Annals of internal medicine
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
D-dimer testing to select patients with a first unprovoked venous thromboembolism who can stop anticoagulant therapy: a cohort study.
Normal D-dimer levels after withdrawal of anticoagulant therapy are associated with a reduced risk for recurrence in patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE) and may justify stopping treatment. ⋯ Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
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Shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder and has a substantial negative effect on quality of life. Its monthly prevalence in the general population is reported to be between 18% and 31%, whereas lifetime prevalence ranges between 6.7% and 66.7%. Shoulder pain is the third most frequent musculoskeletal reason to present to primary care and accounts for up to 10% of all referrals to physical therapists. Although the natural history of shoulder pain varies and is often self-limiting,up to half of persons who present for care, particularly the elderly, might continue to have pain and/or functional disturbance for up to 2 years after presentation.
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Prediction models are developed to aid health care providers in estimating the probability or risk that a specific disease or condition is present (diagnostic models) or that a specific event will occur in the future (prognostic models), to inform their decision making. However, the overwhelming evidence shows that the quality of reporting of prediction model studies is poor. Only with full and clear reporting of information on all aspects of a prediction model can risk of bias and potential usefulness of prediction models be adequately assessed. ⋯ The TRIPOD Statement aims to improve the transparency of the reporting of a prediction model study regardless of the study methods used. The TRIPOD Statement is best used in conjunction with the TRIPOD explanation and elaboration document. To aid the editorial process and readers of prediction model studies, it is recommended that authors include a completed checklist in their submission (also available at www.tripod-statement.org).
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The Ebola outbreak that is sweeping across West Africa is the largest, most volatile, and deadliest Ebola epidemic ever recorded. Liberia is the most profoundly affected country, with more than 3500 infections and 2000 deaths recorded in the past 3 months. ⋯ National Institutes of Health.