Skin & Allergy News articles from July 2004

Skin & Allergy News archives from July 2004

Teamwork spurs vein clinic success.
July 1, 2004... A multidisciplinary partnership for the laser treatment of visible and disfiguring leg veins can produce a high standard of care, a good source of revenue, and better relations between cutaneous surgeons and their colleagues in other...

Breast cancer may boost women's risk of melanoma: most melanoma diagnoses were in the first year after breast cancer diagnosis.
July 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Women diagnosed with breast cancer appear to have an increased risk of malignant melanoma, particularly during the first year following diagnosis of the breast tumor, reported Dr. Rony Weitzen at the annual meeting of the...

MRSA skin infection Tx: 'old guys' still pack punch: 'don't reach for Zyvox for everybody'.(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
July 1, 2004... AUSTIN, TEX. -- What's the right choice in antimicrobial therapy for a boil or other non-life-threatening skin infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus? "Dust off the old guys--tetracycline, Bactrim, and rifampin,"...

Filler firms tangle over patent rights: Medicis, Inamed say action won't affect ability of dermatologists to get Restylane or Hylaform.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Filler may fly as Inamed and Medicis Aesthetics argue the patent rights to an injection technique. Inamed, which markets Hylaform injectable hyaluronic acid dermal filler in the United States, has petitioned the U.S. International Trade...

Isotretinoin regs may push derms to quit use.(News)
July 1, 2004... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- With federal regulators and lawmakers potentially poised to lay down new restrictions on the use of isotretinoin, the powerful acne drug's future use by some dermatologists is in question, Dr. John Strauss said at a clinical...

Tinea pedis labels inflate patient expectations.(News)
July 1, 2004... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- Current labels on over-the-counter medications for tinea pedis, or "athlete's foot," may contain misleading information about their efficacy and should be revised, according to members of the Food and Drug Administration's...

Fumaric acid esters emerging as treatment for severe psoriasis.(News)
July 1, 2004... BUDAPEST, HUNGARY -- After many years of use in Germany, fumaric acid esters are now emerging onto the broader international dermatologic stage as a potential systemic therapy for severe psoriasis. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled...

New biomarkers may improve lupus diagnosis.(News)
July 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Assays of potential systemic lupus erythematosus biomarkers on red blood cells could be the valuable tests that clinicians and drug developers have been seeking to diagnose lupus earlier and to monitor its activity and response to...

If you offer an HPV vaccine, will they come?(News)(human papillomavirus vaccine)
July 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Without a thorough public education program, ignorance and stigma could stymie any future attempts to vaccinate Americans against human papillomavirus. "Having a vaccine available doesn't necessarily mean the public will...

New drug class helps curb smoking, waistline.(News)
July 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- A single drug helped patients lose weight, quit smoking, cut inches from their waistline, and corrected their metabolic syndrome. And it had a fairly benign adverse effect profile. It might sound too good to be true, but...

Not HIPAA compliant? Expect slower payments.(News)(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996)
July 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Not quite compliant with Medicare's new standards for electronic claims? Prepare to wait longer to get your claims paid. To encourage more providers to become compliant with electronic transaction rules required under HIPAA...

Covering the uninsured: lots of talk, little action.(News)
July 1, 2004... For the uninsured in America, the situation can be summed up as "same old/same old." It's the same old problem, and the same old solutions. The ranks of the uninsured continue to swell--the latest Census Bureau figures show that nearly 44...

Vancomycin-resistant enterococcal infections triple in 1990s.(News)
July 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- The rate of infection by vancomycin-resistant enterococci of patients in intensive care units in U.S. hospitals tripled between 1992 and 2002, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ...

Doctors, not lawyers, best cure for liability woes.(News)
July 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- A 25% reduction to malpractice premiums would do little to curb the medical liability crisis, Dr. Robert Berenson, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, Washington, said at the annual meeting of the American College of...

Medical community decries FDA's plan B decision.(News)
July 1, 2004... The Food and Drug Administration's recent decision against over-the-counter status for the emergency contraceptive pill known as Plan B enraged many women's health advocates, who say the decision marks a departure from science and represents a...

'No insurance' isn't 'no care'.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... I am in primary care, and I have noticed the way patients and the media use the phrases "no insurance" and "no health care" interchangeably. Thank you, Dr. Rockoff, for addressing this important issue ("I Don't Have Health Insurance," Under My...

MDs want single-payer plan.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... Two articles in the April 2004 issue appear to contradict each other: "Single-Payer System Not on the Political Horizon, Shalala Says" (p. 11) clearly disagrees with "Single-Payer Plan Supported by Mass. Physicians" (p. 59). The latter...

Necrotic spider bites.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... The article "Treatment Varies for Severe Loxosceles Spider Bites" was good, except for the statement that Loxosceles is probably the only important cause of necrotic arachnidism in the country (May 2004, p. 20). This is not true--Tegenaria...

More power to the managers.(Letters)(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... The first time Hillary Clinton tried to reform our nation's health care, the mishmash of regulation, market force and coercion that came from her committee collapsed under its own weight and was rejected by the Congress. It was too...

Cell phone symphonies.(Under My Skin)
July 1, 2004... My discourse on acne was interrupted by the Lone Ranger. Well, not exactly. But it was Rossini's "William Tell" Overture, playing on the patient's cell phone. Hi-Yo, Silver! My clientele prefers the classics, at least in their choice...

Corrections.(Opinion)(Correction Notice)
July 1, 2004... The Data Watch "Limits on Noneconomic Damages for Medical Malpractice, September 2003" (April 1, 2004, p. 16) should have indicated that Oregon has no cap on noneconomic damages or total damages. Medical Justice Corp., mentioned in "New...

Schools' no-nit policies are a lousy idea.(Guest Editorial)(Lice )(Editorial)
July 1, 2004... No-nit policies are standard in many, indeed most, public schools. These policies prohibit children from attending school as long as they have any nits in evidence. Even the presence of empty nit shells is grounds for keeping a child at home,...

Pain relievers.(Opinion)
July 1, 2004... "How would you rate the treatment you received from your HMO--poor, fair, good, excellent?" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I told you to see the doctor about that rash, Jeffrey." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Mixing loratadine and pregnancy.(Guest Editorial)
July 1, 2004... Loratadine, available as Claritin since 1993 and now available in several generic and over-the-counter formulations, is a popular nonsedating antihistamine used by many women of childbearing age. For some time, we have been counseling women...

Low-carb diets: are they safe and effective?(Pro & Con)
July 1, 2004... YES With the low-carbohydrate diet craze sweeping the nation, concerned doctors have worried about emergency rooms filled with patients whose arteries are clogged. As many as 40 million people have tried low-carb diets in the past decade,...

Surgery, radiation can tame earlobe keloids.(Dermatology Surgery)
July 1, 2004... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- A key challenge in the treatment of keloids is keeping them off once they have been removed--but earlobe keloids are typically the easiest to treat, and recurrence rates are exceptionally low with the use of radiation...

Expert injects pearls of wisdom for Botox Tx.(Dermatologic Surgery)
July 1, 2004... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- Who are the best patients for treatment with botulinum toxin type A? Dr. Seth Matarasso offered tips on who make the best--and worst--candidates, as well as some pointers on how much botulinum toxin type A (Botox) to use...

Study: UVB beats PUVA for mild to moderate psoriasis.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Ultraviolet B )(Psoralen Ultra-Violet A)
July 1, 2004... Narrow-band UVB (TL01) phototherapy did a significantly better job of clearing psoriatic plaques than trimethylpsoralen bath followed by UVA, although the higher intensity of the UVB light caused more erythema, Dr. Erna Snellman and colleagues...

Continuous scanning mode is a painless way to laser away hair.(Dermatology Surgery)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... DALLAS -- A low-dose, continuous-wave diode laser used in scanning mode is an effective, painless way to manage hair growth without missing any spots, said Dr. Dieter Manstein of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. Dr. Manstein and his...

940-nm diode laser cleared spider veins.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... DALLAS -- A long-pulse 940-nm diode laser was effective in treating spider veins in 250 patients, said Dr. Albert J. Nemeth at the annual meeting of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. Dr. Nemeth studied the effects of the...

Try longer pulses in telangiectasias.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... DALLAS -- Longer pulses of neodymium:YAG lasers in the treatment of leg telangiectasias may reduce vessel rupture and other problems, said Dr. Eric C. Parlette of the Naval Medical Center, San Diego. Dr. Parlette and his colleagues treated...

Nd:YAG's effects on acne scarring lasted 1 year.(Dermatologic Surgery)
July 1, 2004... DALLAS -- Patients treated with a 1,320-nm neodymium:YAG laser for acne scarring and photoaging appear to be pleased with results for up to 1 year, said Dr. Ashish Bhatia at the annual meeting of the American Society of Laser Medicine and...

Better IPL therapies lighten up on treatments.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Intense pulsed light )
July 1, 2004... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- Intense pulsed light and photodynamic therapies can significantly improve the effects of photoaging, rosacea, and sun damage with fewer treatments than many may realize, Dr. Mitchel Goldman said at a clinical dermatology...

Light glycolic peel is a good addition to microdermabrasion.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... INCLINE VILLAGE, NEV. -- Combining microdermabrasion with a light glycolic peel can be a gentle procedure that produces satisfying results, Dr. Mary Lynn Moran said at a meeting sponsored by the Foundation for Facial Plastic Surgery. ...

Microdermabrasion may improve acne therapy with 1,450-nm diode laser.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... DALLAS -- Treatment with microdermabrasion may improve the effects of acne treatment with a 1,450-nm diode laser, reported Dr. Mary Flor of Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis. In a split-face comparison study involving 20 patients,...

Pre-Mohs imiquimod treatment recommended: be wary, however, of using this approach with any type of sclerosing basal cell carcinoma.(Dermatologic Theraphy)
July 1, 2004... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Imiquimod used to treat basal cell carcinoma before Mohs surgery can shrink the tumor and significantly reduce the amount of tissue that needs to be removed, according to a study presented by Dr. Abel Torres at a symposium...

Mohs surgery lowers recurrence rates in high-risk SCC patients.(Dermatologic Theraphy)(squamous cell carcinoma )
July 1, 2004... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Patients with a squamous cell carcinoma larger than 2 cm in diameter and located on the forehead or temple probably have the greatest risk of perineural invasion and recurrence following excision, Dr. Ronald D. Shiell said...

Nonmelanoma lesion removal cost effective in office setting.(Dermatologic Theraphy)
July 1, 2004... Office-based surgery by a skilled dermatologist is a much more cost-effective method of removing nonmelanoma skin cancers than hospital-based surgery by a plastic surgeon, Dr. A.M. Skaria said. Plastic surgeons are more likely to perform an...

Tips on Keflex-responsive MRSA lesion.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... AUSTIN, TEX. -- Many a physician has puzzled over the following clinical scenario: You prescribe an oral [beta]-1actam, such as Keflex, for a patient with furunculosis, who responds with marked clinical improvement over the next 24-48 hours--at...

Peptides.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
July 1, 2004... The use of peptides to treat aging skin is gaining favor among skin care enthusiasts. Consumers who have tried retinoids, hydroxy acids, and antioxidant creams are now turning to a group of biologically active compounds that promise to turn...

Try thalidomide for Langerhans cell histiocytosis: because the disease rarely occurs in adults, there is no established therapeutic regimen.(Dermatologic Therapy)
July 1, 2004... BUDAPEST, HUNGARY -- Thalidomide may represent a therapeutic option for patients with Langerhans cell histiocytosis who do not respond to phototherapy or conventional chemotherapy, Dr. Reka Tabak said at an international symposium sponsored by...

Capsaicin patch relieved postherpetic neuralgia: in separate studies, patients experienced long-lasting pain relief from this one-application treatment.(Dermatologic Therapy)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- A single, hour-long application of a novel, high-concentration trans-capsaicin skin patch provided an average of 19 weeks of sustained reduction in the pain of postherpetic neuralgia, Dr. Miroslav Backonja reported at the...

GI disorders prove stubborn in systemic sclerosis.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Gastrointestinal diseases )
July 1, 2004... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Patients with systemic sclerosis are prone to a panoply of common GI problems that are unusually resistant to treatment, Dr. Daniel E. Furst said at a symposium sponsored by the American College of Rheumatology. The...

Novel delivery of pigment-lightening agents on the way.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Penetration-enhancing sunscreens combined with hydroquinone mark the latest attempt to effectively deliver pigment-lightening agents to specific areas, Dr. Zoe Draelos reported at a cosmetic dermatology seminar sponsored by the...

Tactics to tackle hyperpigmentation are taking shape.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- How do you determine the optimal regimen to lighten hyperpigmented skin, and what do you do with resistant areas? "The pigmentation challenge is big. We don't have a lot that we can use in this realm," Dr. Zoe Draelos said...

Advances in psoriasis biologics argue for change: growing clinical evidence in favor of biologic therapy should prompt its use as a first-line treatment.(Dermatologic Therapy)
July 1, 2004... BOSTON -- Biologic response modifiers are poised to dramatically alter the war against psoriasis, but limited experience with current and soon-to-be-approved biologic agents may make some providers reluctant to charge into battle, according to...

Extended etanercept may pay off for psoriasis patients.(Dermatologic Therapy)
July 1, 2004... BUDAPEST, HUNGARY -- Patients with psoriasis who initially fail to respond to etanercept may benefit from continued treatment, according to an analysis of pooled data from two large phase III clinical trials. A total of 1,235 patients were...

Taxotere, Enjuvia.(New & Approved)
July 1, 2004... Taxotere (with prednisone) (docetaxel, Aventis) An antineoplastic agent for androgen-in-dependent (hormone-refractory) metastatic prostate cancer. The first drug approved for hormone-refractory prostate cancer to show a survival benefit,...

Prednisone not a panacea for chronic urticaria: despite symptomatic improvement, this therapy is not in patients' best interest for the long term.(Dermatologic Therapy)
July 1, 2004... AUSTIN, TEX. -- Successful long-term management of chronic idiopathic urticaria in patients who've already seen other physicians involves convincing them to buy into realistic treatment goals: namely, flattening of lesions and reduced itching...

Tried and true therapy for chronic urticaria outlasts fads.(Dermatologic Therapy)
July 1, 2004... AUSTIN, TEX. -- Like many other therapeutically challenging disorders, chronic idiopathic urticaria has seen an abundance of fad therapies come and go. In 28 years of practicing dermatology, Dr. Joseph L. Jorizzo has experienced brief...

New therapies desirable for juvenile dermatomyositis.(Dermatologic Surgery)
July 1, 2004... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- High-dose corticosteroid monotherapy remains for now the standard of care in treating juvenile dermatomyositis, although there is great interest in finding something better, Dr. Daniel J. Lovell said at a symposium sponsored...

Lupus treatment can be thwarted by infection.(Dermatologic Therapy)
July 1, 2004... BUDAPEST, HUNGARY -- The death of a patient with lupus from disseminated cryptococcosis illustrates the difficulty in finding the balance between therapeutic immunosuppression and treatment of a resulting infectious disease, Dr. Gabor Szabad...

Two drugs show promise for diabetic neuropathy.(Dermatologic Therapy)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Help may be on the way for patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Two drugs showed encouraging evidence of efficacy for this common condition in clinical trials presented at the annual meeting of the...

Alternative medicines gain evidence-based respect: many products have known therapeutic benefits but could have adverse effects in excessive doses.(Dermatologic Therapy)
July 1, 2004... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- Vitamins, soy protein, chondroitin, and other dietary supplements once thought to be of dubious therapeutic value are playing a growing role in medical practice, thanks to evidence supporting their use, speakers said at a...

Interrupting HAART may not harm HIV patients.(Dematologic Therapy)(highly active antiretroviral therapy )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Interruptions in highly active antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients appear to be safe in terms of possible changes in cognitive function and mood, Dr. Meredith E. Childers said at the annual meeting of the American...

Anemia drugs equal during chemotherapy.(Dermatologic Therapy)
July 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- The two erythropoietic agents approved for the treatment of anemia during chemotherapy were equivalent in a head-to-head, company-sponsored trial presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. The newer...

Cyclosporine lowered synovitis in psoriatic arthritis: patients in a 12-month placebo-controlled trial showed significant improvements on tender joint counts.(Dermatologic Therapy)
July 1, 2004... EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND -- The addition of cyclosporine to methotrexate in patients with active psoriatic arthritis significantly reduced the number of joints with detectable synovitis, Dr. Alexander D. Fraser reported at the annual meeting of the...

Psoriasis therapies score low on European survey.(Dermatologic Therapy)
July 1, 2004... BUDAPEST, HUNGARY -- Psoriasis patients across Europe have spoken, and the message is that better treatments are needed. According to a survey conducted by EUROPSO, a federation of psoriasis patient associations in 22 European countries,...

Statins may help cut the incidence of melanoma: a shift from risk reduction to prevention is suggested as the strategy for disease management in the future.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... BOSTON -- Chemoprevention of melanoma is an underexplored strategy, but growing evidence that lipid-lowering statin drugs may be linked to a decreased incidence of the deadly skin cancer is piquing investigators' interest, according to Dr....

Skin eruptions may signal rare and deadly glucagonoma syndrome.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... BUDAPEST, HUNGARY -- A second case of glucagonoma syndrome manifesting with only cutaneous eruptions and lacking the classical symptoms of this disorder--weight loss, diabetes, anemia, and diarrhea--has now been identified, said Dr. Reka K....

Prostate cancer linked to early vertex baldness.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- A nearly threefold increase in the risk of prostate cancer was linked to early-onset, vertex baldness in a preliminary, case-control study with 196 men. The finding suggests that men with vertex baldness by age 30 should...

Syphilis soars in California due to poor diagnoses providers and labs that delay in reporting results often miss opportunities for disease prevention.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Patients with syphilis often are not diagnosed and treated promptly, according to a review of the soaring number of cases in California's STD surveillance database. "The presumptive treatment of syphilis appears to be...

Survey: psoriasis often underreported by African Americans.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- About 1.3% or 300,000 African Americans report having a diagnosis of psoriasis, according to data from a telephone survey commissioned by the National Psoriasis Foundation. The figure shows that psoriasis is less common...

Zygomycosis is rare, but quick action is crucial.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- While zygomycosis is not a common fungal infection, it is particularly dangerous for patients with diabetes or compromised immune systems, according to Dr. Richard E. Winn, who spoke at a meeting on fungal infections sponsored by...

Melasma misconceptions prevent many from seeking help: patient education and sun avoidance are critical components of successful treatment.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- Though melasma may be considered medically benign, the condition can be psychologically malignant, and practitioners need to take action in identifying and treating the condition, Dr. A. Paul Kelly said at a clinical...

Look beyond skin in neonatal erythroderma.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... BUDAPEST, HUNGARY -- The presence of generalized erythroderma in a neonate should prompt consideration of the diagnosis of Comel-Netherton syndrome, a rare, autosomal recessive disorder of the skin, hair, and immune system. The disorder...

Primer targets food-borne health threats: 'we also need to be vigilant for the possibility of intentional contamination of our food and water'.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- A new primer released by medical groups and the federal government calls on physicians to sharpen their skills in detecting and treating food-borne illnesses. Physicians and nurses have been known to downplay food-borne...

Dermatologists can help curb thrombotic events: hypercoagulation in skin disease can be very relevant, resulting in cutaneous thrombosis and infarction.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- Thrombotic events are more pervasive than most physicians realize, and dermatologists can play a critical, lifesaving role in making a diagnosis, Dr. S. Wright Caughman said at a clinical dermatology conference sponsored by...

Greater proportion of patients with HIV are now dying of other causes.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- People with HIV are less likely to die of AIDS since the introduction of better AIDS medications in 1996, which means they are more likely to die of other causes. Three studies backed this truism with results presented in...

Hotline steers clinicians exposed to HIV to the proper prophylactic treatment.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- If you get exposed to HIV at work, calling a free 24-hour hotline for expert advice can help you choose the right medications with the least toxicity even if you've already started prophylaxis, according to a recent study. ...

Dengue fever: a souvenir of tropical trips.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Its nickname may be "breakbone fever," but dengue fever does not always live up to its reputation. Only about 45% of patients with dengue fever experience the severe myalgias and bone pain classically attributed to the disease,...

C. glabrata rising cause of fungal infections.(Clinical Rounds)(Candida glabrata)
July 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Candida glabrata is becoming a more common culprit in oropharyngeal fungal infections, Spencer W. Redding, D.D.S., said at a meeting on fungal infections sponsored by Imedex. Although oropharyngeal candidiasis--commonly known...

WashMnl, PDA cases.(Digital Assistance)
July 1, 2004... Featured App: WashMnl As a welcome to new interns across the country, and in remembrance of our own training experience, we have chosen to feature the Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics, 30th edition, in this month's Digital...

Bone mineral lost in lupus even without steroids.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Systemic lupus erythematosus itself is a risk factor for low bone mineral density, independent of the use of bone mineral-depleting corticosteroids, Dr. Chin Lee said at the Seventh International Congress on SLE and Related...

Stillbirths in women with SLE decline as technology improves.(Clinical Rounds)(systemic lupus erythematosus )
July 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Women with systemic lupus erythematosus are more likely than other women to experience a stillbirth and to give birth before term, despite recent advances in lupus treatment, Dr. Robert Sokol reported in a series of posters...

Chronic hepatitis C treatment.(Drug Update)
July 1, 2004... Treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection has improved tremendously over the past decade. The current standard of care is a regimen that combines a pegylated, long-acting form of interferon plus the oral antiviral ribavirin. This...

Better breathing, better living with desloratadine.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Desloratadine significantly improved both symptoms and quality of life in patients suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis, according to a poster presented by Dr. A. Pradalier at the annual meeting of the American Academy of...

Nasal spray not a growth stopper in kids.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- There's no evidence that budesonide nasal spray results in growth retardation when it is used for allergic rhinitis by children aged 4-8 years, Dr. Kevin R. Murphy reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of...

Proper prep work reduces food challenge risk.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Oral food challenges of suspected allergens can be safely administered by experienced clinicians, and can often provide invaluable and reassuring information, Mary Kay Conover-Walker reported in a poster presentation at the...

Secondhand smoke increases allergic sensitization.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Secondhand tobacco smoke greatly increases the risk of a child developing allergic sensitization and wheezing, but only if that child is genetically predisposed to allergies, Dr. Michael Kulig reported at the annual meeting of...

Rhinophototherapy targets allergic rhinitis.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- A novel form of phototherapy decreased the symptoms of allergic rhinitis in a preliminary study of patients who did not respond adequately to traditional drug treatment, Dr. Alana Ildiko Koreck reported at the annual meeting of...

Omalizumab effective for patients with both asthma and allergic rhinitis.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- When added to standard therapies, omalizumab, an anti-IgE antibody, appears effective in treating patients who have both moderate to severe allergic asthma and persistent allergic rhinitis, according to a poster presented by...

Fluticasone/salmeterol daily dose effective for asthma Tx.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- A single daily dose of fluticasone propionate / salmeterol was safe and effective in asthma control, Dr. Paul Dorinsky reported in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and...

Asthma exacerbations reflect poor daily corticosteroid use.(Clinical Rounds)
July 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Only 29.2% of children with mild to moderate asthma having exacerbations were using inhaled corticosteroids at the rime of the event, and only 37.8% refilled an inhaled corticosteroid prescription within 30 days after the...