Psychometric Properties of the Revised Clinical Institute Withdrawal Alcohol Assessment and the Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale in a Psychiatric Population.

Objective: Psychiatric illness complicates the assessment of alcohol and sedative withdrawal (ASW). This study measured the diagnostic characteristics of the Revised Clinical Institute Withdrawal Alcohol Assessment (CIWA-Ar) and the Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS) compared with a reference standard in patients with psychiatric illness and evaluated their administration time.

Methods: This prospective quality improvement (QI) project conducted in November, 2016 evaluated 35 consecutive unique patients in psychiatric settings.

Long-Term, Competitive Swimming and the Association with Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Endurance exercise plays a role in cardiovascular risk reduction, but may also be a risk factor for atrial fibrillation. This study was performed to assess the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in a population of long-term, competitive swimmers compared with patients within an internal medicine clinic with known risk factors for atrial fibrillation such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized survey data comparing the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in swimmers to a general internal medicine population.

Successful Treatment of Suspected Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome Using Haloperidol in the Outpatient Setting.

Chronic use of cannabis can result in a syndrome of hyperemesis characterized by cyclical vomiting without any other identifiable causes. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is seldom responsive to traditional antiemetic therapies. Despite frequent nausea and vomiting, patients may be reluctant to discontinue use of cannabis.

Acute Care Utilization in Patients With Concurrent Mental Health and Complex Chronic Medical Conditions.

Objectives: Patients with coexisting mental health disorder and chronic disease are more at risk for poor outcomes, including increased acute care utilization. This study was performed to assess the association of mental health disorders on acute care utilization (emergency department [ED] use, hospitalization, and rehospitalization within 30 days) using disease clustering.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed on 10 408 patients.