Invited Commentary

Commentary “Resident Physicians’ Opinions and Behaviors Regarding the Use of Interpreters in New Orleans”

In this issue of the Southern Medical Journal, Sandler and colleagues examine resident physicians’ use of interpreters in caring for patients with limited English-language proficiency and the barriers to use that they encounter.1 Previous articles on the subject have shown the benefits of using interpreters, including decreased adverse events2 and…

Original Article

Pediatric Osteosarcoma: A Single Institution’s Experience

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate outcomes with an examination of individual predictors influencing survival at a single institution. Methods: This was a retrospective review of the 28 pediatric osteosarcoma patients diagnosed and studied from 2000 through 2012. Twenty-eight patient charts and imaging studies were reviewed for…

Review Article

Menopausal Hormone Treatment in Postmenopausal Women: Risks and Benefits

Our objectives in this review were to examine the relevant menopausal hormone treatment (MHT) trials in postmenopausal women during the past 3 decades, provide an insight analysis of these studies from a clinical point of view, determine the efficacy and applicability of hormone therapy in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases,…

Review Article

Antipsychotic Drugs and Safety Concerns for Breast-Feeding Infants

Antipsychotic drugs prescribed to treat psychiatric symptoms during the postpartum period are secreted into breast milk. Because breast-feeding is crucial to infant development, it is important to select a medication that poses the fewest adverse consequences. Aripiprazole, haloperidol, perphenazine, and trifluoperazine demonstrate no known developmental dangers. Olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone…

Review Article

Fixed Drug Eruptions: Presentation, Diagnosis, and Management

Fixed drug eruption (FDE) is a well-defined, circular, hyperpigmenting plaque that recurs as one or a few lesions always in fixed locations upon ingestion of a drug. FDE commonly occurs on the genitals, lips, trunk, and hands. Although the lesions are distinctive, the diagnosis of FDE often is missed because…

Original Article

Resident Physicians’ Opinions and Behaviors Regarding the Use of Interpreters in New Orleans

Objectives: In academic medical centers, resident physicians are most involved in the care of patients, yet many have little training in the proper use of interpreters in the care of patients with limited English-language proficiency. Residents have cited lack of time and lack of access to trained medical interpreters as…

Original Article

Factors Associated with Placement of Rural Primary Care Physicians in North Carolina

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine what factors influence primary care physicians to choose rural practice locations to better develop the rural workforce in North Carolina. To better recruit and retain physicians, residents, and medical students for rural practice, we must understand what factors positively influence their…

Invited Commentary

Commentary on “Prenatal Care, Pregnancy Outcomes, and Postpartum Birth Control Plans among Pregnant Women with Opiate Addiction”

In this issue of the Southern Medical Journal, Parlier and colleagues present evidence of the underutilization of postpartum care and contraception by women with opiate addictions during their pregnancies.1 Only 62.5% of all eligible patients received postpartum contraception and those who did were more likely to have had a preterm…

Original Article

CME Article: Yield of Diagnostic Tests and Its Impact on Cost in Adult Patients with Syncope Presenting to a Community Hospital

Objectives: Total annual costs for syncope-related hospitalizations were $2.4 billion in 2000. The aim of this study was to examine the type and number of tests ordered for patients admitted with syncope and whether these tests helped establish the cause. Methods: We studied the records of 1038 patients coded as…

Invited Commentary

Commentary on “Care of the Adult Patient with Down Syndrome”

There are an estimated 250,000 individuals with Down syndrome in the United States,1 with the population being skewed to children and adolescents as a result of the considerable morbidity associated with the condition.2 Usually resulting from an extra chromosome 21 (trisomy 21), but occasionally caused by an unbalanced chromosome rearrangement…

Original Article

Prenatal Care, Pregnancy Outcomes, and Postpartum Birth Control Plans Among Pregnant Women with Opiate Addictions

Objectives: To describe how effectively we provided adequate prenatal care and postpartum contraception to prevent repeat, unintended pregnancies to women using opiates or medication maintenance therapy (MMT) during pregnancy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 94 women using opiates or MMT during 96 pregnancies while receiving prenatal care…

Review Article

CME Article: Care of the Adult Patient with Down Syndrome

Down syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, occurs in 1 of every 691 live births in the United States.1 It is by far the most common birth defect and chromosomal disorder in live-born infants.2 Despite its prevalence, there is minimal literature on the comprehensive care of adult patients with Down…

Perspectives

Internal Review and the Next Accreditation System

This Perspective reviews the program outcomes required for internal medicine and other medical school programs under the Next Accreditation System (NAS) of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and suggests some common ‘‘human triggers’’ that could be used by graduate medical offices for more thorough internal reviews.

Invited Commentary

Commentary on “Menopausal Hormone Treatment in Postmenopausal Women: Risks and Benefits”

In this issue of the Southern Medical Journal, Dous and colleagues present the course of events before and since the 2002 publication of the results of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled intervention of conjugated estrogen and medroxyprogesterone acetate in postmenopausal women.1,2 Menopausal hormone treament (MHT) using…

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