Article

Do electronic reminder systems help patients with T2DM to lose weight?
- Author:
- William Kwan, MD
- Jon O. Neher, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: PROBABLY NOT—but they may augment self-management. Four-component telehealth systems—including electronic reminders,...
Article

Does early introduction of peanuts to an infant’s diet reduce the risk for peanut allergy?
- Author:
- Greg Jungwirth, MD
- Kevin Stock, PharmD
- Jon O. Neher, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Probably not, unless the child has severe eczema or egg allergy. In a general pediatric population, introducing peanuts...
Article

Does concurrent use of clopidogrel and PPIs increase CV risk in patients with ACS?
- Author:
- Sandy Shehata, PharmD
- Jason Baker, MD
- Gary Kelsberg, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: No. Adding a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) in patients taking antiplatelet medications such as clopidogrel for acute coronary...
Article

Does vitamin D supplementation reduce asthma exacerbations?
- Author:
- Jaspreet Jaura, MD
- Gary Kelsberg, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Yes, to some extent it does, and primarily in patients with low vitamin D levels. Supplementation reduces asthma...
Article

Do prophylactic antipyretics reduce vaccination-associated symptoms in children?
- Author:
- Hang Chau-Glendinning, DO
- Blair Baber, PharmD
- Jon O. Neher, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Yes for acetaminophen, not so much for ibuprofen. Prophylactic acetaminophen reduces the odds of febrile reactions in the...
Article

Does screening by primary care providers effectively detect melanoma and other skin cancers?
- Author:
- Jenna Madeja, DO
- Gary Kelsberg, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Possibly. No trials have directly assessed detection of melanoma and other skin cancers by primary care providers.
Article

Do group visits improve HbA1c more than individual visits in patients with T2DM?
- Author:
- Amanda Berbert, MD
- Jon Neher, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Yes. In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), group visits led by health professionals or teams improved...
Article

Does using e-cigarettes increase cigarette smoking in adolescents?
- Author:
- Tim Asher, MD
- Jenna Leah Belden, PharmD
- Gary Kelsberg, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Probably. Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use by adolescents is associated with a 2- to 4-fold increase in cigarette...
Article

How safe and effective is ondansetron for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy?
- Author:
- Kimberly L. Collins, MD
- Megan Wilson, MD
- E. Chris Vincent, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Oral ondansetron is more effective than a combination of pyridoxine and doxylamine for outpatient treatment of nausea and...
Opinion

Is intra-articular platelet-rich plasma injection an effective treatment for knee OA?
- Author:
- Carrie Lynn Wilcox, MD
- Gary Kelsberg, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Probably not, based on the balance of evidence. While low-quality evidence may suggest potential benefit,...
Article

Does amniotomy shorten spontaneous labor or improve outcomes?
- Author:
- Megan Worthley, MD
- Gary Kelsberg, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: No. Amniotomy neither shortens spontaneous labor nor improves any of the following outcomes: length of first stage of labor...
Article

What medical therapies work for gastroparesis?
- Author:
- Orion Wells, MD
- Ashley Warcola, PharmD
- John Neher, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: It’s unclear if there are any highly effective medications for gastroparesis (TABLE1-10). Metoclopramide...
Article

What’s the best VTE treatment for patients with cancer?
- Author:
- Thuy Pham, DO
- Hannah Sundquist, PharmD
- Gary Kelsberg, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: No head-to-head studies directly compare all the main treatments for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in cancer patients. Long-...
Article

How effectively do ACE inhibitors and ARBs prevent migraines?
- Author:
- Brendan Morris, MD
- John Neher, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor lisinopril reduces the number of migraines by about 1.5 per month in...
Article

Do statins alter the risk or progression of dementia?
- Author:
- Tess Lang, MD
- Joseph Clifton, PharmD
- Jon Neher, MD
- Sarah Safranek, MLIS
EVIDENCE-BASED SUMMARY: No. Moderate-intensity statin therapy (with pravastatin or simvastatin) doesn’t prevent progression to dementia in...