The Southern Medical Journal (SMJ) is the official, peer-reviewed journal of the Southern Medical Association. It has a multidisciplinary and inter-professional focus that covers a broad range of topics relevant to physicians and other healthcare specialists.
Objectives: Although advancements in electronic health records (EHRs) have improved clinical productivity, digital administrative responsibilities have led to increased physician burnout. With the emergence of large language models (LLMs), their incorporation into medicine is a potential solution to the increase in tasks such as charting and responding to patient messages….
Objective: Prior studies of the effect of father’s age on the risk of low birth weight (LBW, infant weight < 2500 g) have been inconclusive. In addition, previous investigators have not conducted a detailed analysis to determine whether paternal age (PA) interacts with maternal age (MA) on the outcome of...
Hypertension affects approximately 47.7% of US adults, with higher rates observed in men (50.8%) compared with women (44.6%). Risk factors and characteristics such as age, family history, race, and ethnicity also can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure and can make treatment more difficult. Aprocitentan is the first…
Objective: Black men experience disproportionate prostate cancer mortality compared with men of other races. As of 2018, major guidelines concur that all men make informed decisions about whether to be screened for prostate cancer after a discussion with their clinician. The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency…
α-Gal syndrome (AGS), a tick bite-associated allergy to mammalian meat, affects an estimated 450,000 Americans, with the highest prevalence concentrated in the US South and Southeast. The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum), ubiquitous across the region, transmits AGS sensitization, making reexposure nearly inevitable for outdoor workers and residents. Current management…
Objective: Acute severe asthma (ASA) is associated with a heightened risk of death. The influence of ambient temperature on in-hospital mortality and healthcare utilization for patients with ASA is poorly characterized. Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample, we compared adults hospitalized with ASA in the northeast with southern regions of…
Objectives: Understanding the concerns that motivate requests for assisted dying (euthanasia or assisted suicide) is essential for understanding these practices. Our objective was to determine whether there are significant trends in end-of-life concerns cited in requests for physician-assisted suicide (PAS) in Oregon and Washington. Methods: We estimated regressions using data…
Developmental disabilities and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are lifelong conditions that present complex medical challenges, particularly as individuals transition from pediatric to adult health care. Although these disorders typically manifest in cognitive impairment, motor dysfunction, seizures, and behavioral dysregulation, the degree of these symptoms can vary widely. This article introduces a…
Objectives: Although most progestin-only contraceptives are generally considered safe for most patients at increased risk of arterial and venous thrombosis, patients and clinicians may be wary of their use based on limited studies. Large prospective contraceptive studies with primary data collection would improve the evidence base for people at increased…
Objective: The objetive was to evaluate the utility of inpatient and emergency department (ED) fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) and its association with downstream healthcare utilization and costs. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of adult patients (18 years and older) who underwent FOBT in the ED or inpatient…
Objective: Studies have associated abnormally dilated or constricted main pancreatic duct (MPD) diameter sizes in postproximal pancreatectomies (Whipple procedures) with postoperative complications. As such, we studied the clinical factors associated with both abnormally dilated or constricted MPD diameters and perioperative factors that may influence postoperative pancreatic fistula formation. Methods: We…
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