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Beyond Journal Club Podcast from Core IM

Evaluating new trials and their place in the literature

Does colonoscopy prevent colon cancer, and does it save lives? There has never been a randomized controlled trial on the effect of screening colonoscopies before the NordICC trial, even though screening colonoscopy is a guideline-based recommendation for everyone over age 45....

The NordICC Trial: Does invitation to screening colonoscopy save lives?

Should your patients be reaching for albuterol when their asthma flares up? Some of us may have been treating asthma exacerbations incorrectly for many years… What is the right approach? Tune in to the fifth episode of Beyond Journal Club, a...

The MANDALA Trial: What is the Best Rescue Medication for Asthma?

How do you counsel patients eligible for the RSV vaccines? What do the results of the RENOIR and AReSVi trials tell us and how do they compare? How should we interpret vaccine trials in the first place? Tune in to the...

The RENOIR and AReSVi Trials: RSV & What Makes Vaccine Trials Different?

In community-acquired pneumonia, can steroids improve mortality? Past studies of steroids in CAP have been conflicting, with some showing a mortality benefit and others showing no difference. How does the CAPE COD trial change how we think about patients hospitalized with...

The CAPE COD Trial: Do Steroids Have a Role in Community-Acquired Pneumonia?

What is the difference between semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) in metabolic outcomes and mechanism? How did we find out diabetes medications can help with weight loss? SURMOUNT-1 asked the question, "Does tirzepatide, a once weekly injectable drug used...

The SURMOUNT-1 Trial: How Did Diabetes Medications Become Weight Loss Meds?

Does adding revascularization by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to optimal medical therapy improve survival and heart failure hospitalizations in patients with severe ischemic left ventricular systolic dysfunction? Some evidence suggests that patients with low ejection fraction benefit from revascularization by PCI....

The REVIVED Trial: Does PCI Save Lives in Heart Failure and CAD?

Stats, Stat!

Stats

This Stats, STAT! animated video explores the concept of treatment effect heterogeneity. Differences in the effectiveness of treatments across participants in a clinical trial is important to understand when deciding how to apply clinical trial results to clinical practice. ...

How Treatment Effect Heterogeneity Works

This Stats, STAT! animated video explores the concept of statistical power and explains how clinical investigators determine how many participants to enroll in a randomized trial.

How Statistical Power Works

A common challenge in clinical research is determining the time to occurrence of a given event. This animated video explores the concept of censoring in survival analysis and how investigators deal with ambiguity in the time of an event’s occurrence. ...

How Censoring Works

In the latest edition of Stats, STAT!, Fralick and colleagues explain the statistics behind large language models — used in chat bots like ChatGPT and Bard. While these new tools may seem remarkably intelligent, at their core they just assemble sentences...

Large Language Models

This Stats, STAT! animated video explores two possible approaches to analyzing data in a randomized controlled trial: “Frequentist” versus “Bayesian.”

Bayesian Way

From Pages To Practice

From Pages to Practice

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has caused significant morbidity and mortality in infants younger than 6 months worldwide. Currently, two options are available to protect infants from RSV — a bivalent RSV prefusion F protein-based vaccine (RSVpreF) for expectant mothers and prophylaxis...

Takeaways From the RSV MAT-009 Trial

“But it’s so uncomfortable.” That’s what primary care physicians often hear from patients when they are told they need to undergo the dreaded prep the day before a screening colonoscopy. Even with stool-based tests, the collection of a sample at home...

Will Blood-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening ECLIPSE Other Noninvasive Tests?

Each fall and winter, pediatric emergency rooms fill with infants in distress due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Estimates of global disease burden suggest that one in every 28 deaths in children aged 28 days to 6 months is attributable to...

Nirsevimab for a More HARMONIE-ous RSV Season in Infants

Testosterone plays a critical role in men’s skeletal health, increasing bone mineral density throughout adulthood and maintaining it as they age. Men who undergo androgen deprivation therapy to reduce testosterone levels have decreased bone mineral density and increased risk of fracture....

Testosterone and Fracture Risk

Postexposure prophylaxis is not a new concept in medicine. The administration of antibiotic or antiviral therapy after close contact with a person who may be infectious is the current standard of care for many diseases including bacterial meningitis, human immunodeficiency virus...

PEPpered with Disappointment: The dPEP Trial

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic disease that is primarily diagnosed in childhood and marked by the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic insulin-producing β-cells. Histopathologic studies in the 1960s showed that by the time the disease becomes clinically apparent, fewer...

PROTECTing β-Cell Function in Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Patients with cancer often question whether the risks and adverse effects associated with a specific treatment outweigh the benefits. This decision is highly personal and dependent on individual values and goals. Many patients value independence and quality of life over cancer...

Foregoing Radiotherapy after Breast Conserving Surgery

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common monogenic disorder caused by a point mutation in the HBB gene, which encodes β-hemoglobin. The resulting substitution of valine for glutamic acid modifies the erythrocyte morphology such that it is predisposed...

Progress in Sickle Cell Disease Gene Therapies

If you have ever looked at a pediatric chest radiograph, you may recall seeing a large thymic shadow overlying the mediastinum. That shadow disappears with age as the thymus atrophies and involutes. Children born with an absent or hypoplastic thymus, such...

Don’t Underestimate the Health Consequences of Thymus Removal in Adults

Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) often require multiple medications trials to achieve remission. Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) — defined as lack of response to two or more medication trials — affects up to 30% of patients with MDD. Patients with...

Escaping Treatment-Resistant Depression with Esketamine

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are gaining attention for the management of type 2 diabetes and obesity. These drugs have multifactorial effects that include stimulating glucose-dependent insulin secretion, delaying gastric emptying, and inhibiting postprandial glucagon secretion. Consequently, GLP-1 receptor agonists...

Promising Results for GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Obesity-Related HFpEF

A 40-year-old man with bipolar I disorder who is currently on a mood stabilizer is feeling better after a recent depressive episode. During the episode, he was treated with an adjunctive antidepressant. Now that his depression is in remission, you are...

Duration of Adjunctive Antidepressants After Remission of Depression in Bipolar I Disorder

Ms. Apple is a 74-year-old woman with a history of overweight but otherwise very active and still working as a part-time schoolteacher. At a primary care visit, she explains that she is concerned about memory loss because her mother developed dementia...

Diet for Prevention of Cognitive Decline in Older Adults

Mr. Wang is a 73-year-old male with a history of atrial fibrillation (AF) and diabetes who presented with left-sided weakness. Head imaging showed an ischemic stroke affecting the superficial cortical branch of the right middle cerebral artery. When should he restart...

Early Anticoagulation After Stroke Due to Atrial Fibrillation Prevents Recurrent Ischemic Events

Men who receive a diagnosis of low- or intermediate-risk clinically localized prostate cancer can live for decades. Each treatment option is associated with different effects on quality of life and sexual, urinary, and bowel function. To compare the effectiveness of these...

Similarly Low 15-Year Mortality After Monitoring, Surgery, or Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) involves the obliteration of the small arterioles of the pulmonary vasculature. PAH is categorized as World Health Organization (WHO) group 1 pulmonary hypertension, based on the presence of elevated pulmonary arterial pressures, normal pulmonary capillary wedge/left heart...

Lung Story Short: A New Therapy for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

The perennial question of whether to use glucocorticoids to treat patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) continues to consume hours of discussion in intensive care units (ICUs). Pneumonia elicits an inflammatory response in the lung, which left unchecked, can lead to a deleterious decline in pulmonary function and oxygenation. Glucocorticoids...

Should Glucocorticoids Be All the Rage in the Treatment of CAP?

Some anticoagulation decisions in patients with thrombosis are straightforward, thanks to a preponderance of data. First provoked deep-vein thrombosis (DVT)? There’s a guideline for that (no less than 3 months of anticoagulation). Recurrent DVT, pulmonary embolism, or decisions between a direct...

Hydrochlorothiazide or Chlorthalidone for Hypertension?

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the most common cause of preventable death in hospitalized medical patients, yet pharmacologic prophylaxis remains underutilized. The Virchow’s triad of venous stasis, vascular injury, and hypercoagulability is key in the assessment of VTE risk. Based on the Padua Score — a validated risk assessment model that...

Broken Bones and Thromboprophylaxis: Is Aspirin Enough?

Opioid use disorder (OUD) continues to be a national crisis in the United States. President Biden has identified battling the opioid crisis as a top priority and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $1.6 billion to...

Methadone or Buprenorphine in Mothers and Neonates: A Tale of Two Drugs for OUD

NEJM Quick Takes

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New research findings summarized in a short video

Patients with subacute or chronic subdural hematoma frequently have a recurrence after surgery. The effect of adjunctive middle meningeal artery embolization remains unclear. New research findings are summarized in a short video.

Middle Meningeal Artery Embolization and Subdural Hematoma

Progress in the eradication of malaria has slowed, creating a need for new tools. Immunization with a genetically attenuated parasite arresting late in the liver stage may improve protection. New research findings are summarized in a short video. ...

Late-Liver-Stage Attenuated Malaria Vaccine

In patients with chronic subdural hematoma, the incidence of recurrence or progression remains high despite standard care. The effect of adding middle meningeal artery embolization to treatment is unclear. New research findings are summarized in a short video. ...

Meningeal Artery Embolization for Nonacute Subdural Hematoma

In patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, recurrences after standard treatment are common. Adding perioperative durvalumab to standard treatment may improve outcomes. New research findings are summarized in a short video.

Perioperative Durvalumab in Bladder Cancer

Many patients with moderate to severe functional mitral regurgitation remain symptomatic despite receiving guideline-recommended therapy. New research findings on transcatheter mitral-valve repair in these patients are summarized in a short video.

Transcatheter Valve Repair for Mitral Regurgitation

In patients with heart failure and secondary mitral regurgitation, both mitralvalve surgery and transcatheter edge-to-edge repair are recommended therapies. New research findings comparing outcomes of the procedures are summarized in a short video.

Transcatheter Repair vs. Surgery for Secondary Mitral Regurgitation

In Western countries, perioperative chemotherapy is the standard of care for resectable gastric cancer. Interest has been high in adding preoperative chemoradiotherapy to this treatment. New research findings are summarized in a short video.

Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy for Resectable Gastric Cancer

How neoadjuvant immunotherapy compares with standard adjuvant immunotherapy in patients with resectable, macroscopic stage III melanoma has been unclear. New research findings are summarized in a short video.

Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy in Stage III Melanoma

For adults older than 75 years of age with non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, specific pharmacologic and invasive treatment guidelines are lacking. New research findings are summarized in a short video.

Invasive Treatment in Older Patients with MI

Women increasingly seek medication abortion very early, before an intrauterine pregnancy can be confirmed. However, evidence on the efficacy of medication abortion this early has been limited. New research findings are summarized in a short video.

A Trial of Very Early Medication Abortion

Among patients with resected stage III BRAF V600-mutated melanoma, a study reported a relapse-free survival benefit with dabrafenib plus trametinib, but data on overall survival were not mature. New research findings are summarized in a short video. ...

Adjuvant Dabrafenib plus Trametinib for Stage III Melanoma

In patients with severe hip osteoarthritis, total hip replacement is recommended routinely, but its effects as compared with nonsurgical treatments are unknown. New research findings are summarized in a short video.

Hip Replacement for Severe Hip Osteoarthritis

PIK3CA mutations are poor prognostic indicators in advanced breast cancer. Addition of the PI3K inhibitor inavolisib to palbociclib–fulvestrant might improve outcomes. New research findings are summarized in a short video.

Addition of PI3Kα Inhibition in Breast Cancer

Adding isatuximab, an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, to bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRd) may improve outcomes in transplantineligible patients with multiple myeloma. New research findings are summarized in a short video.

Isatuximab with VRd in Older Patients with Myeloma

Obesity is a major risk factor for knee osteoarthritis. New research evaluating whether the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide is superior to placebo in reducing body weight and knee osteoarthritis pain is summarized in a short video.

Semaglutide in Obesity and Knee Osteoarthritis

Resistance to third-generation EGFR-TKIs develops in nearly all patients with EGFR–mutated non–small-cell lung cancer. First-line treatment with amivantamab–lazertinib may improve clinical outcomes. New research findings are summarized in a short video.

Amivantamab–Lazertinib in EGFR-Mutated Lung Cancer

Treatment options for Dupuytren’s contracture include limited fasciectomy and collagenase injection, but data comparing the two approaches are lacking. New research findings are summarized in a short video.

Collagenase Injection for Dupuytren’s Contracture

Therapies are needed for patients with heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction. New research findings on the nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist finerenone are summarized in a short video.

Finerenone in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

In patients with advanced Hodgkin’s lymphoma, adding brentuximab vedotin to chemotherapy improves outcomes, but challenges remain. New research findings on nivolumab plus chemotherapy in these patients are summarized in a short video.

Nivolumab in Advanced Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

For patients with localized prostate cancer, hypofractionated radiotherapy has become a standard treatment option. Whether radiation could be safely and effectively delivered in fewer doses is uncertain. New research findings are summarized in a short video.

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy and Localized Prostate Cancer

Curbside Consults Podcast

A deep dive with clinician experts and educators

In this episode of Curbside Consults, Dr. Andrew Dwyer, Director of Psychometrics at the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), joins Mridula Nadamuni, former editorial fellow, to discuss the process of creating and administering pediatric board examinations. ...

How the Pediatric Boards Are Made with Dr. Andrew Dwyer

In this episode of Curbside Consults, Dr. Adriann Begay, member of the Navajo Nation, shares her journey into medicine. Dr. Begay is Tábaahi (Edge of the Water clan) and born for Bít’ahnii (Folded Arms People clan). Her maternal grandparents are Ta’néészahnii...

Global Health, GLocal Health, and the Indian Health Service with Dr. Adriann Begay

On this episode of Curbside Consults, we discuss current approaches, adverse effects, and management of complications associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We are joined by Dr. Kerry Reynolds, Clinical Director of Inpatient Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Director of...

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors with Dr. Kerry Reynolds

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the 2022 scientific statement from the American Heart Association on the management of acute coronary syndrome in the older adult population. We are joined by Dr. Abdulla Damluji, the lead author on the...

Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Older Adults with Dr. Abdulla Damluji

In this episode of Curbside Consults, Jaclyn Albin, MD and Milette Siler, RD share their passion for food as medicine and talk about their experiences at The Culinary Medicine Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Jaclyn believes food as medicine delivers...

Culinary Medicine with Dr. Jaclyn Albin and Milette Siler, RD

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the Endocrine Society’s 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline on management of hyperglycemia in hospitalized adults in non-critical care settings. We are joined by Dr. Mary Korytkowski, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of...

Management of Hyperglycemia in Hospitalized Adults with Dr. Mary Korytkowski

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the American College of Chest Physicians recent clinical practice guideline on Perioperative Management of Antithrombotic Therapy. We are joined by Dr. James Douketis, Chair in Thromboembolic Disease at McMaster University and the first...

American College of Chest Physicians Clinical Practice Guideline on Perioperative Management of Antithrombotic Therapy with Dr. James Douketis

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the 2022 revision of the clinical practice guideline on the management of hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn infant by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). We are joined by two authors of the revised...

Management of Hyperbilirubinemia in the Newborn Infant with Drs. Alex Kemper and Tom Newman

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we discuss aerospace medicine with two physicians who are double boarded in internal and aerospace medicine and are also NASA astronauts. Dr. Auñón-Chancellor recently served as Flight Engineer on the International Space Station for Expeditions...

Space Medicine with Drs. Serena Auñón-Chancellor and Michael Barratt

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine an update on management of opiate use disorder in hospitalized adults by the SHM (Society of Hospital Medicine). We are joined by Dr. Susan Calcaterra, Associate Professor of Medicine, Director of the Addiction...

Management of Opiate Use Disorder in Hospitalized Adults with Dr. Susan Calcaterra

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on Sarcoidosis. We are joined by one of its co-authors, Dr. Kevin Wilson, Chief of Guidelines and Documents at the American Thoracic Society and Professor...

American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline on Sarcoidosis with Dr. Kevin Wilson

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine an update on sleep-related infant deaths by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). We are joined by Rachel Moon, Harrison Distinguished Teaching Professor of Pediatrics of at the University of Virginia and Chair...

Sleep-Related Infant Deaths with Dr. Rachel Moon

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we are joined by Dr. Cheri Blauwet, Chief Medical Officer at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, and retired Paralympian in the sport of competitive wheelchair...

Understanding Disability with Dr. Cheri Blauwet

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest guidelines on the diagnosis and management of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) by the American Thoracic Society (ATS). We are joined by Mary Strek, Professor of Medicine...

Update on Idiopathic and Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis with Dr. Mary Strek

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest standards of medical care published by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). We are joined by Dr. Bob Gabbay, who is Chief Science and Medical Officer at the American Diabetes Association, an...

ADA Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes with Dr. Bob Gabbay

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest recommendation statement on the use of aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). We are joined by Michael Barry, who is Director of the Informed Medical Decisions Program in the Health Decision Sciences...

USPSTF Recommendation Statement on Aspirin Use with Dr. Michael Barry

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we are joined by Dr. Clyde Yancy, Chief of Cardiology at the Feinberg School of Medicine, past chair of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Heart Failure Guidelines Committee, and a senior member of the committee that authored the new 2022 Guideline for...

Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure with Dr. Clyde Yancy

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on the treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We are joined by Dr. Kimberly Workowski, a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory, and one of the guideline...

CDC Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines with Dr. Kimberly Workowski

As Editor-In-Chief of the New England Journal of Medicine , Dr. Eric Rubin is an authority on medical publishing, but he didn’t always know this was the job he wanted. In this special episode of Curbside Consults, we explore the highlights...

Pursuing a Career in Medical Publishing: A Conversation with Dr. Eric Rubin

In this episode of Curbside Consults, we examine the latest guidelines on the diagnosis and management of Barrett’s esophagus by the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG). We are joined by Dr. Nick Shaheen, a Professor of Medicine and Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at UNC Chapel Hill, and one of...

Diagnosis and Management of Barrett’s Esophagus with Dr. Nicholas Shaheen

Clinical Spotlight

Exploring controversies in clinical research

Its effects include sedation not reversed by naloxone, as well as hypotension and bradycardia; extensive skin wounds are associated with xylazine-adulterated fentanyl.

Xylazine: An Increasingly Frequent Adulterant in Fentanyl Street Drugs

New randomized trials provide helpful data, but our understanding of this drug's effect remains incomplete.

Antidepressant Effects of the Psychedelic Drug Psilocybin

Two newly approved vaccines for adults 60 or older should be available in autumn 2023.

RSV Vaccines for Older Adults


Similar neurological, immunological, metabolic, and cardiopulmonary abnormalities are present.

Long COVID and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Share Pathophysiology


According to a new study, we still have a long way to go.

Has Inpatient Care Become Safer?

Research Summaries

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Research summaries with expert commentaries

This randomized trial showed no difference in local or systemic side effects in patients receiving their vaccines on either schedule.

Simultaneous vs. Sequential Administration of COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccines


The combinations of inhaled steroid/albuterol or inhaled steroid/formoterol clearly are superior to monotherapy for rescue.

Should We Still Be Using Albuterol Alone for Asthma?

In this observational study, rosuvastatin was associated with lower 6-year mortality but interpreting and applying the results is not straightforward.

Atorvastatin vs. Rosuvastatin: Do Effectiveness and Safety Differ?

The overall failure rate was 10% — central line–associated bloodstream infections, occlusions, and dislodgement were the main culprits.

How Common Are Central Line Complications?

This potassium-competitive acid blocker recently was FDA approved for this indication, but its high cost is a barrier to routine use.

Vonoprazan for Treating Patients with Heartburn

A trio of trials provide more evidence for the safety and efficacy of SPCs to lower blood pressure.

Evidence Mounts for Triple Single-Pill Combination Therapy for Hypertension

In a randomized trial, critically ill patients with acute brain injury who were transfused to a higher hemoglobin goal had better neurological outcomes.

Optimal Hemoglobin Threshold for Patients with Acute Brain Injury

Commonly used nonstandard arm positions resulted in clinically relevant overestimation of BP.

Does Arm Positioning Affect Blood Pressure Readings?

For most patients with penicillin allergy in their records, it's a safe way to delabel.

Can We Skip Skin Testing and Go Right to a Direct Penicillin Challenge?

It's probably 9 g/dL in patients with MI and anemia.

What Is the Optimal Hemoglobin Transfusion Threshold in Patients with Myocardial Infarction?

New recommendations in these updated American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines include selective measurement of cardiac biomarkers.

Perioperative Cardiovascular Management for Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery

A scientific statement from the American Heart Association provides guidance on this recently U.S. FDA-approved procedure.

Renal Denervation for Managing Hypertension

In a large observational study, women with false-positive results were less likely to return for future screening.

Do False-Positive Mammograms Discourage Subsequent Screening?

Among other changes, the 2024 version of these guidelines suggests that clinicians use clarithromycin and levofloxacin to treat H. pylori only if susceptibility is proven.

Treating Patients Who Have Helicobacter pylori Infections

A concise review article outlines the spectrum of potentially important incidental findings that clinicians are seeing increasingly on chest CT reports.

Incidental Findings on Chest CT

Both strategies yielded similar postoperative outcomes.