Browse Clinical Articles by Topic

Family Planning Providers Urged to Focus on Campus Sexual Violence Prevention

One in five women is sexually assaulted while in college. A White House Task Force wants to strengthen federal enforcement efforts.

Statistics show more use of LARC — How can you maintain momentum?

The latest national statistics show that long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) now follow the Pill, sterilization, and condoms as the most common methods currently used by women in the United States.¹ However, with 51% of pregnancies unintended in the United States,² advocates are pushing to improve access to such effective birth control.

Cervical Cancer Screening: Are We Going in the Wrong Direction?

Synopsis:Cervical cancer screening in the United States is underpacing targets to meet the Healthy People 2020 objectives of 93% compliance with guidelines. While overall incidence rates of cervix cancer have decreased slightly, mortality has not, and underserved, underinsured, and minority/ethnic populations continue to be at highest risk for cervical cancer development.

Is Pregnancy a Risk Factor for Future Obesity?

Synopsis:In this prospective cohort study, being overweight or obese pre-pregnancy and excessive weight gain during pregnancy were associated with postpartum weight retention (> 20 pounds) at 1 year. Protective factors were breastfeeding at 6 months and moderate exercise.

Robotic-assisted Adnexal Surgery: More Complications and Higher Cost

ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY: The performance of robotically assisted adnexal surgery increased dramatically over the last decade.

Eat More Fish? Choose Fish Carefully to Avoid Mercury Toxicity

Synopsis: A recent review deals with the benefits, as well as the risks, of eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids and pinpoints which fish contain the most and least amounts of mercury.

Internal Medicine [ALERT]

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) gave a level B recommendation in support of annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) to screen for lung cancer in appropriate risk groups. The USPSTF decision was largely based on the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), a mega-trial (n = 53,454) in the United States that randomized subjects to annual LDCT or chest X-ray. The primary endpoint of the study was lung cancer mortality, and all-cause mortality was a secondary endpoint. Inclusion criteria included at least a 30-pack/year history of smoking (if stopped within 15 years), ability and willingness to complete follow-up for abnormal findings, and absence of problematic comorbidities that might otherwise compromise long-term survival.

Human Papillomavirus 9-valent Vaccine, Recombinant (Gardasil® 9)

The FDA has approved a 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The new vaccine covers five more types of HPV than the previous vaccine and protects against 90% of the HPV strains that cause cervical cancer.1 The new vaccine is marketed by Merck as Gardasil®9.

Liraglutide Preserves Beta Cell Function — Well, Kind of…

SYNOPSIS: Fifty-one patients with type 2 diabetes of 2.6 +/- 1.9 years duration and an A1C of 6.8 % completed 4 weeks of intensive insulin therapy in order to eliminate glucose toxicity which is injurious to pancreatic beta cells. Thereafter, patients were randomized to receive daily subcutaneous liraglutide or an equivalent volume of placebo. Serial assessments of beta-cell function following oral glucose tolerance testing was performed at 12 week intervals for 48 weeks. Patients using liraglutide noted a rebust enhancement of beta cell function which was sustained over the course of the trial, yet lost within two weeks after stopping treatment.

Clinical Briefs

The Heavy Emotional Costs of Rosacea, Treatment Choices Among the PDE5 Inhibitors, and Screening Asymptomatic Diabetics with CT angiography