Table of Contents
From the Editor
- The simple lab test is sometimes more complex than we think, if we think about it at all
Before ordering more tests because of an abnormal laboratory result (eg, elevated creatine kinase), think about its biology.
The Clinical Picture
- Bony bumps in the mouth
Torus palatinus and torus mandibularis are benign bony overgrowths arising from cortical bone.
- Eventration of the diaphragm presenting as spontaneous pneumothorax
A 25-year-old man presents with sudden onset of right-sided back and chest pain and shortness of breath.
Smart Testing
- Serum allergen-specific IgE testing: How much is too much?
The Choosing Wisely campaign and others advocate against indiscriminate IgE testing in evaluating allergy.
1-Minute Consult
- Obstructive sleep apnea: Who should be tested, and how?
Only 10% of people with obstructive sleep apnea are diagnosed—a dismal statistic, considering the consequences.
Im Board Review
- Not all abdominal pain is gastrointestinal
A 31-year-old woman presents with right mid-abdominal pain that began 1 day ago.
Review
- Approach to asymptomatic creatine kinase elevation
Standard cutoffs may be too low. First, repeat the test after 7 days without exercise.
- Autoantibody-mediated encephalitis: Not just paraneoplastic, not just limbic, and not untreatable
Suspect these syndromes in cases of unexplained seizure, encephalitis, or acute-onset psychiatric syndromes.
- Managing interstitial lung disease detected on CT during lung cancer screening
How to distinguish among the most common forms, and the role of the primary care physician in managing them.
- Alcohol withdrawal syndrome in medical patients
Deprived of alcohol while in the hospital, many alcoholic patients go into withdrawal. Clinicians should be ready.
Departments
- Vitamin B12 deficiency (July 2015)
Readers comment on vitamin B12 defi ciency (July 2015) and on preoperative testing (October 2015).
- Preoperative testing (October 2015)
Readers comment on vitamin B12 defi ciency (July 2015) and on preoperative testing (October 2015).