Ischemic Colitis, the Great Imitator: A Mass Completely Resolved.

Ischemic colitis (IC) is the most common type of intestinal ischemia, with a vast clinical spectrum of injury ranging from mild and transient ischemia to acute fulminant colitis. The pattern of injury is usually segmental, but it is mainly dictated by individual anatomy, duration of ischemia, and degree of re-perfusion injury. Analysis of clinical presentation, early endoscopic evaluation, and biopsy are all essential for prevention of misdiagnosis.

Conceptualizing and Treating Comorbid Chronic Pain and PTSD.

The purpose of this paper is to review the rationale for concurrent, evidence-based treatment of chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To meet this end, we review pertinent definitions and extant theories related to the two conditions and their correlations with each other. We then synthesize theoretical components into a proposal of a comprehensive conceptual framework for understanding the relationship and clinical complexity of overlapping chronic pain and PTSD.

Influence of a transitional care clinic on subsequent 30-day hospitalizations and emergency department visits in individuals discharged from a skilled nursing facility.

Objectives: To evaluate an intervention to improve care transitions at the time of skilled nursing facility (SNF) discharge.

Design: Natural experiment using a pre-post design.

Setting: Veterans Affairs hospital, community SNF, and outpatient clinic.

Underlying synovial sarcoma in a patient with a history of complex regional pain syndrome: a case report.

Synovial sarcoma, although commonly found in the lower extremities, is considered a rare neoplasm. One of the distinguishing features of a synovial sarcoma is its initial benign features that can later turn into a more aggressive lesion. Because of the subtle early features, synovial sarcoma can be mistaken for other pathologic entities that present with clinical signs of erythema, warmth, edema, and pain.

Serum cystatin C versus serum creatinine in the estimation of glomerular filtration rate in rhabdomyolysis.

Cystatin C has emerged as a possible, usable surrogate marker of renal function. We present a case that illustrates the clinical utility of cystatin C in the setting of acute kidney injury secondary to rhabdomyolysis. An African American male whose baseline cystatin C and serum creatinine levels taken a month prior to admission were compared against their daily values during his admission and at follow up.

Lipid and transaminase concentrations after formulary conversion of Niaspan to Slo-Niacin.

Purpose: Lipid and transaminase levels after conversion from immediate-release niacin to extended-release niacin were evaluated.

Methods: All patients who had their medications converted from Niaspan to Slo-Niacin between March 2008 and January 2009 were considered for evaluation. Subjects who took =2000 mg of Niaspan were automatically converted to Slo-Niacin in a 1:1 dosing ratio conversion.

Assessment and treatment of pain associated with combat-related polytrauma.

Due to the high rates of blast injuries sustained during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the number of soldiers returning with massive and multiple wounds is unprecedented. While casualty survival rates have improved dramatically, the extent and impact of these wounds on soldiers' functioning pose unique challenges for their rehabilitation. Pain is highly prevalent in these individuals with polytrauma injuries and is a source of suffering, as well as an impediment to rehabilitation.

Comparison of pain and emotional symptoms in soldiers with polytrauma: unique aspects of blast exposure.

Objectives: To compare the physical and emotional presentation and pain treatment outcomes of service members who sustained polytrauma secondary to blast with those of soldiers injured by other means.

Design: Retrospective medical record review.

Setting And Patients: One of four Veterans Affairs multidisciplinary inpatient Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers.

Recognition of hearing aid orientation content by first-time users.

Purpose: To examine how well hearing aid orientation (HAO) content is remembered immediately and 1 month after the HAO, and whether the ability to remember this information differs as a function of the audiologist providing the information, patient's age, degree of hearing loss, and prior knowledge of hearing aids.

Method: A convenience sample of 100 older adults completed a multiple-choice test of hearing aid knowledge immediately following the HAO and 1 month later. Covariate and regression analyses were used to address the study purpose.

Detection of back random responding: effectiveness of MMPI-2 and Personality Assessment Inventory validity indices.

Two experiments examined the detection and effects of back random responding (BRR) on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory--2 (MMPI-2) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Experiment 1 revealed that MMPI-2 Clinical and Content scales were relatively resistant to the effects of BRR. Fb--F > or = 20T was the most effective index for identifying invalid protocols.

Immunotherapy for allergic asthma.

Specific allergen immunotherapy is an effective treatment of allergic asthma. Double-blind studies provide proof of benefit, although seasonal or intermittent asthma consistently responds better than perennial asthma. Advantages of immunotherapy compared with most pharmacotherapies include modification of the natural history of allergic disease, reduction of need for chronic medication, and treatment of both upper and lower airway disease simultaneously.

2'-5' Oligoadenylate synthetase plays a critical role in interferon-gamma inhibition of respiratory syncytial virus infection of human epithelial cells.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), associated with bronchiolitis and asthma, is resistant to the antiviral effects of type-I interferons (IFN), but not IFN-gamma. However, the antiviral mechanism of IFN-gamma action against RSV infection is unknown. The molecular mechanism of IFN-gamma-induced antiviral activity was examined in this study using human epithelial cell lines HEp-2 and A549.

Infection versus colonization in the critical care unit.

Serious infections in the critical care unit are commonplace. However, distinguishing true infection from mere colonization is a difficult and often uncertain process that has been shown to result in both over- and under-treatment of patients. Antimicrobial agents used in the CCU setting are expensive and not without toxicities.

Detection of malingering: validation of the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS).

This article discusses the development and validation of a paper and pencil screening measure, the Structured inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS), designed to detect malingering. Test items were constructed from a combination of revised validity questions from existing instruments and characteristics of malingerers noted by existing research. Items were organized on one of five subscales by experienced clinical psychologists.

Effects of staff-patient relations training on employees and their feelings about their work.

This article describes a study in which 16 health care workers participated in a two-hour staff-patient relations training session that was held once weekly for three weeks. Training included discussions of empathy, anger, stress management, effective communication, managing irate or difficult patients and families empathetically, and the concept of "positive stroking." The participants were given a pretest and posttest of program content and they also completed a five-item Likert scale survey.