Advance Articles
Innovations
The utility of the implantable loop recorder in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorder
Patients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) often complain of palpitations, presyncope/syncope, attributable to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). This study aimed to evaluate the utility of implantable loop recorders in diagnosing and/or excluding arrhythmias not attributable to POTS in symptomatic patients with EDS and HSD.
Advance Article
NMM/OMT
Osteopathic manipulation to increase lactation quantity: a prospective case series
There is currently no clinical research investigating the effect of osteopathic manipulation on the milk supply of lactating patients. Herbal and prescription galactagogues are limited and have the potential for serious side effects. The objective of this study was to determine whether OMT can increase milk supply in lactating people with low milk supply.
Advance Article
Medical Education
Interactive module’s effectiveness on empathy and attitudes of healthcare students
This study investigates the role that virtual interactive modules play on osteopathic medical students and physician assistant students’ empathy and attitudes toward individuals with diabetes mellitus who are also affected by an array of social determinants of health.
Advance Article
Behavioral Health
Research gaps in the correlation of anxiety and depression prevalence in former college athletes: a systematic review
The transition from collegiate sports to life beyond athletics is a critical period marked by significant changes in identity, routine, and lifestyle. For many former athletes, these changes are compounded by mental health challenges, particularly depression and anxiety, which often go unaddressed during this pivotal phase. This review seeks to identify the existing research and gaps concerning the described supports in mental health, particularly depression and anxiety, in retired athletes.
Advance Article
Medical Education
Scholar 12 longitudinal outcomes: osteopathic research development application to facilitate scholarly activity during the pandemic and beyond
This longitudinal study followed the research competency and scholarly product evolution of Scholar 12 — a free, interactive virtual platform designed for the osteopathic medical community — learners through consecutive academic years at a multi-campus COM, to demonstrate accessibility and application to all institutional remote learning needs during a pandemic and beyond.
Advance Article
NMM/OMT
Effectiveness of osteopathic manual treatment in the elderly population: a scoping review of clinical evidence
This scoping review evaluates the efficacy of OMT in elderly patients by analyzing selected studies that specifically explore its effects on balance, quality of life, and pain management.
Advance Article
Musculoskeletal Medicine and Pain
Chronic pain outcomes among patients treated by osteopathic vs. allopathic physicians: a 36-month follow-up study
This study aimed to compare the outcomes of patients with chronic low back pain treated by osteopathic and allopathic physicians in the United States utilizing a pragmatic design reflecting medical care in real-world settings, including an assessment of potential mediators of osteopathic medical care.
Advance Article
Medical Education
Incorporating the Certified Professional in Patient Safety credential into undergraduate medical curriculum: assessment and lessons learned
The objective of this study was to determine if the implementation of an advanced mandatory 2-week patient safety course, leading to the attainment of the Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS™) credential, can yield a measurable impact on medical students’ patient safety knowledge entering into residency.
Advance Article
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Associations in fetal outcomes from cesarean sections with maternal comorbidities: a cross-sectional study of the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System
The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of negative fetal outcomes such as low birth weight, birth defects, prolonged hospital stay, and infant mortality in cesarean section deliveries and their increased risk of occurrence among mothers with comorbidities.
Advance Article
NMM/OMT
The epidemiology of osteopathic diagnoses and treatments in United States emergency departments from 2018 to 2021
Although a large proportion of US emergency physicians are osteopathic physicians, the frequency of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) use in emergency departments (EDs) is unknown. The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of OMM in EDs across the United States and describe the cohort who received OMM.
Advance Article
Behavioral Health
Medical student perceptions of psychiatric conditions and the impact of stigmatizing language
The objectives of this survey were to evaluate the impact of stigmatizing language on medical students’ responses to case presentations of mental illnesses, and to determine how these perceptions vary across the course of medical education.
Advance Article
Cardiopulmonary Medicine
Corrigendum to: Comprehensive review of the heart failure management guidelines presented by the American College of Cardiology and the current supporting evidence
Advance Article
Clinical Image
TIF1-gamma associated dermatomyositis with extensive cutaneous involvement
Advance Article
Public Health and Primary Care
Emergency department wait times in concordance with blood alcohol content and subsequent alcohol use disorder
The authors of this study assess whether patients with a history of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and/or positive blood alcohol content (BAC+) affect emergency department (ED) wait times.
Advance Article
General
Geographical distribution of osteopathic urology residents and match trends in the United States
This study aimed to examine the number of DO graduates in urology residency programs over time and map their current distribution throughout the United States.
Advance Article
Medical Education
Corrigendum to: The predictive validity of MCAT scores and undergraduate GPA for COMLEX-USA licensure exam performance of students enrolled in osteopathic medical schools
Advance Article
Pediatrics
Swelling and skin changes: an osteopathic approach to pediatric lymphedema management
Pediatric lymphedema is a progressive condition of chronic swelling and soft-tissue damage, caused by impaired lymphatic function. The objective of this study was to systematically review and evaluate the evidence supporting the effectiveness of OMT in managing pediatric lymphedema and compare it to traditional therapies such as complex decongestive therapy.
Advance Article
Behavioral Health
Bridging the gap: associations of provider enrollment in OKCAPMAP with social deprivation, child abuse, and barriers to access in the state of Oklahoma, USA
The primary objectives of this study were to assess the current state of provider enrollment in the Oklahoma Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health Access Program (OKCAPMAP) and the number of consultations provided across the state, to determine if the program’s reach has associations with sociodemographic need indicators, and to report the most common conditions for which consultations were requested.
Advance Article
Innovations
Assessing fundamental clinical skills of osteopathic medical students
Based on the recommendations of the Special Commission on Osteopathic Medical Licensure Assessment, the NBOME established the Core Competency Capstone for Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (C3DO). The objectives of this study were to describe the assessment and to ascertain the feasibility of administering it at multiple colleges of osteopathic medicine.
Advance Article
NMM/OMT
Corrigendum to: Carpal tunnel dimensions following osteopathic manipulation utilizing dorsal carpal arch muscle energy: a pilot study
Advance Article
Cardiopulmonary Medicine
Signs and symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency secondary to atherosclerosis: a systematic review
The objectives of this study were to gather all relevant literature reporting features of vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) pertaining to atherosclerosis, with the aim to help provide evidence that may guide clinical practice in the use of manual therapy interventions and to raise awareness of the manifestations that VBI may present.
Advance Article
Public Health and Primary Care
Use of a community care coordination team to reduce emergency department utilization and hospital readmissions for the highest utilizers
A small percentage of patients comprise a high proportion of healthcare utilization, particularly the costs associated with Emergency Department (ED) visits and inpatient hospitalization readmissions. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate a decrease in ED utilization and hospital readmissions in a selected group of super-utilizers post-intervention by a Community Care Coordination team and to determine cost avoidance.
Advance Article
General
DO (under) representation in US guideline development: an investigation of guideline authors from 2021–2023
Clinical guidelines are the backbone of evidence-based medical practice, shaping healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. To ensure that guidelines reflect the entire medical community, it is important that guideline-creation bodies have adequate representation from stakeholder groups with diverse viewpoints. To quantify the contribution of DOs to the body of literature guiding practice, author information was extracted from all US-based guidelines published in the years 2021, 2022, and 2023 listed in the ECRI Guidelines Trust database.
Advance Article
Musculoskeletal Medicine and Pain
Soft tissue manipulation enhances recovery of muscle mass in a disuse model of sarcopenia
Sarcopenia is a condition characterized by the age-related loss of muscle mass and function that diminishes physical capabilities and increases the risk of falls, fractures, and overall morbidity. In this study, the authors utilized a rat model of sarcopenia due to disuse atrophy and examined the effects of STM on recovery of muscle mass and regulation of pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokines.
Advance Article
Medical Education
A novel simulation enhanced education for osteopathic manipulation of hospitalized patients
Simulation-based medical education (SBME) is a method for enhancing learner skill prior to initiating care for real patients. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the SBME lab to enhance the training of medical learners of OMM on hospitalized patients.
Advance Article
Medical Education
Understanding COMLEX-USA Level-1 as a Pass/Fail examination: impact and opportunities
In late 2020, the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners announced that the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) Level 1 examination would discontinue reporting numeric scores, only providing a Pass/Fail designation. The authors of this study generated a series of five hypotheses to investigate the perceived impact of the transition to Pass/Fail scoring.
Advance Article
Cardiopulmonary Medicine
Impact of osteopathic tests on heart rate and heart rate variability: an observational study on osteopathic students
This study aims to evaluate the influence of osteopathic listening tests on heart rate and heart rate variability markers, including the root mean square of successive differences and the low-frequency/high-frequency ratio, in healthy participants, and to contextualize the findings within existing osteopathic research on autonomic nervous system modulation.
Advance Article
Musculoskeletal Medicine and Pain
Longitudinal outcomes among patients with fibromyalgia, chronic widespread pain, or localized chronic low back pain
The objective of this study was to compare longitudinal outcomes of patients with fibromyalgia, chronic widespread pain, or localized chronic low back pain to determine whether fibromyalgia is an extreme manifestation of the chronic widespread pain continuum.
Advance Article
General
Comparing intubation techniques of Klippel–Feil syndrome patients in the last 10 years: a systematic review
The purpose of this study is to analyze first-attempt intubation success rates of Klippel–Feil syndrome patients by intubation technique and stratified by location and quantity of cervical fusions and a Mallampati score if reported.
Advance Article
NMM/OMT
Carpal tunnel dimensions following osteopathic manipulation utilizing dorsal carpal arch muscle energy: a pilot study
This pilot project investigated the mechanism of a previously undescribed technique of nonoperative carpal tunnel treatment, dorsal carpal arch muscle energy, which focuses on the dorsal arch (trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, and hamate bones) manipulating the bones to redome the arch, round the tunnel, and increase its volume.
Advance Article