Journal of the American Osteopathic Association

Context: Cases of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) exacerbations continue to affect patients' quality of life and cause significant financial burden on our healthcare system. Objective: To identify risk factors for readmission in patients discharged with a diagnosis of HFpEF. Methods: Electronic health records of patients over 18 years of age with a primary diagnosis of HFpEF treated between August 1, 2017 and March 1, 2018 in a community hospital were retrospectively reviewed...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Mastitis affects breastfeeding mothers everywhere and management obstacles often lead to cessation of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding mastitis is commonly managed with antibiotics despite lack of clear infectious etiology. With the emerging problem of antibiotic resistance, novel managements are required. We present the case of a 34-year-old woman with 6 pregnancies and 3 children (gravida 6, parity 3) who had 5 cases of mastitis within 6 months treated with multiple courses of antibiotics. The patient underwent with osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) to the affected breast over 2 sessions and was taught how to perform self-myofascial release...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Context: Robust methodology and ethical reporting are paramount for quality scientific research, but recently, that quality in addiction research has been questioned. Avenues to improve such research quality include adherence to reporting guidelines and proper usage of clinical trial registries. Reporting guidelines and clinical trial registries have been shown to lead researchers to more ethical and transparent methodology. Objectives: To investigate the reporting guideline and clinical trial registration policies of addiction research journals and identify areas of improvement...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Context: In 2013, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning regarding the use of azithromycin and the risk of fatal dysrhythmias after a 14-year retrospective analysis showed increased risk of cardiovascular-related death in patients who had taken a 5-day course of azithromycin compared with those who took amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, or no antibiotics. At the authors' institution, pneumonia is the most common diagnosis for which azithromycin is used as a treatment for patients who are hospitalized...

Context: Diabetes is a complex, chronic condition and managing it can have psychosocial implications for patients, including an impact on relationships with their loved ones and physical wellness. The necessary modifications to daily behaviors can be very overwhelming, thus leading to diabetes-related distress. Objective: To investigate the association between diabetes-related distress and perceived social support among people with type 2 diabetes. Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed a population with a lower socioeconomic status (Medi-Cal recipients, which are only given to low-income individuals) in Solano County, California...

Context: Subclinical features of zinc deficiency can be challenging to recognize. The prevalence of zinc deficiency based on blood zinc concentration in an adult outpatient clinic setting has not been well-studied. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of low serum zinc concentrations among community-dwelling adults, and to characterize clinical features and risk factors associated with zinc deficiency. Methods: This retrospective pilot prevalence study took place from 2014 to 2017 at an outpatient clinic in southeast Ohio...

The candlenut is a highly accessible seed marketed as a natural weight-loss supplement. However, there is little known about the exact mechanism of action for weight loss nor for the many adverse symptoms it causes, such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, cardiac dysrhythmias, and even death. In this case report, the authors present a 44-year-old woman who developed a second-degree, Mobitz type II atrioventricular block after consumption of a candlenut supplement. She presented to the emergency department with syncope and her cardiac rhythm indicated a second-degree heart block soon after ingesting candlenuts recommended by her treating physician...

CONTEXT: Osteopathy in the cranial field (OCF) is among the most controversial topics of osteopathic practice. The mechanism by which cranial movement (CM) occurs is poorly understood, but includes speculation that intracranial pressure can generate a movement of the cranial bones. If this model is valid, an increase in intracranial pressure produced by bilateral compression of internal jugular veins, or the Queckenstedt maneuver (Q-test), should be detectable. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether osteopaths can perceive a palpable change in CM when the Q-test is applied...

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a multisystem disease that affects millions of people worldwide. The vascular and cardiac effects of DM have been well-studied, but little is known about the prevalence of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in patients with DM. This review provides an in-depth analysis of a cross-sectional study investigating the presence of several common MSK disorders in patients with DM. This review also analyzes current literature to update health care professionals about the MSK conditions associated with DM...

Context: Previous literature has demonstrated the prevalence and socioeconomic impact of postoperative pain in surgery patients. Somatic dysfunction has been demonstrated as a cause, but literature documenting osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) in surgery patients is lacking. Objective: To describe typical patterns of and common treatments for somatic dysfunction in patients following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the billing records of all patients over 18 years of age who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy by a single surgeon and had postoperative outpatient OMT for right-side pain linked to somatic dysfunction between 2006 and 2018 at a community hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan...

Context: Physicians have an increased rate of depression and suicide compared with nonphysician peers. State medical licensure questions about mental health deter physicians from seeking mental health care. Several previous studies have examined state medical licensing board compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, but none have included osteopathic licensing boards. Objective: To evaluate compliance of state osteopathic medical licensing boards with ADA requirements regarding mental health...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

CONTEXT: The misrepresentation and distortion of research findings, known as "spin," has been shown to affect clinical decision making. Spin has been found in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in various fields of medicine. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the abstracts of RCTs found in the cardiology literature for spin. METHODS: The authors searched PubMed using a specific string of keywords to identify previously published articles documenting RCTs of cardiovascular treatments in humans...

Context: Competency-based medical education, developmental milestones for residency training, and the single graduate medical education (GME) accreditation system have emerged over the last decade, necessitating new ways to adequately prepare graduates to meet new standards in proficiency, including the 13 Core Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) for Entering Residency. The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) steering committee has implemented an information-gathering process to provide suggestions for supporting a variety of EPA-related implementation efforts at colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) across the country...