Thad Wilkins

The Prevalence of Dysphagia in Primary Care Patients: A HamesNet Research Network Study

Purpose: A number of disorders cause dysphagia, which is the perception of an obstruction during swallowing. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of dysphagia in primary care patients. Methods: Adults 18 years old and older were the subjects of an anonymous survey that was collected in the clinic waiting room before patients were seen by a physician. Twelve family medicine offices in HamesNet, a research network in Georgia, participated. Results: Of the 947 study participants, 214 (22.6%) reported dysphagia occurring several times per month or more frequently. Those reporting dysphagia were more likely to be women (80.8% women vs 19.2% men, P = .002) and older (mean age of 48.1 in patients with dysphagia vs mean age of 45.7 in patients without dysphagia, P = .001). Sixty-four percent of patients with dysphagia indicated that they were concerned about their symptoms, but 46.3% had not spoken with their doctor about their symptoms. Logistic regression analyses showed that increased frequency [odds ratio (OR) = 2.15, 95% CI 1.41–3.30], duration (OR = 1.91, CI 1.24–2.94), and concern (OR = 2.64, CI 1.36–5.12) of swallowing problems as well as increased problems eating out (OR = 1.72, CI 1.19–2.49) were associated with increased odds of having talked to a physician. Conclusions: This is the first report of the prevalence of dysphagia in an unselected adult primary care population. Dysphagia occurs commonly in primary care patients but often is not discussed with a physician.

Screening Colonoscopies by Primary Care Physicians: A Meta-Analysis

PURPOSE There is currently too few endoscopists to enact a national colorectal cancer screening program with colonoscopy. Primary care physicians could play an important role in filling this shortage by offering screening colonoscopy in their practice. The purpose of this study was to examine the safety and effectiveness of colonoscopies performed by primary care physicians. METHODS We identified relevant articles through searches of MEDLINE and EMBASE bibliographic databases to December 2007 and through manual searches of bibliographies of each citation. We found 590 articles, 12 of which met inclusion criteria. Two authors independently abstracted data on study and patient characteristics. Descriptive statistics were performed. For each outcome measure, a random effects model was used to determine estimated means and confidence intervals. RESULTS We analyzed 12 studies of colonoscopies performed by primary care physicians, which included 18,292 patients (mean age 59 years, 50.5% women). The mean estimated adenoma and adenocarcinoma detection rates were 28.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 20.4%–39.3%) and 1.7% (95% CI, 0.9%–3.0%), respectively. The mean estimated reach-the-cecum rate was 89.2% (95% CI, 80.1%–94.4%). The major complication rate was 0.04% (95% CI, 0.01%–0.07%); no deaths were reported. CONCLUSIONS Colonoscopies performed by primary care physicians have quality, safety, and efficacy indicators that are comparable to those recommended by the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the American College of Gastroenterology, and the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons. Based on these results, colonoscopy screening by primary care physicians appears to be safe and effective.

Racial Disparities and Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening in Rural Areas

Introduction: This study examined barriers to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in people living in rural areas. Methods: We identified 2 rural counties with high rates of CRC and randomly contacted county residents by telephone using a published listing. Results: Six hundred thirty-five of the 1839 eligible respondents (34.5%) between the ages of 50 and 79 years living in McDuffie and Screven counties, Georgia, agreed to complete the survey. The mean age was 62.2 years (SD, ±7.5 years); 72.4% were women, 79.4% were white, and 19.5% were African American. African-American respondents had lower CRC screening rates (50.4%) than whites (63.4%; P = .009). Significantly more African Americans compared with whites reported barriers to CRC screening. Based on logistic regression analyses, having a physician recommend CRC screening had the strongest association with having a current CRC screening, regardless of race. Conclusions: Important racial differences existed between African Americans and whites regarding the barriers to CRC screening and factors impacting current screening. However, endorsement of a small set of questionnaire items—not race—had the strongest association with being current with screening. Physician recommendation for CRC screening had the strongest association with being current with CRC screening.

Diagnosis and Management of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Children

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is an uncommon but potentially serious, life-threatening condition in children. Rapid assessment, stabilization, and resuscitation should precede all diagnostic modalities in unstable children. The diagnostic approach includes history, examination, laboratory evaluation, endoscopic procedures, and imaging studies. The clinician needs to determine carefully whether any blood or possible blood reported by a child or adult represents true upper gastrointestinal bleeding because most children with true upper gastrointestinal bleeding require admission to a pediatric intensive care unit. After the diagnosis is established, the physician should start a proton pump inhibitor or histamine 2 receptor antagonist in children with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Consideration should also be given to the initiation of vasoactive drugs in all children in whom variceal bleeding is suspected. An endoscopy should be performed once the child is hemodynamically stable.

Office-Based Unsedated Ultrathin Esophagoscopy in a Primary Care Setting

PURPOSE Gastroesophageal reflux disease is common and with time may be complicated by Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, including esophagoscopy, is the procedure of choice to diagnose Barrett’s esophagus and other esophageal disease. The use of unsedated ultrathin esophagoscopy (UUE) has been reported by gastroenterologists in specialized endoscopy units and otolaryngologists in outpatient otolaryngology offices, but UUE has not been previously described in a primary care setting. This study examines the feasibility of office-based UUE in primary care. METHODS This study is a retrospective chart review in a university-based family medicine clinic in the southeastern United States. Charts were reviewed of 56 adult outpatients who were referred for further evaluation of reflux symptoms that persisted after at least 4 weeks of therapy with histamine2 receptor agonists or proton pump inhibitors and who elected to undergo UUE in the primary care setting. Patient demographics, procedure indications and findings, changes in clinical management, and procedure times were recorded. RESULTS One hundred percent of patients asked to participate in UUE were willing to undergo the procedure (mean age 48.3 ± 1.6 y, 57.1% women); 95% of the patients tolerated UUE. Barrett’s esophagus was diagnosed in 5.7% (n = 3) of the patients. Mean procedure time was 5.5 ± 1.7 min. No complications were reported in this series. CONCLUSIONS Initial data suggest that UUE is feasible in primary care, with the majority of patients tolerating the procedure. UUE may be an efficient method of examining the distal esophagus.

Nasolaryngoscopy in a Family Medicine Clinic: Indications, Findings, and Economics

Background: Nasopharyngeal complaints are common among patients who present to primary care. Patients with these complaints are often referred for nasolaryngoscopy evaluation to exclude serious conditions such as laryngeal cancer. Methods: This study is a retrospective case series in which 276 charts of adult outpatients who were referred for nasolaryngoscopy were reviewed. We examined patient demographics, procedure indications and findings, complications, and changes in clinical management. Results: Nasolaryngoscopy was completed in 273 (98.9%) patients (mean age, 51.3 ± 14.6 years; 71.4% were women). The most common indications for nasolaryngoscopy were hoarseness (51.3%), globus sensation (32.0%), and chronic cough (17.1%); the most common findings included laryngopharyngeal reflux (42.5%), chronic rhinitis (32.2%), and vocal cord lesions (13.2%). Three patients (1.1%) were diagnosed with laryngeal cancer and this diagnosis was significantly associated with a history of smoking (P = .03). No major complications occurred. Conclusions: We found that nasolaryngoscopy was a safe procedure in the primary care setting, and no major complications occurred in our series. Patients who have ever smoked and complain of hoarseness are at higher risk for laryngeal cancer. An alarming 1% of patients in our series were diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. This is the first study to define the rates of laryngopharyngeal reflux, vocal cord lesions, and laryngeal cancer among primary care patients.

Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis Presenting with Severe Anemia and Near Syncope

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders or eosinophilic digestive disorders encompass a spectrum of rare gastrointestinal disorders that includes eosinophilic esophagitis, eosinophilic gastroenteritis, and eosinophilic colitis. Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract. The clinical manifestations include anemia, dyspepsia, and diarrhea. Endoscopy with biopsy showing histologic evidence of eosinophilic infiltration is considered definitive for diagnosis. Corticosteroid therapy, food allergen testing, elimination diets, and elemental diets are considered effective treatments for eosinophilic gastroenteritis. The treatment and prognosis of eosinophilic gastroenteritis is determined by the severity of the clinical manifestations. We describe a 24-year-old woman with eosinophilic gastroenteritis presenting as epigastric pain with a history of severe iron deficiency anemia, asthma, eczema, and allergic rhinitis, and we review the literature regarding presentation, diagnostic testing, pathophysiology, predisposing factors, and treatment recommendations.

Split peroneus brevis tendon: an unusual cause of ankle pain and instability.

Tears of the peroneus brevis tendon may cause ankle pain, swelling, and instability. Supportive therapy with ankle bracing and analgesics is the mainstay of therapy, but surgical repair is often required in patients with ongoing symptoms. Surgical options include debridement, tubularization, or, in severe cases, resection of the damaged tendon and tenodesis. We describe a 64-year-old woman with a split peroneus brevis tendon presenting with lateral ankle pain, swelling, and instability, and we review the literature regarding presentation, diagnostic testing, pathophysiology, predisposing factors, and treatment recommendations. Primary care physicians should consider peroneal tendon injuries in patients with chronic lateral ankle pain and instability.

Anomalous Coronary Artery Found in the Syncopal Workup of an Elderly Man

Syncope, defined as a transient loss of consciousness, is seen in 1% of all visits to emergency departments and urgent care clinics in the United States. Syncope is categorized as cardiogenic, neurologic, or psychogenic. Anomalies of the coronary arteries are rare, and anomalous coronary arteries present as syncope more often in the young than in the elderly; syncope rarely occurs in patients 65 years of age and older. There are 2 major variants of coronary anomalies. In the first variant, the left main coronary artery arises from the right aortic sinus. In the second variant, the right coronary artery arises from the left aortic sinus. The risk of sudden death is higher in patients with the left coronary artery arising from the right aortic sinus. We present a case of an anomalous coronary artery discovered during the syncopal workup in a 66-year-old man because no such cases have been published in the United States. We will discuss the management of anomalous coronary arteries as well as a systematic approach to the diagnosis and management of syncope.

Salmonella Newport Bacteremia in a 12-Day-Old Infant

In the United States, Salmonella infections (salmonellosis) cause multiple medical problems. Although the most common presenting symptom is diarrhea, bacteremia can also occur. An estimated 1.4 million cases of salmonellosis occur annually in the United States. We present a case of Salmonella bacteremia in a 12-day old infant. We discuss the presenting signs, symptoms, and management strategies for a patient younger than 28 days old (neonate) presenting with fever and diarrhea.