Skin & Allergy News articles from April 2004

Skin & Allergy News archives from April 2004

Telemedicine set to extend derm reach: at work in Alaska.(News)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Alaska may have fewer dermatologists than any other place in the nation, but patients across the vast state can still access dermatologic care--thanks to telemedicine. Alaskans aren't alone. As more dermatologists master the...

FDA panels back tighter restrictions on isotretinoin Rx: federal legislation is brewing: drugmakers propose a centralized registry of patients, physicians, and pharmacists.(News)(Food and Drug Administration)
April 1, 2004... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- The current risk management program for isotretinoin has failed, and a more stringent program is needed to reduce fetal exposures to the drug, members of two Food and Drug Administration advisory panels agreed at a recent...

Imiquimod gets the nod as actinic keratosis Tx: for face and scalp treatment: the FDA approves it for twice-weekly use.(News)(Food and Drug Administration)
April 1, 2004... Dermatologists can add another treatment to the list of Food and Drug Administration-approved options for actinic keratosis: imiquimod. The FDA last month approved the immune-response modifier for the topical treatment of clinically...

Case of the month.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... A white female presented with erythema and edema of her face and eyelids. She said the problem had persisted for 8-9 months and felt like something was "crawling on her face." She described "flushing" episodes and said she developed redness and...

Dermatology recertification process set to change in 2007: more continuous learning.(News)(Dermatology Maintenance of Certification)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Dermatologists shouldn't notice much of a change when a new recertification process is phased in starting in 2007, said Dr. Stephen Webster, associate executive director of the American Board of Dermatology. The Dermatology...

Vital signs.(News)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
April 1, 2004... VITAL SIGNS Whom Your Patients Trust to Do the Right Thing for Their Health Not Not at Not A Lot Some Much All Sure Nurses 65% 30% 3% 1%...

Clues to melanoma outcome in neoangiogenesis? Tied to risk for metastasis.(News)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Neoangiogenesis is emerging as an important histologic predictor of survival in patients with melanoma, Dr. Robert J. Friedman said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. Increasing evidence suggests...

Promising biologics in scleroderma Tx pipeline: disease- and organ-specific.(News)
April 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Largely overlooked because of the size of its patient population, scleroderma research may finally be on the brink of a payoff in the form of biologic therapies akin to those now used in rheumatoid arthritis as well as other...

FDA flu vaccine panel switches two strains: 2004-2005 FLU vaccine.(News)(Food and Drug Administration)
April 1, 2004... BETHESDA, MD. -- A federal advisory panel unanimously recommended that two of the three strains in the current influenza vaccine be changed for next season to represent strains now circulating in the United States and the test of the Northern...

CDC alerts health care providers to watch for avian flu outbreaks: no cases here yet.(News)(Centers for Disease Control)
April 1, 2004... National and world health officials are closely tracking and attempting to control the spread of a highly pathogenic avian influenza in Asia that has sickened at least 31 people and claimed 22 lives in Thailand and Vietnam. The Centers for...

Vaccinate yourself, your staff against influenza: new initiative.(News)
April 1, 2004... ATLANTA -- A new initiative aimed at improving the "dismal" 36% rate of influenza vaccination among health care workers is being led by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, Dr. Kristin Nichol announced at a meeting of the Centers...

HIPAA privacy rule still raising risk questions: one-year anniversary reflection.(News)(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996)
April 1, 2004... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- One year into HIPAA, disaster has not occurred, Kirk Nahra said at a conference on health care law sponsored by the American Bar Association. "Despite a lot of concerns leading up to April 14, 2003, there were not...

Hyperhidrosis management guidelines issued: expert panel describes treatment options.(News)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Botulinum toxin type A, iontophoresis, and sweat gland resection are treatment options for patients with primary focal hyperhidrosis who fail to respond to their initial treatment, according to recommendations from a 26-member...

Single-payer system not on the political horizon, Shalala says: incremental changes.(News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... SARASOTA, FLA. -- It's unlikely that the United States will move toward a single-payer, government-run system of health care, Donna E. Shalala, Ph.D., president of the University of Miami, said at a meeting sponsored by the Association of...

"I don't have health insurance'.(Under My Skin)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Stephen moved from Boston to New York to study opera, and supports himself by leading church choirs. He knows that because his father had melanoma, his numerous nevi put him at risk for that serious malignancy. "I haven't been checked...

Saving medical dermatology.(Guest Editorial)
April 1, 2004... I am concerned that we are drifting too far away from the fundamental dermatology we all learned in our residencies--and drifting closer to the "cash cow" of pure cosmetic dermatology. I see many dermatologists who have closed their...

Urge prenatal HSV testing.(Guest Editorial)(Herpes Simplex Virus )
April 1, 2004... To help stop the spread of genital herpes and HIV infection among adults in the United States and to prevent most cases of neonatal herpes, obtain type-specific herpes simplex virus serology from all pregnant women at the first prenatal visit....

Clarification.(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2004... The article, "Help for Uninsured to Be Congressional Priority in 2004" (February 2004, p. 1), should have said that under federal law, physicians are free to charge Medicare patients less than the amount allowed by the Medicare fee schedule,...

Protecting the CME process.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... The Coalition for Healthcare Communication, which represents 11 major organizations with members in all phases of health care communications, gives credit to Dr. Robert W. Rebar for recognizing all the measures now in place to protect the...

Ethics go up in smoke.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... Yes, there are doctors who would recommend marijuana--it cannot be prescribed because it has not met any of the Food and Drug Administration criteria for a pharmaceutical drug--to their patients ("Derm Savors a Supreme Victory," December 2003,...

Are tax credits the best way to cover the uninsured?(Pro & Con)
April 1, 2004... YES Providing health insurance to the swelling ranks of the uninsured has become one of America's most pressing health care issues. As physicians, we know that when our patients don't have insurance, their health is in jeopardy. In fact,...

The dermatologist can wait.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... I am very concerned about a recent statement from physician assistant Joe R. Monroe ("Degrees of Skill" Letters, December 2003, p. 14). Mr. Monroe stated, "Seeing a patient with irritated seborrheic keratoses, distinguishing the SK from...

It's not so nice to share.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... Lawyer C. Mitchell Goldman said that once a lawsuit is filed, the legal defense may be more difficult to pursue ("Insurer Focusing More on Risk Management," November 2003, p. 49). If physicians report incidents early, he said, they may be...

Managing isotretinoin risk.(Guest Editorial)(System to Manage Accutane-Related Teratogenicity)
April 1, 2004... In late February, two advisory panels to the Food and Drug Administration voted to adopt a more restrictive risk management program for the four available forms of isotretinoin based on a program that was proposed by Accutane manufacturer...

Plan for emergencies in office-based surgery.(Dermatologic Surgery)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Dermatologists who perform surgeries in their offices need to prepare for surgical emergencies that inevitably will occur despite fastidious efforts to prevent them. If you perform surgery in your office, "you will eventually...

Be selective when choosing a sentinel node surgeon: melanoma staging takes experience.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- When referring patients with melanoma for sentinel lymph node evaluations, send them to surgeons experienced in the procedure who work with multidisciplinary teams, Dr. Merrick I. Ross said at a melanoma update sponsored by the...

Modified Mohs is promising in lentigo maligna: micrographic surgery technique.(Dermatologic Surgery)
April 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- None of 59 patients with lentigo maligna and 13 with lentigo maligna melanoma treated with a modified Mohs micrographic surgery technique developed local recurrences over 3-51 months of follow-up, Dr. Donald J. Grande said at a...

Melanoma staging is possible without surgery: fine-needle biopsy.(Dermatologic Surgery)
April 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- The day may come when fine-needle aspiration of lymph nodes plus an experimental spectral analysis might replace surgical sentinel lymph node biopsies to detect melanoma metastases, Dr. Merrick I. Ross said at a melanoma update...

Pearls may prevent botox, wound, laser mishaps: wound closure, resurfacing, surgical prep.(Dermatologic Surgery)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Dermatologic surgeons unloaded a treasure chest of pearls at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology that may help you distance yourself from unfortunate surgical complications. This year's tips ranged from...

Top dermatologic surgery procedures for women, 2003.(Data Watch)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
April 1, 2004... DATA WATCH Top Dermatologic Surgery Procedures for Women, 2003 Number of Procedures Light & Lasser Procedures * 729,863 Skin Cancer Treatments 724,956 Botulinum Toxin ...

Three simple surgical procedures enhance lips: when fillers won't do.(Dermatologic Surgery)
April 1, 2004... WAIKOLOA, HAWAII -- A little filler is all some patients need to attain the youthful lips of their dreams. But others need contour as well as volume, achieved best through simple surgical procedures, said Dr. Allan S. Wirtzer, a...

Study: Restylane lasts longest in least-mobile facial areas: 1,446 patients.(Dermatologic Surgery)
April 1, 2004... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Restylane injections last the longest in those areas of the face that move the least, according to a study that followed 1,446 individuals who had lip enhancement or rhytid correction for 9 months after their treatment. ...

Cosmetic procedures with the highest physician/surgeon fees, 2002.(Data Watch)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
April 1, 2004... DATA WATCH Cosmetic Procedures With the Highest Physician/Surgeon Fees, 2002 Average Fee Lower body lift $5,803 Facelift $5,352 Tummy tuck $4,739 Buttock lift $4,136...

Biopsy suspicious lesions before patients depart: don't let melanoma walk out of your office.(Dermatologic Surgery)
April 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- When in doubt, biopsy a lesion if you have any suspicion that if might be melanoma, Dr. David J. Barnette Jr. said at a melanoma update sponsored by the Scripps Clinic. Never let a patient with a worrisome lesion leave your...

0.5% 5-fluorouracil cream boosts AK clearance: complements cryosurgery.(Dermatologic Surgery)(actinic keratoses)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Treatment of actinic keratoses with 0.5% 5-fluorouracil followed by cryosurgery was more effective than cryosurgery alone in a controlled study The study enrolled 144 adults with at least five facial actinic keratoses (AKs)....

Thermage: more effect on eyelids than foreheads?(Dermatologic Surgery)
April 1, 2004... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Treatment of the forehead with a radiofrequency energy device probably doesn't do as much for forehead lines and wrinkles as it does for improving the look of the eyes, Dr. Elizabeth F. Rostan said at a symposium sponsored by...

Additional primary melanomas were seen in 12% of patients: twice as likely to occur in men.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- One primary cutaneous melanoma was followed by another in 12% of 1,258 patients seen over a 10-year period, and the lesions often appeared many years apart Dr. William M. Burrows said at a melanoma update sponsored by the Scripps...

Take care with atypical melanocytic lesion biopsies: pathologist recommendations.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... STOWE, VT. -- Pathologists hate to see "rule out melanoma" on a histology requisition when it is the only descriptor of an atypical melanocytic lesion biopsy, Dr. Marcus Bosenberg said. At the very least, the phrase is insufficient; at...

Follow-up is hardest part of melanoma management: be prepared for emotional reactions.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- Excising a melanoma lesion is the easy part. The bigger challenge comes in what lies ahead, Dr. Duane C. Whitaker said. The technical difficulty of excising a melanoma and closing a wound up to 5-6 cm long and 2 cm wide...

New working cicatricial alopecia classifications solidify definitions, criteria: North American Hair Research Society.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... COLUMBUS, OHIO -- A new classification and evaluation system for cicatricial alopecia could help dermatologists master the hair disorder's sometimes difficult diagnosis and treatment, Dr. Wilma F. Bergfeld said at the annual meeting of the Ohio...

Strands lost during timed count track hair loss: patients', physicians' counts were similar.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Using a 60-second, timed hair count, patients can track their hair loss. Patient counts were no different than were counts made by physicians, Dr. Sharon Fang and Dr. Jeffrey J. Miller reported in a poster at the annual...

Ease up on hairstyles triggering traction alopecia: tight braids, extensions most harmful.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Alopecia has become almost epidemic in black women, the result of hairstyles that pull too tightly on the scalp and harsh chemical treatments that damage the hair shaft and follicles, Dr. Susan C. Taylor said at the annual meeting...

Dermatomyositis Dx: consider the cutaneous: quality of life concerns.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... STOWE, VT. -- Skin changes associated with dermatomyositis can hold clues to help manage the disease, but physicians dealing with the systemic condition too often "look through the skin, not at it," stated Dr. Richard D. Sontheimer. For...

Proposed classification for cutaneous manifestations of dermatomyositis.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The cutaneous manifestations of dermatomyositis are presumed to be present if the patient presents with two major criteria or one major criterion and two minor criteria, as described below. A biopsy of at least one skin lesion showing changes...

Childhood onset of lupus presents as more serious illness: nephritis, arthritis, CNS ills.(Clinical Rounds)(Central Nervous System)
April 1, 2004... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Systemic lupus erythematosus in children is typically a far more damaging disease than that in adults, Dr. Daniel J. Lovell stressed at a symposium sponsored by the American College of Rheumatology. Those children with...

Dermatoses of pregnancy may continue to gestate: flare-ups possible.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Women who had either pemphigoid gestationis or cholestasis of pregnancy should be counseled that later oral contraceptive use may trigger a flare-up of dermatoses, Dr. Thelda M. Kestenbaum said at the annual meeting of the...

Prevalence survey of body piercing, tattooing is underway: alcohol may play decision-making role.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- A survey underway could provide the first prevalence data on body piercing in the United States, as well as an update on tattoo prevalence, Dr. Anne Laumann and Dr. Amy Farmer said during a joint presentation at the annual meeting...

Avoidance of triggers key to rosacea control: sunscreen, careful diet.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Daily, year-round use of sunscreen and avoidance of spicy or hot foods and alcohol are critical for controlling rosacea, said Dr. Marianne N. O'Donoghue at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. "Sunburn...

Physicians fail to detect young patients' distress: psychosocial problems.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Physicians may be the last to know whether a child's chronic skin disorder is leaving her with emotional impairment. Physicians scored far behind parents and the children themselves when it came to predicting which of their...

New stages are set for self-inflicted psychodermatoses: classification system.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- A proposed classification system for self-inflicted psychodermatoses that groups diagnoses by severity and course of the behavior may be more useful to primary care physicians than existing approaches in the dermatology...

'I VOTE' to improve quality of life in psychocutaneous disorders: adjustments may reduce distress.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Patients with psychocutaneous disorders are miserable at the time they present to their dermatologist and deserve intervention to improve both their symptoms and the quality of life, Stephen R. Rapp, Ph.D., said at the annual...

Beware drug-induced lung injury in MTX patients: hypersensitivity pneumonitis.(Clinical Rounds)(Methotrexate)
April 1, 2004... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- A key task in the rheumatologic patient with respiratory symptoms is to differentiate active underlying disease from drug toxicity as the cause, according to Dr. Ulrich Specks, a pulmonologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,...

Drug update: overactive bladder.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... Health professionals increasingly recognize that an overactive bladder (OAB) presents significant quality-of-life problems for patients and warrants aggressive treatment. More medications are now available for treatment, including a transdermal...

Genetic testing aids pediatric skin problem Dx: helps with treatment plan.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Trying to narrow down a diagnosis for an uncertain skin condition? Genetic testing can be quite helpful under the right circumstances, Dr. Kenneth Rosenbaum said at a meeting of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. "With...

Polymyxin-B returns for gram-negative infections: forgotten drug shows efficacy, safety.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Amidst mounting concern about the rising tide of gram-negative multidrug-resistant nosocomial infections, some infectious disease specialists have turned to an old and forgotten drug: polymyxin B. Polymyxin B was prescribed from...

Annals.org reader, Presenter-to-Go.(Digital Assistance)(Column)
April 1, 2004... Featured App: Annals.org Reader Document readers for Palm and Pocket PC handheld computers come in all shapes and sizes. Fundamental differences between these applications include file format compatibility (such as Palm or Word, Adobe PDF)...

Even brief exposure can lead to SARS: health care workers.(Clinical Rounds)(severe acute respiratory syndrom)
April 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- In preparing for a possible reemergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome, clinicians need to anticipate the possibility of unexpected SARS exposure and, if exposure is recognized, to be prepared to institute an immediate...

Urea, ciclopirox combination tested for onychomycosis: boosting drug entry into nails.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Combination treatment of onychomycosis using two topical preparations--40% urea gel and 8% ciclopirox lacquer--resulted in 100% mycologic cure in a pilot study with 18 patients. The application of urea prior to ciclopirox may...

Corrective cosmetics aid facial pigmentary disorders: boosting quality of life.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Severe facial pigmentary disorders have a substantial effect on health-related quality of life in women, but corrective cosmetics can boost quality of life, making this a "valuable treatment option dermatologists can offer to...

Percent of adults who hit the recommended level of physical activity, 2000.(Data Watch)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
April 1, 2004... DATA WATCH Percent of Adults Who Hit the Recommended Level of Physical Activity, 2000 18-34 26.1% 35-49 24.7% 50-64 25.9% 65+ 29.8% Overall 26.2% Note: Recommended physical activity level is reported...

Pimecrolimus, tacrolimus compared head to head: pediatric atopic dermatitis.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Pimecrolimus cream had better local tolerability than tacrolimus ointment among 125 children with moderate atopic dermatitis, but efficacy and safety were not significantly different, Dr. Michael Jarratt reported in a poster at...

Pimecrolimus scratches patients' itch within just a few days: relief after 2 days.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... DORADO, P.R. -- The secret to pimecrolimus' success may be how quickly it begins to reduce itching and pruritus, according to data presented by Dr. Joseph F. Fowler Jr. at the Caribbean Dermatology Symposium. In a study of 174 children and...

Many roads lead to itch relief in atopic dermatitis: recent advances.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Antipruritic therapy in patients with atopic dermatitis should combine peripherally acting anti-inflammatories, immunomodulating agents, moisturizers, and centrally-acting inhibitors, Dr. Gil Yosipovitch said at the annual meeting...

Perceived benefits of medical therapy for rosacea.(Data Watch)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
April 1, 2004... Patients With Improved Emotional Well-Being 70% Professional Interactions 60% Social Life 57% Note: Based on a survey of more than 400 rosacea patients. Source: National Rosacea Society Note: Table...

Agreement on steroid-induced osteoporosis Tx: Britain, U.S. offer similar recommendations.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Consensus is emerging on both sides of the Atlantic regarding the prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. Soon-to-be-published recommendations developed by the Southeast Alliance for Bone Health,...

New agents arise for asthma, allergy, and allergic rhinitis: for atopic children.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... BAL HARBOUR, FLA. -- The next few years will bring a host of new and improved treatments for children with atopic diseases, Dr. Michael S. Blaiss predicted at the annual Masters of Pediatrics conference sponsored by the University of Miami. ...

Resistant acne may respond to hormone therapy: consider if androgen levels are high.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... DORADO, P.R. -- When a woman does not respond adequately to conventional acne treatment, it's time to start thinking about adding on hormone therapy, Dr. Diane Thiboutot said at the Caribbean Dermatology Symposium. "Most times I add...

Strontium aims to curb itch without causing numbness: suppresses C-fiber nociceptors.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... WAIKOLOA, HAWAII -- The metal trace element that gives fireworks their red glow may also have the potential to reduce pruritus by targeting itch-specific pain receptors, according to a dermatologist who holds the patent for the mineral in skin...

Cosmeceutical critique: dexpanthenol.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... Dexpanthenol, also known as provitamin [B.sub.5], is the stable alcohol form of pantothenic acid--a key player in maintenance of epithelial function and skin regrowth. Not found naturally, synthetic dexpanthenol is converted to pantothenic...

Superpotent topical steroids top psoriasis treatment list: retrospective review.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Biologics may be making headlines, but treatment with a superpotent, topical corticosteroid is a popular choice when dermatologists care for patients with psoriasis, particularly as part of a combination regimen. A...

Pluses, minuses of HIV drug resistance testing: several factors diminish utility.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Drug resistance results in HIV infection can be difficult to interpret and often are not useful, Dr. Robert M. Grant said at a meeting on HIV management sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco. Several...

Caduet.(New & Approved)
April 1, 2004... (amlodipine besylate and atorvastatin, Pfizer) A combined formulation of the long-acting calcium channel blocker Norvasc (amlodipine) with the lipid-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin), for patients for whom treatment with both drugs is...

Avastin.(New & Approved)
April 1, 2004... (bevacizumab, Genentech) A recombinant monoclonal antibody that inhibits angiogenesis, for use in combination with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) as a first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer. This is the first angiogenesis inhibitor...

Topical solutions for breast Ca radiation dermatitis: avoid any containing metals.(Dermatologic Therapy)(hydrogels)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Emollients and hydrogels are effective for treating radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients--as long as these topicals don't delay or interrupt radiation therapy, Dr. Sharon R. Hymes said at the annual meeting of the...

Health care spending, 2002.(Data Watch)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
April 1, 2004... Private Health Insurance 36% Medicare 17% Medicaid and SCHIP 16% Out of Pocket 14% Other Public * 12% Other Private ** 5% * Includes workers' compensation, hospital...

Etanercept success spurs search for other targets: psoriatic arthritis.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Current treatment options for psoriatic arthritis--and the wealth of drugs in the developmental pipeline were unimaginable just 5 years ago, Dr. Christopher T. Ritchlin observed at a symposium sponsored by the American...

Bosentan healed digital ulcers in scleroderma: endotheline receptor blockade.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Treatment with an oral endothelin receptor blocker resulted in healing of digital ulcers and clinical improvements in hand functionality in patients with scleroderma, Dr. Carol M. Black reported at the annual meeting of the...

Steroid-sparing options offered for skin diseases: an expert's view.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... STOWE, VT. -- Infliximab infusions can induce a prompt response in some patients with refractory pyoderma gangrenosum, according to Dr. Peter W. Heald. The steroid-sparing treatment option for the ulcerative cutaneous condition is one of...

Biologics offer dramatic, but brief, response to hidradenitis suppurativa: preliminary observation.(Dermatologic Therapy)
April 1, 2004... LAS VEGAS -- Several of the new biologic therapies for psoriasis have been used to treat severe hideadenitis suppurativa at the University of Miami, resulting in dramatic, albeit temporary, improvement, Dr. Francisco Kerdel said at a...

Nevirapine can lead to hepatotoxicity in women: medwatch alert.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Certain women taking nevirapine, including those with high CD4 counts or who are pregnant and receiving chronic HIV infection treatment, have a significantly increased risk of hepatotoxicity, Dr. Kirk V Shepard of Boehringer Ingelheim...

AAD presidential priorities.(Policy & Practice)(American Academy of Dermatology )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Incoming American Academy of Dermatology President Boni Elewski plans to spend the next year bringing dermatologists together through volunteerism and mentoring. The four central themes of her presidency will be unity in dermatology, creating...

SkinPAC goals.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The AAD Association will try to raise $200,000 in 2004 for its political action committee--SkinPAC, Dr. W. Patrick Davey, chair of the board of advisors for SkinPAC, said at the AADA annual business meeting. Last year, 295 members contributed...

Bioterrorism preparedness.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... About 88% of dermatologists say they are unprepared to respond to a bioterrorism attack, according to a survey conducted by Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, N.C. In addition, most physicians said they lacked adequate training in...

Rally for reform.(Policy & Practice)(American Academy of Dermatology's annual meeting )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The physicians in Congress are pushing for medical liability reform and physicians everywhere should continue to lobby hard, said Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), an ob.gyn., at the annual meeting of the AAD. The HEALTH Act (H.R. 5) was defeated in...