Clinical Inquiries
Clinical Inquiries
How do clinical prediction rules compare with joint fluid analysis in diagnosing gout?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Clinical prediction rules effectively diagnose gout without joint fluid analysis. The American College of Rheumatology...
Clinical Inquiries
Which patients with metabolic syndrome benefit from metformin?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Patients at highest risk for progression to diabetes benefit from metformin.
Clinical Inquiries
Does knuckle popping lead to arthritis?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: No, habitual knuckle popping, or cracking (over the course of several decades) isn’t associated with clinical or...
Clinical Inquiries
Which SSRIs most effectively treat depression in adolescents?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: We don’t know which selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most effective and safe because no studies have...
Clinical Inquiries
Which nonhormonal treatments are effective for hot flashes?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs [fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine]) and the selective norepinephrine...
Clinical Inquiries
Does caffeine intake during pregnancy affect birth weight?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: No. Reducing caffeinated coffee consumption by 180 mg of caffeine (the equivalent of 2 cups) per day after 16 weeks’...
Clinical Inquiries
Is lower BP worth it in higher-risk patients with diabetes or coronary disease?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: There is no simple answer; the risk/benefit picture is complicated. Controlling blood pressure to a target of 130/80 mm Hg...
Clinical Inquiries
Do corticosteroid injections improve carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Yes. Injected corticosteroids reduce symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) more effectively than placebo or systemic...
Clinical Inquiries
What’s the best way to predict the success of a trial of labor after a previous C-section?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: While 8 scoring tools predict success rates for a trial of labor after previous cesarean section (TOLAC), it’s unclear...
Clinical Inquiries
Is arthroscopic subacromial decompression effective for shoulder impingement?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: It’s impossible to say for certain in the absence of randomized controlled trials. However, in patients whose impingement...
Clinical Inquiries
Does high dietary soy intake affect a woman’s risk of primary or recurrent breast cancer?
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: No, it doesn’t affect the risk of primary breast cancer, but it does (favorably) affect the risk of cancer recurrence.