Heart Failure

Cardiovascular Clinical Consult

Adult Immunization

Hepatic Disease 

Behcet’s Disease

Rare Disorders

Pediatric Immunization

Implementing The Topcon Ocular Telehealth Platform

Weight Management

Screening

Monkeypox

Guidelines

Men's Health

Panic Disorder  

Anxiety

Eating Disorders

Depression

Substance-related Disorders

ADHD

Psychiatry 

Seasonal Allergies

Allergy

Nutrition 

Pregnancy and Birth

Women's Health

Atrial Fibrillation

Cholesterol Disorders

Cardiovascular Disease

Hypertension

Cardiology

Substance Use

Child/Adolescent

Pediatrics

Kidney Disease

Genetics

Medical Cannabis

Complimentary & Alternative Medicine

Skin Diseases

Dermatology

Thyroid Disorders 

Diabetes

Diabetes Type 2

Insulin

Endocrinology 

Oral Medicine 

Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases

Fibromyalgia

Pain

Irritable Bowel Syndrome 

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Gastrointestinal Disorders

Geriatrics

Coronavirus

Hepatitis C

Cold, Cough, and Flu

Bacterial Conjunctivitis

Immunization

Influenza

HIV AIDS

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Infection

Osteoporosis

Imaging 

Musculoskeletal Disorders  

Obesity

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis

Gout

Rheumatology

Technology

Colorectal Cancer

Kidney Cancer

Lung Cancer

Melanoma

Skin cancer

Prostate Cancer

Breast Cancer

Cervical Cancer

Cancer

Nephrology

Anemia

Dementia

Epilepsy

Cerebrovascular Diseases

Headache and Migraine

Parkinson Disease

Alzheimer disease

Stroke

Mental Health

Headache

Migraine

Nervous System Diseases

Sleep Disorders

Neurology

Asthma

Cystic Fibrosis

COPD

Pneumonia

Respiratory Diseases

Pulmonology

News

All News

Office Procedures

Practice Management

Media

Around the Practice

Between the Lines

ConsultantLive

Expert Interviews

Frontline Insights

Institutional Insights

Medical World News

Podcasts

Primary View

Provider Toolkits

Readout360

Conferences

Conference Coverage

Conference Listing

Resources

Image IQ

Interactive Posters

Polls

Publications

Quizzes

Subscribe

CE/CME

Advertise

Contact Us

Terms and Conditions

Privacy

Do Not Sell My Information

Patient Care Online

Facebook

LinkedIn

Clinical Focus

Allergy & Immunology

Endocrinology

Gastroenterology

Infectious Disease

Men’s Health

Pain Management

Psychiatry

Women’s Health

Business Focus

Billing and Collections

Career Planning

Coding and Documentation

Concierge Medicine

Cybersecurity

EHRs

Investing

Patient Relations

Personal Finance

Remote Patient Monitoring

Staffing

Telehealth

Value-based Care

Spotlight

Unmet Needs in Managing MDD

Interpreting Thyroid Function Tests

Using Thyroid Lab Tests

Testing & Screening to Optimize Men's Health

1rem

Authors

The rash has been present for 2 years. Originally on the trunk and extremities it  has now spread to her face and hands. She has been diagnosed as having and been unsuccessfully treated for nummular eczema and  tinea corporis. What's your Dx?   

A Rash of Rough Spinous Patches on a Young Girl 

Lichen spinulosus is a rare, hyperkeratotic dermatosis similar to keratosis pilaris. It is most common in children, adolescents, young adults with male predominance. Treatment includes keratolytics and emollients. 

Lichen Spinulosus in a Young Girl  

A 4-year-old girl is brought to the ED after the car she and her mother were in was hit by another vehicle. She is awake and alert and able to speak. Physical examination reveals contusions and abrasions on the abdomen, consistent with seat belt sign, and inguinal lacerations. On palpation, the abdomen is distended, hard, and painful. She is afebrile; weight, 23.7 kg; heart rate, 124 beats/min; respiratory rate, 28 breaths/min; blood pressure, 124/73 mm Hg; SpO

CT scans are ordered of the abdomen and pelvis and the head. Plain x-ray films are ordered of the full spine. Trauma labs are ordered, including CBC, CMP, PT/PTT/INR, and amylase level.

The child is alert and able to speak. Physical examination reveals abdominal contusions and inguinal lacerations. The abdomen is distended and painful to the touch. Watch the video, review the history, and make your diagnosis. 

Clinical Topics

Child With Abdominal Pain and Swelling After Car Accident

A 67-year-old woman noted the appearance of several non-tender, rock-hard, purple-colored nodules on her legs. Her medical history was significant for distant non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

A 67-year-old woman noted the appearance of several non-tender, rock-hard, purple-colored nodules on her legs. Her medical history was significant for distant non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The violaceous color and configuration of the skin lesions suggests which of the following? 

Hard Purple Nodules: Your Dx?

A 76-year-old woman seeks your attention for an asymptomatic “red spot” on her neck. She has a history of multiple non-melanoma skin cancers.

Squamous cell carcinoma in situ (Bowen  disease)

Lichenoid keratosis (an inflammatory variant of seborrheic keratosis)

A 76-year-old woman seeks your attention for an asymptomatic “red spot” on her neck. What does this look like to you?

What's This "Red Spot"?

With respiratory virus season underway, primary care physicians (PCPs) face the challenge of managing the "triple threat" of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 in their patient populations. With new vaccines, updated recommendations, and heightened awareness of respiratory viruses, primary care practices play a pivotal role in not only treating infection but also in educating patients and preventing severe disease across vulnerable populations. This season, as case surges are expected, a proactive, evidence-based approach is essential to protect high-risk patients and minimize strain on healthcare systems.

Each year, seasonal respiratory illnesses pose a predictable challenge to the health care system, but the convergence of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV has intensified that challenge. According to the US CDC, the 2022-2023 influenza season alone led to an estimated 31 million cases, 360 000 hospitalizations, and 21 000 deaths.

 Preliminary data for 2023-2024 show similar numbers with an estimated 34-75 million cases, 380 000-900 000 hospitalizations, and 17 000-100 000 deaths since October 1, 2023.

While COVID-19 cases have decreased from the peak pandemic levels, SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve with new variants, causing surges that threaten at-risk populations.

 Meanwhile, RSV hospitalizations, especially among infants and older adults, continue to stress health care resources. Each year in the US, RSV leads to approximately 58 000-80 000 hospitalizations among children aged less than 5 years and 100 000-160 000 hospitalizations among adults aged 60 years and older, according to the CDC.

“Vaccines help protect patients, families, communities, and loved ones so we encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the flu, RSV, and other CDC-approved immunizations,” said Tochi Iroku-Malize, MD, MPH, former board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) in an interview with 

The CDC updated its vaccine recommendations for the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season to address the ongoing threats of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV, emphasizing the importance of immunization across various age groups.

The CDC advises that everyone aged 6 months and older receive the 

2024-2025 COVID-19 monovalent vaccine formulation

 regardless of prior vaccination history. The new formulation is based on the JN.1 lineage, which has been modified to include the KP.2 strain, aligning better with the circulating variants expected this fall and winter. The 

 that adults aged 65 years and older and people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised receive a second dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine 6 months after their first dose. They also recommend that people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised receive 3 or more doses under shared clinical decision making.

The influenza vaccine composition has been revised to include updated strains. It is a trivalent formulation covering the H1N1, H3N2, and B/Victoria lineage. The CDC advises annual vaccination for all individuals aged 6 months and older, with specific recommendations for higher-risk groups, including older adults and those with underlying health conditions.

The CDC now recommends a single lifetime dose of 

 for all adults aged 75 years and older. “The other recommendation for the RSV vaccine is that people aged 60 to 74 years who are at a higher risk for severe RSV—including those who are immunocompromised or with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] or asthma—should receive a vaccine, even though they are not 75 years and older,” said Steven Furr, MD, past president of the AAFP in an 

“This is a shift from last year’s recommendations, which stated adults aged 60 years and older should receive the vaccine based on shared decision making,” Iroku-Malize said to 

“Part of the reason for the change is that between 2016 and 2020, the CDC estimated that RSV led to approximately 90 000 to 140 000 hospitalizations per year in adults aged 65 years and older, and 10 000 to 20 000 hospitalizations for adults aged 60-64 years.”

, the agency recommends either the pregnant mother receive an RSV vaccine, or the infant gets immunization with an RSV monoclonal antibody, such as nirsevimab (Beyfortus, AstraZeneca and Sanofi). Real-world data from the CDC showed that 

Insights on how to manage the "triple threat" of flu, RSV, and COVID-19 this season.

Respiratory Virus Season 2024-2025: Expert Insights to Help Primary Care Prepare

Ahdi Amer, MD

Articles

Latest Updated Articles