Browse Internal Medicine Articles by Topic

Probiotic Use in Day Care Children

A 12-week intervention of daily supplementation with probiotics Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (BB-12) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG) 10 billion colony-forming units produced no reduction in the number of days absent from day care in Danish infants 8 to 14 months old.

A Contemporary Review of Hypertension

Hypertension is a common and serious condition that contributes to an estimated 40% of deaths from coronary heart disease and stroke, and is the second leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Because of the importance and frequency of hypertension in primary care practices, we are devoting two issues to the subject. This issue focuses on the definition of blood pressure and current guidelines, risk factors, relationship to cardiovascular disease, blood pressure measurement, patient evaluation, and secondary causes. The next issue will cover treatments (pharmacological and non-pharmacological), initial therapy, relationship to various disease conditions (diabetes, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, cerebrovascular disease, ischemic stroke, stroke prevention, atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease, aortic regurgitation, sexual dysfunction), resistant hypertension, hypertensive crises and emergencies, preoperative management, and adherence strategies.

Untangling the Factors Governing Huntington’s Disease Progression

In a study of more than 3,000 subjects, CAG-repeat-dependent factors affecting age at onset also influenced rates of progression of cognitive, motor, and functional impairments, providing optimism that developing interventions, such as gene silencing therapies, could provide benefit.

Predicting Future Dementia With Retinal Optical Coherence Tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an innovative imaging device that measures thickness of retinal nerve fiber layers and ganglion cells. Thinning of these layers is associated with current and future risk of dementia.

Use of Amyloid PET Imaging for Diagnosis of Dementia

The use of amyloid positron emission tomography scanning to assist in accurate diagnosis of patients with symptoms of cognitive impairment as well as frank dementia results in a change of diagnosis in at least 25% of patients.

Viral Therapy for Glioblastoma

In a Phase I/II trial, convection-enhanced delivery of an engineered poliovirus yielded similar median overall survival compared to historical controls. However, a small subgroup of treated patients had extended survival past two years.

Are Oral Corticosteroids as Effective as Intravenous Steroids in the Treatment of Acute Optic Neuritis?

Based on outcomes measured at one and six months following optic neuritis in the context of multiple sclerosis, these investigators reported similar efficacy when comparing oral to bioequivalent doses of intravenous steroids.

Anticoagulation Management After Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Mechanical Heart Valve Patients

An observational study of patients with mechanical heart valves on oral anticoagulants who had an intracranial hemorrhage demonstrates that it generally is safe to resume anticoagulants after 14 days. However, in high-risk-for-thromboembolism patients, such as those with atrial fibrillation, restarting anticoagulants six to 13 days postoperative may be considered.

When Can Surgeons Perform Aortic Valve Replacement Safely After a Stroke?

Interrogation of Danish administrative registry data demonstrated that a stroke within three to four months of aortic valve surgery was associated with a higher rate of perioperative stroke.

Tailored Anticoagulation for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

Intermittent anticoagulation guided by continuous assessment of arrhythmia status in patients with low-to-moderate risk did not result in any strokes or thromboembolic events over a relatively short follow-up period. Such a strategy may be an alternative to chronic anticoagulation but requires further study.