Arch Intern Med
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
A new pharmacological treatment for intermittent claudication: results of a randomized, multicenter trial.
Effective medication is limited for the relief of intermittent claudication, a common manifestation of arterial occlusive disease. Cilostazol is a potent inhibitor of platelet aggregation with vasodilation effects. ⋯ Compared with placebo, long-term use of cilostazol, 100 mg or 50 mg, twice a day significantly improves walking distances in patients with intermittent claudication.
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Testing stool for occult blood at the time of digital rectal examination (DRE) has been discouraged because it is thought to increase the number of false-positive test results. ⋯ Testing stool for occult blood at the time of DRE does not increase the number of false-positive test results or the cost per cancer detected in asymptomatic patients at average risk for colorectal cancer. In this patient population, all individuals should be evaluated by full colonoscopy regardless of the method of stool collection.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Randomized double-blind study comparing the efficacy of gabapentin with amitriptyline on diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain.
Reports of gabapentin use in diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain stimulate a need for controlled trials to determine its comparative efficacy to the therapeutic standard of amitriptyline hydrochloride. ⋯ Although both drugs provide pain relief, mean pain score and global pain score data indicate no significant difference between gabapentin and amitriptyline. Gabapentin may be an alternative for treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain, yet does not appear to offer considerable advantage over amitriptyline and is more expensive. Larger trials are necessary to define gabapentin's place in treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effects of high-dose inhaled corticosteroids on plasma cortisol concentrations in healthy adults.
Recent studies suggest that inhaled corticosteroids may differ significantly in their systemic effects. ⋯ These results indicate that there are differences in the systemic effects of inhaled corticosteroids when used in high doses and emphasize the importance of using the minimum dose of inhaled corticosteroids required to maintain control of asthma symptoms.