by PWeekly | Dec 13, 2016 | Allergy, Articles, Emergency Medicine, Hospital Medicine, Hospital Tablet, humira-tablet, Pediatrics, Primary Care, Pulmonology/Critical Care, Recent Features, Slider, Tablet
Assessing Asthma Exacerbation Susceptibility Previous research indicates that 50% of patients with asthma report having had an exacerbation in the previous year despite the majority of these individuals reporting that they have “mild” disease. Few studies have assessed the characteristics and determinants of exacerbations. For a study, researchers assessed exacerbations and their associations among African Americans with asthma. Asthma control was assessed using the 5-item Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ5). The likelihood of a future exacerbation increased with worsening ACQ5 scores. The investigators identified an exacerbation susceptibility phenotype that was independent of asthma control and may require more precise therapeutic targeting. ————————————————————– Milk Allergy & QOL Current data are lacking on quality of life (QOL) measures among patients with an allergy to cow’s milk. Patients who are allergic to cow’s milk (or their guardians) and were candidates for oral food challenge or desensitization completed a QOL questionnaire over a 3-year period for a study. Among respondents, 45% reported in the fields of “emotional impact” and “symptoms of disease” that food allergies affected their life in moderation. About 52% reported that they were affected somewhat by the negative repercussions of their allergy. Nearly half (49%) of participants reported that the impact of social and dietary restrictions was serious. Also, 55% said they were slightly affected by personal expectations regarding their disease and its repercussions. Additionally, 72% had only discrete future expectations regarding improvement of their disease. ————————————————————– Selecting Patients for Thermoplasty Brochial thermoplasty (BT) is an endoscopic treatment for severe persistent asthma in which heat is applied to the small airway for 10 seconds, causing atrophy of the small...
by admin | Sep 5, 2013 | Allergy, Articles, Business of Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Healthcare Reform, Hospital Medicine, Pulmonology/Critical Care, Recent Features, Slider
With the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act now underway, more attention is being focused on patient-centered and coordinated care. As a result, primary care physicians (PCPs) are seeking new ways to organize care around patients. This includes providing in-office services that meet all of patients’ healthcare needs and/or taking responsibility for appropriate referrals. Within MaxHeath Family Medicine, the focus is on increasing our ability to address all patient health concerns by adding a diverse array of services. In addition to a patient clinic, our practice houses centers for allergy, physical medicine and rehabilitation, cosmetic medicine, and weight loss. It also offers centers for sports medicine, brain health, and mental health. By offering more services, we have successfully improved patient outcomes, as well as financial benefits for the practice. A Focus on Allergic Rhinitis & Asthma Efficient treatment of chronic conditions is important to cultivating patient-centered primary care. Nearly half of all Americans have a chronic condition, and the prevalence of such conditions continues to increase. For example, approximately 60 million Americans suffer from allergic rhinitis (AR), which often precedes the onset of chronic allergic asthma. To enhance care of chronic conditions, we must shift from simple chronic disease-state management toward prevention-focused care. In an effort to address AR, my colleagues and I implemented additional AR treatment protocols by establishing an allergy center. We work with United Allergy Services to supply allergy testing and immunotherapy to patients. For those who view their symptoms as a minor inconvenience, it is important that they avoid specific allergens. However, this avoidance approach can only work...
by Physicians Weekly | Jul 18, 2012 | Articles, Emergency Medicine, Neurology, News Brief, Pharmaceuticals, Primary Care
A small observational study suggests that initiating immunotherapy early may improve seizure outcome in patients with medically intractable epilepsy for whom clinical and serological clues suggest an autoimmune basis. At an average of 17 months after these patients received immunotherapy, 81% reported improvements and 66% were seizure free. Abstract: Archives of Neurology, May...
by Physicians Weekly | Mar 15, 2010 | Articles, Nephrology, Oncology, Opinion Article
When managing kidney cancer, clinicians have traditionally used a one-size-fits-all approach. However, emerging evidence is demonstrating that all kidney cancer patients are not the same. Likewise, not all localized and metastatic kidney cancers are the same. Improving survival rates in kidney cancer is paramount, and several new targeted therapies that have been introduced to the treatment armamentarium have been shown to improve survival. As these therapies continue to emerge as viable treatment options, it’s important to determine the patients who stand to benefit most from them. New Long-Term Data In the November 1, 2008 issue of Cancer, my colleagues and I had a study published in which we assessed nearly 1,500 patients treated for kidney cancer in the last 15 years. Our investigation used an integrated staging system—developed at UCLA—which brought together medical oncologists, urologists, surgeons, clinical trial experts, and scientists for collaboration. A key finding of our study was that patients with localized kidney cancer could have low-, intermediate-, or high-risk cancers, and some may have better outcomes than others depending on the aggressiveness of the disease. Patients with low-risk, localized cancer had a 5-year survival rate of 97% and a 10-year survival rate of 92%. Those at intermediate-risk had 5- and 10-year survival rates of 81% and 61%, respectively. High-risk patients had 5- and 10-year survival rates of 62% and 41%, respectively. In the past, these groups of patients may have been treated in similar manners, but it’s clear that they should be treated individually according to their risk levels. In patients with metastatic kidney cancer, our study showed that those with low-risk disease should receive aggressive...
