Skin & Allergy News back issues from August 2008:
In a losing race, health's a winner.(Practice Trends)
Aug 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Faced with 15%-18% average yearly increases in the health insurance premiums he pays for his staff, Dr. John K. Randall decided to do something about it. He staged a weight loss contest, loosely modeled after the fitness reality television ...
Jury still out on routine NSAIDs to prevent melanoma: still not known if aspirin offers protection.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Does regular use of aspirin or other NSAIDs protect against melanoma? The question remains wide open following the presentation of two large, well-controlled studies that drew diametrically opposite conclusions at an international investigative dermatology ...
Veto proof: congress acts to reverse Medicare cuts.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Washington's summertime wrangling paid off for physicians as Congress successfully overrode President Bush's veto of legislation to stop a 10.6% cut to Medicare physician payments. The legislation (H.R. 6331), which originally passed both the House and Senate by veto-proof ...
Kaposi's incidence shows rapid rise and fall over 3 decades.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- The incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma among American men jumped more than 30fold in the 1980s with the AIDS epidemic, peaked around 1991, and then declined rapidly in concert with the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy, according to a study involving 12,114 ...
HPV vaccine approval for older women delayed.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... The expanded approval of the currently marketed human papillomavirus vaccine to women aged 27-45 years is being held up, at least until the manufacturer addresses some outstanding issues. In a statement issued late last month, the manufacturer of Gardasil, Merck & Co., announced ...
New psoriasiform skin condition is discovered.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... MONTREAL -- "Persistent facial psoriasiform dermatitis" is the name proposed for a new skin condition discovered during teaching rounds at Vancouver General Hospital and the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. An asymptomatic, 58-year-old East Indian woman presented with ...
False-negative SLN biopsy higher in head, neck.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... NEW YORK -- Melanomas on the head and neck have a markedly higher false-negative sentinel lymph node biopsy rate and worse 5-year survival than those located on the trunk or extremities, according to a study of 1,252 patients. Five-year survival in melanoma patients with a ...
Psoriasis poses independent risk for heart disease.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... MONTREAL -- Psoriasis is an independent risk factor for increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, according to a growing number of studies and new guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology. Based on this evidence, it is important to screen and regularly monitor ...
Talarozole shows promise for moderate to severe psoriasis.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- The novel oral drug talarozole proved safe and effective for treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in a 176-patient multicenter phase IIb clinical trial. On the basis of the dose-response pattern noted in the study, the once-daily 2-mg dose has been ...
Acitretin-etanercept combo beneficial in plaque psoriasis.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Combining once-weekly etanercept with daily acitretin is as effective as standard full-dose, twice-weekly etanercept monotherapy in the treatment of moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis, according to the first randomized trial of a combined biologic/nonbiologic ...
Best practices in: treating rosacea: current insights.
Aug 01, 2008 ... Is It Rosacea? Individuals who experience erythema, papules and pustules, and visible blood vessels on their face often assume that these symptoms are the result of adult ache, sunburn or windburn, or normal effects of aging. (1) The culprit may actually be rosacea, a chronic ...
Medicare adds quality data reporting options.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Physicians now have nine different options for submitting quality data to Medicare under the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative. The new options include three ways to submit claims-based data and six registry-based methods for reporting. (See box.) For example, physicians ...
FDA replacing 'approvable,' 'not approvable' letters.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... The Food and Drug Administration will no longer issue "approvable" or "not approvable" letters when a drug application is not approved, but will instead issue a "complete response" letter at the end of the review period, the agency announced. The change goes into effect on Aug ....
Insured, uninsured: access-to-care problems felt by all.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... One in five Americans postponed or skipped needed medical care last year because of cost, insurance problems, or difficulty getting an appointment, according to a report from the Center for Studying Health System Change. Researchers, who compared nationwide survey data from the ...
AMA apology for racial discrimination seen as a first step.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... African American physicians are looking for action to back up the words of apology recently tendered by the American Medical Association for more than a century of racial inequity and bias. In accepting the AMA's apology, the National Medical Association (NMA), which represents ...
Cytotoxin boosts IVIG's efficacy for pemphigus.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- The effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobulin in the treatment of severe refractory pemphigus is markedly enhanced by the coadministration of a cytotoxic drug, according to investigators. This improved effectiveness may allow control of disease activity on a ...
Antibiotics in infancy up atopic dermatitis risk.(News)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Exposure to antibiotics in infancy appears to be a risk factor for subsequent development of atopic dermatitis, Dr. Jochen Schmitt reported at an international investigative dermatology meeting. "Due to the high overall morbidity and social burden of atopic ...
Dermatology board sets 2009 exam dates.(News)
Aug 01, 2008 ... * In-Training Examination for dermatology residents (administered online at dermatology residency training centers in the United States and Canada): April 2, 2009. Deadline for receipt of applications: Feb. 1, 2009. * Recertification Examination: May 1-June 12, 2009, online. ...
Yikes, it's Yelp!(Under My Skin)(Yelp.com)(Website overview)
Aug 01, 2008; ... "I found you on Yelp," said Erica. "You had the second most reviews." Yelp.com is a Web site, she explained. (I'm over 22 and need help with such things.) Like other Web sites, Yelp offers "Real People. Real Reviews." I checked myself out. My first review was bad (one star out ...
What's next for biologics?(Guest Editorial)
Aug 01, 2008; ... It has been only 15 years since the first anti-tumor necrosis factor drugs were used experimentally in small, open studies, yet in that short time these drugs have become the standard of care when patients do not respond to conventional disease-modifying drugs, dramatically altering our ...
Health care must be earned.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Dr. Alan R. Nelson's discouragement about health care reform is not uncommon ("Why Health Reform Won't Happen," Guest Editorial, July 2008, p. 20). Sadly, the only reform he considers is some form of "universal coverage." Despite years of government intervention, which has ...
Premature recommendations.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2008; ... It must be possible to be excited and uncomfortable at the same time, because I cringed when I read a recent article based on a presentation by Dr. Dana E. King of the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston ("Moderate Drinking May Cut Cardiovascular Risk," June 2008, p. 54). ...
Correction.(Letters)(Correction notice)
Aug 01, 2008 ... At the time that "Fraxel Beats Pulsed Dye for Scar Treatment" (June 2008, p. 25) was ...
Despite warnings, young adults still place value on being tan.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... More young adults now say that they value the appearance of a tan than have said so in past years, and their increased use of indoor tanning reflects that attitude, according to Dr. June K. Robinson of Northwestern University, Chicago, and her associates. Researchers surveyed ...
Acceptance increasing for sunless tanning products.(Cutaneous Oncology)(Survey)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- The use of sunless tanning products by women in the United States is on the rise, with the most cited reason by users being the topical products' safety as an alternative to sunbathing and tanning beds. This is a most welcome trend. Increased public acceptance of ...
KIT mutations seen in acral/mucosal melanomas.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- KIT gene mutations that are susceptible to imatinib occur in some acral and mucosal melanomas, opening up new therapeutic options for patients with melanoma, according to a study presented as a poster at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. ...
N-acetylcysteine may block UV-induced oxidative damage to nevi.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Prophylactic oral N-acetylcysteine has shown early promise as a novel melanoma chemoprevention strategy, said Dr. Douglas Grossman. Taking N-acetylcysteine (NAC) episodically in anticipation of a day at the beach or before other heavy sun exposure may prevent ...
DNA repair genes help predict melanoma survival.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- Single nucleotide polymorphisms in DNA repair genes may help predict not only metastatic capacity but also survival in patients with primary cutaneous melanoma, according to a 400-patient study presented as a poster at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical ...
Cetuximab is safe addition to induction chemo: in small study, most patients with head and neck cancer show complete clinical response to regimen.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- Cetuximab can be added safely and apparently to good effect when giving a standard induction regimen to patients with newly diagnosed, locally advanced head and neck cancer, reported investigators at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. In ...
Melanoma survival results mixed with pegylated interferon.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Prolonged therapy with pegylated interferon has been found to improve recurrence-free survival in patients with excised stage III melanoma in a randomized phase III trial. In contrast, survival free of distant metastases was numerically but not statistically significantly better ...
Brochure describes melanoma ABCDEs.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Aug 01, 2008 ... The Skin Cancer Foundation's brochure entitled "The ABCDEs of Melanoma" is now available in both English and Spanish. The foldout helps patients to identify the most important ...
Calcineurin inhibitors may speed MF progression.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Topical calcineurin inhibitors should be used with caution when a diagnosis of atopic dermatitis is less than certain because they might accelerate progression of early-stage mycosis fungoides, often clinically indistinguishable from the atopic disorder. ...
Imiquimod effective for treating squamous, basal cell carcinoma.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... WILLIAMSBURG, VA. -- Imiquimod can be a powerful tool for fighting in situ squamous cell carcinomas and superficial basal cell carcinomas, Dr. Roger Ceilley said. "A number of studies have shown that imiquimod is up to 95% effective in clearing squamous cell carcinomas," said ...
Weaker lidocaine provides equal pain relief for Mohs.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... VANCOUVER -- Compared with the lidocaine concentration typically used for local anesthesia during Mohs surgery, a lower concentration achieved equivalent pain relief with a 53% reduction in the total dose administered in a randomized, double-blind trial of 149 patients. "We ...
Psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis disease burdens vary.(Psoriasis)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Psoriatic arthritis is associated with a considerably larger burden than is psoriasis in terms of comorbid autoimmune diseases, according to Maryanne Kazanis. While both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients share greater-than-expected risks of several ...
Survey notes significant impact of psoriasis.(Psoriasis)
Aug 01, 2008; ... MONTREAL -- Moderate to severe psoriasis significantly impairs physical and psychosocial functioning and represents a potentially serious detriment to a patient's well-being, according to a survey of more than 500 Canadians with the condition. An online survey of 514 people with ...
For psoriasis patients, sleep often disturbed.(Psoriasis)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- The strongest predictor of sleep disturbance in psoriasis patients is concomitant psoriatic arthritis, according to the results of a survey of more than 400 patients. Other significant--albeit far less potent--predictors of sleep interference are a patient's ...
For psoriasis with hepatitis, biologics are key.(Psoriasis)
Aug 01, 2008; ... DESTIN, FLA. -- Treating psoriasis in patients with hepatitis can pose a particular challenge, but with systemic treatment using appropriate agents, good outcomes can be achieved, according to Dr. Jeffrey Sobell. At a meeting sponsored by the Alabama Dermatology Society, Dr. ...
Turmeric derivative disappoints in trial, despite anecdotes.(Psoriasis)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- The Indian spice turmeric has been the subject of favorable anecdotal reports in alternative medicine circles as a safe and low-cost treatment for psoriasis. But high-dose oral curcumin--the active agent in turmeric--had a disappointing response rate in a multicenter ...
Infusion reactions to infliximab appear uncommon in practice: of 433 patients, the overall rate of reactions was 2.5%.(Psoriasis)
Aug 01, 2008; ... MONT TREMBLANT, QUE. -- The rate of infusion reactions to infliximab was low in a real-life setting in Canada, with most events occurring in the first year and being mild to moderate in severity, Dr. Denis Choquette reported at the annual meeting of the Canadian Rheumatology Association. ...
Remission duration after Tx cessation helps guide prescribing.(Psoriasis)
Aug 01, 2008; ... MONTREAL -- Different biologic agents extend remission to varying degrees for patients with plaque psoriasis once treatment is stopped, according to a recent review of the literature, and this duration of effect is one factor to consider when choosing a biologic. Safety is the ...
Psoriasis research grant awarded.(Psoriasis)
Aug 01, 2008 ... The National Psoriasis Foundation has awarded a $50,000, 1-year grant for studying the role of dUTPase protein in psoriasis. This protein may cause immune system ...
Prolactin may explain the stress trigger of psoriasis.(Psoriasis)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Prolactin may be a key mediator in the pathway by which psychological stress triggers and exacerbates psoriasis, according to Dr. Ewan A. Langan. This raises the intriguing prospect that prolactin may offer a novel future therapeutic target in psoriasis and other ...
Severe chronic plaque psoriasis increases arterial stiffness risk.(Psoriasis)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Severe chronic plaque psoriasis is associated with increased arterial stiffness independent of conventional cardiovascular risk factors, reported Dr. Giampiero Girolomoni. This arterial stiffness, a reflection of endothelial dysfunction, is expressed in a greater ...
Weight may affect response to fixed-dose psoriasis drugs.(Psoriasis)
Aug 01, 2008; ... DESTIN, FLA. -- At least half of all patients with psoriasis weigh more than 200 pounds, and this should be considered when prescribing certain fixed-dose drugs for systemic treatment, according to analysis of recent studies by a Tufts University School of Medicine researcher. ...
Fractional technology brings new life to C[O.sub.2] laser.(Aesthetic Dermatology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... SANTA MONICA, CALIF. -- In the world of cosmetic skin rejuvenation, what's old is new again. Ablative laser resurfacing with C[O.sub.2] lasers--using fractionalized laser energy this time around to reduce healing time-dominated a recent cosmetic dermatology seminar sponsored by ...
Angelica: Part I.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Angelica sinensis, better known as dong quai, is a flagrant perennial plant that has been used for medicinal purposes for more than a thousand years in China,Japan, and Korea. A. sinensis is best known as a traditional treatment for dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, menopause, and related ...
Severe sagging of facial skin associated with two genes.(Aesthetic Dermatology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Facial sagging has been found to be a function not only of aging, gravity, and environmental and lifestyle factors, but also of genetics. Melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) and elastin proved to be significantly associated with the sagging of facial skin in a genetic ...
States eye "luxury" aesthetic procedure taxes, restrictions.(Aesthetic Dermatology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... SANTA MONICA, CALIF. -- When state coffers get low, legislators go hunting for cash. Lately, in states such as Maryland and New York, lawmakers have been considering taxes on "luxury" items from upscale cars to aesthetic surgery offices, Dr. Ron Wheeland said at a cosmetic ...
Medical spa inhouse marketing lures 6,000 new patients a year.(Aesthetic Dermatology)
Aug 01, 2008; ... SANTA MONICA, CALIF. -- Don't bother leafing through the pages of glossy, upscale San Diego magazines to find advertisements for Dr. Mitchel P. Goldman's successful, 6-year-old medical spa. Magazine marketing recruits mostly "looky-loos," said Dr. Goldman at a cosmetic ...
Botulinum toxin: number of uses keeps growing.(Dermatologic Therapy)
Aug 01, 2008; ... SANTA MONICA, CALIF. -- From its inauspicious beginnings as a treatment for strabismus, blepharospasm, and cervical dystonia, botulinum toxin took cosmetic dermatology by storm and now is being used by a multitude of specialists for a multitude of conditions. "Quite frankly, ...
'Excellent control' from old drugs for severe mouth ulcers.(Dermatologic Therapy)
Aug 01, 2008; ... MONTREAL -- The gout treatment colchicine and the leprosy drug dapsone showed promise for off-label use against a variety of dermatologic conditions, according to the results of two studies. The two agents--each available in generic form--offered "excellent disease control" as a ...
Shave reduction/imiquimod cut keloid recurrence.(Dermatologic Therapy)
Aug 01, 2008; ... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Keloids are less likely to recur when treated with shave reduction and secondary-intention healing with application of imiquimod cream than when treated by surgery alone, according to a study of 51 keloids in 23 patients. The removal of keloids by surgery ...
For rosacea, azelaic acid only requires once-daily application.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2008; ... DESTIN, FLA. -- Azelaic acid 15% gel is as effective when used once daily as when used twice daily for the topical treatment of papulopustular rosacea, and the concomitant use of a moisturizer appears to reduce the stinging and burning that a small subset of patients experience with ...
Acne teen site launched.(Dermatologic Therapy)
Aug 01, 2008 ... Sanofi-Aventis U.S. has teamed up with "Hannah Montana" star Cody Linley and Dr. Jessica Wu, a dermatologist at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, to launch a teen acne awareness program and Web ...
HIV rates low in high-risk adolescent group, study finds.(Infectious Diseases)
Aug 01, 2008; ... NEW YORK -- HIV infection may not be a significant risk even among adolescent populations with a high prevalence of other sexually transmitted infections, according to a study of adolescents at a juvenile detention center in Houston. Although chlamydia and gonorrhea were ...
HIV/AIDS diagnoses on rise in most states.(Infectious Diseases)
Aug 01, 2008; ... From 2001 through 2006, the number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses among men who have sex with men increased by nearly 9% in 33 states, with particularly high increases among black men and Asian/Pacific Islanders under age 25 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ...
World leaders endorse HIV/AIDS-TB screening.(Infectious Diseases)
Aug 01, 2008; ... At a landmark meeting, international leaders of government, public health and business sectors, UN agencies, and activist groups delineated specific measures that public health authorities should take to reduce tuberculosis deaths among people with HIV / AIDS. According to a ...
Mortality gap narrows between HIV-infected, general population.(Infectious Diseases)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Mortality rates of people infected with HIV now approach those of the general population, at least for the first 5 years of the infection, according to a large multinational study. The gap in mortality rates between people with HIV infection and the general population has ...
Rise in tonsillar cancer parallels HPV positivity.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- A twofold to threefold increase in the incidence of tonsillar cancer over several decades was paralleled by a similar rise in the incidence of tumors positive for the human papillomavirus, the results of a Swedish cohort study indicate. At the same time, however, ...
Consider Epstein-Barr in genital ulceration.(Infectious Diseases)
Aug 01, 2008; ... DESTIN, FLA. -- Since Epstein-Barr virus is known in rare cases to initially present as severe, painful genital ulcerations without other clinical or laboratory evidence of acute disease, this infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients who present with such ...
Expert argues for universal HPV vaccination.(Infectious Diseases)
Aug 01, 2008; ... CALGARY, ALTA. -- As an epidemiologist whose research focuses on the prevention of cervical cancer, Dr. Eduardo L. Franco spends a lot of time arguing with health care professionals and patients who say that more research is needed before universal human papillomavirus vaccination can be ...
Joint Commission rules tackle infection control: hospitals will be required to have a surveillance program up and running by Jan. 1, 2010.(Infectious Diseases)
Aug 01, 2008; ... The Joint Commission has issued new requirements for hospitals in an effort to prevent infections from multidrug-resistant organisms, central line-associated bloodstream infections, and surgical site infections. The requirements, which are part of the organization's 2009 ...
Stressed health care systems are driving MRSA spread.(Infectious Diseases)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Overcrowding and understaffing of hospitals are two of the major underlying factors driving the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in this setting, according to a review. Furthermore, "the economic benefits of downsizing health care systems are likely to have ...
MRSA control efforts revved up.(Infectious Diseases)
Aug 01, 2008; ... During the past year, more than 75% of infection prevention and control professionals have taken extra steps to prevent transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in health care facilities, according to results of a survey conducted by the Association for Professionals in ...