May 2014

Although it is believed to help counteract joint and cartilage deterioration in osteoarthritis (OA), glucosamine supplementation is no more effective than placebo in preventing knee degeneration in patients with chronic knee pain.

Barrett's esophagus is frequently overdiagnosed in clinical settings, which has broad implications for patient health, medical costs, and psychological stress due to perceived cancer risk.

To screen or not to screen for breast cancer with mammograms: that is the question faced by thousands of physicians confronting a disease that accounts for more than 230,000 cases and 40,000 deaths each year in the United States.

An oral, interferon-free regimen comprised of several agents cured hepatitis C in more than 90% of patients who also had liver cirrhosis, according to the results of an international study.

In an effort to identify when and where to target interventions for reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and related bacterial resistance, a new study has described the trends and seasonal variations in antibiotic prescription rates throughout primary care settings.

A population-based, prospective study found faster cognitive decline was associated with a decreased risk of cancer mortality in elderly patients without dementia.

Although the primary outcomes of the US National Institutes of Health Women's Health Initiative trial suggested daily calcium plus vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced hip fracture in postmenopausal women, a follow-up investigation found no difference in hip fracture incidence between the study's supplement and placebo groups nearly 5 years after the intervention phase ended.

Since nearly one-quarter of Medicare beneficiaries have limited life expectancies at the time of their colonoscopies, life expectancy should be incorporated into decision-making for preventive services.

New research has uncovered increased rates of dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and several other disorders in older adults with schizophrenia.

Michael C. Ruddy, MD, FACP, FASH, describes the clinical applications of the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) hypertension management guideline.

Bariatric surgery represents a potentially useful intervention for managing obese type 2 diabetics who would fail to reach treatment goals with intensive medical therapy alone.

Simple advice is equally as effective as more intense and comprehensive physiotherapy exercise programs for chronic whiplash-associated disorders.

A project to expand hepatitis C treatment by equipping primary care doctors with telemedicine tools more than doubled the proportion of patients expected to receive treatment in Arizona and Utah, according to a recently released government report.

Patients with mental health disorders are significantly more likely to have used or currently use electronic cigarettes.

Although measles were reportedly eradicated from the United States in 2000, cases of the highly contagious respiratory illness continue to be imported into the country and transmitted locally within it.

Because they can share similar symptoms, gout and psoriatic arthritis are commonly misdiagnosed.

Among patients aged 16 years or older with unruptured brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), conservative management produces better clinical outcomes than any endovascular embolization, neurosurgical excision, or stereotactic radiosurgery.

A frequently prescribed antidepressant can hinder the buildup of brain plaques linked to Alzheimer's disease development.

Patients find it very attractive to self-select a variety of vitamins and supplements that promise to improve their immune system and combat obesity without any dangers or dependence on healthcare professionals, but these claims are just not true.

Incorporating aspects of the small particle diet into the recommendations for diabetic gastroparesis might be beneficial to patients.