Reposted by Rahul Ganatrathecurbsiders.bsky.social @thecurbsiders.bsky.social · 28/09/2026🥞 HOTCAKES ARE SERVED! 🥞 New episode, fresh off the griddle: #540 Hotcakes 🔥 We’re serving up a stack of recent practice-changing articles, including: 💊 Varenicline by mail for smoking cessation 🫀 Anticoagulation for intermediate-risk AF…and more! 👉 Listen to #540 at thecurbsiders.com 031
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 26/09/2025Ooh I've never considered that aspect of it before. That sounds deserving of its own story. I bet there's all kinds of therapies that just got grandfathered in 000
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 26/09/2025Serum ammonia level determination in known cirrhosis Universal secondary SBP prophylaxis (caveat, guidelines still recommend this) Universal Abx prophylaxis after UGIB in cirrhosis (same caveat) Is docusate high-stakes enough? I know it's true but its so blah 120
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 23/09/2025It feels like critical appraisal is about to have a bit of a moment... let's do it right, people! 020
Reposted by Rahul GanatraProPublica @propublica.org · 17/09/2025One insurance denial for Teressa's husband stated, “your newborn does not meet the criteria for coverage.” “This is when I really start to think they’re just denying,” she recalled. “They’re not even looking. They’re just ‘deny, deny, deny.’” ➡️ Full story: www.propublica.org/article/ment... 581989728
Reposted by Rahul GanatraProPublica @propublica.org · 15/09/2025After a North Carolina man attempted suicide twice, his wife tried to get him help at an inpatient clinic. But their insurance provider refused to cover the treatment, deeming it “not medically necessary.”propublica.org“Just Let Me Die”: After Insurance Repeatedly Denied a Couple’s Claims, One Psychiatrist Was Their Last HopeAfter a North Carolina man attempted suicide twice, his wife tried to get him help at an inpatient clinic. But their insurance provider refused to cover the treatment, deeming it “not medically necess... 11501156
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 05/09/2025Thanks so much, Moises! We loved having you and I personally learned a lot! 120
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 29/08/2025Question for folks in medicine and science: What are some of the best invited editorials you have ever read? What made them so good? 000
Reposted by Rahul Ganatrathecurbsiders.bsky.social @thecurbsiders.bsky.social · 26/08/2025🥞 #496 Hotcakes are here! 🩺 www.thecurbsiders.com We’re diving into: 🌿 CBD-induced liver injury 💉 IV iron for HFrEF 🛏️ Bedtime BP meds ✋ Carpal Tunnel & RA ❤️ FDA approval of finerenone for HFpEF ✨ featuring @paulnwilliams.bsky.social @rbganatra.bsky.social, Dr. Nora Taranto, Dr. Matthew Watto 072
Reposted by Rahul GanatraRebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 25/08/2025“The study authors asked GPT 4o-mini to evaluate the quality of 217 papers. The tool didn’t mention in any of the reports that the papers being analyzed had been retracted or had validity issues. In 190 cases, GPT described the papers as world leading, internationally excellent, or close to that”cen.acs.orgChatGPT tends to ignore retractions on scientific papersStudy finds the chatbot doesn’t acknowledge concerns with problematic studies 13372191
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 12/08/2025I have definitely made arguments that, in retrospect, were not persuasive enough. Someone telling me why they weren't persuaded would be very useful! (I thought that was a more constructive response than "I'm not convinced! 😂) 020
Reposted by Rahul GanatraRachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 10/08/2025"Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who oversees the CDC, did not make a statement the day of the shooting. Late the following morning, more than 30 minutes after posting photos of fishing with his family, Kennedy posted condolences on his official X account..." www.nytimes.com/2025/08/09/u...nytimes.comAfter Years of Anger Directed at C.D.C., Shooting Manifests Worst Fears 32352081781
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 05/08/2025I agree, it feels like we are living through a big shift in how people search for medical information. I remember learning about using MeSH terms to search PubMed in medical school- how far we've come ! 050
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 04/08/2025Fewer than 10% of published observational studies in this sample used DAGs to justify confounder selection. This is a huge missed opportunity for both readers and researchers. DAGs are invaluable in research design and critical appraisal. 141
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 03/08/2025“I can tell you personally, hot dogs are very slippery,” the fire chief said. “I did not know that.” 030
Reposted by Rahul GanatraSam England @samjakeengland.bsky.social · 24/07/2025Why do treehoppers look so weird?! Our latest paper, out this week in @pnas.org, suggests a perhaps unexpected reason - static electricity ⚡ We show that treehoppers can detect the electrostatic cues of predators and that their crazy shapes may boost their electrosensitivity! doi.org/10.1073/pnas...doi.orgElectroreception in treehoppers: How extreme morphologies can increase electrical sensitivity | PNASThe link between form and function of an organism’s morphology is usually apparent or intuitive. However, some clades of organisms show remarkable ... 13421166
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 23/07/2025Im not sure why bluesky has me permanently tuned in to the Paul Williams show, but I'm here for it! 110
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 23/07/2025I mean, you have identified two of (im guessing) many important causes for the observation that many fewer people prescribe buprenorphine than could - very valuable! 010
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 23/07/2025Though I also wonder what else, besides prejudice and stigma, contributes to this "not my area" problem. Intimidation? Inertia? Suspicion of new drugs? 110
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 23/07/2025Great point Paul. I am reminded of physicians I worked with over the years who never really made it a priority to learn about HIV medications. 210
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 20/07/2025Updated CAP and UTI guidelines??? Yes please!media.tenor.comBill Hader Eating Popcorn GIFAlt: Bill Hader Eating Popcorn GIF 010
Reposted by Rahul GanatraAntibiotic Steward 🅱️C🆔🅿️🌟 @absteward.bsky.social · 20/07/2025🔥🔥Just published 🔥🔥 ATS CAP guidelines 2025 Diagnosis and Management of Community-acquired Pneumonia. An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline Free access pdf #IDsky#EMIMCC www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/...atsjournals.orgDiagnosis and Management of Community-acquired Pneumonia. An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline | American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine | Articles in P... 34221
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 20/07/2025Being an old gray-hair in medicine is an art. You need some additional distinctive schtick, for example: - bialys - oysters - unnerving glances - RR of 30 I bet you know who all of those people are. 020
Reposted by Rahul GanatraBrandon Moore, PhD @rando.insalubrio.us · 18/07/2025Bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia, use sponges on their beaks while hunting fish to protect them from sharp rocks while they forage at the expense of echolocation. Only about 5% of the population has mastered this culturally transmitted skill! 🧪 royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... 0369
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 10/07/2025Did you know that a subset of patients with atrial fibrillation have symptoms triggered by cold drinks?! Neither did I! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...onlinelibrary.wiley.comCharacterizing Patients With Cold Drink‐Triggered Atrial FibrillationIntroduction Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia with significant health implications. Identifying modifiable lifestyle triggers is important in mitigating recurrence and improving patie..... 130
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 09/07/2025It's a good point. Also, spotlighting articles that don't fit into the familiar structure of a research paper and dont fall neatly within a single specialty might put them in front of more eyeballs than they'd otherwise find. 010
Reposted by Rahul GanatraElliot Tapper @ebtapper.bsky.social · 09/07/2025Wake up new cause of liver enzyme elevation just dropped 1114
Reposted by Rahul Ganatrac0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · 26/03/2025You're looking at three golden tortoise beetles (Charidotella sexpunctata). They're native to the Americas, generally the east coast of North America all the way down to Argentina. The gold coloration is structural, semi-reflective layers in the cuticle selectively reflect wavelengths of light. 19780176
Reposted by Rahul GanatraDarren Dahly @statsepi.bsky.social · 04/07/2025I'm not saying you can't generate a hypothesis from data. I'm just saying that generating a hypothesis from the entirety of human knowledge that preceded your data is a much safer bet. 54411
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 02/07/2025Tangentially related, and not intended to distract from the important point you make, but I thought you'd be interested: Tick infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum induces expression of an antifreeze glycoprotein that helps the ixodes tick overwinter! pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAnaplasma phagocytophilum induces Ixodes scapularis ticks to express an antifreeze glycoprotein gene that enhances their survival in the coldIn the United States, Ixodes scapularis ticks overwinter in the Northeast and Upper Midwest and transmit the agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, among other pathogens.... 070
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 02/07/2025Reading between the lines - do you think they're squandering his talent bc they're having him summarize these really niche studies? 110
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 02/07/2025Say more Paul- i think he does a great job with these, but i am so in the weeds with this stuff I want to hear other viewpoints 120
Reposted by Rahul GanatraSeth Trueger @mdaware.org · 18/06/2025en.wikipedia.orgGell-Mann amnesia effect - Wikipedia 310820
Reposted by Rahul Ganatrac0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · 17/06/2025This little fart-squirrel (Mephitis mephitis) is stamping, a warning behavior before the *big show*. She's hoping to scare you off with her ferocity so she doesn't have to use her scent glands. These types of bluffing moves are "deimatic" behaviors, from Greek 'deimatóo' = "to frighten". 18661149
Reposted by Rahul Ganatrajosh farkas 💊 @pulmcrit.bsky.social · 16/06/2025new IBCC chapter: constipation! most ICU patients are constipated, so we manage this on a daily basis. but our approach is often super random ("I was taught this in residency") so I tried to create an evidence-based treatment strategy for constipation...🧵 #1/7 #EMIMCC emcrit.org/ibcc/constip...media.tenor.coma cartoon character from south park is sitting on the floor and making a surprised face .ALT: a cartoon character from south park is sitting on the floor and making a surprised face . 34510
Reposted by Rahul Ganatrajosh farkas 💊 @pulmcrit.bsky.social · 29/05/2025what we truly care about is tonicity (forces that pull H2O across membranes) not osmolality sodium is actually a pretty good proxy of tonicity (ie “effective” osm), maybe better than measured osm also if we start juggling sodium levels and osmolarity at the same time it gets too damn complicatedmedia.tenor.coma man with a beard is surrounded by mathematical equations on his face .ALT: a man with a beard is surrounded by mathematical equations on his face . 192
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 29/05/2025Riddle me this: if serum sodium is just a proxy for what we really care about (osmolality), why don't we stop measuring sodium altogether and put the osms in the top left slot in the chem panel instead? Is there a bonafide use of sodium, or is it just path dependency? H/t @kidneyboy.bsky.social 120
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 29/05/2025Really enjoyed this one despite @paulnwilliams.bsky.social abstaining from some top-shelf trial name-related humor with "the eagle has landed" - take a listen and see what i mean! 020
Reposted by Rahul GanatraJoel Topf @kidneyboy.bsky.social · 27/05/2025I had google AI create this podcast for tonight's NephJC podcast. Take a listen. Tell me what you think Would you like NephJC to produce this as a regular part of the educational package? This would not replace the irreplaceable Freely Filtered. notebooklm.google.com/notebook/8e8...notebooklm.google.comSign in - Google Accounts 943
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 27/05/2025I have tried using NotebookLM to summarize PDFs and found it unusable. An impressive feat, to be sure, but no sense of emphasis on what was really important. Eager to listen to this one! 000
Rahul Ganatra @rbganatra.bsky.social · 24/05/2025Question for my #Geriatrics #GeriSky brain trust: What are the best apps for scheduling home health aides or other elder care professionals? Something with: - A shared calendar for scheduling shifts - Hours logging - Any other features you have found useful Thx! 000