Associations of Psoriatic Arthritis and Cardiovascular Conditions in a Large Population.
By Svetlana Kondratiouk, DO; Natalia Udaltsova, PhD; Arthur L Klatsky, MD
Among a multiethnic population of 76,465 men and women, none of the 99 persons with a confirmed outpatient diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis exhibited more atherothrombotic disease (coronary and cerebrovascular) or diabetes mellitus than two control groups, but all 99 persons did have an increased prevalence of systemic hypertension and heart failure, and a higher mean body mass index.
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Augmentation of Conventional Medical Management of Moderately Severe or Severe Asthma with Acupuncture and Guided Imagery/Meditation.
By Lewis Mehl-Madrona, MD, PhD
Patients with moderately severe or severe asthma who, when visiting a complementary and alternative medicine clinic, selectively chose to add a combination of acupuncture and guided imagery/meditation to their maximal medical management, experienced respiratory improvement--decreased symptoms, decreased Emergency Department visits, and decreased number of days of hospitalization, while taking less medications than before--and at a lower cost of care.
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TPJ 2007 “Service Quality Awards” -- Institute for Healthcare Improvement 19th Annual National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care Early Discharge Study for Premature Infants: Singapore General Hospital. At Singapore General Hospital, premature infants had a median birth weight of 1210 g. Discharge traditionally occurred when infants were medically fit and weighed 2000 g. The length of hospital stay was reduced 59.8%, primarily by improved discharge planning, revised guidelines (mean discharge at 1915 g), and nurses’ active preparation of parents psychologically and mentally for care of their babies at home. Counseling and Wellness Services Integrated with Primary Care: A Delivery System That Works. By colocating behavioral health counselors and nutritionists alongside primary care physicians. Grand Valley Health Plan established the national benchmark for patients using ambulatory services for mental health, and ranked first in Michigan on all six HEDIS “effectiveness of care” measures for behavioral health. One result was a 54% decrease in mental health hospitalization. Up to 70% of primary care visits are driven by psychosocial factors, with 25% of patients having a diagnosable mental disorder, and comorbidity occurring in up to 80% of patients. |
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Are Foot Abnormalities More Common in Adults with Diabetes? A Cross-Sectional Study in Basrah, Iraq.
By Abbas Ali Mansour, MD; Samir Ghani Dahyak, MD
In a study population of 100 patients with type 2 diabetes and 100 patients without diabetes, researchers found 13 foot abnormalities--prominent metatarsal head, high medial arch, hammertoe, wasting, joint stiffness, amputation, fissures, nail changes, ulcers, blisters, dryness, sclerosis, and dermopathy--statistically more frequent in study participants with diabetes; however only wasting, ulcer, and dryness were strongly associated with diabetes.
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