Internal Medicine News back issues from February 2006:
Ultrasound quells fibroid symptoms.(News)
Feb 01, 2006; ... CHICAGO -- The first noninvasive therapy for the treatment of uterine fibroids provides symptom relief for 1 year and beyond without serious side effects, according to a clinical trial of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery presented at the annual meeting of the ...
Rise in national health expenditures slows.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief Article)
Feb 01, 2006 ... Rise in National Health Expenditures Slows ...
PPIs, surgery are equally effective for reflux disease: most surgical patients will still need PPIs.(News)(Proton pump inhibitors)
Feb 01, 2006; ... Proton pump inhibitors are as effective as surgery for the treatment of most patients with uncomplicated gastroesophageal reflux disease, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, Md. The report is the first in a series that will ...
Oregon experience sheds light on end-of-life care.(News)
Feb 01, 2006; ... SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. -- The key factor motivating the terminally ill to seek assisted suicide under Oregon's Death with Dignity Act--a sense of control--should prompt a rethinking of end-of-life care, Dr. Linda Ganzini said at the annual meeting of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. ...
CDC updates guidelines on prevention of tuberculosis in health care settings.(News)(The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Feb 01, 2006; ... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention closed out 2005 by updating its 1994 guidelines for preventing Mycobacterium tuberculosis in health care settings. The exhaustive guidelines were updated in an effort to respond to "shifts in the epidemiology of TB, advances in ...
Laparoscopic fundoplication for GERD offers lasting benefits.(News)(gastroesophageal reflux disease)(laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication)
Feb 01, 2006; ... COPENHAGEN -- The long-term efficacy and durability of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication for refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease was similar to that of conventional surgery during 5 years of follow-up in 148 patients. "Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication should be ...
Lung transplant recipients benefit from GERD surgery.(News)(laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication)(gastroesophageal reflux)
Feb 01, 2006; ... NEW YORK -- Surgeons at Columbia University in New York are performing laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication in many lung transplant recipients who show evidence of significant gastroesophageal reflux and chronic rejection, Dr. Joshua R. Sonett said at a conference on pulmonary and critical ...
Uterine artery embolization effective with adenomyosis.(News)(annual meeting of the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe)(Uterine artery embolization )
Feb 01, 2006; ... NICE, FRANCE -- Uterine artery embolization should not be withheld from women with adenomyosis, according to investigators who conducted a prospective, multicenter study in 42 symptomatic patients. At a median clinical follow-up of 17 months, 37 women had avoided hysterectomy, ...
Laparoscopic myomectomy was safe for infertility.(News)(international congress of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons)(Brief Article)
Feb 01, 2006; ... SAN DIEGO -- Laparoscopic myomectomy for large intramural myomas is a safe and useful treatment in select women with infertility problems, Dr. Mineto Morita reported in a poster session at an international congress of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. He and his ...
NYC diabetes registry raises privacy concerns: city health department to collect lab data and send letters to diabetic patients and their physicians.(News)
Feb 01, 2006; ... A diabetes monitoring program that started in January in New York City is drawing praise--but is also raising questions about confidentiality. Under the program, clinical laboratories now send the results of all hemoglobin [A.sub.1c] tests that they run to the health department ....
Modest weight loss improved insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes.(News)
Feb 01, 2006; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- A relatively modest amount of weight loss can normalize fasting plasma glucose and greatly improve insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a study reported by Dr. Gerald I. Shulman at the Third World Congress on Insulin Resistance Syndrome. ...
A dwindling medical workforce.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
Feb 01, 2006; ... America is facing a major shortage of nurses and doctors, with no real solution in sight. For more than a half a century, we have depended on the foreign health professionals to satisfy our domestic requirements. U.S. medical and nursing schools have failed to respond to this need. It is ...
Should physicians encourage pill splitting as a way to help patients save money?(PRO & CON)
Feb 01, 2006; ... YES In a perfect world, patients would be able to get the medications they need at prices they can afford. Of course, our world of health care is not perfect. For the millions who are uninsured or have difficulty paying for their prescription drugs, health care feels ...
Is the FDA neglecting patient safety?(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
Feb 01, 2006; ... I was prompted to write after reading Dr. Lazar J. Greenfield's comments about problems that don't seem to be addressed as they should be by the Food and Drug Administration ("Truth Decay at the FDA," Guest Editorial, Dec. 1, 2005, p. 12). At least 10 years ago, I sent an ...
Connecting the musical docs.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
Feb 01, 2006; ... I was surprised to see the recent article on music, since I had just returned from playing in the 30th year of the Chicago "Do-It-Yourself Messiah" concerts ("Physicians of Notes Share Their Love of Music," The Rest of Your Life, Dec. 15, 2005, p. 68). In addition to the Albert ...
Actinic keratosis therapy boosts immune responses.(Dermatology)
Feb 01, 2006; ... LAS VEGAS -- New data based on the use of confocal microscopy confirm that treating actinic keratoses with imiquimod stimulates immune activation, Dr. Roger I. Ceilley said at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference. Dr. Ceilley described an ongoing, unpublished, double-blind, ...
History can reveal cause of neuropathic pruritus: although notoriously difficult to treat, neuropathic pruritis sometimes responds to certain medications.(Dermatology)
Feb 01, 2006; ... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- When a patient comes to you with neuropathic pruritus, the most important thing to do is listen, not just look. If you see anything on the skin at all, it will be a vague, after-the-fact sign such as erythema or lichenification. It may be ...
Chronic itch: research on mechanisms leads to novel therapies.(Dermatology)
Feb 01, 2006; ... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- The "itch-scratch" cycle is the dermatologic equivalent of chronic pain syndrome, and should be treated as such, Dr. Timothy Berger said at the annual meeting of the California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. Just as with chronic pain, ...
Chronic wounds usually don't need antibiotics.(Dermatology)(annual meeting of the Pacific Dermatologic Association)
Feb 01, 2006; ... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- If physicians had a better understanding of the bacteriology of chronic wounds, they would stop overprescribing antibiotics for this indication--a strategy that rarely works and contributes to antibiotic resistance. That's the assessment of Dr. Brian Kunimoto, ...
New hydrating topical product speeds healing of wounds.(Dermatology)(annual meeting of the Florida Society of Dermatologic Surgeons)
Feb 01, 2006; ... ORLANDO -- A new wound dressing emulsion speeds healing without the sensitivity issues of a topical antibiotic and is expected on the U.S. market soon, according to a presentation by Dr. Susan H. Weinkle at the annual meeting of the Florida Society of Dermatologic Surgeons. ...
Vascular parkinsonism displays array of traits.(Neurology)(Fourth International Congress on Vascular Dementia)(vascular parkinsonism )
Feb 01, 2006; ... PORTO, PORTUGAL -- Vascular parkinsonism displays a range of noncognitive symptoms, which explains why its diagnosis can depend on the bias of the specialist doing the evaluation, said Dr. Joseph Ghika at the Fourth International Congress on Vascular Dementia. The same group of ...
Impulsive behavior found to be common in Parkinson's disease.(Neurology)
Feb 01, 2006; ... SAN DIEGO -- Obsessive or impulsive reward-based behavior was reported by nearly 6 in 10 patients with Parkinson's disease who answered an anonymous survey, adding to the suspicion that dopaminergic medications may influence impulse control. Patients with at least a five-year ...
Hallucinations not benign in Parkinson's.(Neurology)
Feb 01, 2006 ... SAN DIEGO -- So-called benign hallucinations associated with dopaminergic treatment for Parkinson's disease rarely remain "benign," calling into question the accuracy of the term. Researchers at Rush University in Chicago studied the clinical progression of 48 patients with ...
Atypical Parkinson's disease takes heaviest toll on patients.(Neurology)(annual meeting of the American Neurological Association)
Feb 01, 2006 ... SAN DIEGO -- Atypical Parkinson's disease took the most profound toll on patients' ability to carry out essential daily activities among six chronic neurologic disorders evaluated in a study of disability and quality of life. Dr. Lisa M. Shulman, codirector of the Parkinson's ...
High-dose triptan advocated for acute migraine: 'we want to get treatment right the first time' so lack of efficacy doesn't make patients skeptical.(Neurology)
Feb 01, 2006; ... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- When it comes to triptan use in treatment of acute migraine, consider the maxim: Go big or stay home. A high dose of a given triptan may be associated with an elevated risk for side effects, but it also is more likely to be effective. Patients who do not ...
Updates to MS diagnostic criteria will rely more on MRI.(Neurology)
Feb 01, 2006; ... Changes to the international criteria for multiple sclerosis should speed up the diagnostic process without sacrificing accuracy, researchers say. The updates to the McDonald Criteria maintain the diagnostic hallmarks of disease dissemination in both space and time. They ...
Who should get long-term venous prophylaxis? With treatments available, the risk factors for pulmonary embolism recurrence need to be studied.(Hematology)(annual meeting of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe)
Feb 01, 2006; ... NICE, FRANCE -- Now that safe and effective thrombolytic agents are available for short-term treatment of venous disease, Dr. Patrick Mismetti has two questions he would like to see answered. The first is how long to treat venous disease in high-risk patients. The second is, how ...
Thromboprophylaxis may be unnecessary in leg fractures.(Hematology)
Feb 01, 2006; ... ATLANTA -- Thromboprophylaxis is used routinely in patients with isolated leg fractures, but findings from a large prospective cohort study suggest this practice is not warranted, Dr. Rita Selby reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. Of nearly ...
Peptide signals pulmonary HT in patients with sickle cell.(Hematology)(hypertension)
Feb 01, 2006; ... ATLANTA -- Brain natriuretic peptide is a marker for pulmonary hypertension in patients with sickle cell disease, and abnormally high levels of the peptide are a clear predictor of mortality, Dr. Roberto Machado reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. ...
New combo therapies aid older cancer patients: two studies show promise of radiation and antibody regimens in hematologic malignancies.(Hematology)(treatment of hematologic malignancies)
Feb 01, 2006; ... ATLANTA -- Innovative radiation and antibody therapy combinations are providing hope for better-tolerated treatments and improved survival in some older patients with hematologic malignancies, according to data from two separate studies presented at the annual meeting of the American ...
Reduced-dose therapy is promising in Hodgkin's disease, study finds.(Hematology)
Feb 01, 2006; ... DENVER -- Dosing of combined chemo- and radiotherapy can be reduced to levels well below those considered standard with no significant loss of effectiveness in patients with early-stage Hodgkin's disease, according to the interim analysis of a large, German, randomized trial. ...
Lenalidomide is effective in relapsed multiple myeloma.(Hematology)
Feb 01, 2006; ... ATLANTA -- Patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma have a new, more effective treatment option that some experts believe will also prove effective in previously untreated patients. In a randomized, placebo-controlled, phase III trial involving 351 patients with ...
U.S. activity levels stagnant.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(research of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System)(Brief Article)
Feb 01, 2006; ... Most U.S. adults did not engage in the minimum recommended level of physical activity in 2003, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Results from the nationwide Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) suggest that between 2001 and 2003 there ...
Limit snacking to aid weight loss.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
Feb 01, 2006; ... Limiting the variety of snack foods consumed to a subject's favorite snack may decrease the craving for that food, according to a study by Hollie A. Raynor, Ph.D., and her colleagues at Brown University, Providence, R.I. Thirty overweight and obese adults were randomized to one ...
Growth in bariatric surgery.(obesity)(Brief Article)
Feb 01, 2006; ... The recent growth of bariatric surgery in the United States appears highly correlated with the development of laparoscopic bariatric surgery, reported Dr. Ninh T. Nguyen and colleagues at the University of California, Irvine. From 1998 through 2002, a total of 188,599 morbidly ...
Fitness, fatness both key in metabolic syndrome.(cohort study)
Feb 01, 2006; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Prospective longitudinal studies of a large cohort suggest that a patient's fitness level is at least as important as obesity in the development of metabolic syndrome and in all-cause mortality, Steven N. Blair reported at the Third World Congress on Insulin Resistance ...
Study exonerates high-carb diets as weight-gain cause in older women.(low fat diet reduces obesity)
Feb 01, 2006; ... Diets that are low in fat and high in carbohydrates from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains do not cause weight gain in postmenopausal women, reported Barbara V. Howard, Ph.D., and her associates in the Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial. These results ...
Physicians reluctant to diagnose weight woes.(start weight watchers class)
Feb 01, 2006; ... QUEBEC CITY -- Society may be willing to label anyone who's not rail thin as being overweight, but a new study suggests that physicians are loath to use such labels, even for the obese. Researchers randomly identified 486 obese or overweight patients aged 18-70 years in a family ...
Adherence not better with weekly bisphosphonates.(for osteoporosis)
Feb 01, 2006; ... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Women with postmenopausal osteoporosis are no more likely to adhere to bisphosphonate therapy with weekly dosing than with daily dosing, according to data presented in a poster at the annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. In a ...
Don't stop bisphosphonates if benefit not apparent at first.
Feb 01, 2006; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- If the first bone density reading after starting bisphosphonate therapy shows bone loss, don't stop or alter therapy, Dr. Steven R. Cummings advised at a meeting on osteoporosis sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco. In all likelihood the ...
Steroid-induced osteoporosis: alendronate bests alfacalcidol.(Endocrinology)(Brief Article)
Feb 01, 2006; ... VIENNA -- Alendronate is markedly more effective than 1-hydroxyvitamin [D.sub.3] (alfacalcidol) as prophylaxis against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, Dr. Johannes W.J. Bijlsma said at the annual European Congress of Rheumatology. He reported on 200 patients--40% men, the ...
Reduced bone mineralization seen in idiopathic osteoporosis.(Endocrinology)(Brief Article)
Feb 01, 2006; ... Women with idiopathic osteoporosis appear to have a low mineralization in trabecular bone, which suggests that alterations in the mineralization processes could be responsible for bone fragility, Dr. Jochen G. Hofstatter reported at the annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and ...
Lifetime physical activity key for lowering breast cancer risk.(Women's Health)
Feb 01, 2006; ... SAN ANTONIO -- The three most practical public health-type lifestyle interventions at present for reducing breast cancer risk are to encourage breast-feeding, get young girls started exercising regularly to lay the groundwork for a lifelong habit of physical activity, and tackle the ...
Many at-risk women decline to use tamoxifen.(Women's Health)
Feb 01, 2006 ... SAN ANTONIO -- Lifestyle approaches to breast cancer risk reduction have assumed considerable importance for the many women who have decided against using tamoxifen for chemoprevention, according to Leslie Bernstein, Ph.D., professor of preventive medicine at the University of California, ...
Urine test promising for assessing breast cancer risk.(Women's Health)
Feb 01, 2006 ... SAN ANTONIO -- A simple urine test for selected matrix metalloproteinases may provide a novel noninvasive means of assessing a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, Dr. Susan E. Pories reported at a breast cancer symposium sponsored by the Cancer Therapy and Research Center. ...
Target pregnant women for exercise pep talks.(Women's Health)
Feb 01, 2006; ... Pregnant women perform fewer intense physical activities, with less duration and frequency than nonpregnant women, and only 16% of pregnant women and 27% of nonpregnant women meet physical activity recommendations, said Ann M. Petersen, Ph.D., and her colleagues at Saint Louis University. ...
Certain pregnancy complications may portend future strokes.(Women's Health)
Feb 01, 2006; ... SAN DIEGO -- Some pregnancy complications appear to be strongly associated with stroke later in life, offering a golden opportunity for early education and prevention efforts, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association. Dr ....
GERD common in pregnancy, yet often remains undertreated.(Women's Health)
Feb 01, 2006; ... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Gastroesophageal reflux disease may be significantly underreported and undertreated in pregnant women, according to a poster presented at the annual meeting of the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dr. Houmam Al-Hakeem and his ...
Earplugs are essential at all types of concerts.(Clinical Rounds)
Feb 01, 2006; ... LOS ANGELES -- It doesn't matter if your patients are heading to a concert by Barry Manilow or Metallica, they should be advised to wear earplugs. A prospective study found a high incidence of spontaneous hearing threshold shifts in concertgoers who didn't use earplugs, and the ...
Elderly patients often benefit from cochlear implantation.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
Feb 01, 2006; ... Patient age has little effect on postoperative outcomes for recipients of cochlear implants, reported Janice Leung and her associates at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore. Among 749 patients with profound hearing loss, the 258 who were aged 65 years and older attained the same ...
Melatonin for cancer.(benefits of melatonin)
Feb 01, 2006; ... The indolamine hormone melatonin, secreted by the pineal gland, is widely acknowledged for its effects on sleep and circadian rhythm, and is used by many people as a sleep aid and to prevent jet lag. Less widely known are its antiproliferative, oncostatic, antioxidant, and ...
Sublingual immunotherapy earns some respect.(allergies)
Feb 01, 2006; ... ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- Sublingual immunotherapy, widely used for allergy control and prevention in Europe and South America, is starting to draw the attention of mainstream allergists in the United States, Dr. Jay M. Portnoy said at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, ...
Thermometers recalled for overheating.(services)(Brief Article)
Feb 01, 2006; ... Omron Healthcare is voluntarily recalling certain three-way instant thermometers because of a potential problem that can cause the thermometer tip to overheat. The recall applies to model numbers MC-600 and MC-600CAN. The recall was prompted by a limited number of consumer ...
Robotic surgery brings high precision, high cost.(cardiothoracic diseases)
Feb 01, 2006; ... SAN DIEGO -- When precision matters, robotic surgery offers visual features that are "unparalleled by any other laparoscopic or open operation," Dr. William E. Kelley Jr. said at an international congress of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. But cost and patient benefits ...
Test identifies flu A or B.(identification of avian influenza)
Feb 01, 2006 ... The BD Directigen Flu A + B test kit differentiates flu A from flu B in two steps. In addition, analytical studies have demonstrated that the kit can detect avian influenza ...
Preoperative skin prep available.
Feb 01, 2006 ... The ChloraPrep 26-mL preoperative skin prep with Scrub Teal tint contains the amount of chlorhexidine gluconate preferred by the Centers for Disease ...
Lab coats inhibit microbial spread.
Feb 01, 2006 ... The Doc's Duds line of lab coats is manufactured with yarn treated with a silver ceramic additive, which inhibits the spread of bacterial and fungal nosocomial infections. Three lab coat designs and colors ...
HIV therapy more convenient.
Feb 01, 2006 ... The HIV protease inhibitor Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) is approved in a new tablet formulation. The new formulation reduces the number of pills per day from six to four. The ...
Generic Ribavirin for hepatitis C.(PRODUCTS)
Feb 01, 2006 ... Generic Ribavirin (tablets), used in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a, has been approved for the treatment of adults with chronic ...
Auto-adjusting system for OSA.(PRODUCTS)
Feb 01, 2006 ... The BiPAP Auto is an auto-adjusting bilevel positive airway pressure sleep system for adults with obstructive sleep ...
Venlafaxine for panic disorder.(PRODUCTS)
Feb 01, 2006 ... Effexor XR (venlafaxine HCI) is indicated for the treatment of adults with long- and short-term panic ...
Implant treats spinal stenosis.(PRODUCTS)
Feb 01, 2006 ... The X STOP Interspinous Process Decompression System is approved for alleviation of the symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis. The device can be implanted under local anesthesia in ...
Hyaluron Tx changes name.(PRODUCTS)
Feb 01, 2006 ... The highly purified hyaluronan therapy, formerly called Nuflexxa, will now be known as Euflexxa. The non-avian-derived hyaluronic acid is indicated for a three-injection regimen for patients who have failed to respond adequately ...
Pap test identifies breast disease.(PRODUCTS)
Feb 01, 2006 ... The Halo Breast Pap Test System is a noninvasive test to detect abnormal breast cells and to identify breast disease earlier than with mammography or ...
Soltamox for breast cancer.(PRODUCTS)
Feb 01, 2006 ... Soltamox (tamoxifen citrate) oral solution 10 mg/5 mL is indicated for metastatic breast cancer, adjuvant treatment of breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ, and the ...