Myths & Realities: Is Shiftwork Tumorgenic?

June 23, 2010

By David Ecker, MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

Over the last several decades, Westernized countries have become 24-hour societies.  Approximately 21 million workers in the US are on non-standard work shifts, including almost 4 million on regular overnight shifts.[1]  In 1972, Taylor and Pocock…

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Posted in Clinical Questions, Heme/Onc, Myths and Realities

Does Dietary Modification Help GERD?

June 18, 2010

By Ramya Srinivasan, MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

 The patient is a 29 year old overweight male presenting to clinic with complaints of reflux symptoms. He says that spicy foods aggravate these symptoms. In addition to weight loss counseling, he is given a…

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Posted in Clinical Questions, GI

Is There An Association Between Fluoroquinolone Use and Clostridium Difficile-Associated Disease?

June 11, 2010

By Kanika Ballani, PharmD  and Michelle DallaPiazza, MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

Clostridium difficile—an anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming bacillus—is an important nosocomial pathogen. This organism is the cause of Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) in hospitalized patients. The clinical presentation of CDAD ranges from mild…

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Posted in Clinical Questions

Oral Contraceptive Pills: Is It Really Safe to Eliminate Your Period?

May 21, 2010

By Rachel Edlin, MD  

Faculty peer reviewed

A 29-year-old female patient with a history of iron deficiency anemia and heavy menstrual periods comes into the clinic for a regular visit. She is tired of iron supplementation and its associated constipation. As she…

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Posted in Class Act, Clinical Questions

Motivational Interviewing: Can You Really Change Behaviors?

April 27, 2010

Emily Stamell

Faculty peer reviewed

As a well-trained fourth year medical student, I inquire about smoking habits as part of almost all my patient encounters. Yet, I do not recall properly counseling a patient on smoking cessation aside from the one liner…

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Posted in Class Act, Clinical Questions, Psychiatry

What is the Role of Drug Therapy in Treating Obesity?

November 19, 2009

800px-feet_on_scaleArlene Chung

Faculty Peer Reviewed

Despite the high prevalence of obesity1 and its associated morbidity2 and mortality 3,4, it represents one of the most difficult chronic conditions to treat. Barriers include a metabolically toxic environment, a history of ill-fated weight-loss regimens, and a general…

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Posted in Class Act, Clinical Questions, Endocrine

Should we treat asymptomatic autoimmune hepatitis?

April 30, 2009

120px-gray1086-liverBani Chander MD

Faculty Peer Reviewed

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a progressive, inflammatory disease of the liver of unknown etiology and may progress to cirrhosis. While it is does have a predilection for women, this disease entity crosses genders and ethnic groups,…

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Posted in Clinical Questions, GI

The Skinny on Cachexia…Can it be Treated?

April 22, 2009

megace-2Michael T. Tees, MD, MPH

On the wards and in the clinic, the physician is frequently presented with a patient with a decreased appetite and alarming weight loss. The patient is likely frustrated with their own fraility, the family is upset…

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Posted in Clinical Questions, Heme/Onc, Nutrition

Clinical Questions: How do you dose argatroban?

April 16, 2009

argatroban

Frederick Gandolfo, MD

Case: An 85 year-old woman admitted to the hospital with pneumonia and after a prolonged hospital course developed heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). She is currently being treated with argatroban and her platelet counts are recovering. You are the covering…

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Posted in Clinical Questions, Heme/Onc

Real Time Clinical Question: Rheumatology

February 13, 2009

think.jpgCommentary by Jon-Emile Kenny MD, PGY- 2 

Faculty Peer Reviewed

At morning report, the case of a 55 F with known dermatomyositis (DM), and interstitial lung involvement who had presented to the hospital with increasing dyspnea was presented.  The discussion of the case…

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Posted in Clinical Questions, Rheumatology

Analgesia for Cirrhotics: A Practical Approach

November 20, 2008

liver.jpgCommentary by Albert B. Knapp MD, NYU Clinical Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology)

THE CASE:
WS, a 49 yo year old Caucasian male with a known 35 year history of alcohol abuse, now presents with jaundice, tense ascites and a left shoulder…

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Posted in Clinical Questions, GI

Admission screening cultures for MRSA: Is it time?

July 9, 2008

mrsa.jpgCommentary by Howard Leaf, M.D. Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology 

Pressure continues to build for healthcare facilities to act to decrease hospital-acquired infections, particularly those associated with MRSA. This is partly data-driven, with one study reporting that 25%…

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Posted in Clinical Questions, ID