Volume 117, Issue 12

The diagnosis and management of parotitis can be challenging. Patients often present with pain and edema in the neck, jaw, head, and ear due to congestion of the gland. Parotitis is typically caused by an infection within the parotid gland and surrounding lymph nodes, and the infection can spread to nearby cervical fascial planes and cause major complications if not managed successfully. Specific guidelines for the outpatient management of parotitis are limited, and outpatient treatment failures are common, requiring inpatient therapy with multiple broad-spectrum antibiotics. In the current case, a comprehensive patient-centered approach was used to treat a woman whose overlapping clinical conditions, lifestyle, and work factors led to an infection of the parotid gland.

Context Both adherence and outcomes are more difficult to measure in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) than in patients with diseases such as hypertension, for which most medications are taken orally and surrogate outcomes (eg, blood pressure) are routinely collected. Objectives To characterize the adherence and outcomes of patients with MS within a large integrated health system and to assess the relationship between adherence and outcomes. Study Design Retrospective review of adherence and health care utilization outcomes via electronic health records and claims (2004-2013) combined with a prospective survey regarding adherence and functional outcomes (2012-2013). Methods Retrospectively, medication possession ratios were calculated, and adherence groups were compared regarding health care utilization and costs. Prospectively, patients were recruited to complete questionnaires to measure self-reported adherence (SRA) and MS-specific outcomes, including the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS), the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM). Regression was used to statistically test for differences in these outcomes among adherence groups. Results A total of 681 patients were studied. Most patients (307 of 375 [82%] in the retrospective cohort and 244 of 306 [89%] in the prospective cohort) had greater that 80% adherence to their MS medications. Mean inpatient days per patient for MS-related admissions was highest for high-adherence than for intermediate and low-adherence patients (0.52 vs 0.23 and 0.34, respectively; P <.001), but no other associations between adherence and health care utilization were found. Mean outpatient costs and total costs were lowest for the low-adherence group, suggesting that higher adherence may not guarantee cost savings overall. Patients with intermediate and high self-reported adherence showed significantly better mean scores than patients with low adherence on several MS outcomes, including EDSS (4.1 and 4.2 vs 4.8, P <.05), MSIS physical function (33 and 35 vs 41, P <.05), and TSQM Global Satisfaction (75 and 78 vs 70, P <.05). Conclusions The findings of this study indicate that patients with MS are mostly adherent to their existing treatments. Patients with greater medication adherence may have increased cost, but their physical outcomes are better. This finding may shed light on other chronic disease entities and how we view the success of treatments.

Context Musculoskeletal disorders are a common problem among ophthalmologists, likely due to ergonomic challenges. Most research on the topic has been survey-based studies, which carry inherent weaknesses. Objective To examine the frequency and pattern of musculoskeletal dysfunction induced by performing a surgical procedure and to quantify the improvement after ergonomic interventions. Methods Ophthalmology residents from a single academic institution were invited to participate in the study on a volunteer basis. Preexisting musculoskeletal disorders; previous spinal, cervical, or shoulder surgery; or limited range of motion of the upper body or arms were exclusion criteria. The interventions consisted of a surgical simulation session and a control session, each lasting 2 hours. For the surgical simulation session, a musculoskeletal examination was performed at the beginning and end of the 2-hour session after the participants used the Eyesi Cataract Surgery Simulator (VRmagic). A musculoskeletal examination was performed by the palpatory screener (M.A.Z.) at the beginning and conclusion of the 2-hour control session, which consisted of both passive and active tasks. The musculoskeletal screener was blinded as to which session the participant was completing at the time of the examinations, as well as any musculoskeletal examination findings from before the intervention. All participants completed both sessions, but they were randomized into which session they were to complete first. Participants completed each session one after the other. Results Eight participants completed both sessions, and 32 musculoskeletal examinations were performed. In the surgical simulation session, after using the simulator, 5 of 8 participants had an increase in the number of spinal levels with tissue texture abnormalities, and 3 had no change. Of those in the control session, 5 participants had a decrease in the number of spinal levels with tissue texture abnormalities after a period of rest. Three participants in the control session had an increase in the number of affected spinal levels. The mean (SD) change in number of affected spinal levels in the surgical simulation session and control session was 1.3 (1.2) and −0.6 (2.0), respectively ( P =.125). Age, sex, level of training, baseline somatic dysfunction, and which session was completed first did not affect results. Conclusion The majority of participants in the surgical simulation session had an increase in degree of somatic dysfunction, whereas the majority in the control session had a decrease in degree of somatic dysfunction. Although the sample size of this pilot study was too small to show statistical significance, a trend was observed, and further study is warranted.

Breast masses and nipple discharge are common symptoms that lead women to seek medical care. Many of the findings on subsequent examination are benign. When evaluating a patient who presents with breast masses or nipple discharge, it is useful to take a holistic approach to evaluating the patient, including a detailed history, structural and directed physical examination, and, if indicated, laboratory studies, diagnostic imaging, and biopsy. The goal of this review is to assist physicians in understanding the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of benign breast conditions.

Patients with atrial fibrillation are at increased risk of having a cardioembolic stroke. The use of oral anticoagulation is now well established to prevent strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation and a CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years [2 points], diabetes mellitus, prior stroke/transient ischemic attack or thromboembolism [2 points], vascular disease, age 65 to 74 years, and sex category) score of greater than 1, beyond sex. However, the role of antiplatelet therapy, specifically aspirin in low-risk patients or as an alternative to oral anticoagulation, remains controversial. The most recent US guidelines conflict with the European guidelines, which do not recommend antiplatelet monotherapy for stroke prevention irrespective of stroke risk. The aim of this review is to summarize published studies that question the role of aspirin in preventing strokes associated with atrial fibrillation. Overall, aspirin is found to play a limited role in the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation and is associated with a similar risk of hemorrhagic events compared with anticoagulants. The benefit of dual antiplatelet therapy as an alternative to oral anticoagulation requires further study.

Context The advent of health information technology (HIT) tools can affect the practice of modern medicine in many ways, ideally by improving quality of care and efficiency and reducing medical errors. Future physicians will play a key role in the successful implementation of HIT. However, osteopathic medical students’ willingness to learn, adopt, and use technology in a health care setting is not well understood. Objective To understand osteopathic medical students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding HIT and to identify factors that may be related to their readiness to use HIT. Methods Using a cross-sectional approach, quantitative surveys were collected from students attending a large osteopathic medical school. Multivariate regression modeling was used to determine whether knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and personal characteristics were associated with students’ readiness to use HIT in future clinical practice. Results Six hundred four students responded to at least 70% of the survey and were included in the analysis. Multivariate modeling successfully explained the 26% of variance in predicting students’ readiness to use HIT ( F 8,506 =22.6, P <.001, R 2 = 0.263). Greater self-efficacy, openness to change (in academic/work settings), favorable attitudes toward HIT use, mobile technology use, younger age, being male, and prior exposure to technology were associated with readiness to use HIT. Conclusion Understanding students’ level of HIT readiness may help guide medical education intervention efforts to better prepare future osteopathic physicians for HIT engagement and use. Innovative approaches to HIT education in medical school curricula that include biomedical informatics may be necessary.

Adjacent segment pathology is an adverse effect of spinal fusion that precipitates accelerated spinal degenerative changes at vertebral segments contiguous with the fused vertebrae. The accelerated degeneration related to ASP can be challenging to manage, as it can lead to conditions such as radiculopathy and can create the need for reoperation. In the present case, a 50-year-old woman with a previous spinal fusion presented with a 1-year history of progressive low back pain, lumbar radiculopathy, and sciatica. Osteopathic manipulative treatment was used to manage her pain, and the patient reported that the treatment provided long-term resolution of her sciatica symptoms. This case demonstrates an effective use of osteopathic manipulative treatment in the conservative management of lumbar radiculopathy related to adjacent segment pathology.

Inguinal hernias containing a kidney or perinephric tissue are extremely rare and usually related to cases involving a kidney positioned in the pelvis. We report the case of a 79-year-old man who presented with abdominal pain and scrotal swelling. He was found on imaging to have an inferiorly displaced kidney with an inguinal herniation of Gerota fascia, as well as an obstructing ureteral stone with an associated forniceal rupture. The unusual renal anatomy, as well as the management of a forniceal rupture, is discussed.