Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Jan 2013
Multicenter StudySurvey of practices and policies relating to the use of complementary and alternative medicines and therapies in New South Wales cancer services.
To examine policies and practices relating to the provision, prescription and monitoring of complementary and alternative medicine and therapies (CAM) in conventional cancer services in NSW. ⋯ Most cancer services in NSW recognise potential CAM use by patients and expect medical staff to ask patients about their use of CAM. While few cancer services provided or prescribed CAM, over half permitted inpatients to bring their own CAM into hospital. There was little control over the use of CAM, however, and monitoring was lax. Given the wide usage of CAM by patients with cancer, this lack of control may compromise clinical outcomes, with potentially dangerous consequences.
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Internal medicine journal · Jan 2013
Letter Review Case ReportsA rare cause of high anion gap metabolic acidosis.
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Internal medicine journal · Jan 2013
Junior doctor training in pleural procedures: a quality survey.
Pleural effusion is a common medical condition encountered by doctors. This study was conducted to ascertain the level of junior doctor (physician-in-training) training, knowledge and supervision in the management of pleural effusion. The information was collected with the help of a proforma, from 49 junior medical doctors working in a metropolitan health service. ⋯ This survey highlights deficiencies in junior doctor knowledge and procedural skills. Junior doctor training should be tailored to increase the 'hands-on' training time and increased patient contact. Senior clinicians should be given sufficient 'protected time' for teaching and training.
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Internal medicine journal · Jan 2013
Multicenter StudyHow many life years are lost in patients with rheumatoid arthritis? Secular cause-specific and all-cause mortality in rheumatoid arthritis, and their predictors in a long-term Australian cohort study.
There is an excess of mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but no long-term Australian cohort data. ⋯ Within a period of 14 years, median life expectancy of patients with RA with disease onset in the early 1990s is reduced by 6-7 years. However, our results also suggest a secular reduction in excess mortality.