In episode 298, Mike, James and Tina discuss the evidence and use of Anti-CCP as a test for adult rheumatoid arthritis. We find that this test may be more useful than rheumatoid factor when it comes to figuring out if a patient has rheumatoid arthritis.

Show notes

1) Tools for Practice

Anti-CCP: A truly helpful Rheumatoid Arthritis lab test? 

2) Likelihood values and what do they mean – Diagnosis in primary care: probabilistic reasoning

J Prim Health Care 2012;4:166-73

In episode 297, Mike, James and Tina chat about a treatment that takes 2-5 minutes and has an NNT of 2-3 – it doesn’t get much better than that. While there isn’t a lot of evidence around the Epley maneuver for benign paroxysmal vertigo, what there is is fairly impressive – in fact it made our heads spin.

Show notes

Evaluating the Epley maneuver

Can Fam Phy 2015;61:779

In episode 296, Mike and James invite Alan Cassels to help us discuss a deprescribing resource we created called MedStopper which you can find at medstopper.com. We talk about where the idea came from and how we created the database for MedStopper. We would love it if you would check out the site and let us know what you think.

Show notes

1) The MedStopper Site

medstopper.com

2) The Med Stopper SONG – a parody of the Beatles song Day Tripper

3) Alan’s website – where media and medicine meet

In episode 295, Mike and James discuss the latest blood pressure target trial in an impressive PREMIUM way. We also discuss the most recent meta-analysis that looked at all of the studies (except SPRINT) that have evaluated intensive blood pressure lowering. At the end we put the entire process into a perfect perspective that some have called earth shattering; and you can only find out what we think by becoming a PREMIUM member.

Show notes

1) The SPRINT trial

N Engl J Med 2015; 373:2103-16

2) Effects of intensive blood pressure lowering on cardiovascular and renal outcomes: updated systematic review and meta-analysis 

November 6, 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ S0140-6736(15)00805-3