Article
Interpretation of Serum Ammonia Level
December 2, 2024
A 77-year-old woman with a history of hepatitis C cirrhosis presents to the emergency department with 24 hours of progressive confusion and disorientation. The physical exam is notable for...
Article
The Role of D-dimer in Diagnosing Pulmonary Embolism
February 1, 2024
Case A 58-year-old previously healthy woman presents with pleuritic chest pain triggered by moving heavy boxes. She denies dyspnea, extremity swelling, hemoptysis, recent surgery, immobility,...
Article
MRSA Nasal PCR’s Role in Empiric Antibiotic Selection
August 1, 2023
Case A 67-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was admitted to inpatient general medicine from his nursing home for pneumonia. He reported a 10-day history of an upper...
Article
Is VBG an Alternative to the Troublesome ABG?
November 1, 2022
Case A 70-year-old man with hypertension and insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes mellitus initially presented for evaluation of left hip pain after sustaining a mechanical fall and was found to have a...
Article
The Role of Interferon-gamma Release Assay in Diagnosing Latent and Active Tuberculosis in Adults
September 1, 2022
Case: A 41-year-old man with a new diagnosis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) (CD4 count <200 cells/mm3) presents to his primary care physician’s...
Article
The Role of Beta-D-Glucan in the Diagnosis of Invasive Fungal Infections
August 1, 2022
Case A 77-year-old woman with malnutrition, who is undergoing chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer, is being treated with intravenous ceftriaxone and vancomycin through a peripherally inserted...