Skin & Allergy News articles from February 2007

Skin & Allergy News archives from February 2007

MR contrast, renal dermopathy linked.(Clinical Rounds)(magnetic resonance)(Clinical report)
February 1, 2007... Gadolinium-based contrast agents, when given to patients with renal disease, have been associated with a rare, potentially fatal, sclerodermalike disease called nephrogenic systemic fibrosis or nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy. On Dec. 22,...

Average physician fee for the five most popular minimally invasive cosmetic procedures.(VITAL SIGNS)
February 1, 2007... Average Physician Fee for the Five Most Popular Minimally Invasive Cosmetic Procedures Chemical peel $628 Laser hair removal $406 Botox $363 Sclerotherapy $311...

New cancer drug linked to hand-foot syndrome: sorafenib is used off label for melanoma.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... STOWE, VT. -- A "striking" erythematous, peeling eruption of the distal extremities associated with a new cancer drug will be seen increasingly in dermatologists' offices, Dr. Peter W. Heald predicted at a dermatology conference sponsored by...

Sentinel node biopsy benefits challenged.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Sentinel lymph node biopsy is becoming the standard of care for melanomas that are ulcerated or thicker than 1 mm, but the value of this approach remains unproven, Dr. David L. Swanson said at a dermatology conference...

Kaposi's occurring in HIV patients on antiretrovirals.(News)
February 1, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO -- Some HIV-infected patients who are well managed on highly active antiretroviral therapy are developing Kaposi's sarcoma, Dr. Toby A. Maurer said at a meeting on HIV management sponsored by the University of California, San...

Study equates diagnostic acumen of derms, FPs.(News)
February 1, 2007... Family physicians' diagnoses and treatments of skin lesions in most cases were in agreement with the diagnoses and recommended treatments offered by two blinded dermatologists, according to a new study. Notably, however, the rate of...

FDA seeks to increase fees for drug manufacturers.(News)
February 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration on Jan. 11 proposed greatly increasing the fees its drug division collects from pharmaceutical manufacturers, saying that current fees collected under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act have not kept pace with...

Illicit silicone linked to cardiopulmonary events.(News)
February 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- Illicit subcutaneous injections of liquid silicone are landing patients in the emergency department, and can cause pulmonary emboli and death, Dr. Carlos Restrepo reported at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North...

FDA calls for tougher warnings on OTC pain meds.(News)
February 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration is proposing that all over-the-counter analgesic, antipyretic, and antirheumatic drugs carry new, stronger warnings on the potential for hepatic toxicity and gastrointestinal bleeding. The warnings will be...

Quicker, simpler tests sought for MRSA screening: restrictions on payments for nosocomial infection could lead to universal testing on admission.(News)
February 1, 2007... Researchers at the Mayo Clinic and elsewhere are racing to develop rapid-detection tests for Staphylococcus aureus, both to better tailor appropriate antibiotic prescribing and to halt the galloping spread of methicillin-resistant strains of...

FDA orders halt to manufacture of unapproved quinines.(News)
February 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration has ordered companies making unapproved versions of quinine formulations to stop their manufacture by mid-February and to halt shipment by June or face seizure of their products. The move is the latest in...

Peeves.(Under My Skin)(Column)
February 1, 2007... Life always brings annoyances, major or otherwise. I'm no more peevish than usual; it's just that I've saved up a few smallish peeves, none weighty enough for a column of its own. High-Tech Lists It's an old story that lists are the...

Clarification.(Opinion)(Correction notice)
February 1, 2007... The method for skin grafting surgical defects of the nasal alar region known as the drumhead graft was invented and developed by Dr. J. Michael Wentzell of Billings, Mont. ('Drumhead' Technique May Spare Alar Graft Depressions, SKIN & ALLERGY...

Should PAs be able to screen for melanoma to offset long wait times to see dermatologists?(Point/Counterpoint)
February 1, 2007... Training will improve PAs' diagnostic accuracy. The delay of treatment of melanoma could be deadly. If we reduce the number of patient providers by restricting the public to see only dermatologists, it would be logical to assume that this...

Another case for photoprotection.(Guest Editorial)
February 1, 2007... Over the last few years, the newspapers and the morning talk shows have featured more and more reports about the potential dangers of sunscreen and other photoprotection measures. And most recently, some of my patients have mentioned that their...

Making progress against STDs.(Guest Editorial)
February 1, 2007... Nearly a decade has passed since the Institute of Medicine issued its landmark report, "The Hidden Epidemic: Confronting Sexually Transmitted Diseases." The institute envisioned a national system for the prevention of sexually transmitted...

Is the public health message on secondhand smoke based on science?(Point/Counterpoint)
February 1, 2007... It's driven by politics, not good science. The news media has parroted the idea that secondhand smoke is harmful, and a recent survey finds that more than 80% of adults now believe that it is. But the secondhand smoke scare is based largely...

Short incisions, careful suture choice can improve cosmesis.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- Every dermatologist should be able to perform excisional surgery and leave only a fine line scar on the patient's face, Dr. C. William Hanke said at a meeting on medical and surgical dermatology sponsored by Mount Sinai School of...

Nested M-plasty shortens some Mohs closures.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- Use of the "nested" M-plasty technique makes it possible to further shorten round wounds when closing Mohs defects, Dr. Ravi Krishnan said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. The...

CK7 stain aids Mohs in extramammary Paget's.(Dermatologic Surgery)(cytokeratin)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -An immunoperoxidase stain for cytokeratin 7 can be extremely helpful for reducing recurrences when performing Mohs surgery on patients with extramammary Paget's disease, Dr. John Zitelli said at the annual meeting of the...

Zinc paste may help halt Mohs recurrences, despite its dangers.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- Dr. Daniel Siegel applies the zinc chloride paste developed by Dr. Frederic E. Mohs to melanomas the day before he removes them as a kind of insurance policy to reduce the risk of recurrence. "The paste is wonderful stuff," Dr....

Initial studies support ablative fractional laser.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Clinical report)
February 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- Ablative fractional resurfacing shows promise for skin resurfacing and tightening, according to the first studies conducted on use of the technology. Considered a more intense treatment than nonablative fractional devices, the...

Recognizing postsurgical red flags reduces complications.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- The severity of postsurgical complications can be mitigated by knowing the warning signs and best management techniques, Dr. James M. Spencer said at a meeting on medical and surgical dermatology sponsored by Mount Sinai School of...

Questions raised about efficacy of LED photomodulation treatments.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... TORONTO -- Available data suggest that light-emitting diode devices are of questionable utility for skin rejuvenation, Dr. Ranella Hirsch said at the annual fall meeting of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. ...

Thermage with liposuction tightens abdomen.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- Thermage radiofrequency treatment can be combined with liposuction to shrink loose skin in the abdomen, Dr. Victoria G. Belo said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. "By virtue of...

Turn up the volume on facial aging treatment.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- The new, overriding concept in cosmetic procedures is that what the aging face often needs is new volume. It is the view that the aging face is a "deflated" face, Dr. Gary D. Monheit said at the annual meeting of the...

C[O.sub.2] insufflation touted for eyelid rejuvenation.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- Carbon dioxide insufflation of the eyelids provides patients with an improved cosmetic appearance and is the only effective treatment option for vascular pooling, according to a presentation at an international symposium on...

New Fraxel laser tip improves eyelid wrinkles.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- Fine wrinkling of the eyelids seemed to respond "quite nicely" to fractional laser resurfacing with a specially designed tip, Dr. Brian S. Biesman said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and...

Data back Perlane's safety and bolster case for approval.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- The larger particle-sized hyaluronic acid product called Perlane has been shown in a trial to be as safe as another approved filler, and the data have been submitted to the Food and Drug Administration as part of the...

New Fraxel laser gaining popularity in practices.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- A new version of the Fraxel laser penetrates more deeply--yet causes less pain and requires fewer treatments--than does the original Fraxel system, speakers said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology...

Ponder the promises, perils of IPL devices prior to purchase.(Dermatologic Surgery)(intense pulsed light)
February 1, 2007... CARLSBAD, CALIF. -- At a symposium on laser and cosmetic surgery sponsored by SkinCare Physicians, Dr. E. Victor Ross Jr., shared what he looks for in a good intense pulsed light device. First, he looks for variability in spectral shapes....

Carbon plus laser touted for rejuvenation of Asian skin.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- An aging Asian face can be rejuvenated with application of carbon followed by nonablative laser treatment. "My nonablative toy at the moment is carbon plus a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser," Dr. Ruban Nathan said at an international...

Phototherapy may alleviate allergic rhinitis.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... RHODES, GREECE -- Targeted ultraviolet B phototherapy--the use of fiber-optic light delivery systems--allows treatment of previously inaccessible body sites such as the scalp and the oral and intranasal mucosa, Dr. Lajos Kemeny said at the 15th...

MAL-PDT offers better cosmesis after excision than cryotherapy.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... RHODES, GREECE -- Photodynamic therapy using topical methyl aminolevulinate has efficacy comparable to cryotherapy for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratoses but provides substantially better cosmetic outcomes, according to...

Light therapy underwhelming for acne.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... CARLSBAD, CALIF. -- Some acne patients may respond to various light-based treatments, but most of the time the improvement is modest and short-lived, Dr. E. Victor Ross Jr. said at a symposium on laser and cosmetic surgery sponsored by SkinCare...

Anticoagulants not precluded before surgery.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- Dermatologists should ask patients detailed questions about what medications they are taking before performing a procedure, Dr. Rainer E. Sachse said at a meeting sponsored by the American Society for Mohs Surgery. Almost half...

Conservatism aids C[O.sub.2] laser success in dark skin.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... RHODES, GREECE -- C[O.sub.2] lasers can be an effective and valuable tool in patients with darker skin types, Dr. Mukta Sachdev said at the 15th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. "A lot of the fears about...

Antibiotic prophylaxis has benefits, risks in ear surgery.(Dermatologic Surgery)
February 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- Is routine antibiotic prophylaxis necessary for patients who are having a surgical procedure on the ear? Even though almost half of dermatologists surveyed have not adopted this practice, they probably should consider...

Options exist for pemphigus diagnosis, treatment.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Disease/Disorder overview)
February 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- Pemphigus vulgaris can thwart some diagnostic methods, and side effects can complicate some therapies, but there are strategies to help identify and treat the disease, said Dr. Sigfrid A. Muller, a dermatologist in private practice...

Hydroquinone.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
February 1, 2007... With a track record of safety and efficacy spanning more than 40 years, hydroquinone, a hydroxyphenolic derivative of benzene, is considered the most effective skin-lightening product for treatment of hyperpigmentary disorders (J. Eur. Acad....

Benefits of imiquimod may not be enough to prevent 'backlash'.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- Proper use of imiquimod has produced high success rates in treating actinic keratosis and superficial basal cell carcinoma, but some Mohs surgeons caution that skin cancer patients are sometimes inadequately treated with the drug....

Addition of imexon may improve chemotherapy for melanoma.(Dermatologic Therapy)
February 1, 2007... NOORDWIJK, NETHERLANDS -- Preliminary data suggest that adding the orphan drug imexon to standard chemotherapy with dacarbazine may increase the efficacy of the alkylating agent in stage III or IV malignant melanoma, according to Dr. Jeffrey S....

Paclitaxel formulation benefits malignant melanoma patients.(Dermatologic Therapy)
February 1, 2007... NOORDWIJK, THE NETHERLANDS -- An albumin-bound formulation of paclitaxel approved for use in metastatic breast cancer also has demonstrated benefits in malignant melanoma, Dr. Evan Hersh reported at a conference on melanoma sponsored by Imedex....

Imiquimod appears to detect postexcision residual BCC.(Dermatologic Therapy)
February 1, 2007... RHODES, GREECE -- Imiquimod may detect residual or recurrent basal cell carcinoma following standard excision and electrodesiccation and curettage for the disease, Dr. Marlene T. Dytoc said in a poster presentation at the 15th Congress of the...

Post-organ transplant SCC calls for retinoids: lifelong regimen should be started 'sooner rather than later' for high-risk patients.(Dermatologic Therapy)
February 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- Organ transplant recipients who begin to develop squamous cell carcinomas or large areas of actinic keratoses should be considered for low-dose retinoid therapy, and earlier rather than later, Dr. Fiona O'Reilly-Zwald...

IL-12 vaccine stimulates immunity in melanoma.(Dermatologic Therapy)
February 1, 2007... NOORDWIJK, NETHERLANDS -- Vaccination with high-dose interleukin-12 successfully boosted the immune response and was associated with clinical benefits in patients with metastatic melanoma, Dr. Jeffrey S. Weber reported. Melanoma is a...

Lab tests, vaccinations key in biologics monitoring.(Dermatologic Therapy)
February 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- Psoriasis patients taking biologic therapies require careful monitoring, including a number of lab tests and vaccinations, Dr. Mark Lebwohl said at a meeting on medical and surgical dermatology sponsored by the Mount Sinai School of...

Adalimumab shows benefits in psoriatic arthritis.(Dermatologic Therapy)
February 1, 2007... Treatment with adalimumab significantly improved quality of life and functioning among patients with moderate to severe psoriatic arthritis at 24 weeks, reported Dr. Dafna D. Gladman. Previous analyses from the Adalimumab Effectiveness in...

Dermatologist shares 35 years of pearl-pourri.(Dermatologic Therapy)
February 1, 2007... MONTEREY, CALIF. -- In 35 years of practice, Dr. John A. Lenahan has amassed quite a collection of dermatologic pearls, some of which he revealed at the annual meeting of the Pacific Dermatologic Association. After having unsatisfactory...

Favored "recipe" for wound dressing adds salt.(Dermatologic Therapy)
February 1, 2007... OTTAWA -- Using salt dressings as part of a wound care protocol can help prepare the wound bed for additional treatment and enhance healing, Virginia Salter, R.N., reported at the annual conference of the Canadian Wound Care Association. ...

Youth, mucosal disease predict pemphigus relapse.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... SORRENTO, ITALY -- Patients with pemphigus who are younger than 40 years at the time of diagnosis and whose first remission is brief are likely to have a more severe course of disease and multiple relapses, Dr. David Mimouni said at the Fifth...

Facial hemangioma in infant may be PHACES syndrome.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... WILLIAMSBURG, VA. -- A segmental plaquelike facial hemangioma should be a tip-off to evaluate an infant for PHACES syndrome (posterior fossa malformations, hemangiomas, arterial anomalies, coarctation of the aorta and other cardiac defects, eye...

Look for incontinentia pigmenti signs.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- If a newborn female develops vesicles or pustules over the trunk and extremities, think incontinentia pigmenti, Dr. Moise L. Levy said at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics and its California Chapters 1, 2,...

Early aeroallergen testing eyed for high-risk infants.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... More than one-quarter of 1-year-old children born to atopic parents with percutaneous sensitization to aeroallergens tested positive on a skin-prick test for one or more aeroallergens and/or food, results of a large, ongoing study show. ...

Adalimumab response best yet in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Treatment of polyarticular-course juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with the tumor necrosis factor blocker adalimumab for nearly i year has resulted in the highest level of response ever recorded for the disease, Dr. Daniel J. Lovell...

Squamous cell warning signs indicate need for radiation: patients with larger lesions, satellite lesions, or perineural invasion should be referred.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- The squamous cell carcinomas that probably warrant consultation with a radiation oncologist are those that are greater than 2 cm in diameter or 4 mm in depth, Dr. David W. Hodgens said at a meeting sponsored by the American Society...

Unnested SCC may mean recurrence risk.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- Risk factors for recurrence in squamous cell carcinoma include tumor size, depth of the tumor, and immunosuppression, but add to that list single malignant cells lying in the dermis away from the main body of the tumor or...

Lower eyelid most common site of periocular malignancies.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... WINNIPEG, MAN. -- The lower eyelid was the most common site of 346 periocular cutaneous malignancies that were treated by Dr. John P. Arlette from 1998 to 2005, he said at the annual conference of the Canadian Dermatology Association. ...

UVA mutations tied to malignant melanoma.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... PARIS -- Repeated UVA exposure appears to cause mitochondrial deletions related to a loss of senescence-associated growth control in melanocytes--a loss that could mark an early event in the transformation from nevi to proliferative and...

DNA deletion is early marker of nonmelanoma skin cancer.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... PARIS -- The amount of a specific deletion present in mitochondrial DNA appears to correlate with cumulative sun exposure--a finding that could lead the way to a biomarker for the early detection of nonmelanoma skin cancer, Dr. Mark...

Rising anal cancer incidence commensurate with HPV, AIDS.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO -- The HIV epidemic has brought to light evidence that males who have sex with males now have a rate of anal cancer as high as the incidence rate of cervical cancer in women prior to Pap smear. The incidence in women also has...

Update on contraception research shows progress.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... ATLANTA -- Novel contraceptives currently being developed include norprogesterone-derived progestins, new barrier methods, and combination spermicides-microbicides, said Dr. Michelle Fox at a conference on contraceptive technology sponsored by...

Gonorrhea testing: limit to high-risk teens and women.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... JACKSONVILLE, FLA. -- A majority of privately insured women tested for chlamydia are also checked for gonorrhea, which may be unnecessary given its significantly lower incidence, according to a study presented at a conference on STD prevention...

Ease of use is key for adolescent contraception.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... ATLANTA -- When it comes to choosing an effective method of contraception for adolescents, ease of use should probably top the list of requirements. Dr. Geri Hewitt said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics. ...

High-grade anogenital IN requires long-term surveillance for progression.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... ATLANTA -- High-grade anogenital intraepithelial neoplasia has remarkably high recurrence and malignancy potential despite repeated treatments, thus long-term surveillance is mandatory, according to Dr. Mathias K. Fehr of University Hospital,...

Radiation method can reduce painful skin toxicity.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... PHILADELPHIA -- Breast cancer patients who undergo a new radiation technique called intensity-modulated radiation therapy after surgery are three times less likely to have severe skin reactions, compared with those receiving standard radiation...

Workplace dermatitis may need custom approach.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... BALTIMORE -- Certain occupations are associated with markedly higher prevalence of contact dermatitis, and dermatologists should obtain a detailed description of the patient's work environment in a case for which other possible causes have been...

Mirapex.(New & Approved)
February 1, 2007... Mirapex (pramipexole, Boehringer Ingelheim) A dopamine agonist approved by the Food and Drug Administration for moderate to severe restless legs syndrome (RLS). This is the second drug and the second dopamine agonist approved for this...

Condoms and HPV prevention: consistency is key.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
February 1, 2007... Women whose sexual partners consistently used condoms were 70% less likely to acquire genital human papillomavirus infection than were those whose partners did not in a prospective study specifically designed to determine whether condoms...

Ethnicity may color patients' choice of procedure.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- Diversity goes far beyond skin color when it comes to cosmetic procedures in ethnic patients, Dr. Marta I. Rendon said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery. Patients'...

Look beyond Fitzpatrick scale to classify skin.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... DALLAS -- A new classification system is needed to take race and ethnicity out of the equation when identifying skin color, Dr. Rebat M. Halder said at the annual meeting of the National Medical Association. Descriptions of skin color using...

Conservative management often best for limb ulcers.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- Conservative management of arterial insufficiency and limb ulceration results in complete wound closure in slightly more than half of patients and limb amputation in less than a quarter, said Dr. Blair A. Keagy at the Veith...

Ankle-brachial index can help to diagnose arterial leg ulcers.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... OTTAWA -- The ankle-brachial index, which indicates the arterial supply to the legs, can help confirm an arterial wound in suspected cases of arterial leg ulcers, Dr. Rob Miller said at the annual conference of the Canadian Association of Wound...

Wound severity score aids prognosis of diabetic foot ulcers.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... A new system for scoring the severity of foot ulcers in diabetic patients helps clinicians predict the likelihood of healing, hospitalization, local surgery, and amputation, according to Dr. Stefan Beckert and his associates at the University...

Biologics don't increase cardiovascular risk in RA.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... Oral corticosteroids and cytotoxic immunosuppressive agents significantly increased the risk of cardiovascular or neurovascular events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a nested case-control study. However, biologic immunosuppressive...

Rituximab response better in seropositive RA patients.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Baseline seropositivity for rheumatoid factor and anticyclic citrullinated peptide among patients with rheumatoid arthritis is associated with a more favorable response to treatment with rituximab, Dr. Paul P. Tak reported at the...

New TNF-blocking agent shows efficacy in phase II arthritis trial.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... AMSTERDAM -- The therapeutic options for patients with rheumatoid arthritis who do not respond to methotrexate alone continue to expand, with a new tumor necrosis factor--[alpha] blocker showing efficacy in a phase II trial. In preclinical...

Trio scores hat trick of practical medical pearls.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... WILLIAMSBURG, VA. -- Cosmetic dermatology seems to take up more and more time at dermatology meetings, but there are still some good medical dermatology pearls to be found, as was the case at a meeting sponsored by Skin Disease Education...

Expert shares top 10 dermatopathology tips.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- Dr. Ronald P. Rapini strung several dermatopathology pearls together at the annual meeting of the California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, covering everything from insect bites to money-wasting immunostains. ...

Celiac disease can have neurologic presentation.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- Neurologic dysfunction may be the sole presenting symptom of celiac disease, according to Dr. Marios Hadjivassiliou, a neurologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, England. Speaking at an international symposium...

Arthritis drug holds promise in severe vasculitis.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... SORRENTO, ITALY -- Rituximab may provide a therapeutic option for patients with refractory, potentially life-threatening autoimmune vasculitic conditions that do not respond to conventional therapies or when dose-limiting toxicity occurs, Dr....

Digital gangrene in Raynaud's linked to underlying vasculitis.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2007... Digital gangrene in Raynaud's phenomenon can be an initial manifestation of polyarteritis nodosa, a recent case report has found. Visceral angiography in a 62-year-old Japanese man with a several-year history of Raynaud's who was admitted...

Medical schools just say no to drug reps' gifts.(Practice Trends)
February 1, 2007... SACRAMENTO -- Another medical school has joined what could be a growing movement to ban faculty and residents from accepting gifts from drug company representatives. The University of California, Davis, Health System decided in late...

ASP decreases volume for some.(Policy & Practice)
February 1, 2007... The switch in 2005 to an average sales price (ASP)-based payment method for drugs administered in physician offices under Medicare Part B resulted in substantial price savings for the federal program, according to a report from the Medicare...