Clinical Inquiries
Clinical Inquiries
Does anal cancer screening reduce morbidity and mortality in men who have sex with men?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: IT’S UNCLEAR whether anal cancer screening benefits men who have sex with men because high-quality studies on this subject...
Clinical Inquiries
Intranasal steroids vs antihistamines: Which is better for seasonal allergies and conjunctivitis?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: INTRANASAL STEROIDS PROVIDE BETTER RELIEF for adult sufferers, according to nonstandardized, nonclinically validated scales...
Clinical Inquiries
Can probiotics safely prevent recurrent vaginitis?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: YES, using vaginal suppositories or eating yogurt with Lactobacillus may reduce recurrences of bacterial vaginosis...
Clinical Inquiries
How does smoking in the home affect children with asthma?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA who are exposed to smoking in the home are likely to have more severe asthma symptoms, more asthma-...
Clinical Inquiries
Medication vs radioablation for Graves’ disease: How do they compare?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: THE BENEFITS ARE SIMILAR; the risks vary. Treating Graves’ disease initially with medication or radioablation (or surgery)...
Clinical Inquiries
What drugs are effective for periodic limb movement disorder?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: CLONAZEPAM improves subjective sleep quality and polysomnogram (PSG) measures of leg movements more than placebo (strength...
Clinical Inquiries
Do antibiotics shorten symptoms in patients with purulent nasal discharge?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: NO. For most patients with purulent nasal discharge, antibiotics don’t decrease symptom duration; they do increase adverse...
Clinical Inquiries
How best to diagnose iron-deficiency anemia in patients with inflammatory disease?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: THE SERUM FERRITIN LEVEL is the most sensitive and specific initial laboratory test for iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) in...
Clinical Inquiries
Is high-dose oral B12 a safe and effective alternative to a B12 injection?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: YES. Both high-dose oral B12 and injected B12 raised low vitamin B12 levels and improved hematologic parameters and...
Clinical Inquiries
What nutritional deficiencies and toxic exposures are associated with nail changes?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: INFANTS WITH IRON DEFICIENCY have a higher rate of koilonychia—concavity of the outer surface of the nail—(strength of...
Clinical Inquiries
Which drugs work best for early Parkinson’s disease?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: LEVODOPA/CARBIDOPA is the most effective medical therapy for Parkinson’s disease, but it’s associated with dyskinesia (...