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Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Emergency

Author/s: 
Prince, Andrew D.P., Stucken, Emily Z.

The family physician's role in recognizing and managing sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is crucial. A recently updated otolaryngologic clinical practice guideline has been released for this emergency syndrome, but dissemination is limited to a specialty journal. As a result, the guidelines may not be widely available in the primary care setting where patients often present. We provide this focused review to clarify and disseminate SSNHL guidelines for the frontline family physician.

Keywords 
Audiology clinical decision-making Conductive Hearing Loss family medicine Family Physicians Otolaryngology primary health care Sudden Hearing Loss

Testing of a Tool for Prostate Cancer Screening Discussions in Primary Care

Author/s: 
Misra-Hebert, AD, Hom, G, Klein, EA, Bauman, JA, Gupta, N, Ji, X, Stephenson, AJ, Jones, JS, Kattan, Kattan, MW

The link to the study is available here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30003062

BACKGROUND:

As prostate cancer (PCa) screening decisions often occur in outpatient primary care, a brief tool to help the PCa screening conversation in busy clinic settings is needed.

METHODS:

A previously created 9-item tool to aid PCa screening discussions was tested in five diverse primary care clinics. Fifteen providers were recruited to use the tool for 4 weeks, and the tool was revised based upon feedback. The providers then used the tool with a convenience sample of patients during routine clinic visits. Pre- and post-visit surveys were administered to assess patients' knowledge of the option to be screened for PCa and of specific factors to consider in the decision. McNemar's and Stuart-Maxwell tests were used to compare pre-and post-survey responses.

RESULTS:

14 of 15 providers completed feedback surveys and had positive responses to the tool. All 15 providers then tested the tool on 95 men aged 40-69 at the five clinics with 2-10 patients each. The proportion of patients who strongly agreed that they had the option to choose to screen for PCa increased from 57 to 72% (p = 0.018) from the pre- to post-survey, that there are factors in the personal or family history that may affect PCa risk from 34 to 47% (p = 0.012), and that their opinions about possible side effects of treatment for PCa should be considered in the decision from 47 to 61% (p = 0.009).

CONCLUSION:

A brief conversation tool for the PCa screening discussion was well received in busy primary-care settings and improved patients' knowledge about the screening decision.

Keywords 
cancer screening clinical decision-making prostate cancer prostate-specific antigen shared decision-making

Diagnosis of Celiac Disease: Current State of the Evidence

Author/s: 
John M. Eisenberg Center for Clinical Decisions and Communications Science

This is a summary of a systematic review evaluating the evidence regarding the comparative accuracy (the balance of sensitivity and specificity) and possible adverse consequences (both direct and indirect) of various methods used to diagnose celiac disease. The systematic review included 60 individual studies and 13 previous systematic reviews published from January 1990 through March 2015. The full report, listing all studies and reviews, is available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/celiac-disease. This summary is provided to assist in informed clinical decisionmaking. However, reviews of evidence should not be construed to represent clinical recommendations or guidelines.

Keywords 
celiac disease sensitivity and specificity clinical decision-making
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