Postgraduate medical journal
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Pre-residency peer-reviewed publications (PRP) have been associated with subsequent resident choice of academic versus private practice career. The evolution of PRP prevalence among radiation oncology resident classes has yet to be examined. A list of radiation oncology residents from the graduating classes of 2016 and 2022 were obtained, and PRP was compiled as the number of publications a resident had listed in PubMed as of the end of the calendar year of residency application. ⋯ Over the past six years, PRP has become more prevalent among incoming radiation oncology residents. Residents in the class of 2016 were 180% less likely than the class of 2022 to have at least one PRP, and 60% less likely to have at least two PRP. These findings are indicative of the increasing pressure on medical students to enter residency with a publication background.
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Several studies have documented the synergy between vancomycin/daptomycin and various beta-lactams, and clinical studies have studied this combination therapy in humans. We review the published literature on this topic to know the utility of the combined treatment with beta-lactams in treating bacteraemia methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Fifteen observational studies, three randomised clinical trials and three systematics reviews are analysed in this article. ⋯ There is no evidence that combined therapy improves mortality. Nephrotoxicity in clinical trials precludes the use of combination therapy mainly with cloxacillin or flucloxacillin, but systematic reviews have not found a significant difference in this point in observational studies with other beta-lactams. The role of other beta-lactams such as ceftaroline should be thoroughly studied in these patients.
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We aimed to report the incidence of hospital-acquired hypophosphataemia and hyperphosphataemia along with their associated in-hospital mortality. ⋯ Hospital-acquired serum phosphate derangements affect approximately half of the hospitalised patients and are associated with increased in-hospital mortality rate.