Wide Variability in Emergency Physician Admission Rates: A Target to Reduce Costs Without Compromising Quality.

Introduction: Attending physician judgment is the traditional standard of care for emergency department (ED) admission decisions. The extent to which variability in admission decisions affect cost and quality is not well understood. We sought to determine the impact of variability in admission decisions on cost and quality.

Dementia Care Management in an Underserved Community: The Comparative Effectiveness of Two Different Approaches.

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness and costs of telephone-only approach to in-person plus telephone for delivering an evidence-based, coordinated care management program for dementia.

Methods: We randomized 151 patient-caregiver dyads from an underserved predominantly Latino community to two arms that shared a care management protocol but implemented in different formats: in-person visits at home and/or in the community plus telephone and mail, versus telephone and mail only. We compared between-arm caregiver burden and care-recipient problem behaviors (primary outcomes) and patient-caregiver dyad retention, care quality, health care utilization, and costs (secondary outcomes) at 6- and 12-months follow-up.

Maternal vitamin A and β-carotene supplementation and risk of bacterial vaginosis: a randomized controlled trial in rural Bangladesh.

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnancy is linked to preterm birth, but its risk factors are not well understood. Micronutrient deficiencies may be associated with an increased risk of this condition.

Objective: We assessed the effect of weekly vitamin A or β-carotene supplementation during pregnancy until 3 mo postpartum on BV risk in rural northeastern Bangladesh.

Treatment of laryngeal hereditary angioedema.

Background: In the emergency department, patients with laryngeal swelling and an inconclusive patient history may receive treatment for allergy-mediated angioedema. Intubation may be necessary if the patient does not respond to treatment. Because angioedema subtypes respond to different interventions, a correct diagnosis is vital.