Integrative diagnostics of the gastro-intestinal tract - gastroesophageal reflux and constipation in practice.

Common disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, such as gastroesophageal reflux/disease (GER/D) and constipation, are frequent causes for seeking medical support in infants. Diagnostic workup must ensure that diagnosed diseases are responsible for such complaints, thus enabling appropriate therapy. In this context assessment consists of clinical examination, functional tests, and imaging, which should be done in a staged manner. Close cooperation between clinicians and clinical radiologists enables optimal diagnostics, thus forming the basis for appropriate therapy.

Concordance between the Stockholm Workshop Scale and the International Consensus Criteria for grading the severity of neurosensory manifestations in hand-arm vibration syndrome in a Swedish clinical setting.

OBJECTIVES: Occupational exposure to vibration using hand-held tools may cause hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Correct diagnosis and grading of severity are crucial in protecting the individual's health and for workers' compensation claims. The International Consensus Criteria (ICC) has been suggested to replace the widely used Stockholm Workshop Scale (SWS). The aims were to, in a clinical setting, assess the concordance between the SWS and the ICC neurosensory severity grading of vibration injury, and to present the clinical picture according to symptoms, type of affected nerve fibres and the relation between vascular and neurosensory manifestations. METHODS: Data were collected from questionnaires, clinical examination and exposure assessment of 92 patients with HAVS. The severity of neurosensory manifestations was classified according to both scales. The prevalence of symptoms and findings was compared across groups of patients with increasing severity according to the SWS. RESULTS: Classification with the ICC resulted in a shift towards lower grades of severity than with the SWS due to a systematic difference between the scales. Affected sensory units with small nerve fibres were far more prevalent than affected units with large nerve fibres. The most prevalent symptoms were numbness (91%) and cold intolerance (86%). CONCLUSIONS: Using the ICC resulted in lower grades of the severity of HAVS. This should be taken into consideration when giving medical advice and approving workers' compensation. Clinical examinations should be performed to detect affected sensory units with both small and large nerve fibres and more attention should be paid to cold intolerance.

Differential disease diagnoses of epistaxis based on dynamic uncertain causality graph.

PURPOSE: Epistaxis is a common symptom and can be caused by various diseases, including nasal diseases, systemic diseases, etc. Many misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis of epistaxis are caused by lack of clinical knowledge and experience, especially some interns and the clinicans in primary hospitals. To help inexperienced clinicans improve their diagnostic accuracies of epistaxis, a computer-aided diagnostic system based on Dynamic Uncertain Causality Graph (DUCG) was designed in this study. METHODS: We build a visual epistaxis knowledge base based on medical experts' knowledge and experience. The knowledge base intuitively expresses the causal relationship among diseases, risk factors, symptoms, signs, laboratory checks, and image examinations. The DUCG inference algorithm well addresses the patients' clinical information with the knowledge base to deduce the currently suspected diseases and calculate the probability of each suspected disease. RESULT: The model can differentially diagnose 24 diseases with epistaxis as the chief complaint. A third-party verification was performed, and the total diagnostic precision was 97.81%. In addition, the DUCG-based diagnostic model was applied in Jiaozhou city and Zhongxian county, China, covering hundreds of primary hospitals and clinics. So far, the clinicians using the model have all agreed with the diagnostic results. The 432 real-world application cases show that this model is good for the differential diagnoses of epistaxis. CONCLUSION: The results show that the DUCG-based epistaxis diagnosis model has high diagnostic accuracy. It can assist primary clinicians in completing the differential diagnosis of epistaxis and can be accepted by clinicians.

Skin Cancer Screening: Updated Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.

Importance: Skin cancer is the most common cancer type and is a major cause of morbidity. Objective: To systematically review the benefits and harms of screening for skin cancer to inform the US Preventive Services Task Force. Data Sources: MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from June 1, 2015, through January 7, 2022; surveillance through December 16, 2022. Study Selection: English-language studies conducted in asymptomatic populations 15 years or older. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Two reviewers independently appraised the articles and extracted relevant data from fair- or good-quality studies; results were narratively summarized. Main Outcomes and Measures: Morbidity; mortality; skin cancer stage, precursor lesions, or lesion thickness at detection; harms of screening. Results: Twenty studies in 29 articles were included (N = 6 053 411). Direct evidence on screening effectiveness was from 3 nonrandomized analyses of 2 population-based skin cancer screening programs in Germany (n = 1 791 615) and suggested no melanoma mortality benefit at the population level over 4 to 10 years' follow-up. Six studies (n = 2 935 513) provided inconsistent evidence on the association between clinician skin examination and lesion thickness or stage at diagnosis. Compared with usual care, routine clinician skin examination was not associated with increased detection of skin cancer or precursor lesions (5 studies) or stage at melanoma detection (3 studies). Evidence on the association between clinician skin examination and lesion thickness at detection was inconsistent (3 studies). Nine studies (n = 1 326 051) found a consistent positive association between more advanced stage at melanoma detection and increasing risk of melanoma-associated and all-cause mortality. Two studies (n = 232) found little to no persistent cosmetic or psychosocial harms associated with screening. Conclusions and Relevance: A substantial nonrandomized evidence base suggests a clear association between earlier stage at skin cancer detection and decreased mortality risk. However, nonrandomized studies suggest little to no melanoma mortality benefit associated with skin cancer screening with visual skin examination in adolescents or adults and no association between routine clinician skin examination and earlier stage at melanoma detection. Evidence is inconsistent regarding whether clinician skin examination is associated with thinner melanoma lesions at detection.

Screening for Skin Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement.

Importance: Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the US. There are different types of skin cancer varying in disease incidence and severity. Basal and squamous cell carcinomas are the most common types of skin cancer but infrequently lead to death or substantial morbidity. Melanomas represent about 1% of skin cancer and cause the most skin cancer deaths. Melanoma is about 30 times more common in White persons than in Black persons. However, persons with darker skin color are often diagnosed at later stages, when skin cancer is more difficult to treat. Objective: To update its 2016 recommendation, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) commissioned a systematic review on the benefits and harms of screening for skin cancer in asymptomatic adolescents and adults. Population: Asymptomatic adolescents and adults who do not have a history of premalignant or malignant skin lesions. Evidence Assessment: The USPSTF concludes that the evidence is insufficient to determine the balance of benefits and harms of visual skin examination by a clinician to screen for skin cancer in asymptomatic adolescents and adults. Recommendation: The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of visual skin examination by a clinician to screen for skin cancer in adolescents and adults. (I statement).

[Internal differential diagnoses in acute back pain : An internal perspective on the possible causes of acute back pain]. / Internistische Differenzialdiagnosen bei akuten Rückenschmerzen : Eine internistische Perspektive zu den möglichen Ursachen von akuten Rückenschmerzen.

The majority of patients with acute back pain have no serious underlying disease; however, many internal diseases can be manifested as acute or chronic back pain. Therefore, in the assessment of patients with back pain the clinical history and clinical examination are important in order to detect indications for a possible underlying disease. Particularly red flags that indicate an acute or life-threatening disease should not be missed. In most cases where such red flags, risk factors or clinical indications are not present, no systematic search for internal underlying diseases is necessary. This article summarizes the most relevant differential diagnoses and clinical indications as well as warning symptoms.

[MEDIAN NERVE COMPRESSION BY LIPOMA CAN MIMIC CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME].

INTRODUCTION: Lipoma of the nerve is an uncommon tumor, and usually has the highest incidence in the upper limb, especially in the median nerve. When the lesion is large it can cause peripheral neuropathy such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Therefore, a physical examination is paramount for correct surgery and patient preparation. In this article we present a case that was mainly diagnosed by a complete physical examination, which led to the selection of appropriate surgery for the patient.

[Electrodiagnostic evaluation in differential diagnosis and neurosurgical treatment of radiculopathies caused by spine disorders. Diagnostic value and methodology]. / Elektromiograficheskie metody v differentsial'noi diagnostike i obosnovanii neirokhirurgicheskogo lecheniya radikulopatii, vyzvannykh zabolevaniyami pozvonochnika. Informativnost' i metodologiya.

One of the most common causes of radiculopathy requiring neurosurgical treatment is a herniated disc. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is still the main diagnostic approach for this lesion. However, MRI does not allow assessing the functional state of the root. Neurophysiological examination assesses the function of peripheral nervous system. These methods are used for differential diagnosis of causes of neurological symptoms and determine the level of the nerve root injury. OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of electromyography including paraspinal muscle mapping in diagnosis of radiculopathies following spine diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have analyzed literature data in the Scopus, Pubmed, and RSCI databases and selected 93 references for primary reviewing. Final analysis enrolled the manuscripts with a detailed description of neurophysiological examinations and data on sensitivity/specificity of these methods. RESULTS: Needle electromyography (EMG) is the most informative neurophysiological method for diagnosis of radicular damage. Sensitivity of EMG is up to 90% for lumbosacral radiculopathy. Electromyography of the paraspinal muscles can be used in case of of cervical, thoracic and lumbar radiculopathy in addition to EMG of limb muscles. Therefore sensitivity increases to 100%. Diagnostic value of nerve conduction study (NCS) is low, and performing NCS without EMG is not useful. CONCLUSION: In neurosurgical practice electrodiagnostic (EDX) should be performed for differential diagnosis of radiculopathy and peripheral nervous system lesions, to determine the level of radicular compression, and when physical examination does not correspond with neuroimaging or MRI is not possible to perform.

General Health Checks in Adult Primary Care: A Review.

Importance: General health checks, also known as general medical examinations, periodic health evaluations, checkups, routine visits, or wellness visits, are commonly performed in adult primary care to identify and prevent disease. Although general health checks are often expected and advocated by patients, clinicians, insurers, and health systems, others question their value. Observations: Randomized trials and observational studies with control groups reported in prior systematic reviews and an updated literature review through March 2021 were included. Among 19 randomized trials (906 to 59 616 participants; follow-up, 1 to 30 years), 5 evaluated a single general health check, 7 evaluated annual health checks, 1 evaluated biannual checks, and 6 evaluated health checks delivered at other frequencies. Twelve of 13 observational studies (240 to 471 415 participants; follow-up, cross-sectional to 5 years) evaluated a single general health check. General health checks were generally not associated with decreased mortality, cardiovascular events, or cardiovascular disease incidence. For example, in the South-East London Screening Study (n = 7229), adults aged 40 to 64 years who were invited to 2 health checks over 2 years, compared with adults not invited to screening, experienced no 8-year mortality benefit (6% vs 5%). General health checks were associated with increased detection of chronic diseases, such as depression and hypertension; moderate improvements in controlling risk factors, such as blood pressure and cholesterol; increased clinical preventive service uptake, such as colorectal and cervical cancer screening; and improvements in patient-reported outcomes, such as quality of life and self-rated health. In the Danish Check-In Study (n = 1104), more patients randomized to receive to a single health check, compared with those randomized to receive usual care, received a new antidepressant prescription over 1 year (5% vs 2%; P = .007). In a propensity score-matched analysis (n = 8917), a higher percentage of patients who attended a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit, compared with those who did not, underwent colorectal cancer screening (69% vs 60%; P < .01). General health checks were sometimes associated with modest improvements in health behaviors such as physical activity and diet. In the OXCHECK trial (n = 4121), fewer patients randomized to receive annual health checks, compared with those not randomized to receive health checks, exercised less than once per month (68% vs 71%; difference, 3.3% [95% CI, 0.5%-6.1%]). Potential adverse effects in individual studies included an increased risk of stroke and increased mortality attributed to increased completion of advance directives. Conclusions and Relevance: General health checks were not associated with reduced mortality or cardiovascular events, but were associated with increased chronic disease recognition and treatment, risk factor control, preventive service uptake, and improved patient-reported outcomes. Primary care teams may reasonably offer general health checks, especially for groups at high risk of overdue preventive services, uncontrolled risk factors, low self-rated health, or poor connection or inadequate access to primary care.

Radiation exposure during videourodynamic testing: Is dose reduction possible using a standardized protocol?

AIMS: To evaluate the impact of a protocol for standardized image capture during video urodynamics (VUD) on radiation exposure. Secondly, to categorize radiation exposure by condition warranting VUD and to identify clinical variables that correlate with increased radiation exposure. METHODS: One hundred fifty patients underwent VUD using our standardized protocol. All images were taken using low dose and pulsed settings. Four images are captured: one scout image, one filling image, one voiding image, and one post-void image. If the patient is unable to void with the catheter in place, the catheter is removed and a second image is taken during an attempt at unintubated flow. If vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is identified, an alternate protocol is entered to document parameters. The mean radiation exposure measured in dose area product (DAP), fluoroscopy time, and number of images were noted and compared with previously published fluoroscopy data collected at our institution before protocol implementation. RESULTS: The mean fluoroscopy exposure after the implementation of our protocol was 273.5 mGy/cm2 taking 5.2 images in 4.5 seconds. Protocol implementation leads to a 51.2% reduction in radiation exposure calculated by mean DAP (P < .0001) and a 96.5% reduction in fluoroscopy time (P < .0001). The presence of VUR, fluoroscopy time, and body mass index (BMI) > 25 were associated with higher radiation exposure (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: Implementation and adherence to a standardized protocol for fluoroscopy led to a reduction in radiation exposure fluoroscopy time. The presence of VUR, fluoroscopy time, and BMI > 25 were associated with higher radiation exposure.

Emergency Department Management of the Sexual Assault Victim in the COVID Era: A Model SAFET-I Guideline From San Diego County.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has contributed to an increase in intimate partner violence (IPV), posing challenges to health care providers who must protect themselves and others during sexual assault examinations. Victims of sexual assault encountered in prehospital and emergency department (ED) settings have legal as well as medical needs. A series of procedures must be carefully followed to facilitate forensic evidence collection and law enforcement investigation. A literature review detected a paucity of published guidance on the management of sexual assault patients in the ED, and no information specific to COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: Investigators sought to update the San Diego County sexual assault guidelines, created in collaboration with health care professionals, forensic specialists, and law enforcement, through a consensus iterative review process. An additional objective was to create a SAFET-I Tool for use by frontline providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. DISCUSSION: The authors present a novel SAFET-I Tool that outlines the following five components of effective sexual assault patient care: stabilization, alert system activation, forensic evidence consideration, expedited post-assault treatment, and trauma-informed care. This framework can be used as an educational tool and template for agencies interested in developing or adapting existing sexual assault policies. CONCLUSIONS: There is a lack of clinical guidance for ED providers that integrates the many aspects of sexual assault patient care, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. A SAFET-I Tool is presented to assist emergency health care providers in the treatment and advocacy of sexual assault patients during a period with increasing rates of IPV.

Oral sweet solution to prevent pain during neonatal hip examination: a randomised controlled trial.

AIM: To determine if oral glucose can have a pain-relieving effect during routine hip examinations in newborn infants. METHODS: In this randomised controlled study 100 newborn infants undergoing the routine physical examination including the potentially painful hip examination were included between March 2016 and April 2017. Fifty infants were randomised to water (control) and 50 to oral glucose (intervention) before their examination. Pain was assessed using crying time, Astrid Lindgren and Lund Children's Hospital Pain and Stress Assessment Scale (ALPS-Neo) and Visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: Total crying time (p = 0.006), crying time during the hip examination (p = 0.026), ALPS-Neo (p = 0.004) and VAS (p = 0.006) (when assessed by the physician) were all significantly decreased in the group of infants receiving glucose. VAS assessment made by the parents did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.127). CONCLUSION: Oral glucose given before the examination has a pain-relieving effect during the hip examination in healthy newborn infants.

Pain Management with ROP Position in Turkish Preterm Infants During Eye Examinations: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of infant positioning on pain, heart rate, oxygen saturation and crying time during examination. DESIGN & METHODS: The randomized controlled experimental study was carried out on 70 preterm infants. ROP position + pacifier was used in the experimental group (n = 35) while only the pacifier was used in the control group. Heart rates, oxygen saturation, crying duration and pain score (Premature Infant Pain Profile-PIPP) were evaluated before, during and after the screening. RESULTS: The preterm infants in the experimental group recorded lower pain scores at the beginning of the screening (p = 0.01), at the end of the screening (p = 0.01) and after screening (p = 0.01) than those in the control group. The heart rate was higher in the control group during screening (p = 0.010) and after screening (p = 0.008) than in the preterm infants in the experimental group. Oxygen saturation was not significantly different between the groups before, during or after screening. Crying duration was lower in the experimental group than in the control group (p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: Positioning of the infant to support behavioral organization was found to be effective in reducing pain and shortening crying time during eye examination, and had favorable effects on physiological variables with ROP position during eye examinations. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: ROP position is a practical and effective non-pharmacological method during eye examinations by neonatal nurses.

Errors in cervical spine immobilization during pediatric trauma evaluation.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify factors during trauma evaluation that increase the likelihood of errors in cervical spine immobilization ('lapses'). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multivariate analysis was used to identify the associations between patient characteristics, event features, and tasks performed in proximity to the head and neck and the occurrence and duration of a lapse in maintaining cervical spine immobilization during 56 pediatric trauma evaluations. RESULTS: Lapses in cervical spine immobilization occurred in 71.4% of patients (n = 40), with an average of 1.2 ± 1.3 lapses per patient. Head and neck tasks classified as oxygen manipulation occurred an average of 12.2 ± 9.7 times per patient, whereas those related to neck examination and cervical collar manipulation occurred an average of 2.7 ± 1.7 and 2.1 ± 1.2 times per patient, respectively. More oxygen-related tasks were performed among patients who had than those who did not have a lapse (27.3 ± 16.5 versus 11.5 ± 8.0 tasks, P = 0.001). Patients who had cervical collar placement or manipulation had a two-fold higher risk of a lapse than those who did not have these tasks performed (OR 1.92, 95% CI 0.56, 3.28, P = 0.006). More lapses occurred during evaluations on the weekend (P = 0.01), when more tasks related to supplemental oxygen manipulation were performed (P = 0.02) and when more tasks associated with cervical collar management were performed (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Errors in cervical spine immobilization were frequently observed during the initial evaluation of injured children. Strategies to reduce these errors should target approaches to head and neck management during the primary and secondary phases of trauma evaluation.

Risk factors to develop autonomic dysreflexia during urodynamic examinations in patients with spinal cord injury.

AIMS: The risk factors for developing autonomic dysreflexia (AD) during urodynamic (UD) examination in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) above Th6 still remain unclear. The main goal of our study is to investigate the risk factors that could be associated with AD in these particular patients. DESIGN: Cross sectional survey. SUBJECT AND METHODS: The study was carried out in 83 patients with SCI above Th6 who were submitted to our center for a UD examination. AD was defined as a rise in systolic blood pressure above 15 mm Hg with a pulse rate below 60 beats per minute. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of AD among our patients was 54%. Univariate analysis of our study showed the following risk factors: patient's age, SCI completeness, traumatic etiology, indwelling catheter, presence of chills or sweating, anticholinergic treatment, maximum detrusor voiding pressure, detrusor pressure at maximum flow rate, detrusor external sphincter dyssynergia, and bladder outlet obstruction. Using multivariate logistic regression, we found that there are only two independent risk factors: patient's age equal to or above 45 years of age (OR = 10.995) and maximum detrusor voiding pressure equal to or above 31 cm H2 O (OR = 3.879). CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, the patient's age and maximum detrusor voiding pressure should be considered at the time of performing a UD examination in order to prevent the sudden onset of AD in patients with SCI above Th6. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:171-175, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Disorders of Sex Development: Pediatric Psychology and the Genital Exam.

Objective: To provide suggestions for clinical care of youth with disorders of sex development (DSD) and their families, by drawing on preexisting pediatric psychology literature with a particular focus on child sexual abuse (CSA) genital exams. Method: Relevant peer-reviewed papers published since 1990 in the CSA literature were systematically reviewed, as well as an illustrative sample of general pediatric psychology papers. Results: Empirical research from the CSA literature provided information on prevalence of distress and the impact of provider behavior, the importance of preparation, and proposed interventions. Expert recommendations from CSA literature and general findings gleaned from pediatric psychology also address these issues. Conclusions: Psychological findings in the CSA pediatric population suggest that fears and anxieties are not universal and can be linked to a number of variables. Based on this review, we make a number of recommendations for potential interventions for youth with DSD and their families, emphasizing the need for further clinical research.

Assistance of Medical Clowns Improves the Physical Examinations of Children Aged 2-6 Years.

BACKGROUND: A good physical exam is necessary to help pediatricians make the correct diagnosis and can save unnecessary imaging or invasive procedures. Distraction by medical clowns may create the optimal conditions for a proper physical examination. METHODS: Children aged 2-6 years who required physical examination in the pediatric emergency department were recruited and randomly assigned to one of two groups: physical exam by a pediatrician in the presence of caregivers vs. physical exam with the assistance of a medical clown. Outcome measures consisted of the level of child's discomfort, anxiety, and the quality of the physical examination. RESULTS: Ninety three children participated. Mean age was 3.3 ± 3.6 years (range 2-6). The duration of the physical exam was similar between the clown and control groups (4.6 ± 1.4 minutes vs. 4.5 ± 1.1 minutes (P = 0.64). The duration of discomfort was shorter in the clown group (0.2 ± 0.6 minutes) than the control group(1.6 ± 2.0 minutes, P = 0.001). In the medical clown group, 94% of pediatricians reported that the medical clown improved their ability to perform a complete physical examination. A trend of less hospitalization in the medical clown group was also noticed (11.3% in the medical clown group vs. 18.3% in the control group, P = 0.1); however, further study is required to verify this observation. CONCLUSIONS: Integration of a medical clown in physical examination improves the overall experience of the child and the caregivers and helps the pediatrician to perform a complete physical examination.

Posture Influence on the Pendulum Test of Spasticity in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury.

The study aims to investigate the influence of different postures on spasticity results by pendulum test in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). The setting was at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil. Five individuals with SCI and five individuals in the control group were included. All individuals went through the pendulum test in three different positions: supine, semi-supine at an angle of 30°, and sitting up at an angle of 60°. An electrogoniometer was attached to the right leg for measurement of knee joint angles. All situations were performed five times. Blood pressure was monitored during tests. Relaxation index (RI), normalized relaxation index (RIn), test duration in seconds, initial flexion angle, and resting angle were analyzed at three different positions. Results were compared between different positions, and statistically no differences were found. In individuals with SCI, RI (1.83 ± 0.2), RIn (1.14 ± 0.13), and test duration values (13.95 ± 4.14), in sitting up position, were similar to the control group results. In sitting up position, patients showed spasticity reduction. However, the other two postures produce pain and increase blood pressure in patients with tetraplegia. Therefore, these postures should be avoided in patients with lesions above T6, due to possible autonomic dysreflexia symptoms.