Internal Medicine News back issues from May 2006:
ACP charts new path for internists.(News)(American College of Physicians are proposing major changes )
May 01, 2006; ... PHIL ADELPHIA -- Officials at the American College of Physicians are proposing major changes in the way general internists practice, get paid, and are trained. These changes are crucial to reversing a looming shortage of general internists, ACP officials said at the ...
PDE-5 inhibitors may relieve male urinary symptoms: agents tested alone and with alfuzosin.(News)
May 01, 2006; ... PARIS -- Phosphodieterase-5 inhibitors may have a role in the relief of lower urinary tract symptoms, according to two studies presented at the annual congress of the European Association of Urology. Daily tadalafil (Cialis) therapy significantly improved symptom scores in men ...
Test accurately predicted early-stage ovarian ca.(Cancer)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... PASADENA, CALIF. -- A panel of biomarker proteins developed by California researchers was able to diagnose early-stage mucinous ovarian cancer tumors with 100% sensitivity and specificity in a small study. In contrast, the biomarker CA 125 accurately predicted just 67% of ...
CMS proposes 4.6% physician pay cut for 2007.(News)
May 01, 2006; ... In a not unexpected, but definitely unwelcome move, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced that it will cut physician pay by 4.6% for 2007. The federal health program said the scheduled decrease in physician fees is based partly on the fact that spending ...
EHR system certification may be available this summer.(Electronic health record )
May 01, 2006; ... PHILADELPHIA -- Physicians purchasing an electronic health record will be able to consult a list of certified products as early as this summer, according to Dr. Mark Leavitt, chair of the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology. The certification ...
ACP calls for actions to prepare for pandemic flu.(American College of Physicians)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... PHILADELPHIA -- The American College of Physicians is calling for more involvement of primary care physicians in pandemic influenza preparedness than the U.S. government's plan specifies. The ACP's new policy paper, "The Health Care Response to Pandemic Influenza," generally ...
Two programs offer options for helping in an emergency.
May 01, 2006; ... PHILADELPHIA -- Two government-affiliated programs provide a way for physicians and other health care professionals to serve as volunteers in the event of a national, regional, or local emergency, Dr. Anand K. Parekh said at the annual meeting of the American College of Physicians. ...
Avian flu avoids upper airway, thwarting spread in humans.
May 01, 2006; ... Receptor binding preferences of the H5N1 avian-influenza virus make it difficult for the infection to be transmitted between humans, two new studies show. Using human cadaver tissues, both studies showed that H5N1 binds only to cells with a particular surface receptor molecule; ...
Avian influenza vaccine does well in early test.(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... As authorities continue to prepare for a potential avian influenza pandemic, researchers are working to develop an effective vaccine against the disease. An inactivated subvirion influenza A vaccine was recently shown to be safe in a randomized, placebo-controlled study of 451 ...
Contact solution pulled in wake of Fusarium cases.(Fusarium keratitis )
May 01, 2006; ... Federal, state, and local health officials are investigating at least 109 cases of Fusarium keratitis in which the use of a contact lens solution may have played a role. Bausch & Lomb, which had stopped shipment of the product, ReNu with MoistureLoc, asked retailers in mid-April ...
Guidelines for thyroid nodules, cancer.(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... In January 2006, two new major thyroid guidelines were independently released, one by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the other by the American Thyroid Association. These guidelines, developed by different teams of experts from leading medical centers, offer ...
Is sublingual immunotherapy better than subcutaneous immunotherapy?
May 01, 2006; ... YES I personally do quite a lot of injection immunotherapy, but I do think sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is worth researching. My colleagues and I think there's merit in asking whether this might be a better option for allergic patients both now and in the future. ...
ABIM leadership is out of touch.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2006; ... As a practicing general internist, I feel like an endangered species ("ABIM Links Recertification and Pay for Performance," March 1, 2006, p. 1). I am in my mid-50s, and planning my retirement. I have watched many of my colleagues leave the practice of general internal medicine, ...
Using credit cards for medical care.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2006; ... Dr. Joseph S. Eastern's account of using credit cards in medical practices is most intriguing ("Slash Accounts Receivable: Stop Extending Credit," Guest Editorial, March 15, 2006, p. 13). We have flirted with the idea and found resistance, but I suspect it is because of ...
Diabetes registry not a solution.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2006; ... Dr. Lynn Silver and others have decided that collecting patients' data on diabetes and then sending them letters will help control diabetes, and they maintain that "the potential benefit in light of the epidemic condition outweighs any risk to privacy." They also argue that ...
Time to demand prescribing equality.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2006; ... As a board-certified endocrinologist in practice for 20 years, I am greatly concerned about the avalanche of activity by Medicare Part D plan administrators and pharmacy benefits companies interfering with the best interests of my patients and adding yet more hassles to daily practice. ...
A previously established link.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
May 01, 2006; ... I was quite surprised to read the assertion by Dr. Anuja Dokras of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics that the results of research she had conducted showed "for the first time that depression in PCOS patients is significantly associated with both high body mass index (BMI) and ...
Pain relievers.(Opinion)(Cartoon)
May 01, 2006 ... PAIN ...
Oracea is promising nonantibiotic Tx for rosacea: conventional antibiotics work well for rosacea, but it is not caused by bacteria.(Dermatology)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... KOLOA, HAWAII -- With marketing approval of the anti-inflammatory, nonantibiotic formulation of doxycycline for treatment of rosacea widely anticipated by the end of May, this new once-daily oral medication is likely to be viewed as the best therapeutic option for patients with ...
New MetroGel formulation offers advantages in rosacea.(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... KOLOA, HAWAII -- The metronidazole gel 1% approved by the Food and Drug Administration last year for the treatment of rosacea is a better product in two distinct ways than the 0.75% preparation it replaces, Dr. Guy F. Webster said at the annual Hawaii dermatology seminar sponsored by the ...
Patient-initiated therapy speeds herpes healing.(Famciclovir cut short recurrent outbreaks of herpes labialis)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- A single, patient-initiated dose of famciclovir cut short recurrent outbreaks of herpes labialis by 2 days, Dr. Marcus Conant said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. Viral replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 lasts 8 hours. ...
Maggots can debride and heal refractory wounds: in addition to removing dead and infected tissue, maggots appear to release growth factors that promote healing.
May 01, 2006; ... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Maggots provide a gentle and safe "biological debridement" of refractory wounds and can promote wound healing. Using maggots to clear infection and dead tissue from a wound is cost effective, usually painless, and well received by patients and their ...
Negative pressure helps some diabetic ulcers.(Negative-pressure vacuum therapy )(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Negative-pressure vacuum therapy appears to speed healing and increase the likelihood of complete closure of nonhealing diabetic foot ulcers, Dr. David G. Armstrong said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. But negative pressure, like ...
Polypodium leucotomos for skin protection.
May 01, 2006; ... History of Use The rhizomes and leaves of ferns have been used for a variety of medicinal purposes at least since the days of the Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides. The prominent Elizabethan herbalist John Gerard noted in his 1633 Herbal, or General History of Plants that ...
PFO closure with implant tested for migraine.(Patent foramen ovale)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... ATLANTA -- Patent foramen ovale closure with a septal repair implant gave a modest benefit to patients with migraine and PFO, according to preliminary results of a study with 163 patients. The enrollment phase of the study also showed that right-to-left cardiac shunts occurred ...
Handheld device can spot brain hematomas.(Disease/Disorder overview)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... An investigational near-infrared imaging technology in a handheld device can detect brain hematomas soon after trauma. The Infrascanner detects hematomas based on the differential near-infrared light absorption of hemoglobin in the bleeding versus the nonbleeding area of the ...
Don't overlook drug-induced parkinsonism: the older, conventional antipsychotic drugs have been most commonly associated with the problem.(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... WASHINGTON -- The diagnosis of drug-induced parkinsonism often gets missed, even by neurologists, according to an informal study of patients at one movement disorder clinic presented at the World Parkinson Congress. Of all new patients with parkinsonian symptoms seen in the ...
Changes to tolcapone labeling allow less liver monitoring.(Neurology)
May 01, 2006; ... The Food and Drug Administration has approved new labeling that relaxes the liver enzyme monitoring recommendations for tolcapone, an adjunctive treatment for Parkinson's disease, according to the drug's manufacturer. The new label recommends monitoring serum glutamic-pyruvic ...
Selegiline serves as effective adjunct for PD symptoms.(Parkinson's disease)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... WASHINGTON -- An orally disintegrating formulation of selegiline appears to be a safe and effective adjunct for patients with Parkinson's disease who are experiencing a deterioration of levodopa response, according to data presented in a poster at the World Parkinson Congress. ...
High BMI, blood glucose tied to blood ca deaths.(Cancer)(Body mass index)
May 01, 2006; ... BETHESDA, MD. -- High body mass index and high plasma glucose levels after an oral glucose challenge are independently associated with an increased risk of dying of hematopoietic cancer, Dr. Brian Chiu reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Preventive Oncology. ...
Diabetes Mellitus.(THE EFFECTIVE PHYSICIAN)
May 01, 2006; ... Background With the increase in obesity in our society, diabetes--always a common issue in adult medical care--will only grow in prominence in our practices. The American Diabetes Association updated its standards for medical care of diabetics in 2006. Conclusions ...
Slowing nephropathy in hypertensive diabetes.
May 01, 2006; ... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Quick: What's the preferred first-line antihypertensive agent in type 2 diabetic patients with hypertension and macroalbuminuria? Most non-diabetologists will probably be surprised to learn that it's an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), according to American ...
FDA warns of illegal steroids sold as dietary supplements.(Endocrinology)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers about manufacturers and distributors that still sell illegal steroid products as dietary supplements without the agency's approval. Consumers who have purchased Anabolic Xtreme Supredrol (manufactured for Anabolic Resources ...
WHI results support existing calcium RDA.(Women's Health Initiative)(Recommended dietary allowance)
May 01, 2006; ... BETHESDA, MD. -- The recommended dietary allowance for calcium of 1,200 mg/day for people older than 50 was supported by results of the Women's Health Initiative's calcium and vitamin D trial. The trial's results failed to prove the study's primary hypothesis that a daily ...
Watch for adverse effects of bisphosphonates in Paget's.(Paget's Disease of Bone )
May 01, 2006; ... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- Bisphosphonate therapy has dramatically improved the lives of patients with Paget's disease, but it's important to keep in mind the caveats when prescribing them, Dr. Kenneth W. Lyles said at a meeting sponsored by the Paget Foundation for Paget's Disease of Bone ...
Cathepsin K predicts response in Paget's.(Paget's disease of bone)(Disease/Disorder overview)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- Serum cathepsin K levels could be used to measure treatment response in patients with Paget's disease of bone, Dr. Daniela Merlotti said at a meeting sponsored by the Paget Foundation for Paget's Disease of Bone and Related Disorders. Cathepsin K, a ...
Vitamin D deficiency often present in Paget's disease.(Disease/Disorder overview)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- Screening for vitamin D deficiency should be part of the initial evaluation of patients with Paget's disease, Dr. Jennifer J. Kelly and Dr. Arnold M. Moses said in a poster presentation at a meeting sponsored by the Paget Foundation for Paget's Disease of Bone and ...
Pagetic activity tracked in monostotic disease.(Endocrinology)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006 ... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- The use of [.sup.18]F-fluoride positron emission tomography may be useful in the follow-up of patients with monostotic forms of Paget's disease, Dr. Jean-Pierre Devogelaer said at a meeting sponsored by the Paget Foundation for Paget's Disease of Bone and Related ...
Small thyroid nodules may pose high ca risk: preliminary data suggest a possible rise in the risk of papillary carcinoma in nodules of 1 cm or less.
May 01, 2006; ... CHICAGO -- Solid thyroid nodules smaller than 1 cm in diameter tend to carry a greater risk of papillary carcinoma than do larger nodules, Dr. Nagesh Ragavendra reported at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. The results of this study using ...
Local anesthesia for thyroidectomy.(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... Outpatient thyroidectomies performed with local anesthesia on eligible patients can achieve clinical results and patient satisfaction comparable with those done under general anesthesia, according to results of a prospective, randomized clinical trial. Researchers at Texas A & M ...
EBRT for local control of thyroid ca.(Cancer)(External beam radiotherapy)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006 ... High-dose external beam radiotherapy was effective in controlling locally advanced, differentiated thyroid cancer in a retrospective study of 42 patients. There is little information on the efficacy of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) as adjuvant therapy in such patients, so ...
Cardiac effects of hyperthyroidism.(Disease/Disorder overview)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... Subclinical hyperthyroidism was linked to atrial fibrillation but not to other clinical cardiovascular conditions or deaths in a new study. The research, conducted by Dr. Anne R. Cappola from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and her colleagues, examined the link ...
Thyroidectomy safe for Grave's.(Grave's Disease)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006 ... Total thyroidectomy can be performed more safely than many clinicians realize, and offers more durable results for people with Grave's disease than do antithyroid drugs or radioiodine, according to Dr. Kaare J. Weber of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, and his associates. ...
Panel: modafinil not safe for ADHD in teens.(Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
May 01, 2006; ... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee declared that modafinil is not safe for treating ADHD in children and adolescents by a 12-1 vote, although committee members unanimously agreed the drug was effective for that indication. At a meeting of the ...
Quetiapine has efficacy for adolescent mania.(Disease/Disorder overview)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... Quetiapine was at least as effective as divalproex in alleviating manic symptoms in adolescents in a randomized, double-blind pilot study, wrote Dr. Melissa P. DelBello and her colleagues at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. The 28-day pilot study of 50 adolescents aged 12-18 ...
Weigh gastric bypass risks differently in youths.(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... DALLAS -- With obesity in children and adolescents growing at an alarming rate, patients seeking bariatric surgery are younger than ever, Dr. Scott A. Shikora said at a conference sponsored by the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. The incidence of severe ...
Six tips can help avert obesity in youngsters.
May 01, 2006; ... LAS VEGAS -- There are at least six behavior change strategies physicians can recommend to prevent child and adolescent obesity, Dr. William H. Dietz said at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics' California Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 and the AAP. "Reasonable ...
EBV may be implicated in lupus pathogenesis.(Epstein-Barr virus)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... NEW YORK -- Evidence is mounting that implicates the Epstein-Barr virus as the trigger that sets off the autoantibody production central to the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus, according to Dr. John B. Harley. It has long been assumed that an etiologic agent from ...
CellCept, Rituxan said to show promise for lupus: the two medications are expected to be particularly useful in the treatment of refractory lupus nephritis.(Rheumatology)
May 01, 2006; ... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab are expected to join the lupus armamentarium, promising to be particularly useful for lupus nephritis, Dr. Susan M. Manzi predicted at a symposium sponsored by the American College of Rheumatology. "Those are two we are ...
Methotrexate may help patients with resistant cutaneous lupus.(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... ABANO TERME, ITALY -- Intravenous methotrexate proved to be an effective steroid-sparing treatment for recalcitrant cutaneous lupus, Dr. Joerg Wenzel reported at a congress on skin, rheumatism, and autoimmunity. Dr. Wenzel and his associates in the department of dermatology at ...
Nonmyeloablative stem cell transplant promising for SLE.(Systemic lupus erythematosus)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... An autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation technique that achieves lymphoablation without myeloablation proved effective against severe refractory systemic lupus erythematosus in a preliminary study. Serology, complement, immunomediated hemolysis and ...
Collagen biomarkers predict OA progression: measuring the collagen degradation chemicals may help identify high-risk knee OA patients.(Osteoarthritis)
May 01, 2006; ... BOSTON -- Disease progression in early osteoarthritis is associated with combined increases in biochemical markers for the synthesis and degradation of type II collagen, and these changes can be identified before radiologic evidence of the disease is apparent, a study has shown. ...
Patellar immobility associated with severe chondral damage.(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... SAN DIEGO -- Restricted patellar mobility in patients with anterior knee pain is associated with chondral damage in the patellofemoral compartment, results from a large study demonstrated. Knees with patellar tightness were three times more likely to have severe patellofemoral ...
Functional therapy aids knee OA rehab.(Osteoarthritis)
May 01, 2006; ... BOSTON -- Exercises that simulate the mechanically challenging activities of daily living lessen energy expenditures and compensations associated with knee osteoarthritis, Dr. Anthony M. Reginato said at the 10th World Congress on Osteoarthritis. As such, functional ...
Chronic gout.
May 01, 2006; ... For the first time since allopurinol [Zyloprim] was introduced in 1964, the medical management of chronic gout may soon include new treatment options. The xanthine oxidase inhibitor febuxostat is expected to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration some time this year. There are ...
Primary lytics early in MI still have key role: delayed access to percutaneous intervention often makes IV thrombolysis more timely and practical.(Myocardial infarction)
May 01, 2006; ... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- The demonstrated superiority of primary percutaneous coronary intervention over fibrinolytics for acute MI in randomized trials has led to a "transfer mania" that is at times counterproductive, Dr. Bernard J. Gersh said at a conference sponsored by the Society for ...
Bivalirudin may reduce need to use IIb/IIIa agents in ACS.(Acute coronary syndrome)
May 01, 2006; ... ATLANTA -- Treatment of patients with moderate to high-risk acute coronary syndrome with the antithrombotic bivalirudin was as effective as regimens that also contained a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor in a controlled study with more than 13,000 patients. Treatment with ...
ICD components can cause contact dermatitis.(Implantable cardioverter defibrillators)
May 01, 2006; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Allergy to the materials in an implanted cardioverter defibrillator can cause a contact dermatitis over the implantation site that may be mistaken for infection, Dr. Margaret Lee-Bellantoni said. Although allergic reactions to implantable cardioverter ...
Regular moderate exercise prevents sudden cardiac death in women.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
May 01, 2006; ... Sudden cardiac death due to physical exertion is extremely rare in women, and the small increase in risk can be minimized through regular exercise, reported Dr. William Whang of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and his colleagues. They used prospective data from the ...
Phobic anxiety ups mortality in coronary artery disease patients.(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... DENVER -- Phobic anxiety was significantly associated with both ventricular arrhythmia and mortality in coronary artery disease patients during a median 3-year follow-up, Lana Watkins, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. The relationship ...
Drugs, devices differ for two heart failure types.(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... BALTIMORE -- With at least six drugs and several devices to choose from for heart failure, it's important to approach asymptomatic and symptomatic patients differently, Dr. Edward Kasper said at a cardiovascular conference sponsored by Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Kasper bases ...
Presurgical cardiac screens are often unneeded.
May 01, 2006; ... BALTIMORE -- Preoperative screening to identify potential cardiac complications is often unnecessary and may not help a surgeon to map out how to reduce risk during an elective procedure, said Dr. Richard Lange at a cardiovascular conference sponsored by Johns Hopkins University, ...
Paclitaxel-eluting stents top brachytherapy for restenosis.(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 01, 2006; ... ATLANTA -- Paclitaxel-eluting coronary stents were more effective for treating in-stent restenosis than was vascular brachytherapy in results from a study with almost 400 patients reported at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology. The clear superiority of ...
Absorbable metal stent is found safe, effective.(Coronary artery care)
May 01, 2006; ... ATLANTA -- A metal stent that provides scaffolding for a vessel wall for about 2 months before being absorbed was found safe and effective in a small, first-in-man trial in bioabsorbable stenting, Dr. Raimund Erbel reported at a conference sponsored by the American College of Cardiology. ...
Norovirus in deli meats takes toll on rafters.
May 01, 2006; ... ATLANTA -- Just when you thought that prepackaged deli meat was safe, a gastroenteritis outbreak among river rafters in Colorado was traced to norovirus in prepackaged chicken and beef, Dr. Ezra J. Barzilay said at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases. ...