Article
Do antibiotics shorten symptoms in patients with purulent nasal discharge?
- Author:
- Amanda Ruxton, DO
- Claude Roofian, MD
- Kevin E. Johnson, MD
- Janalynn F. Beste, MD
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: NO. For most patients with purulent nasal discharge, antibiotics don’t decrease symptom duration; they do increase adverse...
Article
Is it safe to vaccinate children against varicella while they’re in close contact with a pregnant woman?
- Author:
- Heather C. Merlo, MD
- Shalini K. Vaid, MD
- Albert Meyer, MD
- Joseph Kertesz, MA
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: YES. All healthy children without evidence of immunity to varicella who are living in a household with a susceptible...
Article
Do nonmedicated topicals relieve childhood eczema?
- Author:
- Jennifer E. Yates, MD
- Jennifer B. Phifer, MD
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Yes. Emollients are effective first-line treatment to decrease symptoms of eczema and reduce the need to use steroids in...
Article
Prophylactic oxytocin: Before or after placental delivery?
- Author:
- Scott Kahn, MD
- Albert Meyer, MD
- Janalynn Beste, MD
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Either is fine.
Article
How useful are autoantibodies in diagnosing thyroid disorders?
- Author:
- Heather Downs, DO
- Albert A. Meyer, MD
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: They’re useful in diagnosing Graves’ disease and, to a lesser extent, autoimmune thyroid disease; they can also help...
Article
Is there much risk in using fluoroquinolones in children?
- Author:
- Rick Hernandez, MD
- Lisa Edgerton, PharmD, BCPS, CPP
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: No, the risks seem to be minimal. Arthralgias and myalgias have been observed clinically in children and adolescents...
Article
Alcoholic liver disease: Is acetaminophen safe?
- Author:
- James D. Worriax, MD
- Jennifer E. Yates, MD
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Yes—acetaminophen is a safe and effective analgesic that can be appropriately used for adult patients with stable chronic...
Article
What are the indications for meningococcal vaccination?
- Author:
- Phillip Moye, MD, MS
- Lisa Edgerton, PharmD
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Routine vaccination with the meningococcal conjugate vaccine MCV4 (Menactra) is indicated for all US adolescents entering...
Article
What are the risks and benefits of elective induction for uncomplicated term pregnancies?
- Author:
- Wendis Santana, MD
- Albert Meyer, MD
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Elective induction of labor for term, singleton, uncomplicated pregnancies appears safe for both the mother and infant (...
Article
What precautions should we use with statins for women of childbearing age?
- Author:
- Chaitany Patel, MD
- Lisa Edgerton, PharmD
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Statins are contraindicated for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Data evaluating statin use for women of...
Article
What is angular cheilitis and how is it treated?
- Author:
- Nadine Skinner, MD
- Jessie A. Junker, MD, MBA
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Cheilitis is a broad term that describes inflammation of the lip surface characterized by dry scaling and fissuring....
Article
Do insulin-sensitizing drugs increase ovulation rates for women with PCOS?
- Author:
- Camille Andy, MD
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Short-term use of metformin (Glucophage) improves ovulation rates for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (strength...
Article
How should we treat chronic daily headache when conservative measures fail?
- Author:
- Jessie A. Junker, MD, MBA
- Paul V. Aitken, Jr., MD, MPH
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: For the purposes of this review, we considered conservative measures to include such therapies as nonsteroidal anti-...
Article
Is exercise treadmill testing useful for detecting heart disease in women?
- Author:
- Jessie Junker, MD, MBA
- Albert Meyer, MD
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Exercise treadmill testing has a sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 61% for the detection of coronary artery disease (...
Article
Is neurosurgery referral warranted for small brain aneurysms?
- Author:
- Paul V. Aitken, Jr, MD, MPH
- Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: The risk of rupture of a small cerebral aneurysm (<10 mm) is very low in asymptomatic patients who have never had a...