Annals of internal medicine
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The influence of a patient's quantitative skills (numeracy) on the management of diabetes is only partially understood. ⋯ Poor numeracy skills were common in patients with diabetes. Low diabetes-related numeracy skills were associated with worse perceived self-efficacy, fewer self-management behaviors, and possibly poorer glycemic control.
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Review Meta Analysis
Systematic review: using magnetic resonance imaging to screen women at high risk for breast cancer.
A sensitive and acceptable screening regimen for women at high risk for breast cancer is essential. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast is highly sensitive for diagnosis of breast cancer but has variable specificity. ⋯ Screening with both MRI and mammography might rule out cancerous lesions better than mammography alone in women who are known or likely to have an inherited predisposition to breast cancer.
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Review Case Reports
Narrative review: buprenorphine for opioid-dependent patients in office practice.
The profile of opioid dependence in the United States is changing. Abuse of prescription opioids is more common than that of illicit opioids: Recent data indicate that approximately 1.6 million persons abuse or are dependent on prescription opioids, whereas 323,000 abuse or are dependent on heroin. Despite this prevalence, nearly 80% of opioid-dependent persons remain untreated. ⋯ Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that can be prescribed by trained physicians and dispensed at pharmacies. This article addresses the clinical presentation of a patient with opioid dependence and describes the relatively new practice of office-based treatment with buprenorphine-naloxone. The different components of treatment; the role of the physician who provides this treatment; and the logistics of treating this growing, multifaceted patient population are also examined.
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Little information is available on the comparative effectiveness of osteoporosis pharmacotherapies. ⋯ Differences in fracture risk between risedronate or raloxifene and alendronate were small. Nasal calcitonin recipients may have a higher risk for nonvertebral fractures compared with alendronate recipients. Future studies that can better adjust for possible confounding may further clarify these relationships.