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IVIg therapy has potentially been related to arterial and venous therapy. We performed an Ovid review focusing on IVIg and thrombotic events. While a few case reports were reviewed case series and case control studies were particularly reviewed in relation to thrombotic events. Outcomes demonstrate a correlation between underlying cardiovascular risk factors with predominately arterial events which typically occurred within 4-24 hours of infusion. While venous events occurred less commonly they were associated with traditional risk factors and occurred later, typically, 1-7 days following infusion of IVIg. Potential causation of thrombotic events was discussed.

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BACKGROUND: The American Board of Internal Medicine has defined through the min-CEX (Clinical Examination booklet) that a resident would need to perform anywhere from 3 to 5 procedures to be competent in a given procedure. Many faculty and residents believe that this number is too low to achieve competency. METHODS: Although simulation has been required as part of medical training, we have reviewed a number of articles addressing competence and potentially fewer complications with improved patient safety. RESULTS: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has simply stated that simulation should be part of residency training. However, this has resulted in a disorganized approach among the nearly 385 internal medicine programs in the United States. CONCLUSIONS: This article suggests a model of simulation that addresses procedures, medical codes and major medical problems that each resident achieve competence in before graduating residency. This would require minimally a doubling of the number of procedures to define competency and will do so in a far more scientific method.

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The paper focuses on the past five years of National Residency Match Program (NRMP) information in the Unites States with a comparison point of twenty years ago utilized because of a referenced article. It is well known to our students going through the match that it is more competitive than in prior years. To rank enough programs for your field, take Step 2 early to maximize your score, to get quality letters and to practice mock interviews. The 99% match rate has remained steady over the past five years despite an increase in all primary care disciplines particularly Internal Medicine. Family Medicine and Internal Medicine work with, on average, about half U.S. seniors and half from other groups including Osteopathic and IMG (U.S. citizen and non-U.S. citizen). This can create a holistic experience for residents with a sharing of ideas from students from varied backgrounds. While the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program appear as an initial success, the student's goal should be to avoid such a step altogether. The key twenty years ago and today is the existence of appropriate numbers of resident and faculty role models. This is a stressful goal considering the demands on faculty for billing and patient care due to the shiftwork nature of the new work hours.

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This perspective attempts to bring graduate medical offices, residency programs and medical students interested in categorical internal medicine (CIM) a brief update on the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the National Registry for Medical Programs (NRMP) changes for the past 3-5 years in the United States (US). The US model for certification and recertification may serve as a homogenous example for other countries. This model will be described so that there is an understanding of the importance of such changes in the American system and its effect on resident education. This is critical knowledge for both teachers and learners in internal medicine in preparation for a lifetime career and requirements for certification/credentialing for both programs and their residents/fellows. Data from the review indicate a small increase in the number of applicants but a concordant decrease in ABIM initial certification exams. Programs should well be aware of the new focus on outcomes via the Next Accreditation System (NAS) being put forth by the ACGME.

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This commentary reviews the trends of pass rates for certification and recertification in internal medicine. This is true for certification since the 1930s and recertification since 2000. Predictors of performance, such as program director ratings and the in-training examination, are discussed in addition to positive clinical outcomes in relation to recertification. Differences in examinations pass rates due to gender, geographic location and number of attempts are reviewed. Recent trends in internal medicine demonstrate a decline, which may be multifactorial in reasoning. This is not unique to internal medicine as declines in certification rates have been noted in general surgery as well. Methods of preparing for the examination are discussed to maximize performance on the examination.

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INTRODUCTION: A case of profound weight loss after gastric bypass surgery with multiple negative evaluations. CASE PRESENTATION: A 41-year-old African-American female presented with greater-than-expected weight loss after gastric bypass and increasing abdominal pain over a 2-year period. An extensive workup was pursued for the patient with blood analysis, tumor markers, imaging studies both computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, arterial studies, and endoscopy from above and below, all of which demonstrated normal results. The patient was followed up without improvement, and repeated studies were also normal. The patient was labeled with a nonorganic etiology for her symptoms, which led to a psychiatry referral which was refused. CONCLUSION: The patient's surgeon, who already had removed a normal appendix and gallbladder, repeated a laparoscopic exam. The exam was normal except for a small focus of pancreatic cancer in the celiac plexus. The patient died from perioperative sepsis from peritonitis 2 days after surgery. The case is discussed and findings reviewed.

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A middle-aged white man underwent sphenoid and ethmoid surgery for rhinitis with polyposis. Within days, he developed severe fatigue, myalgias and arthralgias. Initial testing demonstrated central hypogonadism, followed by a low normal insulin-like growth factor-1 and an abnormal L-dopamine growth hormone stimulation test result. As years past, the patient would have such recurrent symptoms when ill with the addition of nausea and vomiting. Testing, 7 years after his initial surgery, confirmed inappropriate thyroid and cortisol responses. His clinical symptoms have resolved with appropriate medical therapy. A review of the literature demonstrated no descriptions of hypopituitarism from sphenoid surgery.

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Superior mesenteric vein thrombosis (SMVT) is a rare yet frequently fatal cause of intestinal ischemia. Despite its severe consequences, SMVT often presents with nonspecific symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. It can occur with or without gastrointestinal bleeding, and symptoms may be present for hours to weeks. Physical exam can vary from a benign to an acute abdomen. The are no specific diagnostic laboratory studies for the presence of MVT, and it can be an incidental finding of computed tomography or ultrasound. Patients at risk for MVT include those with a history of a hypercoagulable state or secondary cases such as sepsis, gastrointestinal malignancy, liver disease, pancreatic pathology, abdominal surgery and medications. The authors present a case of a patient presenting with acute abdominal pain and ultimately a SMVT secondary to oral contraceptives by exclusion.

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A middle age male with type 2 diabetes mellitus presented with urinary symptoms. Blood and urine cultures were consistent with Methicillin Resistant Staphylcoccal Aureus (MRSA). A computed tomography demonstrated mutiple prostatic microabscessess. No other hematogenous source was identified. Transurethral prostatic drainage and intravenous Vancomycin followed by oral doxcycline led to clinical success for this likely Community acquired case of MRSA (CA-MRSA). We discuss our case report and discuss the current literature on the trends, causation, diagnosis and treatment of MRSA induced prostatic abscess.

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OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the alpha(1A)/alpha(1D) subtype-selective blocker tamsulosin for the increasingly common treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in the primary care setting. METHODS: A total of 493 men (age > or = 45 years), 99.6% of whom had moderate or severe BPH at baseline, were given tamsulosin 0.4 mg/day in a multicenter, open-label study conducted over 45 days by 42 primary care physicians and two urologists. RESULTS: Mean American Urological Association (AUA) Symptom Score decreased by 7.5 from a baseline of 20.0 on day 4, representing a 37.5% improvement over baseline (p < 0.001). AUA Obstructive and Irritative Scores declined significantly by day 4 (-4.7 and -2.7, respectively), as did AUA Bother Score (-5.4, p < 0.001) and mean BPH Impact Score (-2.5, p < 0.001). The Investigator's Global Assessment showed slight or greater improvement in 77.2% of patients (13.7% markedly improved). Effects were maintained from day 4 through day 45. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, patients treated with tamsulosin in a primary care setting experienced rapid, significant improvement in their signs and symptoms of BPH, based upon the change in the AUA Symptom Score. Tamsulosin was well tolerated; no new safety concerns were observed. Tamsulosin was not associated with significant effects on blood pressure or first-dose hypotension.

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An African American man was admitted with multiple systemic symptoms. The work-up revealed a unilateral cavitary lung mass with hilar adenopathy, sub-centimeter abdominal mesenteric lymph nodes, and a natural killer cell lymphocytosis in the bone marrow. Transbronchial biopsy revealed areas of noncaseating granulomas suspicious for sarcoidosis. Additional studies for infectious and malignant agents were negative.

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