Jeannette Y. Wick, RPh, MBA, FASCP

The opioid-induced deficiency worsens quality of life and body composition.

H. pylori, a bacterial infection of the stomach, may have expansive systemic effects, and clinicians need to raise the index of suspicion when patients report symptoms suggestive of this infection.

Research indicates that insulin has wound-healing properties, and this is the subject of a new study. Based on findings that insulin increases wound collagen, granulation tissue, wound tensile strength, and local production of insulin-like growth factors by fibroblasts, the researchers looked at its potential in pressure ulcers.

It has become increasingly common for patients having experienced as few as three episodes of diverticulitis to opt for colectomy. A study examines the efficacy of younger, less frequent sufferers receiving the surgery earlier than guidelines typically recommend.

While many physicians recommend weight loss in advance of bariatric surgery, and many insurance provides require it, a wide-ranging study suggests that the benefits of such preparatory dieting may actually be negligible.

Approximately 60% of physicians in the US will be sued for malpractice, research and statistics have found.

The USDA defines low food security as “reports of reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet. Little or no indication of reduced food intake.”

Physicians and nurses have both an ethical and a legal obligation to ensure a patient will be discharged safely.

Medical sternotomy is a highly accessible route of entry into the chest cavity but apt to introduce infectious microbes.

Abnormal scarring is troublesome for patients, for both its cosmetic inelegance and pain.

People with diabetes are 1.46 times more likely to lose their teeth than healthy patients.

Rising healthcare costs are at the forefront of the national conscience.

Atypical height is a common reason for parents to bring children to pediatric endocrinologists.

Only a handful of medications carry an FDA indication for obesity, but metformin (which currently does not) has weighty evidence supporting its use.

Researchers report that St. John’s Wort produces persistent glucose intolerance via decreased beta-cell function. St. John’s Wort may increase risk of type 2 diabetes in the already at-risk depressed population.

Although generally the most effective intervention for morbid obesity, bariatric surgery does not result in predictable weight loss patterns.

The Endocrine Society released a new clinical practice guideline covering diagnosis and treatment of primary adrenal insufficiency in January 2016. The European Society of Endocrinology and the American Association for Clinical Chemistry co-sponsored this document.

Acromegaly, although rare, has classic and well-known symptoms. Notwithstanding these well-known signs, patients often seek diagnoses for several years after their first symptoms. Early diagnosis can prevent long-term comorbidity and premature death in patients with acromegaly

Being discharged from oncology care after treatment for breast cancer face concerns about the future. New guidelines look to provide a clearer picture for the years after original treatments.

Ideally, patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or obesity would take steps to address lifestyle factors. Often, their treatment teams are disappointed when these patients fail either to improve their diets or make healthy changes.

Muslims engage in an obligatory, month-long, sunrise-to-sunset fast once a year during Ramadan. In 2005, the American Diabetes Association developed recommendations for managing diabetes during Ramadan. They updated the recommendations in 2010, and this document has become one of their more popular publications.

Caloric restriction among mammals whose body mass index is normal, defined as eating about 25% fewer calories than one would during ad libitum intake, increases life span in many species.

According to researchers in Germany, complications and higher recurrence rates are more likely after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair.

Study results show that dutasteride is similar to the 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride in its effect on post-operative blood loss in men treated for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Many surgeons complain about operating room efficiency. Hospitals can benefit from improving OR efficiency, because most ORs top their list of the most costly divisions. Here are several successful low-cost, low-technology measures to improve efficiency that were implemented at a tertiary-care academic medical center/Level I trauma center.

Malignant hyperthermia is a potentially fatal disorder usually associated with administration of certain general anesthetics and/or succinylcholine. Until 30 years ago, its etiology was unknown. Then, researchers found that people who carry an autosomal dominant calcium channel mutation are at elevated susceptibility.

Some experts contend that hiatal hernia-related symptoms improve after weight-loss surgery, making repair of the hiatus unnecessary. Yet, simultaneous repair during bariatric surgery may be more efficient than undergoing separate procedures. A study published in the journal Surgery suggests repair of hiatal hernia during bariatric surgery appears safe and feasible.

The evidence indicates resistant starches improve glucose metabolism beyond what would be expected from its reduced glycemic index.

Cystic dilatation of the bile duct (usually called choledochal cyst)-is a rare condition that causes numerous complications, such as chronic pancreatitis, which is the most common cause of exocrine pancreatice insufficiency in adults.

A recent review article provided updated information on classification systems, preventive techniques, pathophysiological mechanisms, and treatment options for postoperative ileus.