Journal of general internal medicine
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Meta Analysis
Efficacy of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors for prevention of stroke.
To determine if 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) are effective in preventing fatal and nonfatal strokes in patients at increased risk of coronary artery disease. ⋯ The available evidence clearly shows that HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors reduce the morbidity associated with strokes in patients at increased risk of cardiac events. Data from 13 placebo-controlled trials suggest that on average one stroke is prevented for every 143 patients treated with statins over a 4-year period.
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Our objective was to compare a brief, relatively new global health status measure, the Health Utilities Index Mark II (HUI), to two commonly applied health status measures (Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey [SF-36] and the Sickness Jgipact Profile [SIP] in a general medical outpatient population. Using a cross-sectional survey, we surveyed 160 patients in the General Medical Clinic of the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Each subject answered demographic questions and then completed the three health status measures. ⋯ Subjects accepted all measures well. These three health service measures varied in their distribution of responses and ttime required to complete. Users should consider the degree of sickness of the population to be assessed when choosing a measure.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Educational content and the effectiveness of influenza vaccination reminders.
To determine if a mailed patient education brochure (addressing demonstrated reasons for vaccination refusal) would result in a higher rate of influenza vaccination than a mailed postcard reminder without educational content. ⋯ A mailed educational brochure is more effective than a simple reminder in increasing influenza vaccination rates among inner-city, elderly patients.
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To determine whether prescription patterns of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) differ in African-American, Asian, Latina, Soviet immigrant, and white women. ⋯ Physicians at this medical center were more likely to prescribe HRT for white women and women with osteoporosis. Further study is needed to address whether these differences in HRT prescribing result in different health outcomes.