Postgraduate medicine
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Postgraduate medicine · Mar 2022
ReviewUltrasound imaging as an initial diagnostic method for intramuscular hemangiomas: a narrative review.
Intramuscular hemangiomas are benign vascular lesions, often misdiagnosed due to unfamiliarity. They are rare (but not very rare) causes of musculoskeletal pain, and diagnosing these tumors may be challenging because of their pertinent nonspecific symptomatology. ⋯ To date, there are no studies that examined the state-of-the-art in regard to the use of ultrasound imaging in the diagnosis of intramuscular hemangiomas. Accordingly, a literature search was performed using PubMed and Web of Science with the purpose to provide a conceptual understanding and awareness as regards the importance/utility of ultrasound imaging as a first step diagnostic tool for intramuscular hemangiomas at different muscles' locations.
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Postgraduate medicine · Mar 2022
Association of number of primary care physicians with preventable hospitalizations and premature deaths.
Primary care physicians (PCPs) may be the first providers for patients in a healthcare interaction, putting them in a unique position that may determine the health trajectory of a patient. Assessing whether PCPs improve the overall health of a community through reducing preventable hospital stays and premature deaths may provide necessary information towards improving the health outcomes at grassroots. ⋯ Higher number of PCPs in a county was associated with lower hospitalizations for preventable causes and lower premature deaths. Increasing PCPs may be an important metric to improve overall health in a community.
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Postgraduate medicine · Mar 2022
Predictive value of arterial blood lactic acid concentration on the risk of all-cause death within 28 days of admission in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.
To evaluate the ability of arterial blood lactic acid concentration to predict death within 28 days of admission of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in the intensive care unit (ICU). ⋯ Arterial blood lactic acid concentration is an important independent predictor of all-cause mortality within 28 days of admission of SAP patients in the ICU.
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Postgraduate medicine · Mar 2022
Case ReportsSevere COVID pneumonia and undetectable B cells after vaccination in patients previously treated with rituximab: a case series.
The risk of developing severe COVID-19 illness despite completing vaccination for patients who have previously received immunosuppressive therapy is unclear. ⋯ This case series brings attention to the limited humoral response to vaccines in patients treated with rituximab, highlights existing guidelines and their limitations, and raises future considerations about the potential benefits to testing vaccine responsiveness.
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Postgraduate medicine · Mar 2022
Reliability of transcutaneous hemoglobin measurements in an outpatient pediatric clinic.
Our study assessed the reliability of a transcutaneous hemoglobin (tcHgb) measurement as compared to a standard capillary hemoglobin (cHgb) measurement in screening for iron deficiency anemia in a single university-based pediatric outpatient clinic. ⋯ The measurement of a transcutaneous Hgb is less invasive for pediatric patients but has significant limitations. Smaller children (probe specifications) and movement limited the ability to obtain a tcHgb measurement in ~75% of children tested. Falsely normal tcHgb values occurred due to overestimation of hemoglobin when compared to the traditional cHgb device. The suboptimal sensitivity of the tcHgb device may cause providers to miss a diagnosis of anemia. Future research should compare both methods of Hgb assessment to the gold standard laboratory-analyzed complete blood count and use a smaller probe for children under 2, once available.