“Negative Secular Trends in Medicine: Part XI: The Salaries of Physicians Compared to Professional Athletes”.
Over the last 8 years, I have had 10 Commentaries in this Journal on trends I thought would make it less likely that the smartest kids in the class, the ones to whom we entrust our lives, would choose a career in Medicine. The astronomical salaries of professional athletes in comparison to physicians allows me to make a variety of points. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - February 7, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: Robert M. Doroghazi Tags: Commentary Source Type: research
Making Medical Treatment Decisions for Unrepresented Hospitalized Patients
A 2020 joint statement by the American Thoracic Society/American Geriatrics Society (ATS/AGS) helpfully offers guidance on designing policies governing decision making for unrepresented patients who lack capacity to make their own decisions and have no identified surrogate decision maker.1 However, the statement is limited in two respects. First, it focuses on only patients in Intensive Care Units (ICU). Second, it focuses on withdrawing life-sustaining treatments. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - February 7, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: Ryan Marshall Felder, Kate Luenprakansit, Thaddeus Mason Pope, David Magnus Tags: Commentary Source Type: research
The Potential Influence of Firearm Violence on Physical Inactivity in the United States
Despite broad recognition of the physical inactivity pandemic, little to no progress has been made in the past decade in mitigating the problem. The current analysis builds upon previous research into the drivers of physical inactivity to assess the potential interactions with firearm violence in the United States (U.S.). (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - February 7, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: Thomas E. Kottke, Nicolaas P. Pronk, Colin Woodard, Ross Arena Tags: Clinical Research Study Source Type: research
Factors associated with cognitive impairment in patients with persisting sequelae of Covid-19
Quantify cognitive deficits in patients with post-acute sequelae of Covid-19 (PASC) and identify key variables related to cognitive impairment in PASC. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - February 6, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: Aaron Bonner-Jackson, Rohun Vangal, Yadi Li, Nicolas Thompson, Shinjon Chakrabarti, Kamini Krishnan Source Type: research
Re-analyses of 8 Historical Trials in Cardiovascular Medicine Assessing Multimorbidity Burden and its Association with Treatment Response
To examine the multimorbidity burden of clinical trial participants and assess its association with treatment response. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - February 6, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: Andrew J. Foy, Eric W. Schaefer, Mohammed Ruzieh, Matthew Nudy, Omaima Ali, Vernon M. Chinchilli, Gerald V. Naccarelli Source Type: research
Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Fatigue-dominant Long-COVID subjects: A Cross-Sectional Study
Long-COVID is defined by persistent symptoms following COVID-19 infection. Approximately 71% of individuals with long-COVID experience ongoing fatigue, post-exertional malaise, and cognitive impairments, which share pathological similarities with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). This similarity has prompted studies to explore the characteristics of long-COVID to gain a better understanding of ME/CFS. To gain insights, we investigated the clinical and laboratory characteristics of individuals with fatigue-dominant long-COVID. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - February 6, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: Jin-Seok Lee, Yujin Choi, Jin-Yong Joung, Chang-Gue Son Tags: Clinical Research Study Source Type: research
Endometrial Carcinoma Diagnosed in a patient with Pasteurella Bacteremia
Pasteurella multocida is a gram-negative coccobacillus classically associated with zoonotic infection. It is commonly found in the normal oropharyngeal flora of many mammals, especially cats and dogs. While most human infections with P. multocida are caused by dog or cat bites or scratches, other modes of transmission are possible1. Direct contact with pet saliva through licking of nonintact skin, kissing, or sharing food may lead to infection or even colonization. In rare instances, colonization of individuals can result in horizontal or vertical human-to-human transmission. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - February 4, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: Kelly Szymanski, Cody Wu, Ryan Kovacik, Dhara Patel, Shadi Memar, David Cohen Tags: Clinical Communications to the Editor Source Type: research
Painful left bundle branch block
A 76-year-old man with long-standing hypertension treated with perindopril/amlodipine combination presented with a one-month history of angina on exertion accompanied by dyspnea and pain in the left arm. A few months before, propafenone at 2 × 300 mg daily was prescribed for frequent symptomatic supraventricular extrasystoles (Figure 1). Physical examination revealed no abnormality, his blood pressure was 120/70 mmHg, and his heart rate was 60 bpm. Apart from mild hypercholesterolemia, laboratory examination showed no other abnorm ality. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - February 4, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: J ános Tomcsányi, Kristóf Tomcsányi Tags: ECG image of the month Source Type: research
Aerococcus urinae: an emerging, gram-positive pathogen causing urinary tract infection
Many urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by gram-negative rods. However, gram-positive cocci (GPC) can also cause UTIs, particularly in the elderly. Aerococcus urinae is a gram-positive coccus that forms colony clusters. Here, we present a case of an elderly woman who developed a complicated UTI caused by A. urinae. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - February 3, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: Yosuke Maezawa, Kazuya Nagasaki Tags: Clinical Communication to the Editor Source Type: research
Restorative Justice: The Life and Death of Jean Cowsert, MD
As the sun rose on January 30, 1967, Jean Cowsert, MD's body lay crumpled by her front steps in Mobile, Alabama. She had been working late, at the kitchen table, when a rock crashed through the window. Armed with her revolver, she went to investigate. The Mobile coroner concluded that the cause of death was a single bullet to the chest, and lacking witnesses, classified the death as an “accident.” His report and that of the police investigation disappeared. Only in 2023 did that death emerge as key to a larger story of the struggle to end segregated hospital care. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - January 30, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: David Barton Smith Tags: Commentary Source Type: research
Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Both Right and Left Heart Catheterization with Coronary Angiography Vs Right Heart Catheterization Only
Recent studies have challenged the reported causal association between acute kidney injury and iodinated contrast administration, ascribing some cases to changes in renal function that are independent of contrast administration. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - January 30, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: Annette Min, Sumon Roy, Abhishek Chaturvedi, Ravi Choxi, Melissa Wasilewski, Pradeep Arora, Robert A. Perera, Ion S. Jovin Tags: Clinical Research Study Source Type: research
Pulmonary Sarcoma: a wolf in sheep's clothing
A 40-year-old woman was referred for evaluation of perceived anticoagulation failure six months following a diagnosis of pulmonary embolism that precipitated cardiogenic shock. Active symptoms included exertional dyspnea despite anticoagulation. Historical elements include intermittent fevers, and mild unintentional weight loss of about five pounds. The personal and family history were not significant for vascular risk factors and age-appropriate cancer surveillance was current. Chest imaging at an outside institution revealed a persistent or slightly increased pulmonary artery thrombus burden and so catheter-directed thro...
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - January 30, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: Muzammil Arif Din Abdul Jabbar, G. Jay Bishop, Siva Raja, Michael Z. Tong, Scott J. Cameron Tags: Diagnostic Dilemma Source Type: research
Acute Kidney Injury and Patients Undergoing Both Right and Left Heart Catheterization with Coronary Angiography Versus Right Heart Catheterization Only
Contrast-associated nephropathy is a iatrogenic form of acute kidney injury that occurs after the administration of radiocontrast material1. There are conflicting opinions about the definition of contrast-induced acute kidney injury, but most frequently it is defined as an increase in creatinine of 0.3-0.5mg/dL or 25-50% compared to baseline, 3-5 days after the administration of the contrast2, 3. The incidence of acute kidney injury after contrast administration ranges from 0% to 21% across studies, and it depends on the patient populations, patient comorbidities, and procedure type. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - January 30, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: Annette Min, Sumon Roy, Abhishek Chaturvedi, Ravi Choxi, Melissa Wasilewski, Pradeep Arora, Robert A. Perera, Ion S Jovin Tags: Clinical Research Study Source Type: research
Restorative Justice: The Life and Death of Jean Cowsert, MD.
As the sun rose on January 30, 1967, Jean Cowsert, MD's body lay crumpled by her front steps in Mobile, Alabama. She had been working late, at the kitchen table, when a rock crashed through the window. Armed with her revolver, she went to investigate. The Mobile coroner concluded that the cause of death was a single bullet to the chest and, lacking witnesses, classified the death as an “accident.” His report and that of the police investigation disappeared. Only in 2023 did that death emerge as key to a larger story of the struggle to end segregated hospital care. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - January 30, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: David Barton Smith Tags: Commentary Source Type: research
Brown-Sequard syndrome following acute type A aortic dissection repair
A 50-year-old female was referred urgently following an abrupt onset of intense chest pain. Her family history revealed incidences of aortic dissection in her father and older brother. Upon examination, she was neurologically intact, and maintained hemodynamic stability. Computed tomography angiography revealed acute type A aortic dissection devoid of malperfusion syndrome. Transthoracic echocardiography indicated normal left ventricular function without significant valvular issues. An emergency total aortic arch replacement was successfully conducted, employing hypothermic circulatory arrest and selective antegrade cerebr...
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - January 29, 2024 Category: General Medicine Authors: Naoto Fukunaga, Taiki Niki, Tatsuto Wakami, Akio Shimoji, Otohime Mori, Kosuke Yoshizawa, Nobushige Tamura Tags: Clinical Communication to the Editor Source Type: research
