Arch Intern Med
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Empathy is important in patient-physician communication and is associated with improved patient satisfaction and adherence to physicians' recommendations. ⋯ Physicians rarely responded empathically to the concerns raised by patients with lung cancer, and empathic responses that did occur were more frequently in the last third of the encounter. Our results may provide a typologic approach to help physicians recognize empathic opportunities and with further development may aid in improving physicians' communication skills.
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Case Reports
So much to do, so little time: care for the socially disadvantaged and the 15-minute visit.
There is so much to do in primary care, and so little time to do it. During 15-minute visits, physicians are expected to form partnerships with patients and their families, address complex acute and chronic biomedical and psychosocial problems, provide preventive care, coordinate care with specialists, and ensure informed decision making that respects patients' needs and preferences. This is a challenging task during straightforward visits, and it is nearly impossible when caring for socially disadvantaged patients with complex biomedical and psychosocial problems and multiple barriers to care. Consider the following scenario.
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Certain autoimmune and infectious conditions are associated with increased risks of subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A few previous studies suggest that chronic inflammation may particularly elevate risk of the distinct non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtype Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM). ⋯ In the largest investigation of WM risk factors to date, we found a 2- to 3-fold elevated risk of WM in persons with a personal history of autoimmune diseases with autoantibodies and notably elevated risks associated with hepatitis, human immunodeficiency virus, and rickettsiosis. These findings provide novel insights into the still unknown etiology of WM.
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In case reports, transfers in the care of patients among health care providers have been linked to adverse events. However, little is known about the nature and frequency of these transfer-related problems. ⋯ Omission of key information during sign-out can have important adverse consequences for patients and health care providers.
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Comparative Study
Association between blood pressure responses to the cold pressor test and dietary sodium intervention in a Chinese population.
Blood pressure (BP) responses to the cold pressor test (CPT) and to dietary sodium intake might be related to the risk of hypertension. We examined the association between BP responses to the CPT and to dietary sodium and potassium interventions. ⋯ These results indicate that BP response to the CPT was associated with salt sensitivity and potassium sensitivity. Furthermore, a low-sodium or high-potassium diet might be more effective to lower BP among individuals with high responses to the CPT.