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Long-Term Βeta-Blocker Use May Cause More Harm in Patients Undergoing Surgery
April 25, 2016
Clinical question: What is the harm associated with long-term beta-blocker therapy in patients with uncomplicated hypertension undergoing non-cardiac surgery? Background: Given the recent concerns over the validity of prior studies, there is uncertainty about which patients benefit most from peri
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Depression Common among Physicians in Training
April 25, 2016
Clinical question: What is the prevalence of depression or depressive symptoms in resident physicians? Background: Depression in resident physicians can lead to poor-quality medical care, increased errors, and long-term morbidity.
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Improper Removal of Personal Protective Equipment Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
April 22, 2016
Clinical question: How frequent is contamination of skin and clothing during personal protective equipment (PPE) removal, and can it be prevented? Background: PPE reduces transmission of pathogens to healthcare personnel and patients.
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Procalcitonin Testing Can Lead to Cost Savings
April 22, 2016
Clinical question: Can procalcitonin testing be used to determine whether antibiotics should be started and stopped? Background: Procalcitonin naturally occurs in the body but increases with bacterial infection, with normal levels Study design: Systematic review. Setting: ICUs and EDs in Eu
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New Model May Predict Risk of Acute Kidney Injury in Orthopedic Patients
April 18, 2016
Clinical question: What is the risk of acute kidney injury after orthopedic surgery, and does it impact mortality? Background: Current studies show that acute kidney injury is associated with increased long-term mortality, future development of chronic kidney disease, and increased healthcare cos
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Treating Asymptomatic Bacteriuria Can Be Dangerous
April 18, 2016
Clinical question: Does treating asymptomatic bacteriuria (AB) cause harm in women? Background: In women with recurrent UTIs, AB is often treated, increasing the risk of multi-drug-resistant bacteria.
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Postoperative Clostridium Difficile Infection Associated with Number of Antibiotics, Surgical Procedure Complexity
April 8, 2016
Clinical question: What are the factors that increase risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in postoperative patients? Background: CDI has become an important infectious etiology for morbidity, lengthy and costly hospital admissions, and mortality.
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Most Postoperative Readmissions Due to Patient Factors
April 8, 2016
Clinical question: What is the etiology of 30-day readmissions in postoperative patients? Background: As the focus of healthcare changes to a quality-focused model, readmissions impact physicians, reimbursements, and patients.
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Ischemic Hepatitis Associated with High Inpatient Mortality
April 4, 2016
Clinical question: What is the incidence and outcome of patients with ischemic hepatitis? Background: Ischemic hepatitis, or shock liver, is often diagnosed in patients with massive increase in aminotransferase levels most often exceeding 1000 IU/L in the setting of hepatic hypoperfusion.
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AIMS65 Score Helps Predict Inpatient Mortality in Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleed
April 1, 2016
Clinical question: Does AIMS65 risk stratification score predict inpatient mortality in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleed (UGIB)? Background: Acute UGIB is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, which makes it crucial to identify high-risk patients early.