Annals of internal medicine
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Case Reports
Patterns of ordering diagnostic tests for patients with acute low back pain. The North Carolina Back Pain Project.
Low back pain is a common reason for visiting a physician. Authors of guidelines and insurance payers are currently scrutinizing use of radiography and computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). ⋯ Radiography is commonly used as a diagnostic test for patients with acute back pain. Clinical factors and provider specialty are major correlates of the use of imaging studies.
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Review Historical Article
Occupationally acquired infections in health care workers. Part I.
Health care workers are at occupational risk for a vast array of infections that cause substantial illness and occasional deaths. Despite this, few studies have examined the incidence, prevalence, or exposure-associated rates of infection or have considered infection-specific interventions recommended to maintain worker safety. ⋯ The risk for occupationally acquired infection is an unavoidable part of daily patient care. Infections that result from airborne transmission of organisms cause substantial illness and occasional deaths among health care workers. Further studies are needed to identify new infection control strategies to 1) improve protection of health care workers and 2) enhance compliance with established approaches. As health care is being reformed, the risk for and cost of occupationally acquired infection must be considered.
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Comment Letter Case Reports
Hyperkalemia and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.