Southern medical journal
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Southern medical journal · Jan 2023
Discrepancies in Outcomes by Race and Ethnicity in COVID-19 Patients Receiving Casirivimab and Imdevimab.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported increased rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related hospitalizations and deaths in Black and Hispanic individuals. One contributing factor to this may be a difference in access to treatment. We thus sought to compare the outcomes of Black, non-Hispanic patients and Hispanic patients with White, non-Hispanic individuals using a group of patients with COVID-19 who received casirivimab/imdevimab. ⋯ Black, non-Hispanic patients and Hispanic patients are more likely to make a return visit to the ED within 28 days after casirivimab/imdevimab treatment for COVID-19 as compared with White, non-Hispanic patients. This holds true even when adjusting for higher vaccination rates among White, non-Hispanic individuals.
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Southern medical journal · Jan 2023
Aortic Stenosis Associated with an Increase in Mortality in Surgical Hip Fracture Patients.
The majority of hip fracture patients in the United States are older adult patients with multiple comorbidities. Aortic stenosis (AS) in older adult patients with traumatic hip fracture is not uncommon. This study investigated the association between AS and postoperative mortality and serious complications. ⋯ The presence of AS was independently associated with an increase in 90-day mortality and postoperative ICU stay in patients undergoing surgical repair of a hip fracture.
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Southern medical journal · Jan 2023
Religion/Spirituality Curriculum in US Osteopathic Medical Schools: A Survey.
Several articles have been published on the relationship between religion, spirituality, and health during the past 2 decades. Corresponding to this, professional medical organizations such as the Association of American Medical Colleges and the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners have created competencies for medical students that include being able to understand how a patient's religious/spiritual beliefs may affect their health. It is not, however, certain how and to what extent medical schools implement religion/spirituality in medicine training into their curriculum. Our objective in this study was to quantify and assess the implementation of religion/spirituality in medicine curricula at US osteopathic medical schools. ⋯ Based on the current evidence, there may be a downward trend in osteopathic medical schools providing formal education on religion/spirituality in medicine.
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Southern medical journal · Jan 2023
An Exploratory Study of a Fourth-Year Narrative Medicine Elective: Promoting Strategies for Personal Well-Being and Improved Patient Care.
Narrative medicine promotes the effective practice of medicine by requiring clinicians to listen to, reflect on, and manage not only the physiology of disease but also patient stories. The Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine offers a narrative medicine elective to fourth-year students who participate in reading, writing, and discussion activities that focus on processing their medical school experiences. This study evaluated the potential roles of this course in promoting strategies for personal well-being and improved patient care. ⋯ Students reported that the narrative medicine elective taught them strategies for improving patient care and personal well-being, which they planned to continue to practice in the future. These findings show how the practice of narrative medicine during medical school may provide opportunities to promote reflection and resilience.
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Southern medical journal · Jan 2023
Impact of Pulmonary Hypertension on Renal Functions in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is common in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of PH on kidney functions in patients with OSAS. ⋯ PH is a risk factor for the deterioration of renal function in OSAS and more prominent in the long term.