Review articles should cover topics relevant to an internist's or cardiologist's daily practice, emphasizing new developments and treatments, and be written in a style that is concise and easily understood by a generalist.
The style of the article should be similar to that of a CME presentation, using a minimum of jargon and highlighting key points and new developments that the internist can quickly incorporate into his or her practice.
Abstracts should be no longer than 100 words. Maximum length for the article is 3,500 words, not counting references, tables, or figures, with no more than 50 references. Avoid referencing textbooks.
Because the Journal is striving to print concise articles, most reviews should concentrate on one or two clinical issues, rather than attempting to survey an entire topic. For instance, an article on prostate cancer might focus on PSA screening; an article on asthma might discuss the efficacy of allergy shots.
Although background information is important, issues such as pathogenesis and molecular biology should be concisely covered. The article should be moderately referenced, highlighting key articles in the literature. Special attention should be paid to issues of differential diagnosis, office management of the medical problem, decision guidelines for hospitalization and referral to specialists, and cost issues. We encourage the use of treatment algorithms to aid the internist in assessing different treatment options.
Headaches in older patients: Special problems and concerns
