Although osteoporotic fractures present an enormous health burden, it is not clear whether screening to identify high-risk persons is appropriate.

To synthesize new data on breast cancer screening for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

When a patient with multiple, complicated conditions is admitted to a hospital and risky procedures are performed that result in adverse outcomes, the difficulties inherent in determining whether and when a preventable medical error has occurred must be addressed. This article analyzes the case of a 40-year-old woman with a history of chronic aortic dissection and pericardial effusion who was admitted to a teaching hospital with unilateral swelling of her left breast and arm accompanied by dyspnea. During her hospitalization, the patient developed multiple complications from the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that were performed. The authors argue that this case illustrates some limitations of routinely undertaking time-consuming and costly reviews, or "root-cause analyses," as a patient safety strategy when they are unlikely to reveal remediable "errors" or to suggest better systems of care that will prevent errors. The ability to establish causality through post hoc reviews is the linchpin in the recommendation for widespread adoption of error reporting and reviews. When causality is not established, it is impossible to know whether any changes adopted as a result of the reviews will be effective. This case, in which the causal pathways to the adverse events are very uncertain, may be much more typical than the egregious errors featured in a classic root-cause analysis. The authors recommend that the relative merits of this approach to patient safety be compared with other proven, cost-effective interventions to improve quality, such as appropriate treatment of myocardial infarction or depression, before scarce resources and enormous human capital are allocated for widespread implementation.

The efficacy of breast cancer screening in women age 40 to 49 years remains controversial.

To evaluate the value of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary artery disease (CAD).

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) constitute an epidemic of tremendous magnitude, with an estimated 15 million persons in the United States acquiring a new STD each year. Effective clinical management of STDs is a strategic common element in efforts to prevent HIV infection and to improve reproductive and sexual health. Sexually transmitted diseases may result in severe, long-term, costly complications, including facilitation of HIV infection, tubal infertility, adverse outcomes of pregnancy, and cervical and other types of anogenital cancer. The publication of national guidelines for the management of STDs, by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has been a key component of federal initiatives to improve the health of the U.S. population by preventing and controlling STDs and their sequelae. This paper presents new recommendations from the 2002 CDC Guidelines for the Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in the context of current disease trends and public health.

To determine whether counseling adults in primary care settings improves and maintains physical activity levels.

This paper provides the clinician with an understanding of the epidemiologic and biological characteristics of West Nile virus in North America, as well as useful information on the diagnosis, reporting, and management of patients with suspected West Nile virus infection and on advising patients about prevention. Information was gathered from the medical literature and from national surveillance data through May 2002. Since the identification of West Nile virus in New York City in 1999, enzootic activity has been documented in 27 states and the District of Columbia. Continued geographic expansion is likely. Overall, one in 150 infections results in severe neurologic illness. Advanced age is by far the most important risk factor for neurologic disease and, once disease develops, for worse clinical outcome. Surveillance has identified 149 persons with West Nile virus-related illness in 10 states. Encephalitis is more commonly reported than meningitis, and concomitant muscle weakness and flaccid paralysis may provide a clinical clue to the presence of West Nile virus infection. Peak incidence occurs in late summer, although onset has occurred from July through December. Immunoglobulin M antibody testing of serum specimens and cerebrospinal fluid is the most efficient method of diagnosis, although cross-reactions are possible in patients recently vaccinated against or recently infected with related flaviviruses. Testing can be arranged through local, state, or provincial (in Canada) health departments. Prevention rests on elimination of mosquito breeding sites; judicious use of pesticides; and avoidance of mosquito bites, including mosquito repellent use.

Almost half of the deaths that result from myelodysplastic syndromes are due to cytopenia associated with bone marrow failure. Treatment is mostly supportive care.

To assess the effectiveness of different colorectal cancer screening tests for adults at average risk.

This statement summarizes the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation on screening for colorectal cancer and the supporting scientific evidence and updates the 1995 recommendations contained in the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2nd edition. At that time, the USPSTF recommended screening for colorectal cancer with annual fecal occult blood testing, periodic sigmoidoscopy, or the combination of fecal occult blood testing and sigmoidoscopy but concluded that the evidence was insufficient to recommend for or against colonoscopy or barium enema. The complete USPSTF recommendation and rationale statement on this topic, which includes a brief review of the supporting evidence, is available through the USPSTF Web site (http://www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov), the National Guideline Clearinghouse (http://www.guideline.gov), and in print through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Publications Clearinghouse (telephone, 800-358-9295; e-mail, ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov). The complete information on which this statement is based, including tables and references, is available in the accompanying article in this issue and in the summary of the evidence and systematic evidence review on the Web sites already mentioned.

Administration of the wrong medication is a serious and understudied problem. Because physicians are not directly involved in the drug administration process, they tend to overlook the possibility of adverse drug events and medication errors in their differential diagnoses of patient illnesses or acute deterioration. This article analyzes the case of a patient with iatrogenic hypoglycemia due to administration of the wrong medication: Insulin instead of heparin was used to flush the patient's arterial line. In addition to assessing the results of the institution's "root-cause analysis" of the factors contributing to this particular adverse event and the institution's response, this article reviews the literature on preventing medication errors. Key strategies that might have been helpful in this case include using checklists for common emergency conditions (such as altered level of consciousness) and automated paging for "panic laboratory values," as well as instituting protocols for medication administration. Changing the system of administering medications by bar coding drugs, with checks of the medication, patient, and provider, could have prevented this accident. Finally, organizations need to strive for a "culture of safety" by providing opportunities to discuss errors and adverse events in constructive, supportive environments and by resisting pressure to find a scapegoat.

In patients with moderate to severe histoplasmosis associated with AIDS, the preferred treatment has been the deoxycholate formulation of amphotericin B. However, serious side effects are associated with use of amphotericin B.

To perform a systematic review of the cost-effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Chemoprevention offers promise as a strategy for reducing morbidity and mortality from breast cancer in women. This review examined the evidence for the effectiveness of chemoprevention in women without a history of breast cancer.