Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Apr 2023
Observational StudyMissed diagnosis or misdiagnosis: How often do hospitalised patients with a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have spirometry that supports the diagnosis?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common clinical diagnoses among hospital inpatients. Diagnosis requires the demonstration of post-bronchodilator airflow obstruction. However, it is uncertain how often spirometry results are available at the time a diagnostic label of COPD is applied. ⋯ Inpatients with a clinical diagnosis of COPD frequently did not have supportive spirometry results that confirmed the diagnosis or had results inconsistent with COPD. Misdiagnosis and inappropriate prescribing require further attention to improve the quality of care in this setting.
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Internal medicine journal · Apr 2023
Danger in discharge summaries: Abbreviations create confusion for both author and recipient.
The transition from hospital inpatient care to medical care in the community is a high-risk period for adverse events. Inadequate communication, including low-quality or unavailable discharge summaries, has been shown to impact patient care. ⋯ Abbreviations are often used in discharge summaries, yet poorly understood. This has the potential to impact patient care in the transition period after hospitalisation.
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Internal medicine journal · Apr 2023
Survey of treatment practices for immunocompromised patients with COVID-19 in Australasia.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in immunocompromised patients can lead to severe and prolonged illness. Data are limited with regard to management of COVID-19 in this setting, particularly in persistent or recrudescent infection. The authors conducted an online survey among infectious diseases doctors to determine current approaches to treatment across Australasia. There was marked variability in responses relating to the diagnostic modalities and use of antiviral agents in patients with immunocompromise, highlighting the need for high-quality studies to guide treatment decisions in this group.
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Internal medicine journal · Apr 2023
Observational StudyA Comprehensive Study of the Epidemiology of Haematological Malignancies in North Queensland.
There is an absence of clinically relevant epidemiological data in regional Australia pertaining to haematological malignancies. ⋯ The present study successfully reports on the incidence of haematological malignancies in regional Queensland using a clinically meaningful diagnostic classification system and identifies potential geographic hotspots. We advocate for such contemporary, comprehensive and clinically meaningful epidemiological data reporting of blood cancer diagnoses in wider Australia. Such an approach will have significant implications towards developing appropriate data-driven management strategies and public health responses for haematological malignancies.
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Internal medicine journal · Apr 2023
Influence of radiologic pattern and the presence of diffuse parenchymal lung disease on outcome in ventilated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: impact on prognosis.
Suspected organising pneumonia (OP) is a common finding in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the impact on outcomes of the radiological patterns of diffuse parenchymal lung disease on outcome of these patients is still uncertain. ⋯ OP radiologic pattern in patients with severe COVID-19 is not associated with worse outcomes.