Internal Medicine News back issues from August 2005:
Assess adults for varicella immunity.(News)
Aug 01, 2005; ... ATLANTA -- All healthy adolescents and adults born in the United States after 1965 should be assessed for varicella immunity and vaccinated if susceptible, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted at its summer meeting. ...
Employer costs for health benefits highest for union workers.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2005 ... <Pre> Employer Costs for Health Benefits Highest for Union Workers Union$3.41 Nonunion $1.42 Goods-producing $2.28 Service-providing$1.48 Private Industry Average ...
Subthreshold bipolar disorder is disabling, costly: condition affects about 2% of U.S. adults.(Psychiatry)
Aug 01, 2005; ... PITTSBURGH -- Subthreshold bipolar disorder is highly prevalent and disabling, according to a nationwide survey of more than 9,000 Americans sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health. About 2% of the U.S. adult population has subthreshold bipolar disorder, on top of ...
Childhood cancer raises health risks in adulthood.(News)
Aug 01, 2005; ... ORLANDO -- Adult survivors of childhood cancers face more than four times the risk of a major health problem compared with their siblings, according to a survey of 10,397 adults diagnosed with a pediatric cancer between 1970 and 1986. Thirty years after being diagnosed with a ...
SLN biopsy cut melanoma recurrence 23%.(News)(Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial)
Aug 01, 2005; ... ORLANDO -- Interim results from the Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial show a significant improvement in disease-free survival at 5 years for primary melanoma patients who underwent lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy after wide excision. Principal ...
ACIP votes for routine use of adolescent Tdap vaccine.(News)(Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices)
Aug 01, 2005; ... ATLANTA -- The new adolescent/adult formula tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine should be routinely administered to 11- to 12-year-olds, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted at its summer meeting. Two ...
Incidence of sepsis rising, but case fatality rate falling.(News)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- The rising incidence of severe sepsis in the past 2 decades has been accompanied by a decline in the case fatality rate, Charmaine Lewis, M.D., reported in a poster session at the 100th International Conference of the American Thoracic Society. The incidence of ...
Amlodipine benefits normotensive CAD patients.(News)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Giving a calcium channel blocker to patients with normal blood pressure and coronary artery disease significantly reduced the rate of cardiovascular events, compared with giving placebo, Stephen Nicholls, M.B., said. The prospective, double-blind study ...
Childhood radiotherapy linked to high basal cell cancer rate.(News)
Aug 01, 2005; ... ST. LOUIS -- Survivors of childhood cancer who were treated with radiation develop basal cell carcinoma at up to 20 times the rate seen in the general population, with almost all of the lesions occurring within the radiation treatment field, Ann Mertens, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting ...
New resources for cancer patients.(News)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2005 ... An educational CD-ROM and e-newsletter sponsored by Ortho Biotech Products L.P. offers information for newly diagnosed cancer patients and their families. "Strength for Your Journey" covers the basics of cancer, its treatment, taking control of your care, and caregiving. The ...
Oocyte cryopreservation in IVF holds promise.(News)(in vitro fertilization)
Aug 01, 2005; ... BOLOGNA, ITALY -- Human oocyte-freezing techniques are improving so rapidly that this procedure may soon be incorporated into routine in vitro fertilization cycles, experts predicted at an international meeting on human oocyte cryopreservation. Currently, most oocyte freezing is ...
Phthalate exposure in pregnancy may affect male offspring.(News)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- Pregnant women exposed to relatively high levels of a common household chemical compound gave birth to male infants with significant reductions in anogenital distance and smaller-than-average penile volume, scrotal development, and testicular descent. Anogenital ...
Smokers with RA have worse clinical outcomes.(News)(rheumatoid arthritis)
Aug 01, 2005; ... VIENNA -- Cigarette smoking confers a clear and significant risk of adverse clinical outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and adds to the overall health care burden because of greater therapeutic requirements--including the need for expensive biologic drugs. Studies ...
Oral glucosamine delays knee replacement surgery.(News)
Aug 01, 2005; ... VIENNA -- The use of oral glucosamine by patients with knee osteoarthritis results in a marked reduction in need for knee replacement surgery for at least 5 years after the drug is stopped, Karel Pavelka, M.D., reported at the annual European congress of rheumatology. He ...
Many overweight arthritis patients aren't told to lose weight, exercise.(News)
Aug 01, 2005; ... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Many inactive, overweight adults with arthritis are not getting medical advice to lose weight and exercise, Jennifer Hootman, Ph.D., wrote in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine. "We know that both weight ...
Governors propose Medicaid reform strategies.(News)
Aug 01, 2005; ... The Bush administration has focused on overhauling the Social Security program, but the nation's governors and health providers say the real crisis is in Medicaid. The National Governors Association (NGA) has offered a reform proposal to Congress, which has begun considering ...
Michigan Gov. calls for physician tax to shore up Medicaid.(News)
Aug 01, 2005; ... Michigan physicians are divided over efforts by Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) to pass a physician tax that would help increase payments to Medicaid providers in the state. Under the governor's proposal, a 2.28% gross receipts tax would be levied on all physicians in the state. The ...
Referring patients to Al-Anon.(Alcoholics Anonymous)(Editorial)
Aug 01, 2005; ... It all started with a booth at a medical meeting. It was a booth for Al-Anon, the group for family members, friends, and co-workers of alcoholics. The woman at the booth told me how Al-Anon changed her life, and I was blown away. I was so impressed that I went back to my private practice ...
Is Medicare coverage for ICD implants in patients meeting MADIT-II/SCD-HeFT criteria unaffordable?(PRO & CON)(implantable cardioverter defibrillators)
Aug 01, 2005; ... YES The government cannot afford to pay for implantable cardioverter defibrillators in all Medicare patients who meet the criteria established in the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial-II (MADIT-II) and Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial (SCD-HeFT) ....
Schiavo: medicine and morality.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
Aug 01, 2005; ... Dr. David Dahl stated that patients in a persistent vegetative state or a minimally conscious state "should have all artificial means removed so that they can complete the death process" ("Schiavo Case Shows Need for Clarity," Guest Editorial, May 15, 2005, p. 7). This is a ...
Data collection takes time.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
Aug 01, 2005; ... Your article on the development and impending use of clinical performance measures in the ambulatory care setting sent chills down my spine ("Coalition Defines Set of 26 Clinical Care Measures," June 1, 2005, p. 1). I don't want to suggest that development of the performance ...
Problems with performance measures.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
Aug 01, 2005; ... A recent article quoted CMS Administrator Mark McClellan, M.D., as saying that Medicare supports efforts to implement valid, reliable measures ("Coalition Defines Set of 26 Clinical Measures," June 1, 2005, p. 1). If he believes that, then he should stay home and work on ...
Pain relievers.(Opinion)(Cartoon)
Aug 01, 2005 ... "That was before the ...
Vitamin D inadequacy overlooked in osteoporosis.(Rheumatology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... WASHINGTON -- More than half of North American women being treated for osteoporosis have suboptimal serum vitamin D levels, Anne E. de Papp, M.D., and her associates reported in a poster at the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Inadequate ...
New cutoff level better defines vitamin D deficit.(Rheumatology)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2005; ... WASHINGTON -- A serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level below 30 ng/mL appears to define vitamin D deficiency, Paraskevi Sapountzi, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to secondary ...
Once-monthly ibandronate holds its own at 2 years.(Rheumatology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... VIENNA -- Oral ibandronate at 150 mg once monthly showed continued impressive therapeutic efficacy in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis at the 2-year mark in the Monthly Oral Ibandronate in Ladies (MOBILE) trial, Pierre D. Delmas, M.D., said at the annual European congress of ...
Why do patients stop taking bisphosphonates?(Rheumatology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... VIENNA -- Most physicians remain unaware of the factors that motivate women to stay on osteoporosis therapy, according to the results of a new survey released by the International Osteoporosis Foundation. As a result of this physician/patient disconnect, 85% of surveyed ...
Calcium supplements differ in bioavailability, simple acid test shows.(Rheumatology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... DEDHAM, MASS. -- All calcium supplements are not created equal. The stomach absorbs some better than others, Michael E Holick, M.D., said at a symposium on bone health sponsored by Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Holick said patients can use a simple test to gauge the ...
Rituximab found safe, effective in refractory RA.(Rheumatology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... VIENNA -- A double blind, placebo-controlled study has confirmed earlier reports of efficacy for the monoclonal antibody rituximab given in combination with methotrexate for severe, refractory rheumatoid arthritis, Paul Emery, M.D., said at the annual European congress of rheumatology. ...
Extraarticular signs predict RA course.(Rheumatology)(rheumatoid arthritis)
Aug 01, 2005 ... VIENNA -- Early rheumatoid nodules, pulmonary involvement, and malaise with weight loss are predictive of long-term poor out-comes in rheumatoid arthritis, Gouri Koduri, M.D., said at the annual European congress of rheumatology. Although rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is primarily ...
Evaluate lupus patients annually for CV risk.(Rheumatology)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2005 ... LONDON -- Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus should be evaluated each year for cardiovascular risk until specific recommendations are formulated, Heiko Schotte, M.D., said at the Sixth European Lupus Meeting. Results of procedures that detect coronary insufficiency, ...
History, physical key to low back pain diagnosis.(Rheumatology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- A careful history and physical exam, without the need for lab tests or radiography, can help identify any red flags in patients presenting with low back pain, David Borenstein, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American College of Physicians. The history ...
Rates of alcohol dependence are high in bipolar II patients.(Psychiatry)
Aug 01, 2005; ... PITTSBURGH -- Patients with bipolar II disorder are at high risk for alcohol abuse and dependence, based on findings from a 20-year, longitudinal study with about 600 subjects. The study's findings also suggest that bipolar II disorder can be more broadly defined than current ...
Therapy specific to bipolar is useful adjunct to medication.(Psychiatry)
Aug 01, 2005; ... PITTSBURGH -- Psychosocial therapy can be a useful adjunct to drug therapy in patients with bipolar disorder, based on results from a study with 175 patients. The study's findings also documented the high prevalence of medical comorbidities in patients with bipolar disorder ....
Mental illness common, often goes untreated.(Psychiatry)
Aug 01, 2005; ... The prevalence of mental illness in the United States continues to be high despite increases in mental health awareness, new medications, changes in public perceptions about mental illness, and advances in treatment financing, according to a national mental health tracking study. ...
Diabetes can complicate untreated depression in pregnancy.(Psychiatry)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- Women with diabetes and untreated depression who become pregnant face a host of risks to themselves and their fetus if their conditions are not managed properly, Laura J. Miller, M.D., warned at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association. ...
Opioid abuse by college students.(Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2005; ... Lifetime recreational use of prescription opioid analgesics was reported by about 12% of college students, with 7% using it in the past year and 3% in the past month, said Sean Esteban McCabe of the University of Michigan Substance Abuse Research Center, Ann Arbor, and his associates. ...
Suicide attempters are at risk from chronic diseases.(Psychiatry)
Aug 01, 2005; ... BROOMFIELD, COLO. -- People who engage in deliberate self-harm are at increased long-term risk not only of suicide, but also of death attributable to a surprising array of other causes, Keith Hawton, D.Sc., said at the annual conference of the American Association of Suicidology. ...
Suicides in the United Kingdom dropped after acetaminophen pack size was limited.(Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2005; ... BROOMFIELD, COLO. -- Legislation adopted in the United Kingdom in 1998 to limit the pack size of acetaminophen and salicylates sold over the counter has markedly reduced the number of suicides by self-poisoning. Keith Hawton, D.Sc., said at the annual conference of the American Association ...
Tight glycemic control cut CVD events 57%: The data provide the first clear demonstration of the impact of glycemic control on CVD outcomes.(Endocrinology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- Tight glucose control early in the course of type 1 diabetes reduces the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease events by more than half, David M. Nathan, M.D., reported at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association. The finding, from a ...
Peripheral neuropathy found in 63% of well-controlled diabetics.(Endocrinology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- Diabetic peripheral neuropathy was the most common microvascular complication among people with diabetes who underwent a comprehensive annual diabetes assessment, Robyn Anderson reported in a poster session at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes ...
Simple test screens for diabetes in underserved populations.(Endocrinology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- The 2-hour capillary glucose tolerance test is a useful screening tool for diabetes and prediabetes in underserved populations, results from a pilot study showed. "If we look at poor, underserved people at very high risk for diabetes and prediabetes, most of them ...
Intervention kept blacks with diabetes out of ED.(Endocrinology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- An intensive intervention conducted by a nurse case manager and community health worker over 18 months helped reduce visits to the emergency department, and possibly hospitalizations, among urban African Americans with type 2 diabetes, Tiffany Gary, Ph.D., reported at the ...
Prediabetes pushes medical costs 32% higher.(Endocrinology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- It pays to be proactive when it comes to preventing diabetes. Data from a 9-year study of adults enrolled in a large HMO showed that annual health care costs for people with the highest prediabetic glucose levels were about 32% higher than costs for those who had ...
Diabetics who know Hb[A.sub.1c] goal control glucose better.(Endocrinology)
Aug 01, 2005 ... SAN DIEGO -- Nearly half of adult patients who received care at a municipal hospital diabetes clinic did not recognize the term [A.sub.1c], and fewer than one-quarter knew what their hemoglobin [A.sub.1c] level should be, Mary K. Rhee, M.D., reported at the annual scientific sessions of ...
Prompt by nurse improved diabetes prevention counseling.(Endocrinology)
Aug 01, 2005 ... SAN DIEGO -- A simple nurse-based physician prompt significantly improved the rates of counseling for exercise, diet, and weight control received by primary care patients at high risk for diabetes, results from a multisite study showed. "Involving nurses in diabetes prevention ...
Watch for depression, rebellion in diabetic teens.(Endocrinology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... HOUSTON -- Psychiatric issues can loom large in the treatment of diabetes in adolescents, especially when barriers to compliance arise, Scot G. McAfee, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry. It's especially important to stay alert to ...
Predicting diet adherence.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2005; ... Obese women who lost more weight in the first 2 weeks of a diet program were more likely to maintain their weight loss, reported I. Packianathan of Addenbrooke's Hospital National Health Service Trust, Cambridge, England, and associates. Phase 1 of the trial lasted 16 weeks and ...
Abdominal diameter index.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2005; ... The abdominal diameter index may be the anthropometric measure of choice to gauge prevalent coronary heart disease risk in men, reported Donald A. Smith, M.D., of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, and his associates. Prevalent coronary heart disease (CHD) was found in 29 ...
Obese men getting PSA test.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)
Aug 01, 2005; ... Overweight and obese men aged 50 years and older in the United States were significantly more likely to have had a prostate-specific antigen test than men of healthy weight, reported Kevin Fontaine, Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and his associates. In an ...
Parents of sick children.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2005; ... Parents of children who were recently diagnosed with cancer report significant psychological distress and weight gain, compared with parents of healthy children, reported A.W. Smith of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and associates. In a longitudinal, case-control ...
Incidence of ESRD in diabetics has dropped 30%.(Nephrology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- The incidence of end-stage renal disease in people with diabetes in the United States decreased by 30% between 1996 and 2002, Nilka Rios Burrows reported at a press briefing during the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association. "This is good ...
New drug may aid diabetic nephropathy.(Nephrology)(Ruboxistaurin)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- Ruboxistaurin, a specific protein kinase C beta inhibitor, had favorable effects on albuminuria and renal function in patients with diabetic nephropathy, according to results from the first human trial of the drug. "Ruboxistaurin is a promising novel therapy that ...
CKD in pregnancy poses maternal, fetal risks.(Nephrology)(chronic kidney disease)
Aug 01, 2005; ... WASHINGTON -- Kidney disease can lead to complications during pregnancy--and pregnancy can worsen kidney disease, Phyllis August, M.D., said at a meeting sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation. "Without normal renal function, pregnancy is threatened and not always ...
Keep normal changes in mind.(Nephrology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... Normal pregnancies have complex effects on the kidneys and on hemodynamics--changes that bear keeping in mind when evaluating pregnant patients with chronic kidney disease, Dr. August said. During pregnancy, kidney size, blood flow, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) all ...
Dialysis brochure offered in Spanish.(Nephrology)
Aug 01, 2005 ... The American Association of Kidney Patients offers a Spanish version of its brochure "Understanding Your Hemodialysis Options." The publication describes ...
Patient autonomy affects kidney disease outcome.(Nephrology)
Aug 01, 2005; ... Patients with chronic kidney disease who take a lead role in managing their treatment improve their chances of transplantation and survival, according to an analysis of data from the Dialysis Morbidity and Mortality Study Wave 2. The study randomly sampled 3,812 new dialysis ...
Creatine cutoff for IV contrast seems arbitrary.(Nephrology)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2005; ... NEW YORK -- The cutoff level of creatine most commonly used to determine which patients can safely receive an intravenous contrast agent--1.5 mg/dL--may not adequately identify patients at risk for contrast-induced nephropathy, David F. Gaieski, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the ...
Atomoxetine for ADHD helps with comorbid anxiety, not depression.(Adolescent Health)(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)
Aug 01, 2005; ... WASHINGTON -- The attention-deficit hyperactivity drug atomoxetine does not appear to improve comorbid depression in adolescents, but it does appear to reduce comorbid anxiety in children and adolescents, according to data from two studies presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric ...
Concerta effective for ADHD in teens.(Adolescent Health)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2005; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Extended-release methylphenidate is effective in reducing the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adolescents, Linda Pfiffner, Ph.D., said at a meeting on clinical pediatrics sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco. The study ...
PTSD found in 16% of teens 1 year after organ transplant.(Adolescent Health)(posttraumatic stress disorder)
Aug 01, 2005; ... LOS ANGELES -- Adolescents who have experienced a significant, life-threatening illness can develop posttraumatic stress disorder, according to a study of 104 transplant patients. The investigators found that 1 year after an organ transplant procedure, 16% of the patients met ...
Eating disorders, diabetes often comorbid: insulin therapy can lead to weight gain, and episodes of hypoglycemia can trigger binge eating.(Adolescent Health)
Aug 01, 2005; ... MONTREAL -- Eating disorders occur twice as often in adolescent girls and young women with type 1 diabetes mellitus, compared with their nondiabetic peers, and prepubertal diabetic girls should be screened for these disorders routinely, experts said at an international conference sponsored ...
Teens' weight perceptions may affect suicide risk.(Adolescent Health)(Brief Article)
Aug 01, 2005; ... Adolescents who perceived themselves to be very underweight, slightly underweight, slightly overweight, or very over-weight were significantly more likely to experience suicidal ideation than were those who thought their weight was appropriate, said Danice K. Eaton, Ph.D., of the Centers ...
New bipolar guidelines reflect treatment uncertainties.(Adolescent Health)
Aug 01, 2005; ... An independent work group of 25 psychiatrists has issued the first new guidelines for the treatment of pediatric bipolar disorder in nearly a decade. The consensus document arose out of a need for updated information first voiced by the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation, a ...
Interpreting serology tricky in Epstein-Barr mono.(Adolescent Health)
Aug 01, 2005; ... PORTLAND, ORE. -- It's easy to misinterpret the results of serology tests for Epstein-Barr virus, so these results should not substitute for clinical judgment in suspected cases of Epstein-Barr mononucleosis in children, Sarah S. Long, M.D., said at a conference sponsored by the North ...