The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association
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Singultus, or hiccups, is a common medical condition. Despite exponential leaps in medicine, the pathophysiologic cause remains poorly defined. Persistent singultus has been associated with conditions such as pulmonary embolism and myocardial infarction. ⋯ The authors report a case of a man whose postoperative singultus was successfully managed with osteopathic manipulative treatment. This approach addresses many of the possible underlying neuromechanical causes of the aberrant reflex with minimal potential for adverse effects. Physicians should consider osteopathic manipulative treatment in the care of patients with singultus.
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J Am Osteopath Assoc · Dec 2014
Effect of triage-based use of the Ottawa foot and ankle rules on the number of orders for radiographic imaging.
Reducing unnecessary testing lessens the cost burden of medical care, but decreasing use depends on consistently following evidence-based clinical decision rules. The Ottawa foot and ankle rules (OFARs) are validated, longstanding evidence-based guidelines to predict fractures. Frequently, radiography is automatically ordered for acute ankle injuries despite findings from OFARs suggesting no fracture. ⋯ There was no statistical evidence that application of the OFARs decreases the number of imaging orders or decreases LOS. This observation suggests that even when clinicians are being observed and instructed to use clinical decision rules, their evaluation bias tends toward recommendations for testing.
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J Am Osteopath Assoc · Nov 2014
Intermittent left bundle branch block: an overlooked cause of electrocardiographic changes that mimic high-grade stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery.
The electrocardiographic (ECG) pattern of high-grade stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) is important clinically because of the high risk of myocardial infarction and cardiac death if the pattern is not recognized. Although the recognition of this pattern is currently widespread, false-positive ECG changes that mimic this pattern are infrequently reported. ⋯ The ECG pattern of high-grade LAD stenosis has proven to be an important marker of high-risk patients with chest pain. This pattern may also be seen in patients with a right ventricular pacemaker on resumption of native QRS conduction. Intermittent LBBB is a less obvious cause of a similar ECG pattern that may mimic anterior ischemia due to high-grade stenosis.
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J Am Osteopath Assoc · Sep 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialPilot trial of osteopathic manipulative therapy for patients with frequent episodic tension-type headache.
Osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMTh; manipulative care provided by foreign-trained osteopaths) may be used for managing headache pain and related disability, but there is a need for high-quality randomized controlled trials to assess the effectiveness of this intervention. ⋯ This feasibility study demonstrated the efficacy of OMTh in the management of frequent episodic TTH, compared with sham therapy in a control group. Osteopathic manipulative therapy may be preferred over other treatment modalities and may benefit patients who have adverse effects to medications or who have difficulty complying with pharmacologic regimens. This protocol may serve as a model for future studies.
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J Am Osteopath Assoc · Aug 2014
Burnout among osteopathic otolaryngology residents: identification during formative training years.
Studies of burnout among allopathic physicians have shown many deleterious effects for both physicians and patients. To our knowledge, no studies have quantified burnout among osteopathic physicians. ⋯ To our knowledge, the current study is the first to quantify burnout among osteopathic residents, and our findings suggest that osteopathic residents have lower rates of burnout than allopathic residents. Osteopathic residents reported lower rates of low PA, increased hours of sleep, and decreased overall work hours. Further study of the relationship between mentoring and decreased burnout is needed.