The American journal of medicine
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Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte abnormality in hospitalized individuals. ⋯ Hyponatremia, even when mild, is associated with increased mortality.
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Adequate vitamin D status is necessary and beneficial for health, although deficiency plagues much of the world's population. In addition to reducing the risk for bone disease, vitamin D plays a role in reduction of falls, as well as decreases in pain, autoimmune diseases, cancer, heart disease, mortality, and cognitive function. ⋯ Although some have suggested increased sun exposure to increase serum vitamin D levels, this has the potential to induce photoaging and skin cancer, especially in patients at risk for these conditions. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency can be both corrected and prevented safely through supplementation.
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There is no evidence of current or previous Borrelia burgdorferi infection in most patients evaluated at university-based Lyme disease referral centers. Instead, psychological factors likely exacerbate the persistent diffuse symptoms or "Chronic Multisymptom Illness" (CMI) incorrectly ascribed to an ongoing chronic infection with B. burgdorferi. The objective of this study was to assess the medical and psychiatric status of such patients and compare these findings to those from patients without CMI. ⋯ Psychiatric comorbidity and other psychological factors are prominent in the presentation and outcome of some patients who inaccurately ascribe longstanding symptoms to "chronic Lyme disease."
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Atrial fibrillation in young patients (