Assessing the prioritization of primary care referrals for polysomnograms.

Study Objective: The mortality attributed to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is comparable to that of breast cancer and colon cancer. We sought to determine if patients at high risk for OSA were less likely to be referred by their primary care physician for polysomnograms (PSG) than mammograms or endoscopies.

Design: Prospective cohort study; patients were recruited between January 2007 and April 2007.

Racial variation in colorectal polyp and tumor location.

Objectives: The incidence and mortality from colorectal cancer among whites have decreased, but they have remained unchanged among African Americans. To explain this disparity, we used the multicenter endoscopy database of the Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative to compare the prevalence of proximal polyps and tumors among asymptomatic African Americans and whites undergoing routine screening colonoscopy.

Methods: African Americans and whites undergoing colonoscopy between January 1, 2002 and September 30, 2003 were considered for analysis.