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…

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…

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…

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 »Johns Hopkins Medicine

Walking speed is a commonly used measure for health, as it’s easy to do and doesn’t cost much. Now a study by Peter Abadir, a Johns Hopkins geriatrics expert, links walking speed to cell death, as measured by release of … Is walking speed linked to cell death? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »Johns Hopkins Medicine

DNA fragments found in your blood, so called circulating cell free DNA, come from your cells as they die. Both genetic material and DNA from your energy plants, known as mitochondria, can be found, and both are implicated in increased … How does circulating DNA contribute to accelerated aging? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »…

Circulating cell free DNA fragments are found in your bloodstream when cells die and release what’s inside. Some of that DNA is your genetic material and some comes from mitochondria, the power plants of your cells. Johns Hopkins geriatrics expert … Are circulating DNA and inflammation related? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »…

You may have heard the term ‘liquid biopsy.’ Most often referring to cancer detection, such technology aims to find materials circulating in the blood that give clues to a tumor’s presence. Now such a strategy is being used to look … Can a blood test for DNA predict Alzheimer’s disease and frailty? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »…

Some cancer tests and prenatal assessments already use DNA found circulating in someone’s blood to look for certain cancers or assure the health of a fetus. Now Peter Abadir, a geriatrics expert at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues are using such … A blood test looking for your DNA is proving increasingly useful, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »…

You have quite a lot of the genetic material DNA circulating in your bloodstream. Peter Abadir, a geriatrics expert at Johns Hopkins, is looking at DNA from two different sources to provide information on aging. Abadir: The genomic DNA is … Your own genetic material from two cellular locations can be found in your blood, Elizabeth Tracey reports Re…

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! 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! 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! 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…