practical and scalable during brief medical interactions with patients who smoke. This study aims to synthesize the effectiveness of VBA for smoking cessation and summarize the implementation strategies. ⋯ VBA delivered in a clinical setting is effective in increasing self-reported tobacco abstinence, which provides support for wider adoption in clinical practice.
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A previously healthy 55-year-old male patient presented repeatedly to the emergency department with severe episodic periumbilical abdominal pain. After an extensive diagnostic work-up and subsequent clinical deterioration, appendiceal diverticulitis was diagnosed. We identified a correlation of white blood cell counts and possibly faecal calprotectin with the clinical presentation. We suggest that appendiceal diverticulitis should be considered in middle-aged patients with recurrent episodes of abdominal pain that correlate with laboratory markers of inflammation.
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Comparative Study
Comparing Rates of Undiagnosed Hypertension and Diabetes in Patients With and Without Substance Use Disorders.
Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) have increased risk for developing chronic conditions, though few studies assess rates of diagnosis of these conditions among patients with SUDs. ⋯ We found significant disparities in rates of undiagnosed chronic diseases among patients with SUDs, compared with patients without SUDs.