Skin & Allergy News articles from August 2006

Skin & Allergy News archives from August 2006

Isotretinoin treats cancer-drug rash.(Dermatologic Therapy)
August 1, 2006... Dr. Peter Heald has found a treatment for a rash caused by a class of oncologic drugs known collectively as signal transduction inhibitors: a venerable ache medication. Low-dose isotretinoin is now being prescribed for the persistent...

New link found between psoriasis and heart disease: elevated homocysteine seen in small study.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... MANCHESTER, ENGLAND -- The latest piece of evidence linking psoriasis with cardiovascular disease suggests that patients with the skin disease are at high risk of having elevated serum levels of homocysteine, Dr. Anne-Marie Tobin said at the...

Canadian panel to publish IVIg consensus statement.(Clinical Rounds)(intravenous immunoglobulins)
August 1, 2006... WINNIPEG, MAN. -- Therapeutic algorithms in new recommendations from a consensus panel of experts may help dermatologists decide when to use intravenous immunoglobulin to treat immune-mediated diseases, Dr. Regine Mydlarski said. The panel...

Topical aids Netherton's syndrome.(News)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2006... MONTREAL -- Pimecrolimus cream 1% may be a safe and effective treatment for the cutaneous features of Netherton's syndrome in children, according to interim results of a pilot study involving twin 12-year-old girls. Both girls showed...

Melanoma care varies by region, hospital type.(News)
August 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- A review of more than 60,000 melanoma patients found that they were more likely to have a sentinel node biopsy and receive adjuvant therapy with a biologic response modifier if they had commercial insurance and were treated at a...

New data back surgery for stage IV melanoma.(News)
August 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Stage IV melanoma patients lived much longer than expected after undergoing surgery for metastatic disease in a prospective registry trial presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Dr. Jeffrey...

Try targeting melanoma patients' siblings.(News)
August 1, 2006... Providing telephone counseling and targeted educational materials to the siblings of recently diagnosed melanoma patients can help improve the rate and quality of skin self-screening, according to the results of new research. In a...

Melanoma Dx delayed in blacks and Hispanics.(News)
August 1, 2006... Advanced melanoma was diagnosed significantly more often among Hispanic and black patients than among white patients in a review of 1,690 melanoma cases that occurred in Miami-Dade County, Fla., from 1997 to 2002. Miami-Dade County hosts...

Panel advises CDC on Gardasil vaccination criteria.(News)
August 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- The quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine should be given to all girls at age 11-12, and to all females aged 13-26 who have not been previously vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on...

HSV-2 not a cofactor in cervical cancer.(News)
August 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Herpes simplex virus-2 does not appear to be a cofactor of human papillomavirus in the development of cervical cancer, Dr. Manuela Zereu reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Human...

Liver failure warning upgraded on antibiotic.(News)
August 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration has determined that the antibiotic telithromycin may be associated with serious liver injury and liver failure, and has been linked to four deaths and one liver transplant. The drug's maker, Sanofi-Aventis, has...

FDA launches crackdown on unapproved prescription drugs.(News)
August 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration announced that it is renewing efforts to ensure that all drugs currently sold by prescription either go through its formal approval process or be taken off the market. The agency has periodically targeted...

Clock ticks for carbinoxamine products targeted in FDA crackdown.(News)
August 1, 2006... As part of its wider crackdown on the marketing of unapproved drugs, the Food and Drug Administration has notified manufacturers of many unapproved carbinoxamine-containing products that they must submit safety and efficacy data by September or...

Ecamsule sunscreen gets long-awaited approval.(News)
August 1, 2006... A novel type of sunscreen available in Canada and Europe since 1993 has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Anthelios SX offers a photostable ultraviolet-A filter with a high protection factor, and will be sold over the...

Disinfectant dispensers may harbor bacteria.(News)
August 1, 2006... LISBON -- The dispensers of alcohol-based disinfectant for hand washing that are ubiquitous in hospitals and physicians' offices are often contaminated with bacteria, including potential pathogens, Dr. Kiran Mangalpally cautioned at the 12th...

Identity crisis: was that you?(Under My Skin)
August 1, 2006... "Good morning, Mr. Nesia. I see you haven't been here in 15 years." "I was never here before." "Forgive me--aren't you Afford M. Nesia, address 36 Endive Gardens Avenue, Boxboro, date of birth April 5, 19547" "Yes." "In that...

Correction.(Correction notice)
August 1, 2006... The article "CPT Site-Specific Biopsy Codes: Undercoding Means Underpayment" (June 2006, p. 49) should have stated that the coding for second-site biopsies is billed in units; for example, 11101x2 units for the second site, 11101x3 for the...

Societies play P4P footsie.(pay for performance)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2006... Dr. Faith Fitzgerald's editorial regarding pay for performance is right on ("The Perils of Pay for Performance," Guest Editorial, July 2006, p. 15). Ethically, it is wrong to discriminate based on ability to pay either through the front...

PASI is passe as a measuring tool for psoriasis: the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index's limitations include poor accuracy and lack of standardization.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... STOCKHOLM -- A single scoring system for measuring psoriasis, such as the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, is insufficient to cope with the varying demands of assessment for everyday clinical practice or for clinical trials, Dr. Robert...

Psoriasis lessens quality of life regardless of disease severity.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... STOCKHOLM -- Even patients with mild psoriasis claim that their disease has a large negative impact on their lives, according to biannual survey data presented at an international conference on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. In 2003,...

How to differentiate between sun damage, cancer.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... New research data should help pathologists and Mohs surgeons avoid overdiagnosing melanoma in sun-exposed skin by distinguishing increased melanocyte density in sun-damaged skin from that in melanoma in situ. "The finding of increased...

Keep a high index of suspicion for Merkel cell.(Clinical Rounds)(Survey)
August 1, 2006... OUR LUCAYA, BAHAMAS -- Merkel cell carcinoma is more deadly than melanoma, and it is almost always misdiagnosed clinically, Dr. Henry W. Randle said at a meeting of the American Society for Mohs Surgery. In a recent survey of 135...

Metastatic Melanoma: resection boosts survival.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... PHILADELPHIA -- Surgical resection of pulmonary metastases can significantly boost the survival of selected patients with metastatic melanoma, the findings in a review of more than 1,700 patients at one center show. The analysis also found...

Mucosal melanoma: rarity, limited knowledge lead to poor prognosis.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... BOCA RATON, FLA. -- Mucosal melanoma is a relatively rare but biologically aggressive neoplasm with a dismal survival rate, Dr. Ronald Patrick said at the annual meeting of the Florida Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. The...

Positive p16 for melanoma may prompt patients' proactivity.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... OUR LUCAYA, BAHAMAS -- Patients with hereditary melanoma should be offered the p16 test, Dr. Matthew Goodman advised at a meeting of the American Society for Mohs Surgery. Although testing for the p16 mutation won't directly affect disease...

Pressure ulcer outcome linked to depth, infection.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Pressure ulcers should be treated early using validated protocols of care to keep them from becoming infected or advancing to full-thickness wounds, Laura Bolton, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the Wound Healing...

Genetics Web sites may ease arcane disease search.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... KOLOA, HAWAII -- Physicians interested in going beyond PubMed to explore Web sites on genetic diseases need look no further than OMIM and GeneTests, Dr. Ilona Frieden said at the annual Hawaii dermatology seminar sponsored by Skin Disease...

Stress affects psoriasis in most patients.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- There is mounting evidence that stress and the way in which patients with psoriasis view themselves or perceive themselves to be seen affects the way that they respond to treatment, Dr. Christopher Griffiths said at a dermatology...

Marital stress may weaken skin barrier.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- Marital stress is associated with impaired skin barrier recovery but does not seem to change skin barrier strength, according to findings presented at a dermatology symposium sponsored by Cornell University. Neelam Muizzuddin,...

Statin aids Raynaud's phenomenon in scleroderma.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... Atorvastatin raised the number of circulating endothelial precursors in a pilot study of 14 patients with systemic sclerosis, significantly improving the symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon, reported Dr. Masataka Kuwana of Keio University, Tokyo,...

Capillaroscopy refines scleroderma diagnosis.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... Nailfold videocapillaroscopy can be used to distinguish between the primary and secondary forms of scleroderma, Dr. Maurizio Cutolo reported at the annual European Congress of Rheumatology. In the past few years, capillaroscopy has been...

Upcoming trials may speed scleroderma treatments in pipeline.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... CHICAGO -- A new era is emerging in the management of systemic sclerosis, and within 5 years the number of available drugs should resemble the sort of variety seen with other rheumatic disease treatment options, Dr. John Varga said at a...

Finer diagnostic keys sought for psoriatic arthritis.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2006... STOCKHOLM -- The search continues for sensitive and specific classification criteria for psoriatic arthritis. At an international conference on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, the latest results were presented from the classification...

Cubicin, Wellbutrin XL.(New & Approved)(Drug overview)
August 1, 2006... Cubicin (daptomycin for injection, Cubist Pharmaceuticals) A cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic--a new antibiotic class--approved for treating patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, including those with right-sided infective...

Cause often elusive for severe, refractory itch.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- Only 26% of 116 patients with severe and refractory pruritic skin disorders had a condition that could be identified as the cause of the itching, and only 29% achieved a nearly complete or full resolution of the itching with...

MRSA occurs in tattoo recipients.(Clinical Capsules)
August 1, 2006... Forty-four cases of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus associated with tattoos were reported from June 2004 to August 2005 in Ohio, Kentucky, and Vermont, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention....

Resistance to anti-TNF drugs possible.(Clinical Capsules)
August 1, 2006... Patients who take certain anti-tumor necrosis factor--[alpha] agents for rheumatoid arthritis may develop resistance to the treatment, reported Dr. Axel Finckh and colleagues at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston. Using Swiss drug...

MRSA may cause VT in rare cases.(Clinical Capsules)
August 1, 2006... Although venous thrombosis is rare in osteomyelitis patients, the community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus that predominates in Texas may have a unique ability to cause VT in these patients, reported Dr. Blanca E. Gonzalez...

New monoclonal antibody effective in lymphoma.(Dermatologic Therapy)
August 1, 2006... PHILADELPHIA -- SGN-30, an infusible monoclonal antibody to the CD30 cell surface antigen, is a well-tolerated and effective therapeutic agent for patients with cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma, certain types of mycosis fungoides, and...

Taclonex improves severe psoriasis in short term.(Dermatologic Therapy)
August 1, 2006... STOCKHOLM -- Taclonex (calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate) appears to improve severe psoriasis vulgaris in the short term, but long-term results are less impressive, according to the findings of two studies presented at an international...

Triple therapy effective in plaque-type psoriasis.(Dermatologic Therapy)
August 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- Combining alefacept with acitretin and narrow-band UVB in patients with plaque-type psoriasis is well tolerated and can induce early responses, three case reports indicate. The triple therapy potentially can speed...

Etanercept curbs depression in chronic psoriasis.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- Symptoms of depression declined among patients with chronic plaque psoriasis after 48 weeks of etanercept treatment, according to data presented at a dermatology symposium sponsored by Cornell University. In the double-blind...

Spray-on stem cells help chronic wounds heal.(Dermatologic Therapy)
August 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- Chronic, non-healing wounds, as well as some acute wounds, show evidence of epithelialization within a few days after being sprayed with autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells in a fibrin polymer gel, Dr. Vincent Falanga...

Dark fungi emerging as cause of lethal infections.(Dermatologic Therapy)
August 1, 2006... LAS VEGAS -- Dematiaceous, or darkly pigmented, fungi are becoming an important cause of disease, and certain types of infections with these pathogens are associated with high rates of mortality, even among the immunocompetent, Dr. Sanjay G....

N-acetylcysteine.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
August 1, 2006... As with the antioxidant resveratrol, most data on the health benefits of the thiol N-acetylcysteine have come to light in just the past few years. Unlike resveratrol, though, N-acetylcysteine cannot be obtained through the diet. This...

Severity of psoriatic arthritis no factor in adalimumab's efficacy.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
August 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- Adalimumab is effective in treating both mild to moderate and moderate to severe skin disease in patients with psoriatic arthritis, Dr. Dafna D. Gladman reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American...

How to soothe Mohs Surgeons' ergonomic woes.(Dermatologic Surgery)
August 1, 2006... OUR LUCAYA, BAHAMAS -- Performing Mohs surgery or other close, long-duration procedures may cause repetitive strain injuries, Dr. Henry W. Randle said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Mohs Surgery. Mohs surgeons are at...

Approval, new indication may expand laser field.(Dermatologic Surgery)
August 1, 2006... BOCA RATON, FLA. -- A new light-emitting diode device awaiting approval and an expected expanded indication for a laser are poised to expand the dermatologic device armamentarium, Dr. Vic Narurkar said at the annual meeting of the Florida...

Survey shows patient satisfaction with aesthetic procedures.(Dermatologic Surgery)
August 1, 2006... LAS VEGAS -- A simple survey can provide physicians with a sense of patient satisfaction after cosmetic procedures, Dr. Jarl Bunaes said at an international symposium sponsored by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive...

Wounds close faster with autologous platelets.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2006... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- The use of topical autologous human platelets was safe and effective for treating dermal wounds in two preliminary studies presented at the annual meeting of the Wound Healing Society. "Our pilot study provides...

Matrix heals stubborn lower-extremity wounds.(Dermatologic Surgery)
August 1, 2006... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- When a complex lower-extremity wound is unresponsive to conventional treatments and amputation looms as the only option, an acellular regenerative tissue matrix can be effective, Brock A. Liden, D.P.M., said at the annual...

Infrared light energy is effective for tightening.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2006... BOSTON -- Infrared light energy delivered through an intelligent pulsed light handpiece can safely and effectively induce tissue tightening in lax skin of the face, neck, arms, abdomen, and buttocks, suggesting that infrared light technology is...

Portraits of physicians as artists.(The Rest of Your Life)
August 1, 2006... When an uncle of Dr. Peter G. Tuteur gave him his first camera at the age of 10, one of the first images he captured was shards of light beaming parallel to a gangway in his native Chicago neighborhood. The angle of light "put a strong...

Concierge care: money is not the sole motive.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2006... BALTIMORE -- Some physicians who embrace concierge care are ideologues who want the government and insurance companies to stop interfering in the doctor-patient relationship. And others? They're in it for the money and the lifestyle, John R....

Dermatologists and statistics.(Policy & Practice)(Survey)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Apparently, dermatologists are lacking when it comes to appropriately using statistical methods and interpreting results--but not any more so than physicians in other specialties, according to a recent review of studies in the Archives of...

Supplement side effects.(Policy & Practice)
August 1, 2006... Dietary supplement makers and producers of over-the-counter drugs would be required to report serious adverse events to the Food and Drug Administration within 15 business days, under the Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Consumer...

Postmarketing study failure.(Policy & Practice)
August 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration is doing a poor job of ensuring that pharmaceutical companies live up to postmarketing study commitments, according to a new report by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General....

Part D drug price increase.(Policy & Practice)
August 1, 2006... The advocacy group Families USA says almost all the plans participating in Medicare Part D drug coverage raised prices from November 2005 to April 2006 for pharmaceuticals frequently used by seniors. The data are compiled from pricing reports...

Physicians' income drops.(Policy & Practice)
August 1, 2006... The average net income for physicians dropped by about 7% from 1995 to 2003 after adjusting for inflation, even as incomes for other professionals increased, according to a survey conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change....

Humana, Medicare lead in payer performance.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2006... In an assessment of performance by one of the nation's largest physician revenue management companies, Humana and Medicare were rated highest when it came to paying quickly and being easy to work with. The performance data were tabulated...

Feds: 'price-tagging' key to consumer-driven care: administration's theory is that incentivized consumers will drive price down and quality up.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Price transparency for physician and hospital services is one of the key elements in the Bush administration's vision of "consumer-driven" health care, and the administration is prepared to push for mandatory price-tagging if...

Deficit Reduction Act will affect Medicaid benefits.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2006... BALTIMORE -- Provisions in the Deficit Reduction Act are likely to profoundly affect health care for Medicaid patients, Cindy Mann said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Law, Medicine, and Ethics. The Deficit Reduction Act...

E-mail, your patients, and you.(Managing Your Dermatology Practice)
August 1, 2006... As more patients attempt to e-mail their physicians, I am increasingly asked if this is a good idea. The answer is, as with most things, it depends. Although this is not a particularly new issue, and many patients are enthusiastic about...

Health care for all should be set in law, panel says.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2006... Affordable health care coverage should be public policy established in law with a set of core benefits available to all Americans by 2012, the Citizens' Health Care Working Group said in its interim recommendations. Benefits would be...

IVIg reimbursement cuts threaten patient access.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2006... Physicians as well as patient and industry representatives say that a congressionally imposed reduction in Medicare reimbursement for intravenous immunoglobulin--when combined with several other factors--is having a devastating impact on access...

Juvederm filler approved.(PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2006... Juvederm cross-linked hyaluronic acid dermal Idler gel is approved for the correction of facial wrinkles and folds. To receive updates about the availability of the filler, sign up at www.juvedermcomingsoon.com. For more information, contact...

Oracea approved for rosacea.(PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2006... Oracea (doxylcycline, 40 mg capsules) is approved for the treatment of inflammatory lesions (papules and pustules) of rosacea in adult patients. The capsules combine immediate- and delayed-release beads. For more information, contact CollaGenex...

Cell Renewal Hydrogel.(PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2006... A new collagen-boosting gel is designed to promote cell regeneration and reduce signs of aging and sun damage. Cell Renewal Hydrogel is an oil-flee moisturizer that joins the Abrione line of natural skin care products. For more information,...

Skin care with niacin.(PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2006... This line of skin care products based on a niacin molecule is designed to repair sun damage and reduce wrinkles, sun spots, and hyperpigmentation. Products include a sunscreen, a cleansing scrub, and a skin-strengthening complex. For more...

Sun protection.(PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2006... Solar Protection Formula products include titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and iron oxide to provide protection from the entire light spectrum, including UVA and UVB radiation. For more information, contact Fallene Ltd. by visiting www.fallene.com...

Waterproof medical keyboard.(PRODUCTS)
August 1, 2006... The "Really Cool" keyboard can be cleaned with water, soap, alcohol, a 10% bleach solution, and other disinfectants. The keyboard is USB and PS/2 compatible. Contact Man & Machine Inc. at www.man-machine.com or call 301-341-4900.

CMS: apply for new I.D. number now.(FYI)
August 1, 2006... Physicians need to apply now for a national provider identifier number to start using it in May 2007, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The 10-digit national provider identifier (NPI) does not expire or change;...

Diagnosis: bullous pemphigoid.(Case of the Month)
August 1, 2006... A 27-year-old man presented with a 2-day history of pruritic blisters scattered on the trunk and proximal extremities. Against an erythematous, edematous background, tense bullae up to 8 cm in diameter were also present on the face. Two weeks...