Southern medical journal
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There are limited data about trends in hip fracture-related mortality. In this study, we examined temporal trends in hip fracture mortality rates among persons aged 50 years or older in Texas between 1990 and 2007. ⋯ Hip fracture mortality rates decreased predominantly among men in Texas during the study period. Increasing hip fracture mortality rates among blacks and nursing home residents merit further research.
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Southern medical journal · Jul 2011
Update on trends for inpatient surgical management of tubal ectopic pregnancy in Maryland.
In Maryland, an analysis from 1994-1999 found that most hospitalized patients with tubal pregnancy underwent extirpative operations. The objective of this study was to determine whether practice patterns had changed over time. ⋯ A greater percentage of hospitalized ectopics were treated radically than prior. This may be due to acuity of presentation or regional surgical practices and preferences. Continued surveillance and a move toward improvement of Maryland's outcomes for ectopic pregnancy is needed. We propose an algorithm for emergency triage and management of pregnancy in an unknown location toward this end.
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Southern medical journal · Jun 2011
Venous lower-limb evaluation in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.
Compressive ultrasonography (CUS) of the lower limbs is the first choice for identifying deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in patients with symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE). The aim of this study was to uncover clinical characteristics and CUS findings in patients with proven PE and their correlations with PE extent. ⋯ In patients with proven symptomatic PE, signs or symptoms of DVT are present only in 1/3 of cases and are significantly more frequent when DVT is extended to the femoral vein. Simplified CUS of the lower limbs has a high sensitivity in finding proximal DVT. CUS is not able to predict PE extent.
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Southern medical journal · May 2011
Comparative StudyComparing the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI) between African American and White veterans with chronic hepatitis C.
The study of noninvasive markers of fibrosis, such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI), have been limited in African American populations. Given the disparate outcomes of chronic hepatitis C in African American populations, comparative analyses of the APRI score should be undertaken. Compare the diagnostic accuracy of the APRI score for significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in a sample of African American and white veterans with chronic hepatitis C in the southeastern United States. ⋯ The APRI score displayed similar performance in African Americans and whites. A threshold of 1.0 can reliably exclude cirrhosis in African American veterans with chronic HCV infection.