Annals of internal medicine
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The efficacy of antimicrobial urinary catheters in hospitalized patients is poorly defined. ⋯ According to fair-quality evidence, antimicrobial urinary catheters can prevent bacteriuria in hospitalized patients during short-term catheterization, depending on antimicrobial coating and several other variables. Older data probably lack current relevance. Cost implications and effect on infectious complications remain undefined.
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Comment Letter Comparative Study
Prevention of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with tiotropium.
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Comment Letter Comparative Study
Prevention of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with tiotropium.
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Protein and energy undernutrition is common in older people, and further deterioration may occur during illness. ⋯ Oral nutritional supplements can improve nutritional status and seem to reduce mortality and complications for undernourished elderly patients in the hospital. Current evidence does not support routine supplementation for older people at home or for well-nourished older patients in any setting.
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Exercise rehabilitation programs increase treadmill walking performance in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and intermittent claudication. However, it is unknown whether patients with PAD who walk for exercise regularly have less functional decline than those with less walking activity. ⋯ Among patients with PAD, self-directed walking exercise performed at least 3 times weekly is associated with significantly less functional decline during the subsequent year. Similar trends were observed in the subset of asymptomatic patients with PAD. These findings may be particularly important for the numerous patients with PAD who do not have access to supervised walking exercise programs.