Skin & Allergy News back issues from September 2008:
Hemangioma risk tied to birth weight.(News)
Sep 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CHICAGO -- A recent multivariate analysis found that low birth weight is the single most significant risk factor for having a hemangioma of infancy. These findings come at a time when the rates of preterm and low-birth-weight infants continue ...
South Beach diet may help clear acne, survey finds: the finding rekindles food and ache debate.(News)
Sep 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- Adherence to the South Beach diet helped to clear acne and reduced the use of acne treatments, according to the findings of a survey developed by dermatologists. The findings contradict the widely held perception that acne is not associated with diet. Even the latest ...
The more the mentoring, the happier the resident.(Practice Trends)
Sep 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- U.S. dermatology residents who spend at least 30 minutes per month with a faculty mentor outside of classroom and clinic are significantly more satisfied overall with their training programs, according to a national survey. Results of the survey provide valuable ...
Alefacept fails alopecia areata test.(News)(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- Alefacept fared no better than placebo in treating chronic, severe alopecia areata in a 12-week double-blind, randomized study of 45 adults. Patients with at least a 6-month history of alopecia areata with 50%-95% scalp involvement were randomized to receive a single ...
Median income for dermatologists.(VITAL SIGNS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... <Pre> Median Income for Dermatologists Actual Adjusted * 2003$285,692 $267,370 2004 2005 2006 2007$365,524 ...
New scleroderma subtypes provide disease insight.(News)(Disease/Disorder overview)
Sep 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- One in five patients with clinical symptoms characteristic of systemic sclerosis does not fit into the popular classification scheme that divides the disease into the diffuse and limited cutaneous subtypes, according to Dr. Thomas Krieg. This major limitation of ...
Efalizumab effective in psoriatic nonresponders.(News)
Sep 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- Treatment with efalizumab can benefit patients with plaque psoriasis who have failed previous treatments with anti-tumor necrosis factor therapies. In a single-arm, open-label phase IV study of 66 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, 31 (47%) patients ...
Emerging data link psoriasis to comorbidities.(News)
Sep 01, 2008; ... SAN DIEGO -- Emerging scientific data on adults with psoriasis suggest the disease engenders a number of comorbidities, including metabolic syndrome and myocardial infarction. People with psoriasis "have a tendency to be obese, have a higher rate of cardiovascular disease [and] ...
From coal tar to phototherapy, psoriasis treatments revealed.(News)
Sep 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- A topical coal-tar solution that doesn't smell, a user-friendly hydrogel patch, and supraerythemogenic phototherapy were among the innovative approaches to psoriasis discussed at the American Academy of Dermatology Academy's 2008 meeting. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
Medicare nixes payment for more 'never' events: 'this is about changing hospitals and making them safer places.'.(News)(Report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Starting Oct. 1, Medicare won't pay for a total of 11 preventable conditions acquired during a hospital stay, up from the current 8 such conditions. Added to the list of noncovered preventable conditions are surgical site infections following certain elective procedures, such as orthopedic ...
Incentives, penalties predicted to push doctors to e-prescribing.(News)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Federal officials are urging physicians to begin electronic prescribing as soon as possible now that Congress has authorized bonus payments for the successful use of the technology. Under the recently enacted Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 6331)--the ...
Foundation awards $5 million in grants.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The Dermatology Foundation announced its highest allocation ever, $5.25 million, for dermatologic research. Sixty-seven individuals and projects are receiving funding, including $55,000/year for up ...
Propranolol found to rapidly shrink severe hemangiomas.(News)
Sep 01, 2008; ... DESTIN, FLA. -- Propranolol appears to have impressive beneficial effects on severe hemangiomas of infancy, according to a letter in the New England Journal of Medicine. "Keep your eyes out for more information on this interesting work," Dr. Bari Cunningham said at a meeting ...
Hemangioma distribution may help predict PHACES risk.(News)(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- The distribution of large facial hemangiomas appears to be helpful in identifying infants at risk for PHACES syndrome, according to a first-of-its-kind multicenter prospective study. PHACES, also known as Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man #606519, is an ...
New drugs show promise for CTCL treatment.(News)
Sep 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Investigational anticancer agents romidepsin and forodesine showed promising efficacy in refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in multicenter phase II clinical trials presented at an international investigative dermatology meeting. But arguably the most durable ...
Texting patients may boost topical Tx compliance.(News)
Sep 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Daily cell phone text message reminders to slather on sunscreen doubled the adherence rate in a randomized controlled trial. "Text messaging could be a low-cost, effective model for improving adherence to topical agents in dermatology," Maryanne Kazanis said at ...
A perfect bookend.(Guest Editorial)(Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act)
Sep 01, 2008; ... The passage of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act in late May, ushered in what Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) called "the first civil rights bill of the new century of the life sciences." Under the legislation, U.S. citizens now are afforded nationwide protection from ...
Second impressions.(Under My Skin)(medical consultation; physician-patient interaction)
Sep 01, 2008; ... My first contact with Denise was a ringing beeper at 4:30 a.m. "My ache is out of control," her voice mail message said. "The antibiotic I'm on isn't helping. I get to work at 5:30." Predawn ache? I held off till 7 before getting back to her. When she came in later that week, ...
Slashing research money won't help, may hurt.(Guest Editorial)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Times are tough ... belts must be tightened ... everyone should sacrifice. These are the messages Congress conveys as it debates the next year's federal budget. But indiscriminate across-the-board cuts harm areas that promote the general welfare and help stimulate the nation's economy. ...
Gene therapy promising for cutaneous lymphoma.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Sep 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Intratumoral interferon-gamma gene therapy delivered via an adenoviral vector induces systemic as well as local immune responses in patients with primary cutaneous T- or B-cell lymphoma, reported Dr. Mirjana Urosevic reported. This novel approach to ...
Melanoma regression alone doesn't justify an SLN biopsy.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Sep 01, 2008; ... MONTREAL -- Regression of a thin melanoma should not be the sole criterion to justify a sentinel lymph node biopsy, according to a retrospective study. Regression alone is insufficient in the absence of other recognized high-risk predictors of sentinel lymph node (SLN) ...
Confocal laser microscopy gaining momentum.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Sep 01, 2008; ... MONTREAL -- Formation of an international confocal microscopy group, software that aids the detection and mapping of skin lesions, and introduction of a handheld device are among recent advances to aid in the diagnosis of lentigo maligna and other lesions in real time. ...
HPV's link to head and neck cancer examined.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Sep 01, 2008; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- While the relationship of the human papillomavirus to cervical cancer is well known among the public and in the medical profession, it is less commonly recognized that oral HPV appears to be associated with head and neck cancers. Even among the cognoscenti, there is a good ...
Renowned educator gets lifetime award.(Cutaneous Oncology)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The Dermatology Foundation has conferred its Lifetime Career Educator Award on Dr. Irwin M. Braverman, professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine. According to the foundation, "The award ...
Skin excision not always needed for buccal SCC.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Sep 01, 2008; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- A 5-year local control rate is possible with or without skin excision in squamous cell carcinoma of the buccal mucosa, according to a retrospective study of 331 patients. When patients are properly selected for skin preservation or sacrifice on the basis of ...
SCC survival doubles with radiotherapy.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Sep 01, 2008; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Patients who received adjuvant radiotherapy following surgery for metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma survived more than twice as long as did those who did not receive radiotherapy in a small retrospective study. The difference between median survival ...
Micro-RNA levels higher in aggressive melanomas.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Sep 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- Micro-RNA-21 and micro-RNA-155 are expressed at significantly higher levels in primary malignant melanoma tumor samples than in samples from benign nevi--and in indeterminate melanocytic lesions with an aggressive histological phenotype, according to data presented at the ...
Gene loss may explain gender differences in melanoma.(Cutaneous Oncology)
Sep 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- A specific pattern of X and Y chromosome losses--and in particular the loss of an important tumor-suppression gene--was shown in a recent study to be associated with melanoma progression. This "very new and very unexpected finding" could help explain gender ...
Cosmetic devices get mixed marks from panel.(Aesthetic Dermatology)(Skin Disease Education Foundation seminar)
Sep 01, 2008; ... SANTA MONICA, CALIF. -- Live video demonstrations of several novel laser and laserlike devices generated mixed reviews from a panel of dermatologists. Panelists at a cosmetic dermatology seminar sponsored by Skin Disease Education Foundation disagreed about the safety and ...
C[O.sub.2] laser offers long-term efficacy.(Aesthethic Dermatology)(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Facial resurfacing using a C[O.sub.2] laser is a safe and effective treatment for rhytids demonstrating long-term results, according to a retrospective study of 47 patients who underwent an entire facial resurfacing procedure. Dr. Shan R. Baker of the department of ...
More women than men seek tattoo removal.(Aesthetic Dermatology)
Sep 01, 2008; ... More women than men have sought tattoo removal in recent years, a reversal of the pattern that prevailed 10 years earlier, according to a report in the Archives of Dermatology. Today, women report receiving significantly more negative comments and having more problems with ...
Foundation honors two laser pioneers.(Aesthetic Dermatology)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The Dermatology Foundation has awarded its prestigious Discovery Award to Dr. John A. Parrish and Dr. R. Rox Anderson. The award acknowledges their landmark development of ...
Angelica: Part II.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Besides Angelica sinensis, discussed last month, other species of Angelica have been studied for their medicinal potential, and, gradually, these species have been introduced into topical formulations. Antitumor Activity In a 2005 study, mice with highly metastatic ...
Experience may be dispelling the 'old wives' tales of botox.
Sep 01, 2008; ... SANTA MONICA, CALIF. -- In the early days of cosmetic botulinum toxin type A therapy, rumors greatly outnumbered scientific facts about its safety, storage, and storied effect on furrowed brows and deep crow's feet. The faculty at a recent cosmetic dermatology seminar sponsored ...
Barrier products may play role in dermatitis Tx: products can improve skin hydration and decrease barrier dysfunction, but more studies are needed.(Atopic Dermatitis)
Sep 01, 2008; ... SAN DIEGO -- Barrier products may play a role as adjuvant therapy for patients with atopic dermatitis, but better studies are needed to demonstrate their efficacy. That's the conclusion Dr. Andrew C. Krakowski made about three barrier products he discussed at a meeting on skin ...
More on the effectiveness of EpiCeram for atopic dermatitis.(Atopic Dermatitis)
Sep 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Topical EpiCeram is an effective stand-alone therapy for moderate to severe pediatric atopic dermatitis, according to results of a clinical trial. This physiologic skin barrier repair cream proved itself the equal of fluticasone proprionate cream (Cutivate) in a ...
Atopic patients may not have higher S. aureus risk.(Atopic Dermatitis)
Sep 01, 2008; ... SAN DIEGO -- Patients with atopic dermatitis are highly colonized with Staphylococcus aureus but do not appear to be preferentially infected with community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Up to 79% of patients with atopic dermatitis have S. aureus in their anterior ...
Most antihistamines cause some cognitive impairment.(Atopic Dermatitis)
Sep 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Fexofenadine is the sole truly nonsedating antihistamine--and the only one that does not cause objectively measurable cognitive and psychomotor impairment at doses that are commonly used in clinical practice, said Dr. Kazuhiko Yanai. Fexofenadine (Allegra) is the ...
Interleukin-17 levels low in skin of atopic lesions.(Atopic Dermatitis)
Sep 01, 2008; ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- The predisposition to recurrent skin infections in atopic dermatitis might be explained by the recent discovery that interleukin-17 is relatively absent in lesional skin, said Dr. Emma Guttman-Yassky. She and her coinvestigators demonstrated that interleukin-17 ...
Prevalence of atopic dermatitis high among Japanese adults.(Atopic Dermatitis)
Sep 01, 2008 ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common skin diseases in Japanese adults, especially those in their 20s and 30s, according to a first-of-its-kind study. The high prevalence rates found were quite similar to those earlier reported in an Australian study in ...
Oral vitamin D increases cathelicidin in lesional skin.(Atopic Dermatitis)(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008 ... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Supplementation with oral vitamin D boosted chronically low levels of the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin in the lesional skin of atopic dermatitis patients in a controlled trial, reported Dr. Tissa R. Hata. These promising results of an initial 28-patient, ...
Acne treatments reviewed, starting with touch.(Pediatric Dermatology)
Sep 01, 2008; ... STANFORD, CALIF. -- The art and science of treating acne in adolescents start with touching the patient. "Many adolescents have a feeling that their acne is very dirty, and they take it personally," Dr. Alfred T. Lane said at a pediatric update sponsored by Stanford (Calif.) ...
Incontinentia pigmenti not all that rare.(Pediatric Dermatology)(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... STANFORD, CALIF. -- A rare genetic disorder that usually is lethal to male babies and can leave abnormalities of the skin, eyes, and other body parts in females, may be more common than originally thought. Incontinentia pigmenti is caused by a mutation in the IKBKG gene (also ...
Soft, fluctuant lesions on head may not be a port wine stain.(Pediatric Dermatology)(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... DESTIN, FLA. -- A soft, fluctuant lesion near the midline of the forehead or on the scalp might look like a port wine stain, but it could be a serious, potentially fatal condition known as sinus pericranii. Maintain a high index of suspicion for such lesions, Dr. Bari Cunningham ...
Children receiving quality health care by clinical area.(DATA WATCH)
Sep 01, 2008 ... <Pre> Children Receiving Quality Health Care by Clinical Area Upper respiratory tract infections 92% Allergic rhinitis85% Acne 57% Fever51% Childhood ...
Two ointments show similar efficacy for vitiligo.(Pediatric Dermatology)(Conference news)
Sep 01, 2008; ... MONTREAL -- Clobetasol propionate and tacrolimus ointments offer similar efficacy for treatment of pediatric vitiligo, according to a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Both topicals were superior to placebo in this study of 100 pediatric patients. ...
Pros and cons of pediatric wart therapy weighed.(Pediatric Dermatology)(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Two approved therapies for pediatric warts and several off-label options each carry advantages and disadvantages that can help inform treatment selection. Watchful waiting may be the best option because most pediatric warts are self-limiting, but when you or ...
Cleaning products drive antimicrobial resistance.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... BETHESDA, MD. -- Use of household cleaning products that contain benzalkonium chloride may decrease the susceptibility of bacteria to other antimicrobial ingredients in cleaning products and increase their resistance to antibiotics, according to the results of a randomized, double-blind ...
Skin infections in young athletes demand vigilance.(Infectious Diseases)
Sep 01, 2008; ... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Managing skin infections in young athletes can be more challenging than in the general pediatric population, because close physical contact and use of shared equipment can lead to rapid spread of infections and outbreaks. In addition, some athletes with skin ...
Stewardship program explores antimicrobial use, resistance.(Infectious Diseases)
Sep 01, 2008; ... BETHESDA, M D. -- The antimicrobial stewardship program at the health sciences center of West Virginia University, Morgantown, has been successful in reducing resistance in some pathogens, while generating more questions about others, according to Dr. Arif R. Sarwari, the program's ...
Guidelines endorse earlier treatment of HIV.(Infectious Diseases)
Sep 01, 2008; ... Initial antiretroviral treatment of HW infection in asymptomatic adults should begin before CD4 cell counts drop below 350/mcL, according to new treatment guidelines announced at the 2008 International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. The guidelines, issued by the International ...
Skin substitutes useful in deep thermal burns.(Wound)(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- The novel skin substitutes Suprathel and Matriderm resulted in complete healing and excellent functionality in patients with deep burns in two studies. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] By using Suprathel, complete epithelialization was achieved in 14-20 days for 38 ...
Nephropathy found to predict poor diabetic foot outcomes.(Wound)(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... An initially successful healing rate in patients who were hospitalized with diabetic foot ulcers did not lead to comparable long-term outcomes in a prospective study of 94 consecutive patients. The presence of nephropathy was found to be an important predictor of poorer ...
New recommendations for diabetic foot care issued.(Wound)
Sep 01, 2008; ... A simple protocol can assess the diabetic foot for the presence of predisposing factors for ulcerations and amputation, and can be used to guide treatment, according to recommendations developed by an American Diabetes Association task force. The protocol consists of a history, ...
Ethnicity has role in SLE incidence, manifestations.(Autoimmunity/Connective Tissue Diseases)(Clinical report)
Sep 01, 2008; ... DESTIN, FLA.--Ethnicity appears to play an important role in the incidence and clinical manifestations of pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus, data from a recent study suggest. Findings from the study of 87 white and 154 nonwhite children showed that more than 60% of ...
On-job exposure discounted in most cases of Wegener's.(Autoimmunity/Connective Tissue Diseases)
Sep 01, 2008; ... PARIS -- Wegener's granulomatosis does not appear to be triggered by occupational exposure to inhaled allergens. The hypothesis that this necrotizing systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology is associated with inhaled irritants or allergens received no persuasive support from a ...
Behcet's syndrome has unique vasculitis patterns.(Autoimmunity/Connective Tissue Diseases)
Sep 01, 2008; ... PARIS -- Fully one-quarter of patients with Behcet's syndrome who experience a large-vessel vascular event will have another within 5 years--and the second is typically more severe than the first. This was among the most striking findings of an exceptionally large Turkish ...
Scleroderma imposes high economic burden to patients.(Autoimmunity/Connective Tissue Diseases)
Sep 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PARIS -- Scleroderma patients have substantially greater average annual direct medical costs than do patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study by the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group. "Scleroderma is a pretty expensive disease ....
Cutaneous signs of dermatomyositis key to Dx.(Autoimmunity/Connective Tissue Diseases)
Sep 01, 2008; ... MONTREAL -- Dermatologists can discern the cutaneous features of dermatomyositis and aid rheumatologists to determine a definitive diagnosis, often obviating the need for a muscle biopsy. "We play a critical role in diagnosing dermatomyositis--we know the visual diagnosis," Dr ....
New autoantibody may predict cancer-associated myositis.(Autoimmunity/Connective Tissue Diseases)
Sep 01, 2008; ... SNOWMASS, COLO.--A novel myositis-specific autoantibody shows considerable promise for predicting which patients with idiopathic inflammatory myositis are at increased cancer risk, Dr. Robert L. Wortmann said at a symposium sponsored by the American College of Rheumatology "I ...
Sleep apnea increased mortality in 14-year study.(Across Specialties)
Sep 01, 2008; ... BALTIMORE -- Moderate to severe sleep apnea significantly increased the risk of all-cause mortality, according to 14 years of follow-up data from a large community sample. "Sleep apnea is a disease of public health significance," said Nathaniel Marshall, Ph.D., of the University ...
TRAF1-C5 locus: hotbed for autoimmune disease?(Across Specialties)
Sep 01, 2008; ... PARIS -- A newly identified common genetic pathway may underlie susceptibility to multiple autoimmune diseases, according to Ms. Fina Kurreeman. Autoimmune diseases are considered to result from an interplay of genetics, environment, and the immune system itself, she said. ...
Possible MRSA, anti-TNF therapy link discovered.(Across Specialties)
Sep 01, 2008; ... PARIS -- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections have been reported for the first time in patients with rheumatoid arthritis being treated with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors. In a poster presented at the annual European Congress of Rheumatology, Dr. Jack ...
Real world data show, for PsA, methotrexate effective.(Across Specialties)
Sep 01, 2008; ... PARIS -- Methotrexate is an effective therapy for psoriatic arthritis, according to findings from a large Norwegian registry. The same data that confirm methotrexate's usefulness in management of rheumatoid arthritis also offer promise that the agent may be of some benefit in ...
Tocilizumab plus low neutrophil count doesn't up infection risk.(Across Specialties)
Sep 01, 2008; ... PARIS -- Low neutrophil counts that developed during treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with tocilizumab were not associated with increased risk of serious infections in an analysis of data from two phase III trials. Tocilizumab is a humanized interleukin (IL)-6 receptor ...