Primary care

IMPORTANCE: Early, accurate diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis can help clinicians target treatment, avoid antibiotics, and provide an accurate prognosis. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the literature regarding the value of the clinical examination and white blood cell count for the diagnosis of mononucleosis. DATA SOURCES: The databases of PubMed (from 1966-2016) and EMBASE (from 1947-2015) were searched and a total of 670 articles and abstracts were reviewed for eligibility...

IMPORTANCE: Persistent pain is highly prevalent, costly, and frequently disabling in later life. OBJECTIVE: To describe barriers to the management of persistent pain among older adults, summarize current management approaches, including pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic modalities; present rehabilitative approaches; and highlight aspects of the patient-physician relationship that can help to improve treatment outcomes. This review is relevant for physicians who seek an age-appropriate approach to delivering pain care for the older adult...

What do the Atkins Diet and the traditional Japanese diet have in common? The Atkins Diet is low in carbohydrate and usually high in fat; the Japanese diet is high in carbohydrate and usually low in fat. Yet both work to promote weight loss. One commonality of both diets is that they both eliminate the monosaccharide fructose. Sucrose (table sugar) and its synthetic sister high fructose corn syrup consist of 2 molecules, glucose and fructose. Glucose is the molecule that when polymerized forms starch, which has a high glycemic index, generates an insulin response, and is not particularly sweet...

IMPORTANCE: Insomnia is one of the most prevalent health concerns in the population and in clinical practice. Clinicians may be reluctant to address insomnia because of its many potential causes, unfamiliarity with behavioral treatments, and concerns about pharmacologic treatments. OBJECTIVE: To review the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of insomnia in adults. EVIDENCE REVIEW: Systematic review to identify and summarize previously published quantitative reviews (meta-analyses) of behavioral and pharmacologic treatments for insomnia...