Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Study Shows Doxy PEP Did Not Reduce STIs

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine represents the first clinical trial to test whether doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) would prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among cisgender women. Researchers considered 224 subjects assigned to a doxycycline-PEP group and 225 to a standard-care group over 12 months. A total of 109 incident STIs occurred: 50 in the doxycycline-PEP group and 59 in the standard-care group. Chlamydia accounted for 85 of the STIs (78%) with 35 …

Rural Residents More Likely to Seek Emergency Migraine Treatment

Rural patients were more likely to present at the emergency department (ED) for migraine than those who live in non-rural areas, an epidemiologic study of 810,388 visits showed. Rural patients were more likely to receive opioid analgesics in the ED as well. Med Page Today reported on the study results from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists midyear meeting. In rural areas in 2019, the rate of ED utilization for migraine was 41.8 per 10,000 …

ET3 Program Ends After Low Participation, Clunky Logistics

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that on December 31, 2023, it would end its 5-year pilot of the Emergency Triage, Treat And Transport program known as “ET3.” ET3 enabled ambulance service providers to transport a patient to an alternative destination and/or provide treatment on the scene by paramedics or via telemedicine. CMS is ending the program because of disappointing participation and intervention numbers. According to CMS data, there were 151 total …

Patients Less Likely to Follow Up After Telehealth Visits

Your follow-up recommendation for a patient seen with a telehealth visit is often a diagnostic test or specialty referral. Completion of those follow-up recommendations—“diagnostic loop closure”—seems to be lacking, according to a study in JAMA Network Open. The study involved 4,133 diagnostic tests and referrals (colonoscopies, cardiac stress tests, and dermatology referrals) from March 2020 through December 2021 at 2 primary care sites. Results showed that 58% of in-person visit orders were completed within the …

Statins Reduce Risks for Women Using Hormone Therapy

When physicians prescribe hormone therapy (HT) for perimenopausal women, many warn their patients of the increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, knowing that a large number of patients also take statin medications to prevent cardiovascular issues, it would make sense to study the effect statins may have on the risk of VTE for women using HT. A new study in JAMA Network Open did that very thing and found the risk of VTE was …

Patients More Likely to Stick With Semaglutide Treatment

Patients taking the GLP-1 weight loss drug semaglutide were 3 times more likely to maintain adherence to their medication regimens a year later when compared to other drug options, according to a Cleveland Clinic study. As described in Obesity, researchers examined health records of 1,911 adults in two states and found 40% of semaglutide patients were still filling their prescriptions 12 months after the initiation of treatment. Patients using other anti-obesity drugs, such as orlistat, liraglutide, …

AI Voice App Helps Optimize Insulin Dosing

When Alexa talks to patients with type 2 diabetes, apparently they listen. A study in JAMA Network Open found patients gained better glycemic control when they engaged with an artificial intelligence (AI) voice app—which was customized by their respective clinicians to help them achieve optimal insulin dosing. App users demonstrated significantly better insulin adherence and glycemic improvement during the 2-month trial. Glycemic control was measured by mean fasting blood glucose, rather than HbA1c. The app …

Staph Bacteria Implicated as the Cause of Itchy Skin

Researchers have uncovered evidence that bacteria can activate nerve cells in the skin and cause the itchy sensation that comes along with several common skin conditions, according to a recent study in Cell. The authors note: “Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterial pathogen associated with itchy skin diseases, directly activates pruriceptor sensory neurons to drive itch.” Their findings could help optimize treatment for inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis. A summary of the study in Axios also cites …

Respiratory Triple Threat on Upward Trend

As the flu season gains momentum in the United States, a triple threat of viruses—influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)—is causing concern. Children under age 5 in particular are heavily impacted, and they made up more than 10% of visits for flu-like illnesses the week before Thanksgiving, according to federal data. Pediatric hospital beds were strained across the nation with about 75% in use. Mandy Cohen, MD, director of the Centers for Disease Control …

Stewardship Program Reduces Antibiotic Prescriptions in UC

An antibiotic stewardship intervention at Mayo Clinic lowered unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory infections in outpatient settings, including urgent care centers, according to a new study in Open Forum Infectious Diseases, which posted during Antibiotic Awareness Week. Provider education, data reporting, and a red-flag notification system helped to influence prescribing patterns. The program was implemented at Mayo Clinic facilities in four states in 2020 with a goal to reduce antibiotic use for tier 3 upper respiratory infection …