Highlights of the July 14th issue of CMAJ, presented by Dr. John Fletcher, editor-in-chief. In this issue: benefits and risks of owning a pet, model for predicting death one year after hospital admission, variations in treatment strategies for stable ischemic heart disease, CMAJ Humanities launches a redesigned section, phototoxic reaction after making sangria, resurgence of pertussis, and more. Full issue table of contents: www.cmaj.ca/content/187/10.toc

Health research involving people in marginalized populations can be challenging, and recruitment is often difficult. One approach, respondent-driven sampling, takes advantage of connections between people in these groups, who recruit each other in a chain-referral (friend of a friend) manner. In this interview, Dr. Ann Jolly, Associate Professor in the School of Epidemiology, Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Ottawa, discusses the importance of reaching these marginalized populations. Dr. Jolly and colleagues published an analysis article in CMAJ. Full article: https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.141076To request a transcript of this podcast, contact [email protected]

Practice guidelines recommend that imaging to detect metastases not be performed in the majority of patients with early-stage breast cancer who are asymptomatic. In a research article published in CMAJ, Dr. Demetrios Simos and colleagues found that, despite these recommendations, most Ontario women with early-stage breast cancer underwent imaging to detect distant metastases. Dr. Matthew Stanbrook, deputy editor for CMAJ, provides an audio summary. Full article: https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.150003To request a transcript of this podcast, contact [email protected]

Dr. Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, joins CMAJ News to reflect on his career fighting two of the most feared viruses of our time. In 1976, he codiscovered Ebola. And as founding director of UNAIDS, Dr. Piot has been a champion in the global response to HIV. For these efforts, he recently received the Canada Gairdner Global Health Award. In this podcast, Dr. Piot shares insights into the West Africa Ebola outbreak, changing perceptions of the AIDS pandemic, and the importance of physician advocacy. To request a transcript of this podcast, contact [email protected]

Highlights of the June 16th issue of CMAJ, presented by Dr. Diane Kelsall, deputy editor. In this issue: Canadian policies on radon, developmental coordination disorder in school-age children, social egg freezing, nitrofurantoin for UTIs in older women, psychotic disorders among immigrant populations, and more. Full issue table of contents: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/187/9.toc

Interview with Dr. Sacha Bhatia, cardiologist at Women’s College Hospital and UHN in Toronto and Director of the Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care. In a CMAJ research article, Dr. Bhatia and colleagues found that preoperative ECG and chest radiography were performed more frequently than suggested in guidelines. Using routine health records for 1.5 million people, the authors found considerable variation in rates across institutions, which was not explained by patient- or institution-level factors. Article: https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.150174To request a transcript of this podcast, contact [email protected]

Interview with Dr. Chryssa McAlister, eye physician and surgeon in Toronto and Kitchener, Ontario, with academic appointments at McMaster University and the University of Toronto. In an analysis article published in CMAJ, Dr. McAlister and colleagues say it is important to discuss with patients any noninsured services (such as specialized diagnostics, procedures and special-feature intraocular lenses) in an ethical and open way, declaring all conflicts of interest. Cataract surgery is insured in Canada; however, there are many add-on services which patients must pay for. Full article: https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.141601To request a transcript of this podcast, contact [email protected]

Dr. Ken Flegel, senior editor for CMAJ, interviews Dr. Finlay McAlister, Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Alberta and Assistant Director of the Epicore Centre. In a CMAJ research article, Dr. McAlister and colleagues followed 495 patients and found that frail patients are twice as likely to be readmitted or die within 30 days after discharge. The authors suggest that the Clinical Frailty Scale could be useful in identifying high-risk patients being discharged from medical wards. Full article: https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.150100To request a transcript of this podcast, contact [email protected]

Vancouver surgeon Dr. Neil Pollock reflects on changing demand for male circumcision both in Canada and the developing world. CMAJ Article: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/187/10/E295To request a transcript of this podcast, contact [email protected]

Highlights from the May 19th issue of CMAJ, presented by Dr. John Fletcher, editor-in-chief. In this issue: ultrasound or near-infrared to guide peripheral IV catheterization in children, validation of a 1-hour rule-out rule-in algorithm for myocardial infarction, social media in medical education, global tobacco control, elder abuse, and more. Full issue table of contents: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/187/8.toc