Southern Medical Journal back issues from December 2005:
Do all patients with suspected appendicitis benefit from CT imaging in community-based emergency departments?(Editorial)
Dec 01, 2005; ... The classic presentation of acute appendicitis involves the orchestrated complaint of vague periumbilical pain that localizes to the right lower quadrant and is accompanied by anorexia, nausea and emesis. However, this classic presentation is not usually the rule and approximately 15 to ...
The art and science of diagnosing acute appendicitis.(Editorial)
Dec 01, 2005; ... In this month's article by Adams et al, the early diagnosis of acute appendicitis comes full circle. Appendectomy for acute appendicitis remains one of the most common intra-abdominal surgeries performed in the United States. For Americans, the lifetime risk of developing appendicitis is ...
Environmental influences on diet and physical activity in childhood: opportunities for intervention.(Editorial)
Dec 01, 2005; ... The high prevalence of childhood overweight has become a national health issue, and the prevalence of overweight in rural areas is rising at a particularly accelerated rate. There is a great need for school-based intervention efforts specifically targeting the prevention and reduction of ...
Atypical presentations of Sjogren disease.(Editorial)
Dec 01, 2005; ... It has been more than 70 years since Swedish ophthalmologist, Henrik Sjogren, described the triad of xerophthalmia, parotid enlargement, and arthritis. Fifty years before that, Mikulicz noted a correlation between cellular destruction in the lacrimal and salivary glands with cellular ...
Brucella glomerulonephritis.(Editorial)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Reports of renal involvement with brucellosis are rare and anecdotal even though patients can excrete brucellae in the urine. Mild proteinuria may be commonly seen with brucellosis. However, cases of interstitial nephritis, pyelonephritis, immunoglobulin (Ig)A and membranous nephropathy, ...
The threat of malaria for US travelers.(Editorial)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Although malaria has been eradicated from most industrialized and Western countries, a number of travelers to tropical countries where the disease remains a major cause of morbidity and death present with the disease upon their return. Imported cases of malaria number about 25,000 ...
An outcome study of the use of computed tomography for the diagnosis of appendicitis in a community-based emergency department.(Original Article)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Objectives: Previous studies evaluating the use of CT in the diagnosis of appendicitis have taken place at university-based institutions where surgical bedside consultation seems prudent before radiological study. In the private hospital setting, the emergency department (ED) physician is ...
Effectiveness of a school-based intervention to increase health knowledge of cardiovascular disease risk factors among rural Mississippi middle school children.(Original Article)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Background: Few school-based interventions have been evaluated to assess health awareness among children in rural southern areas. The purpose of this controlled investigation was to increase health awareness among middle school-aged children residing in a racially diverse rural community ...
Factors that affect parental disciplinary practices of children aged 12 to 19 months.(Original Article)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Background: Physicians are encouraged to provide counseling regarding parental discipline. Quality counseling requires knowledge of disciplinary practices and factors that affect these practices. Methods: One hundred and eighty two parents of 12- to 19-monthold children from ...
The effect of sunless tanning on behavior in the sun: a pilot study.(Original Article)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Background: In the United States, indoor tanning is a booming industry and contributes to the ultraviolet light (UVL) burden that ultimately leads to skin cancer. "Sunless" tanning methods that avoid UVL exposure may represent a safe alternative. However, the effects of sunless tanning ...
Southern Medical Journal CME Topic: malaria primer for clinicians in the United States.(CME Topic)
Dec 01, 2005 ... Need Although malaria is not a common occurrence in the United States, clinicians need to be aware of the symptoms and treatment options in order to properly diagnose and treat this potentially fatal disease. Due to the wide variety of treatment options, and the complexity of ...
Malaria primer for clinicians in the United States.(CME Topic)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Abstract: Though low, the incidence of malaria in the United States is not insignificant and can be the source of infection in febrile travelers returning from endemic areas. Clinicians practicing in the United States must have a basic understanding of the malaria life cycle and its ...
CME questions: a malaria primer for clinicians in the United States.(CME Topic)
Dec 01, 2005 ... 1. Each year in the United States approximately how many cases of malaria are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention? a. 14 b. 140 c. 1,400 d. 14,000 2. The worldwide prevalence of malaria is: a. About ...
CME credit--December 2005; CME topic: malaria primer for clinicians in the United States.(CME Credit Submission and Evaluation Form)
Dec 01, 2005 ... To request a CME certificate, complete all sections of this form and mail it with a check (payable to SMA) to: SMA, Attn; SMJ CME, PO Box 190088, Birmingham, AL 35219-0088. Deadline to ...
Pinch-an-inch test for appendicitis.(Case Report)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Abstract: Rebound tenderness is a widely used examination technique for patients with suspected appendicitis, but it can be quite uncomfortable. An alternative test for peritonitis is termed the "pinch-an-inch" test. This report describes two patients who presented with mild abdominal pain ...
Unusual presentation of Sjogren syndrome.(Case Report)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Abstract: This case report describes a patient with Sjogren syndrome (SS) whose sole presenting feature was bilateral and painful submandibular gland enlargement. Extensive workup for alternate etiologies was negative and while serologies specific for SS were unremarkable, the diagnosis ...
Unusual cause of hypokalemic paralysis in aged men: Sjogren syndrome.(Case Report)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Abstract: Hypokalemic paralysis is a less recognized but reversible disorder in elderly patients. This report describes two elderly Chinese males (age 74 and 78 years) who had progressive muscle weakness and eventually paralysis. Physical examination showed symmetrical flaccid paralysis of ...
Brucella glomerulonephritis: case report and review of the literature.(Case Report)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Abstract: The authors present the case of a 17-year-old shepherd who was diagnosed with diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis and diffuse tubulointerstitial nephritis during the course of Brucella infection. The pathogenesis and the mechanism of renal involvement in brucellosis is ...
Eosinophilic pleural effusion, peripheral eosinophilia, pleural thickening, and hepatosplenomegaly in sarcoidosis.(Case Report)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Abstract: In this atypical case of sarcoidosis with an unusual combination of clinical and laboratory findings, a 32-year-old male presented with a 3-month history of thoracic pain complicated with dyspnea. Laboratory tests, chest radiography, and CT scans of the chest and abdomen revealed ...
Response to determining functional significance of subclavian artery stenosis using exercise thallium-201 stress imaging.(Letter to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005; ... To the Editor: The functional significance of subclavian artery stenosis is easily gauged by history and physical examination, and I was therefore surprised to see the recommendations in this article for using exercise thallium-201 stress imaging. (1) This is carrying the situation a bit ...
Response to Dr. Powell's comments regarding our manuscript entitled: "determining functional significance of subclavian artery stenosis using exercise thallium-201 stress imaging.".(Letters to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005; ... To the Editor: We appreciate the careful reading and comments from Dr. Powell. We would like to clarify a few points which are essential to the understanding of the significance of this paper. 1. This case report illustrates how a simple noninvasive test became a valuable tool ...
Pyomyositis of the iliacus muscle in an adolescent.(Letters to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005; ... To the Editor: A ten-year-old female presented to the Emergency Room with the acute onset of left hip pain and was non-ambulatory when she was admitted to the hospital. On initial examination, she was in severe pain. She was afebrile with stable vital signs. The hip appeared normal, with ...
Spontaneous Escherichia coli meningitis with subdural empyema in an adult.(Letters to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005; ... To the Editor: Spontaneous or nontraumatic Escherichia coli meningitis is rare in adults. We report a case of spontaneous E coli meningitis associated with a bilateral frontal subdural empyema in an adult. A 55-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for a 2-day history of ...
Quinupristin--dalfopristin-induced reticulocytopenic anemia.(Letters to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005; ... To The Editor: Quinupristin-dalfopristin was approved by the FDA in 1999 for bacteremia and life-threatening infections with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. (1) Other indications include complicated skin and soft-tissue infections with methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus ...
Rituximab is effective in the treatment of refractory immune thrombocytopenic purpura associated with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.(Letters to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005; ... To the Editor: Two percent of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients present with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Corticosteroids, immune globulins (IVIG) and splenectomy remain the mainstay of treatment for ITP. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody against CD20 antigen expressed ...
Malignant fibrous histiocytoma, malignant melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma arising from different areas in an adult.(Letter to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005; ... To the Editor: Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is a well-defined and common malignant mesenchymal tumor of soft tissue occurring in late adult life. (1) It usually involves the deep soft tissue and skeletal muscles of the proximal part of the extremities, especially the thigh. (1) ...
Colistin-associated acute renal failure: revisited.(Letter to the Editor)
Dec 01, 2005; ... To the Editor: Daram et al (1) recently presented a case report outlining the occurrence of acute renal failure, purported to be caused by "colistin," in a 57-year-old male. In their letter to the editor, (1) the authors cited four papers from the literature spanning the period 1962 to ...
Medical webwatch.(Special Section)(Web sites)
Dec 01, 2005; ... The Medical Schools page of the Association of American Medical Colleges at http://www.aamc.org/medicalschools.htm offers a wealth of information for applicants to medical degree courses. The first item on the menu is Medical College Admission Tests (MCAT). Almost all US medical schools ...
The patient's page.(Special Section)(preventing childhood obesity )(malaria prevention )(sunless tanning )
Dec 01, 2005; ... Obesity and Your Child Do you allow your kids to ride without a seatbelt? Do you let them run around the house with scissors? Of course not. You want to keep them safe, don't you? Well, if their safety is your priority, you may want to take a quick look at your pantry. Childhood ...
An introduction to the Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project.(Special Section: Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project)(Editorial)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Faith and healing have long been intertwined and are often difficult to separate. Even in the present days of rigorous scientific experimentation and evidence-based medicine, there is no doubt that, at least in some instances, faith instrumentally affects the prognosis of illness. ...
The Southern Medical Association's perspective.(Special Section: Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Through the ages, belief systems have had remarkable effects upon the course of human events. Individual belief systems have often been the catalyst for performance beyond personal abilities or resources. In light of this, the following questions require consideration. Does a synergism ...
Religion, spirituality and medicine: the beginning of a new era.(Special Section: Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project)
Dec 01, 2005; ... This issue of The Southern Medical Journal inaugurates the Journal's Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project. The project is crucial because it represents the first time that a mainstream professional medical journal has attempted to systematically examine both the positive and negative ...
Clergy as health care providers.(Special Section: Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Religious community is important to the lives of a substantial portion of the population in the United States. Across the country, there are nearly 500,000 churches, temples, and mosques. (1) Approximately 4 in 10 Americans attend one of these places of worship at least once a week, 6 in ...
Definition of terms: spirituality versus religiousness.(Special Section: Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project )
Dec 01, 2005; ... <Pre> "If you wish to converse with me, first define your terms." --Voltaire, 1694-1778 </Pre> Nowhere is the need to define and clarify terms more fundamental than when discussing spirituality and religion. Though often set in the stone of tradition, this topic is so nebulous, ...
Physician's perspective combining spirituality and medicine: one physician's approach.(Special Section: Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project)
Dec 01, 2005; ... An increasing number of publications in recent years have examined the importance of physicians taking into consideration a patient's religious or spiritual background in the practice of medicine in an effort to provide more holistic care. Koenig has succinctly described reasons why it is ...
Debate question: should physicians incorporate spirituality into the care of patients?(Special Section: Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Patients' Perspective One Patient's Positive Experience Eleven years ago my husband, Phillip, was admitted to the hospital with complications of undiagnosed diabetes. Within hours his physician, a fellow church member, informed me that he was critically ill and ...
What do we know about the effectiveness of faith-based health programs?(Special Section: Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project)
Dec 01, 2005; ... "Some needs and hurts are so deep they will only respond to a mentor's touch or a pastor's prayer," said President George W. Bush in his first inaugural address in January 2001. (1) "Church and charity, synagogue and mosque lend our communities their humanity, and they will have an honored ...
Hospital Recovery Room.(Poem)
Dec 01, 2005; ... <Pre> The nurse was caring, solicitous, an angel who buzzed me in to see you. Just a brief visit to see you there lying on a gurney, a gift just for me. I was humble, trying to placate the gods, almost crying, with relief. Close, close. Is it okay to see him? Of course, ...
Partnering together? Relationships between faith-based community health centers and neighborhood congregations.(Special Section: Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project)
Dec 01, 2005; ... Objective: The US Bureau of Primary Health Care has promoted collaboration between federally funded community health centers and neighborhood religious congregations, yet little is known about how such organizations currently interact in underserved neighborhoods. Methods: ...
Selected annotated bibliography.(Special Section: Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project)(Bibliography)
Dec 01, 2005; ... MacLean CD, Susi B, Phifer N, et al. Patient preference for physician discussion and practice of spirituality. J Gen Int Med 2003; 18(1):38-43. A substantial number of patients desire spiritual interaction with their physician, but the desire is for a limited intensity in that ...
Religious awareness training for medical students: effect on clinical interpersonal behavior.(Special Section: Spirituality/Medicine Interface Project)
Dec 01, 2005; ... To the Editor: We conducted a pilot study to examine the effect of religious-awareness training on medical students' "bedside manners." Research has documented physician avoidance of religious inquiry due to discomfort and lack of training. (1-3) Other research suggests that medical ...