Geriatrics
Prostate Cancer Screening Draft Recommendations – USPSTF
12 Apr, 2017 | 15:58h | UTCProstate Cancer Screening Draft Recommendations – U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (free)
Viewpoint: The US Preventive Services Task Force 2017 Draft Recommendation Statement on Screening for Prostate Cancer: An Invitation to Review and Comment – JAMA (free)
See also: Should you get screened for prostate cancer? We break down the latest advice – STAT News (free)
For those aged 55 to 69 it recommends “informed, individualized decision making based on a man’s values and preferences”. According to a useful infographic from the draft recommendations, the benefits are likely small. For every 1000 men offered PSA based screening over a period of 10-15 years, the test would avoid cancer spreading in 3 men and death from prostate cancer in 1-2 men, with the undesired consequences of false positives and subsequent procedures in many patients.
Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hip
12 Apr, 2017 | 15:55h | UTCManagement of Osteoarthritis of the Hip – American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (free PDF)
Source: AAOS releases new clinical practice guideline for osteoarthritis of the hip – Medical Express (free)
How Many Pills Are Too Many?
12 Apr, 2017 | 15:56h | UTCHow Many Pills Are Too Many? – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
“Evidence has mounted about the dangers of taking multiple, perhaps unnecessary, medications” (from Tweet)
Seniors are given so many drugs, it’s madness
10 Apr, 2017 | 15:54h | UTCSeniors are given so many drugs, it’s madness – The Globe and Mail (free) (RT @RasoiniR)
“While most prescribing is well-intentioned, it’s also unco-ordinated; there is a tendency to overmedicate and leave people on drugs for too long”.
American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria Adds Topics
4 Apr, 2017 | 21:19h | UTCACR Appropriateness Criteria Adds Topics, Covers More Clinical Variants Than Ever Before (free)
Browse Appropriateness Criteria Topics (free)
Source: Newswise
This comprehensive guide from American College of Radiology (ACR) covers 230 topics with more than 1,100 clinical indications and has just been updated. It is a very useful resource for doctors in all specialties to guide which exam is most appropriate in each clinical situation.
Thyroid Hormone Therapy for Older Adults with Subclinical Hypothyroidism
5 Apr, 2017 | 15:02h | UTCSource: Levothyroxine Shows No Benefit in Older Adults with Subclinical Hypothyroidism – Physician’s First Watch (free)
Management of Inpatient Hyperglycemia and Diabetes in Older Adults
4 Apr, 2017 | 21:18h | UTCManagement of Inpatient Hyperglycemia and Diabetes in Older Adults – Diabetes Care (free)
Source: Management of Hyperglycemia in Elderly, Hospitalized Adults – PracticeUpdates (free registration required)
Cognitive Dysfunction in Older Adults With Diabetes
3 Apr, 2017 | 19:18h | UTCCognitive Dysfunction in Older Adults With Diabetes: What a Clinician Needs to Know – Diabetes Care (free)
Source: Management of Older Adults With Diabetes and Cognitive Dysfunction – PracticeUpdate (free registration required)
“Recommendations include the need for simplified medication regimens, avoidance of glucose-lowering drugs with a high risk of hypoglycemia, periodic reassessment of glycemic goals, and repeated education of the patient and caregiver” (from PracticeUpdate commentary above)
Impact of total knee replacement practice: cost effectiveness analysis
31 Mar, 2017 | 19:01h | UTCSee also: Knee Replacement Should Be Reserved for More Severe Osteoarthritis, Study Suggests – Physician’s First Watch (free)
Total knee replacement for patients with osteoarthritis had minimal effects on quality of life in this study. Severely affected patients seem to benefit the most from the procedure.
Approach to preventive care in the elderly
31 Mar, 2017 | 18:57h | UTCApproach to preventive care in the elderly – Canadian Family Physician (free)
Genetic assessment of age-associated Alzheimer disease risk
23 Mar, 2017 | 17:01h | UTCGenetic assessment of age-associated Alzheimer disease risk: Development and validation of a polygenic hazard score – PLOS Medicine (free) (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)
See also: New Alzheimer’s test can predict age when disease will appear – The Guardian (free)
*Very interesting, but do we want to know?*
Pregabalin for Acute and Chronic Sciatica
23 Mar, 2017 | 17:15h | UTCTrial of Pregabalin for Acute and Chronic Sciatica – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ required for full-text)
Pregabalin did not reduce pain and was associated with higher incidence of adverse events.
Dementia Across the Lifespan and Around the Globe
23 Mar, 2017 | 16:59h | UTCPLOS Medicine special issue edited by Carol Brayne & Bruce Miller: Dementia Across the Lifespan and Around the Globe (free) (RT @tshakey)
Prosthetic joint infection management
23 Mar, 2017 | 16:57h | UTCComprehensive review with practical algorithm.