Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Article

How should you evaluate a toddler for speech delay?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: April 1, 2011

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: USE A BRIEF SCREENING TOOL to assess children for speech and language delay at every preventive visit. If a delay in speech ...

Article

What is the most effective treatment for acne rosacea?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: February 1, 2011

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: TOPICAL METRONIDAZOLE AND AZELAIC ACID are equally effective for the papulopustular lesions of acne rosacea, although metron...

Article

Does office spirometry improve quit rates in smokers?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: October 1, 2010

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: IT DEPENDS. Simply performing spirometry and offering cessation advice doesn’t improve quit rates in patients who smok...

Article

Does exercise alleviate symptoms of depression?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: September 1, 2010

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: YES. Exercise reduces patient-perceived symptoms of depression when used as monotherapy (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B...

Article

What is the best noninvasive diagnostic test for women with suspected CAD?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: September 1, 2010

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: MULTIDETECTOR COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (MDCT) may be the most sensitive and specific noninvasive diagnostic test for women with s...

Article

Does red wine reduce cardiovascular risks?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: July 1, 2010

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: YES. Moderate daily red wine consumption decreases cardiovascular risk compared with either abstinence or heavy and binge dr...

Article

What’s the best approach to diagnosing food allergies in infants?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: July 1, 2010

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: A WELL-DESIGNED ORAL FOOD CHALLENGE (OFC) is the most reliable diagnostic test for infants whose clinical history and physic...

Article

Do endovascular filters prevent PE as effectively as anticoagulants in patients with DVT?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: February 1, 2010

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: It's unclear, given that no studies directly compare the efficacy of endovascular filters with other types of pryphylaxi...

Article

How useful is a physical exam in diagnosing testicular torsion?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: August 1, 2009

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: It’s useful, but imperfect, in ruling out testicular torsion (strength of recommendation [SOR]: C, expert opinion). The crem...

Article

What is the best diagnostic approach to alopecia in women?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: July 1, 2009

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: It’s unclear what the best approach is given the lack of studies on this issue. Indirect evidence and expert opinion indicat...

Article

Do hyaluronic acid injections relieve OA knee pain?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: May 1, 2009

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Yes, hyaluronic acid (HA) injections relieve pain more than placebo. The effect is small but similar to results from oral no...

Article

When should you suspect community-acquired MRSA? How should you treat it?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: May 1, 2009

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: There are no clinical or epidemiologic features that will help you to clearly distinguish community-acquired methicillin-res...

Article

Does reducing smoking in the home protect children from the effects of second-hand smoke?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: March 1, 2009

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Yes, taking this step helps asthmatic children, and may even help nonasthmatic children. In families of asthmatic children, ...

Article

Is there a well-tested tool to detect drug-seeking behaviors in chronic pain patients?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: September 1, 2008

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: No, there is no well-tested, easily administered screening tool to detect drug-seeking behaviors in primary care patients ta...

Article

Do any folk remedies or herbals help induce labor?

Author:: Sarah Safranek, MLIS

Publish date: August 1, 2008

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Yes, some do. Breast stimulation and electroacupuncture help, while other common remedies that have been studied are ineffec...