Questions? Comments? Send us a message! I. Introduction This briefing document synthesizes key findings from several sources exploring the potential of cannabinoids in managing neuropathic pain. The sources include pre-clinical investigations, clinical trial reviews, and decision analysis models, offering a multifaceted view of the topic. We will e…

A precancerous condition of the bone marrow called myelofibrosis is usually treated with bone marrow transplantation. Now a new study shows that looking at the mutations that people with the condition have in their own bone marrow and then assessing … What can a precancerous condition teach us about clearing mutations? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read…

Questions? Comments? Send us a message! Hiccups, while often seen as a minor inconvenience, can become a significant health issue when they are persistent or intractable. This episode explores the science behind hiccups, their potential medical causes, and treatment options, particularly the use of gabapentin as an off-label solution. • Discussion …

Prostate specific membrane antigen or PSMA PET scanning is very accurate at detecting and visualizing prostate cancer throughout the body. Now a study using this type of scan on men whose disease recurred shows its efficacy in this case also. … When prostate cancer returns a nuclear medicine scan can help, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »…

For many people with cancer drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors have proven to be lifesavers. Yet as with all drugs they come with side effects, and if you aren’t a person who will benefit from them, it would be good … Can a new tool help determine which cancer treatments might help you? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »…

In spite of the outgoing Surgeon General’s assertions, some people aren’t buying a relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer. Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson at Johns Hopkins says there are lines of research that would definitely help. Nelson: It's … Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »…

Outgoing Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says alcohol packaged for consumption should bear a warning label about increased risk for cancer. Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson says that recommendation is based on an assumption. Nelson: There is not a … What does the science tell us about alcohol consumption and cancer risk? Eliz…

Alcohol for consumption should come with a warning label about cancer risk, outgoing Surgeon General Vivek Murthy asserts. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, says this is an issue that’s surrounded by complexity. Nelson: The … Should you give up alcohol to reduce your cancer risk? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read Mo…

Questions? Comments? Send us a message! This case report details a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia whose initially misdiagnosed joint pain was ultimately attributed to the rare syndrome of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE). The report discusses RS3PE's characteristics, often overlooked due to its rari…

Questions? Comments? Send us a message! This retrospective study from a 21-hospital system analyzed the effect of palliative medicine consultations on 30-day hospital readmission rates for patients with six diagnoses (heart failure, sepsis, pneumonia, COPD, AMI, and stroke). The research found statistically significant reductions in readmissions fo…

Free DNA in the blood portends increasing frailty and possibly an increased risk to develop Alzheimer’s disease, two long term studies of older adults by Peter Abadir, a geriatrics expert at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues have shown. Abadir says as we … How might AI improve interpretation of free DNA levels in the blood? Elizabeth Tracey reports Rea…

DNA fragments found circulating in an older person’s blood are associated with frailty and Alzheimer’s disease, studies by Peter Abadir, a geriatrics expert at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues have shown. These long term studies of several hundred older adults also … Higher levels of your own DNA circulating in your blood may be a problem, Elizabeth T…

Increased cell death, increased levels of DNA in the blood, increased inflammation, and increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. That appears to be one scenario to explain findings by Johns Hopkins geriatrics expert Peter Abadir on the relationship between circulating cell … How much does increased levels of DNA in the blood increase dementia risk? …

Cell death in your body happens all the time, every day, and when it does DNA is released into your blood. It may be your genetic DNA or it may be from your mitochondria, and it is giving clues to … Why does increased cell death in the body increase inflammation? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »Por Johns Hopkins Medicine

Questions? Comments? Send us a message! This article presents an ethics case study concerning a 52-year-old male declared brain dead, whose family refuses to remove life support. Multiple perspectives—medical, nursing, chaplain, social work, legal, and ethical—are offered, exploring the conflict between the family's emotional denial of death and th…

Questions? Comments? Send us a message! This case report details a rare instance of post-radiation lichen planus in a 64-year-old male, following radiation therapy for squamous cell carcinoma. The report examines the patient's medical history, clinical presentation, and treatment response to topical triamcinolone. The authors review existing litera…

Questions? Comments? Send us a message! This case report and accompanying discussion detail Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES), a neurological condition presenting with seizures, visual disturbances, and altered mental status. Often misdiagnosed as more severe conditions like intracranial hemorrhage, PRES demonstrates reversible br…

Questions? Comments? Send us a message! The BJR method is a novel mathematical approach to methadone conversion that aims to improve upon existing methods by providing a smoother, less discontinuous, and less linear output for a reasonable and safe methadone dose. Here's how it improves upon existing conversion approaches: Addresses Limitations of …

Questions? Comments? Send us a message! The case study underscores the potential for misinterpreting spiritual distress as psychiatric illness, resulting in inappropriate treatment. Clinicians should learn several key lessons from the case of Mr. G, primarily emphasizing the importance of addressing patients' spiritual needs alongside their physica…

Questions? Comments? Send us a message! This ethics roundtable discussion centers on the case of JG, a 45-year-old man who attempted suicide and subsequently suffered severe brain damage. The article presents differing perspectives from medical, nursing, risk management, ethics, pastoral, social work, and legal professionals regarding the ethical i…

Questions? Comments? Send us a message! Ethical and legal considerations surrounding a comatose Jehovah's Witness patient's need for a life-saving blood transfusion are debated. The patient's parents, also Jehovah's Witnesses, refuse consent, while her brother advocates for the transfusion, claiming she wasn't a practicing member. The case highligh…

Questions? Comments? Send us a message! This ethics roundtable discussion analyzes a case study where a patient's daughter-in-law, the primary caregiver, seeks to withdraw life support, but state law restricts surrogacy to blood relatives or spouses. The discussion explores the ethical and legal implications of this restrictive law, highlighting th…

Questions? Comments? Send us a message! Who makes the decision if the patient lacks capacity? Multiple healthcare professionals offer varying perspectives on the ethical and legal dilemma surrounding the care of a 93-year-old comatose patient (JH). A conflict exists between JH's legally appointed Power of Attorney (POA), his hired caregiver, who wa…