Acute low back pain: What to do? What works and what doesn't?

Here is an excerpt from a recent review article in the official AFP journal American Family Physician:

Acute low back pain is one of the most common reasons for adults to see a physician. Most patients recover quickly with minimal treatment.

"Red flags"

Serious "red flags" include:

- significant trauma related to age (i.e., injury related to a fall from a height or motor vehicle crash in a young patient, or from a minor fall or heavy lifting in a patient with osteoporosis or possible osteoporosis)
- major or progressive motor or sensory deficit
- new-onset bowel or bladder incontinence or urinary retention
- loss of anal sphincter tone
- saddle anesthesia
- history of cancer metastatic to bone
- suspected spinal infection

Diagnosis

Without signs of serious pathology, imaging and laboratory testing often are not required.

Treatment

Patient education, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen, and muscle relaxants are beneficial.

Bed rest should be avoided, if possible.

Exercises directed by a physical therapist, such as the McKenzie method and spine stabilization exercises, may decrease recurrent pain.

Spinal manipulation and chiropractic techniques are no more effective than established medical treatments.

No substantial benefit has been shown with:

- oral steroids
- acupuncture
- massage
- traction
- lumbar supports
- regular exercise programs

References:

Diagnosis and treatment of acute low back pain. Casazza BA. Am Fam Physician. 2012 Feb 15;85(4):343-50.

Image source: Different regions (curvatures) of the vertebral column, Wikipedia, public domain.

Top articles in medicine in June 2012

Here are my suggestions for some of the top articles in medicine in June 2012:

Risky Music-Listening Behavior Associated with Health-Risk Behavior: alcohol, drugs and unsafe sex (study) http://goo.gl/eoUfL

Study: Couples get health benefits simply from sleeping in the same bed - WSJ http://goo.gl/PBlPJ

Love's initial romantic phase lasts anywhere from 18 months to 3 years, experts say, then it ends - WSJ http://goo.gl/2x1mS

5 Minute Medicine Video Series by Internal Medicine at McMaster University http://bit.ly/KidaPU

Aspiring to Make MDR-TB Nevermore: Delamanid for Multi-drug Resistant Pulmonary Tuberculosis - NEJM http://goo.gl/b7rQ8

The risks and benefits of social media for cardiologists - theheart dot org interview with @doctorwes http://goo.gl/TUfxj

Radiation from 2-3 head CTs in children triple the risk for brain tumors (5-10 CTs triple risk for leukemia) http://goo.gl/xs2ZH - Source: Radiation exposure from CT scans in childhood and subsequent risk of leukaemia and brain tumours: a retrospective cohort study - The Lancet http://goo.gl/teqnX

Inhibiting Hedgehog Pathway in Basal-Cell Cancer: Vismodegib is effective but 50% stop treatment due to adverse events http://goo.gl/966X5

Small-molecule inhibitor of the hedgehog pathway Vismodegib showed 58% response rate in advanced basal-cell cancer http://goo.gl/sJfm1

Another therapeutic option for Multidrug-Resistant TB: Delamanid nitro-dihydro-imidazooxazole inhibits mycolic acid http://goo.gl/zUhYY

Hospital mortality is complex and should be used cautiously in evaluating quality of care. Last 10 years marked by diminishing returns, with growth in costs far outpacing reductions in inpatient mortality http://goo.gl/T16W3

Churchill had a doctor's approval for "medicating with a minimum 250 cc alcohol at meal times" - “This is to certify,” the doctor writes — this in the midst of Prohibition — “that the postaccident convalescence of the Hon. Winston S. Churchill necessitates the use of alcoholic spirits especially at meal times.” The quantity, the doctor continues, is “naturally indefinite,” but the “minimum requirements would be 250 cubic centimeters,” or just over 8 ounces. Archives in NYT http://goo.gl/Yc9cr

The articles were selected from my Twitter and Google Reader streams. Please feel free to send suggestions for articles to clinicalcases@gmail.com and you will receive acknowledgement in the next edition of this publication.

Healthcare social media #HCSM - top articles

Here are my suggestions for some of the top articles related to healthcare social media (#HCSM) in the past 2 weeks:

Survey of 1,700 U.S. physicians reports that 12.9% are writing a blog http://goo.gl/zDUUO - Not realistic.

Infographic: The Anatomy of Linkbuilding http://goo.gl/gSnyK

Another healthcare social media #HCSM expert moves "completely away from from healthcare" http://goo.gl/Nwfup

Transforming academic conferences through Twitter http://goo.gl/bF55K

A Little 'Like' Can Mean Big Trouble - Facebook Can Mean Trouble at the Office (of course) - WSJ http://goo.gl/KsXOF

The new JAMA website looks just like a blog and that's on purpose http://goo.gl/nTGFV

Top Reasons for unfollowing people on Twitter - Infographic http://goo.gl/7Prfh

The risks and benefits of social media for cardiologists - theheart dot org interview with @doctorwes http://goo.gl/TUfxj

7 Tools To Make Your Twitter Account Stand Out http://goo.gl/ltX1d

Twitter Knows When You Sleep, and More - NYTimes http://goo.gl/n6m3L

The DSM-Tw: Handbook of Twitter Personality Types http://goo.gl/f7w6U

The articles were selected from my Twitter and Google Reader streams. Please feel free to send suggestions for articles to clinicalcases@gmail.com and you will receive an acknowledgement in the next edition of this publication.

Beyond a hearing aid - Cochlear implants - Mayo Clinic video

From Mayo Clinic YouTube channel: Imagine what life would be like if you lost your hearing. No music, no sounds of nature, no listening to the voices of your loved ones. But some people with profound hearing loss do have options. Cochlear implants, in the right patients, offer the chance to hear again.

Best of Medical Blogs - weekly review and blog carnival

The “Best of Medical Blogs - weekly review and blog carnival” is a weekly summary of the best posts from medical blogs. Feel free to send your suggestions to my email at clinicalcases@gmail.com. Best of Medical Blogs (BMB) is published every Tuesday, just like the old Grand Rounds.

New mnemonic for CXR Interpretation: DRS ABCDE (Doctors ABCDE)

Life in the Fast Lane: Many people would be familiar with the ABC method to interpreting CXRs: Airways, Breathing & Bones, Circulation.The mnemonic DRSABCDE can used as a simple, yet comprehensive, approach to CXR interpretation http://goo.gl/fGDmS:

D – Details
R – RIPE (Assessing The Image Quality): Rotation, Inspiration, Picture, Exposure (Penetration)
S – Soft Tissues And Bones
A – Airway & Mediastinum
B – Breathing
C – Circulation
D – Diaphragm
E – Extras: ETT, CVP line, NG tube, ECG electrodes, PICC line, chest tube

Why not grab a copy of the “Basic CXR Interpretation” flow chart and put it up in your clinic: http://lifeinthefastlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/CXR-DRSACBCDE.png

Routine physical exam and screening tests rarely yield valuable information

From Dr. Centor’s blog: Doing a routine exam rarely yields valuable information in the absence of symptoms. Doing routine screening tests rarely yields value information. http://goo.gl/xobBm

Tips for wearing flip-flops from Cleveland Clinic

From the Health Hub blog from Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Brian Donley talks about avoiding flip-flop related injuries this summer http://goo.gl/gJltj:

- Don’t wear flip-flops if you’re going on a long walk.
- Don’t buy flip-flops with soles that freely bend or twist.



With expectations set high, "it’s hard, perhaps impossibly hard, to be a good doctor", says the former BMJ Editor-in-Chief Richard Smith http://goo.gl/CTJc6

Skeptical Scalpel: The report of "10 Shocking Medical Mistakes" by CNN has a few mistakes of its own: http://goo.gl/oglRX

How to harvest the medical research with "snowballing" and "pearl growing" search strategies http://goo.gl/gEsdQ

A Brief Social Media Guide for Authors of Medical Resources http://goo.gl/6n17e

Dr. Wes: Third Party Central http://buff.ly/LaRjyE

Blood substitutes: Working to Fulfill a Dream - FDA Voice blog http://buff.ly/LaRE4q

How to make your own infographics with templates by Google

Here are 3 infographic templates for Google Drive by Google:

Infographics Toolbox By Google - Illustrate your data with your own custom graphs, charts, maps and more. Draw your own pie charts and bar charts with this template. Edit the colors of the map of the United States. Create an infographic of male and female symbols to use for counting data (including one-half male and female symbols). http://goo.gl/R0Cjh



United States Data Map By Google - This map of the United States is shaded based on state-by-state data. Just click on each state and set a custom color based on the information that you want to display. Then adjust the key at the bottom of the drawing to describe your custom data. The default data displayed is the population density from the year 2000 census. Notes: - States with multiple unconnected parts have been created as grouped shapes (eg. Hawaii, Michigan). - Washington DC starts as a grouped shape with Maryland. - Map can be changed to be displayed at any size. Using the same border for all states (eg. 1px white) is recommended. http://goo.gl/KjM3H

Map of the United States (Multi-colored) By Google - This map of the United States is colored with 5 standard colors to distinguish each state outline. Each set of same-colored states is a grouped shape, just click a state and change the color to choose custom map colors for all those states. A gray shadow of the states outlines adds a lightweight 3D effect. http://goo.gl/p58VS

Related reading:

How to Get Started With Infographics | PCWorld Business Center http://goo.gl/ViWk2

How To Create Your Own Infographics: Step By Step Guide and Tips - TechTheBest.com  http://goo.gl/pT2mH

New treatment for dry eyes: "LipiFlow" uses heat and pressure to open blocked eyelid oil glands

The Meibomian glands (or tarsal glands) are sebaceous glands at the rim of the eyelids, responsible for the supply of meibum, an oily substance that prevents evaporation of the eye's tear film. They prevent tear spillage onto the cheek, trapping tears between the oiled edge and eyeball, and make the closed lids airtight. There are approximately 50 glands on the upper eyelids and 25 glands on the lower eyelids. The glands are named after Heinrich Meibom (1638–1700), a German physician (source: Wikipedia).

The LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System uses heat and pressure to open blockages of the eyelid (Meibomian) glands. The treatment was approved by the FDA in 2011. Here is more information: http://lipiflow.com

Here is a Mayo Clinic video about the procedure:

Top articles in medicine in June 2012

Here are my suggestions for some of the top articles in medicine in June 2012:

Cancer rates worldwide are expected to increase by 75% by 2030 http://goo.gl/Wu8i9

Zinc could be useful adjunct treatment in infants with probable serious bacterial infection - The Lancet http://goo.gl/Hgqs7

To screen or not to screen for prostate cancer? Fewer than 2% of Johns Hopkins doctors plan to follow the recommendations and stop ordering PSA screening - Lancet http://goo.gl/5Nkha

Dark chocolate could work as prevention therapy of cardiovascular disease - BMJ's exercise in wishful thinking: http://goo.gl/Om6kq

UV protection and sunscreens: What to tell patients - CCJM http://goo.gl/yhRH4 -- Related reading: How to avoid damaging ultraviolet light - CCJM launches "Patient Page" similar to JAMA http://bit.ly/MkL6Ae

NYTimes asks experts what they want from the future: "permanent sunblock that embeds in skin ~ Lasik eye surgery" ?! http://goo.gl/TnHZa -- Related: 32 Innovations Will Change Your Tomorrow - underwear with sensors tells how hard you’re working your quadriceps muscles http://goo.gl/EWRuX

Psoriasis: Evolving treatment for a complex disease - CCJM 2012 review, free full text http://goo.gl/Sc9Uy

Acute community-acquired bacterial meningitis in adults: CCJM 2012 review, free full text http://goo.gl/XKYQR

"Walmart clinics go live in the cloud": retail giant pushes healthcare providers to make diagnoses over the internet http://goo.gl/P51NW

A Single Inhalation of Laninamivir Works in Children With Influenza (study) http://goo.gl/BxgRs

Inhaled Hypertonic Saline (3%) mixed with albuterol reduces length of stay and admission rate for wheezing children http://goo.gl/g9cFH

College freshman at age 9, medical degree at 21 - Dr. Yano is the youngest student to get an M.D. from UChicago http://goo.gl/qkqNh -- Disclaimer: I am an assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at UChicago and have met Dr. Yano in our clinic.

The articles were selected from my Twitter and Google Reader streams. Please feel free to send suggestions for articles to clinicalcases@gmail.com and you will receive acknowledgement in the next edition of this publication.

88-year-old George H.W. Bush: "Maybe they’ll come out with a new drug that makes memory come roaring back"

The former president George H.W. Bush wrote a poem for his grandkids:

"So I can add to the report on getting older. 

Who knows, maybe they’ll come out with a new drug that makes legs bend easier,
Joints hurt less, drives go further, memory come roaring back,
And all fears about falling off fishing rocks go away. 

Remember the old song: I’ll be there ready when you are.
Well I’ll be there ready when you are
There’s so much excitement ahead, so many grandkids to watch grow.
If you need me I’m here."

By the way, the 88-year-old former president said he was not done skydiving. His goal: to jump again when he is 90.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

References:

'If you need me I'll be there': George HW Bush moved to tears during interview with granddaughter Jenna about his family and growing old | Daily Mail Online http://goo.gl/noCt0

Best of Medical Blogs - weekly review and blog carnival

The “Best of Medical Blogs - weekly review and blog carnival” is a weekly summary of the best posts from medical blogs. Feel free to send your suggestions to my email at clinicalcases@gmail.com. Best of Medical Blogs (BMB) is published every Tuesday, just like the old Grand Rounds.

The DSM-Tw: Handbook of Twitter Personality Types

Dr. Wes: In an effort to assist the American Psychiatric Association with the publication of the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) expected in May, 2013 it seemed only appropriate that a DSM-Tw (Twitter) supplement be provided to help classify newly emerging personality types on Twitter.

Example: 292.891 Caffeine-induced disorder: Newscycling Disorder - chronic obsession with Tweeting main stream media news stories. For instance, all topics that have an association with medicine are cited: even acne studies. Diagnostic finding: first to tweet the story so that others will "retweet" their tweet, as if it was their own. Gaining followers is the name of the game, so they occasionally venture off on tangents, like American Idol, or Justin Bieber. http://goo.gl/f7w6U

Who paid for that study?

From Dr. Jay Parkinson's blog: "When I read that something is good or bad for you, the first question I ask myself is “Who would pay for that study?” Here are a few examples: Is coffee good or bad for you? Is kale a better food for you than sprouts? Does Acai really prevent cancer? Read more here: http://goo.gl/gqS3T

Do you avoid using your iPhone’s medical apps in the hospital for social reasons?

An overcautious doctor: “Even though I have an iPhone, I don’t like to pull it out in the Hospital because I’m worried my patients or staff will think I’m playing games or using it for social reasons. When I have a book or manual in my hand, at least people can see what I’m doing”. http://goo.gl/O05pG

100% Patient Satisfaction Scores

Fauquier ENT Blog: Whether good or bad, patient satisfaction scores can be VERY misleading if not completely wrong... http://goo.gl/sOjvm

How significant is the lack of a reversal agents with the new blood thinners?

From the blog of the electrophysiologist Dr. John M: Dabigatran and rivaroxaban have no reversal agents; but their effects dissipate quickly. More than 50,000 AF patients have been enrolled in trials comparing novel blood thinners to warfarin, and in all three studies, a trend towards lower mortality was seen with the new blood thinners. This fact strongly suggests the lack of reversal agents may not be clinically significant. http://goo.gl/Q2Rui

"Hello Doctor. I Wouldn't Hesitate To Sue You"

From Freelance MD Blog: If you Google “how to sue a doctor,” an abundance of information follows. There’s an “ehow” on the subject, and even CNN offers an opinion. Any doctor has a 75% chance, give or take, that he or she will be named in at least one claim during their career. http://goo.gl/W64JZ

Medical School Life in Cambridge and Debrecen - @Berci compares the promotional videos http://goo.gl/BZm2w:

Medicine at Cambridge:



University of Debrecen Medical and Health Science Center:



Comments from Twitter:

Dr. Ellis @DrAnneEllis: Cute read, I'm sure we could come up with even more: The DSM-Tw: Handbook of Twitter Personality Types buff.ly/MC1338 via @DrVes

Healthcare social media #HCSM - top articles

Here are my suggestions for some of the top articles related to healthcare social media (#HCSM) in the past 2 weeks:

Ed Bennett shares three things he's learned about Healthcare Social Media: Our patients are ahead of us, Real change start at the top, Social media is more than the sum of its parts http://goo.gl/fD2Sj

Three things I've learned about Healthcare Social Media

View more PowerPoint from Ed Bennett

Social media do's and don'ts for doctors - common sense advice from "Fierce Practice Management" http://goo.gl/ISzYO

ENT blog reaches 5 million web visits - their YouTube channel received 230 million views http://goo.gl/0nlFg

Many people still think Mayo Clinic is (only) a hospital http://goo.gl/kqfr9

Medical Schools and Teaching Hospitals realize they need to start blogging ASAP - AAMC http://goo.gl/Sa5qO

Should doctors stop patients from taking smartphone pictures? Yes, suggests amednews http://goo.gl/Mf1if - Not likely to work.

70% of heavy users of mobile devices experience “phantom vibration syndrome” - NYTimes http://goo.gl/Drvy5

How to Become a Healthcare Social Media Superstar #HCSM http://goo.gl/5J3PO and http://goo.gl/LtvQN

Research Bloggers show a preference for papers from high-impact journals - just like everyone else on earth http://goo.gl/Ny7EA

Traffic to Hospital Web Sites - Cleveland Clinic surges, overtaking Mayo and Johns Hopkins http://goo.gl/O5Msp

The articles were selected from my Twitter and Google Reader streams. Please feel free to send suggestions for articles to clinicalcases@gmail.com and you will receive acknowledgement in the next edition of this publication.

Top articles in medicine in June 2012

Here are my suggestions for some of the top articles in medicine in June 2012:

Fatty acids in formula don't make babies smarter http://goo.gl/FYyVX - Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids http://goo.gl/1WVjY

Electronic health records linked to worse diabetes care compared to old-fashioned paper records (study) http://goo.gl/vm2mR

Being sleepy behind the wheel is almost as bad as drinking and driving (study) http://goo.gl/Ub9hu

Study: Older People Have Special Smell, but It's Not Unpleasant as Stereotype Implies http://goo.gl/7bHfv

If we're going to think of exercise as a therapeutic intervention, like all interventions there will be adverse effects http://goo.gl/unjJS

DrotAA in Septic Shock - graph clearly shows lack of benefit from rh activated protein C, drotrecogin alfa http://goo.gl/bCktn

The Emerging Threat of Untreatable Gonococcal Infection - what to do if allergic to PCN and cephalosporins? NEJM http://goo.gl/fwFq3

Gallup tracks the U.S. Mood daily, only 41% were happy on June 7, 2012 http://goo.gl/Pn0lz

Drowning - free NEJM review of the current concepts, 2012 http://goo.gl/xSqLu

Intensive Enough? Intensive care units (ICUs) began in the 1950s, staffing models continue to be controversial http://goo.gl/2rZNk

Men vs. Women: Whose Offices Are Germier? Study confirms suspicion: Men Are "Greater" Source of Bacteria Than Women http://goo.gl/JkzF5

Residents' Response to Duty-Hour Regulations: 41% reported worsened education - NEJM http://goo.gl/leaC4

The articles were selected from my Twitter and Google Reader streams. Please feel free to send suggestions for articles to clinicalcases@gmail.com and you will receive acknowledgement in the next edition of this publication.

Surgeon Folds and Throws Paper Airplane Using da Vinci Robot (video)

From Swedish hospital YouTube channel: Dr. James Porter, medical director of robotic surgery at Swedish folds a small paper airplane with the da Vinci robot to demonstrate how this device gives surgeons greater surgical precision and dexterity over existing approaches.



With over 600,000 views, this video undoubtedly brings good publicity to the hospital.

However, the robot costs on average $1.3 million, in addition to several hundred thousand dollars of annual maintenance fees. Surgical procedures performed with the robot take longer than traditional ones. Critics say that hospitals have a hard time recovering the cost and that most clinical data does not support the claim of improved patient outcomes.

The manufacturer Intuitive Surgical has sold more than 1,000 units worldwide.

References:

Prepping Robots to Perform Surgery, The New York Times, 4 May 2008.
Wikipedia

Comments from Twitter:

Meenakshi Budhraja @gastromom: Cool !!

Westby Fisher, MD @doctorwes:  Surgeon Folds and Throws Paper Airplane Using da Vinci Robot (video) bit.ly/KG2EG6 - Manual faster, no?

PDara MD, FACP @JediPD:  da Vinci good for that

Skeptical Scalpel @Skepticscalpel:  Finally a use. Maybe the airplanes could have the hospital's logo on them. Folding a paper airplane. Amazing feat by a surgical robot? I think not. My blog. is.gd/6tBcZp -- Folding a paper airplane. Amazing feat by the surgical robot?  http://goo.gl/cz7lC

Ravi Pamnani @ravrav0: Surgical robots: Folding tiny paper airplanes - CHECK. Actually improving clinical outcomes - TBD. bit.ly/LEp3jg  #medtech

Jenaro Fdez-Valencia @JenaroFV_MD: after all ... it doesn't fly! If he did a boat instead, it would work. Can he try?

Best of Medical Blogs - weekly review and blog carnival

The “Best of Medical Blogs - weekly review and blog carnival” is a weekly summary of the best posts from medical blogs. Feel free to send your suggestions to my email at clinicalcases@gmail.com. Best of Medical Blogs (BMB) is published every Tuesday, just like the old Grand Rounds.

Maybe the young doctors are onto something

From the blog of the electrophysiologist, Dr. John M.: As is often the case when doctors of my generation talk about younger doctors, the issue of attitudes on work and life came to the fore. We are perplexed that young doctors focus so strongly on finding balance in life. Maybe they are onto something? Maybe they have figured out that even doctors get only one crack at life? http://goo.gl/FzEDU

Sunglasses for Kids: What Parents Need to Know

The effect of the sun’s damage is cumulative; it adds up over time. Eye damage beginning during childhood can lead to the development of cataracts, skin cancer around the eyes, photokeratitis (“eye sunburn”), and damage to the retina itself. They’ve gotta wear shades! Here are some tips from Dr. Natasha Burgert http://goo.gl/SStt9:



Doctors specializing in Emergency Medicine are the most active bloggers - by far

Here is Dr. Mike Cadogan @sandnsurf, the co-founder of the blog Life in the Fast Lane (LiTFL): Updated the EM bloggers list... WOW - they certainly like to write! bit.ly/aPWZXe

If this is too much for you, try Mike’s list of Top 10 clinical medicine blogs: http://www.blogs.com/topten/top-10-best-clinical-medicine-blogs

New allergy medications and drug affordability advice. The allergist Dr. Neil Kao does not blog every day but when he does his posts are very well-researched: http://goo.gl/ogZmT

How can I treat toenail fungus? Ask Doctor K from Harvard Medical School http://goo.gl/9pdj9

Dr Nick Tullo's ECG Academy - LiTFL calls it "asynchronous learning at its best" http://goo.gl/dokV6

Comments from Twitter:

John Mandrola, MD @drjohnm: Thank you!

Mike Cadogan @sandnsurf: Reading: Best of Medical Blogs - weekly review and blog carnival - another rollercoaster from @DrVes

What you need to check on the sunscreen label

Here are some simple tips for sunscreen selection and use from CNN:

- Use a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15 and a maximum of SPF 50. SPF 15 can block 93% of incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 blocks 97%. SPF 50 blocks 98%.

- Make sure labels list both UVA and UVB protection

You get exposed to both UVA and UVB light:

UVB light is the light that Burns (causes sunburn)
UVA light as the light that Ages the skin (wrinkles, etc.)


- Avoid products containing oxybenzone and retinyl palminate. They may get absorbed through the skin and may increase cancer risk

- Choose lotions versus spray sunscreens for a more evenly distribution

- Remember to apply at least 2 ounces of lotion (about a shot glass full). Reapply every 2 hours. Reapply after swimming or heavy sweating.

How to apply sunscreen - NHS video:



References:

Avoid sunscreens with potentially harmful ingredients, group warns. CNN, 2012.

How to avoid damaging ultraviolet light - CCJM launches "Patient Page" similar to JAMA

Image source: OpenClipArt.org, public domain.

Healthcare social media #HCSM - top articles

Here are my suggestions for some of the top articles related to healthcare social media (#HCSM) in the past 2 weeks:

The pros/cons of using social media in biomedicine http://goo.gl/neenB

14 Ways Social Media May Soon Change Your Doctor's Visit http://goo.gl/muWK1

Can Twitter predict disease outbreaks? | BMJ http://goo.gl/EU0uO

Social Media ROI Reform - Measuring the effectiveness of your hospital SoMe efforts http://goo.gl/3YPQH

As Facebook grows, millions say, 'no, thanks' - AP story http://goo.gl/QdfkB

Create free infographics online with Drag and Drop pre-designed themes: easel.ly http://goo.gl/uXXmi

How Amazon Killed The Book Reviewer Star - aggregate rating of Amazon reviewers as good as professional book critics http://goo.gl/ISc15

Research Sidebar in Google Docs - find more information about words in a document, add web content http://goo.gl/IqdQb

How blogging has helped me academically: Because I write most days, my writing has improved dramatically http://goo.gl/GLNsL

Social Media and Relationship Stress: There can be consequences when "Like" turns to love online http://goo.gl/V5itM

Medical School Life in Cambridge and Debrecen - @Berci compares the promotional videos http://goo.gl/BZm2w

The articles were selected from my Twitter and Google Reader streams. Please feel free to send suggestions for articles to clinicalcases@gmail.com and you will receive acknowledgement in the next edition of this publication.

Comments from Twitter:

Neelesh Bhandari MD @edrneelesh: @DrVes That's an excellent selection of #hcsm posts

Social media FTW: Mayo Clinic offers preferred early access to journalists and bloggers to health news

The newly launched "Mayo Clinic News Network" is billed as the journalists' multimedia source for health, science and research information: http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org

The no cost, password-protected site for journalists offers the latest breaking medical news, videos, graphics, links for background, animation, experts and patient interviews. Journalists from TV, radio, newspaper, blogs, and mobile platforms are invited to visit our site http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org and register. Pending approval, you will have access to this rich source of multimedia content.



I feature high-quality videos from Mayo Clinic on CasesBlog 2-3 times per month, and after some brief consideration I registered and applied for access. I will let you know if a medical blog with 7 million page views qualifies for access to the Mayo Clinic News Network or not (update: the application was approved).

The flagship journal of ACP, Annals of Internal Medicine, already includes medical bloggers in their embargoed news release before each new issue.

The ACP Internist website took a step further and includes guest posts from hand-picked medical bloggers (disclaimer: I am one of the selected authors). Many of the posts are quite interesting and cover a wide variety of topics. You can see for yourself here: http://blog.acpinternist.org

Kudos to the ACP editor Ryan DuBosar who is leading the medical blog initiative there: http://blog.acpinternist.org/2012/05/qd-news-every-day-nearly-1-in-8-doctors.html