Annals of internal medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Zinc gluconate lozenges for treating the common cold. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
The common cold is one of the most frequent human illnesses and is responsible for substantial morbidity and economic loss. No consistently effective therapy for the common cold has been well documented, but evidence suggests that several possible mechanisms may make zinc an effective treatment. ⋯ Zinc gluconate in the form and dosage studied significantly reduced the duration of symptoms of the common cold. The mechanism of action of this substance in treating the common cold remains unknown. Individual patients must decide whether the possible beneficial effects of zinc gluconate on cold symptoms outweigh the possible adverse effects.
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To investigate an outbreak of tuberculosis, determine the number of active cases and infections, and examine efforts to control the spread of disease. ⋯ Many secondary cases of tuberculosis occurred throughout this small Maine community because of delayed diagnosis and treatment of the source patient, delayed outbreak investigation, and failure to promote isoniazid prophylaxis to all persons infected during the outbreak. Aggressive efforts to identify persons with new infection are of limited value in controlling tuberculosis unless they are accompanied by an equally aggressive use of isoniazid prophylaxis.
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To review the current understanding of the clinical significance, detection, pathogenesis, and prevention of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. ⋯ A rapidly growing number of persons, including an alarming fraction of the 150 000 or more adults in the United States who have survived childhood cancer, will have substantial morbidity and mortality because of anthracycline-related cardiac disease. The development of effective protection against anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity will probably have a significant effect on the overall survival of these patients.
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In patients who have symptomatic deep venous thrombosis, the long-term risk for recurrent venous thromboembolism and the incidence and severity of post-thrombotic sequelae have not been well documented. ⋯ Patients with symptomatic deep venous thrombosis, especially those without transient risk factors for deep venous thrombosis, have a high risk for recurrent venous thromboembolism that persists for many years. The post-thrombotic syndrome occurs in almost one third of these patients and is strongly related to ipsilateral recurrent deep venous thrombosis. These findings challenge the widely adopted use of short-course anticoagulation therapy in patients with symptomatic deep venous thrombosis.