In the News


Combination treatment for COPD associated with lower rate of exacerbations versus usual care

Patients taking fluticasone furoate-vilanterol had a rate of 1.74 moderate or severe exacerbations per year versus 1.90 per year in the usual care group, an industry-funded trial has shown.

Electroacupuncture may safely relieve chronic severe functional constipation, sham-controlled trial finds

Patients undergoing electroacupuncture experienced a change from baseline in mean complete spontaneous bowel movements per week during the treatment period, and treatment effects were even greater after patients stopped attending the sessions.

MKSAP Quiz: evaluation for acute kidney injury

A 57-year-old man is evaluated for a diagnosis of acute kidney injury. He was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease 3 weeks ago and was prescribed omeprazole. Several days ago he noticed lower extremity swelling and decreased frequency of urination. Laboratory evaluation showed a serum creatinine level of 2.2 mg/dL (194.5 µmol/L). Medical history is otherwise unremarkable. Following a physical exam and discontinuing omeprazole, what is the most appropriate next step in management?

Primary care doctors may be consolidating faster than subspecialists

The proportion of physicians in groups of 9 or fewer dropped from 40.1% in 2013 to 35.3% in 2015, while the proportion of those in groups of 100 or more increased from 29.6% to 35.1% during the same time period, the study found.

Call for public comment on Women's Preventive Services Initiative recommendations

Topics include screening for cervical cancer, counseling for sexually transmitted infections, HIV screening, contraception and contraceptive counseling, breastfeeding services and supplies, screening for interpersonal and domestic violence, well-woman preventive visits, and breast cancer screening for average-risk women.

Deadline approaching for applications for CPC+ New Regional Primary Care Model

CPC+ is an opportunity for primary care practices that have been working to implement the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model to receive additional payment, with 2 “tracks” with incrementally advanced care delivery requirements and payment options.

Put words in our mouth

ACP Internist Weekly wants readers to create captions for our new cartoon and help choose the winner. Pen the winning caption and win a $50 gift certificate good toward any ACP product, program, or service.