Benefits of prophylactic hematopoietic colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) in adults and children receiving cancer chemotherapy or undergoing stem-cell transplantation (SCT) are unclear.

Hyperkyphosis is a widely recognized yet largely ignored condition. Although there are no uniform diagnostic criteria for hyperkyphosis, current studies estimate its prevalence among older adults at 20% to 40%. The causes and consequences of hyperkyphosis are not well understood. Some physicians think that fractures cause hyperkyphosis and that management strategies should focus solely on diagnosis and treatment for osteoporosis. Recent studies, however, demonstrate that many older adults who are most affected by hyperkyphosis do not have vertebral fractures. Hyperkyphosis may be independently associated with an increased risk for adverse health outcomes, including impaired pulmonary function, decreased physical function capabilities, and future fractures. With the growing older population, we now need research that leads to a deeper understanding of the causes, consequences, and treatment of this common condition.

Patients with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction have an increased risk for ventricular arrhythmias.

Motor vehicle-related injuries are the leading cause of death among children, adolescents, and young adults.

An assessment of the independent effectiveness of primary care interventions to increase the proper use of child safety seats, booster seats, and lap-and-shoulder belts to prevent motor vehicle occupant injuries (MVOIs) and to prevent alcohol-related MVOIs in adolescents and adults.

Sudden cardiac death is a major clinical problem, causing 300,000 to 400,000 deaths annually and 63% of all cardiac deaths. Despite the overall decrease in cardiovascular mortality, the proportion of cardiovascular death from sudden cardiac death has remained constant. Survival rates among patients who have out-of-hospital cardiac arrest vary from 5% to 18%, depending on the presenting rhythm. The latest guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency cardiovascular care published by the American Heart Association include substantial changes to the algorithms for basic life support and advanced cardiovascular life support. For unwitnessed cardiac arrest, immediate defibrillation of the patient is no longer recommended. Rather, 2 minutes of CPR before defibrillation is now recommended. People in cardiac arrest should no longer receive stacked shocks. The compression-ventilation ratio has been changed from 15:2 to 30:2. This article is a contemporary review of the management of CPR and emergency cardiovascular care. It examines current practice and data supporting use of CPR, along with changes in the management of sudden cardiac death.

As newer oral diabetes agents continue to emerge on the market, comparative evidence is urgently required to guide appropriate therapy.

Dietary and lifestyle modification efforts are the primary treatments for people who are obese or overweight. The effect of dietary counseling on long-term weight change is unclear.

Knee osteoarthritis is a major cause of pain and functional limitation.

Atrial fibrillation is a strong independent risk factor for stroke.

Update of 2001 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations about screening sexually active adolescents and adults for chlamydial infection.

Chlamydial infection is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection in the United States, with an estimated 3 million new cases annually. In 2001, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended that clinicians screen all sexually active women at increased risk for infection for Chlamydia trachomatis.

Rheumatoid factor (RF) and autoantibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) are markers that might help physicians diagnose rheumatoid arthritis.