American family physician
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American family physician · Jan 2025
ReviewDysuria: Evaluation and Differential Diagnosis in Adults.
Dysuria, a feeling of pain or discomfort during urination, is often caused by urinary tract infection but can also be due to sexually transmitted infection, bladder irritants, skin lesions, and some chronic pain conditions. History is most often useful for finding signs of sexually transmitted infection, complicated infections, lower urinary symptoms in males, and noninfectious causes. Most patients presenting with dysuria should have a urinalysis performed. ⋯ Clinical decision rules may increase the accuracy of diagnosis with and without laboratory analysis. Evaluation and treatment of dysuria through a virtual encounter without laboratory testing may increase recurrent symptoms and antibiotic courses. Persistent symptoms after initial evaluation and treatment require further workup for infectious and noninfectious causes.
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American family physician · Jan 2025
ReviewGastroesophageal Reflux in Infants and Children: Diagnosis and Treatment.
Gastroesophageal reflux is a common physiologic event in infants in which gastric contents pass from the stomach into the esophagus. Gastroesophageal reflux may be asymptomatic or cause regurgitation or "spit up." This occurs daily in approximately 40% of infants. Symptoms often begin before 8 weeks of life, peak at approximately 4 months of age, and usually resolve by 1 year. ⋯ Diagnostic tests, such as endoscopy, barium study, multichannel intraluminal impedance, and pH monitoring, may be used when there is diagnostic uncertainty or alarm symptoms are present (eg, bilious or projectile vomiting, hematemesis). Conservative treatments for gastroesophageal reflux disease in infants include the use of thickening agents or extensively hydrolyzed or amino acid-based formulas in formula-fed infants or maternal elimination of dairy for infants who are fed breast milk. Infants and children who do not improve with conservative measures may require pharmacologic treatment, including an empiric trial of acid-suppression therapy for 4 to 8 weeks.