Skin & Allergy News articles from March 2007

Skin & Allergy News archives from March 2007

iPLEDGE remains a work in progress.(Practice Trends)
March 1, 2007... Dermatologists and their patients taking isotretinoin are entering the second year of the iPLEDGE mandatory risk management program, and the specialty's leaders on the issue are anticipating further improvement in a system they say remains...

Case of the month.(Clinical report)
March 1, 2007... A 66-year-old woman presented with a 1.5-year history of "bumps" on her hands and feet. She was being treated for type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and psoriasis. She had already tried triamcinolone cream on the lesions. An exam revealed...

Ongoing pediatric study confirming tacrolimus' safety: patients with atopic dermatitis sought.(Dermatologic Therapy)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Preliminary data from an ongoing observational study suggest no safety concerns associated with the use of tacrolimus ointment for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in children, Dr. M. Joyce Rico reported in a poster presentation...

Data elucidate dermatology malpractice claims, costs.(Practice trends)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- There is a paucity of data on dermatology-related malpractice suits, but searches of insurance claims and the legal literature show that, while it is still a low-risk field, the average claim payout is now equal to that of other...

FDA drops two Ketek indications.(News)
March 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration has eliminated two indications for the antibiotic telithromycin and added a black box warning to its label stating the drug is contraindicated in people with myasthenia gravis. Telithromycin, marketed by...

FDA drops two Ketek indications.(VITAL SIGNS)
March 1, 2007... Doctors should be allowed to prescribe drugs to treat diseases or conditions other than those for which the drugs have been approved. Not sure (10%) Disagree strongly (23%) Disagree somewhat (23%) Agree ...

Cosmetics' rise not behind dermatology shortage.(News)
March 1, 2007... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- There is a shortage of medical dermatologists in the United States, but not for the reason that you might think. Many people--dermatologists included--assume that the rise in cosmetic dermatology practices has shifted...

Budget hits Medicare, Medicaid but misses SGR.(News)
March 1, 2007... The Bush administration's budget for fiscal 2008 could be bad news for physicians and hospitals. The budget proposal, which was sent to Congress on Feb. 5, seeks about $600 billion in net outlays to finance the Centers for Medicare and...

Melanoma risk rises for tanning bed users.(News)
March 1, 2007... CORONADO, CALIF. -- People who have used indoor tanning beds at some point in their lives face a modest 1.15-fold increased risk of developing cutaneous melanoma, Dr. Seaver Soon said at an update on melanoma sponsored by the Scripps Clinic....

Time spent in automobile linked to increase in skin cancer risk.(News)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- People who spend more time behind the wheel may be at increased risk of skin cancer, especially on the left side of the face, according to data presented in a poster at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology ...

Teens' sun savvy improved by primary care intervention.(News)
March 1, 2007... Teenagers randomized to a 2-year sun protection intervention Conducted through their primary care providers practiced better sun protection than did controls who did not receive the intervention, reported Gregory J. Norman, Ph.D., of the...

FDA to sharpen postmarketing drug safety focus.(News)
March 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration said it will beef up oversight of prescription drug safety, with a particular focus on risks and benefits once a product has been launched into the marketplace. The initiatives were announced in January in a...

FDA initiates stricter standards for medical glove manufacture.(News)
March 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration has issued a final rule that would require medical glove makers to improve their products' ability to serve as a barrier against pathogens. Manufacturers are being given 2 years to comply with the new...

Closer regulation coming for dietary supplements, OTC drugs.(News)
March 1, 2007... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- The newly enacted Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act mandates for the first time the reporting of serious adverse events associated with dietary supplements and over-the-counter products. ...

HPV vaccine mandates raise question of timing.(News)
March 1, 2007... Legislation mandating that all middle school girls be vaccinated with the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine has been greeted with concern by leaders of some medical organizations. At press time, such legislation had been introduced...

National provider identifier sign-up deadline is May 23.(News)
March 1, 2007... The clock is ticking for physicians to sign up for a National Provider Identifier, the new 10-digit number that will be used by Medicare, Medicaid, and many private health plans to process claims. The deadline for registering for an NPI...

FDA warns about topical anesthetic misuse and deaths.(News)
March 1, 2007... Citing two fatalities in young women, the Food and Drug Administration is warning the public about the potential dangers associated with the use of topical anesthetics, particularly when used for cosmetic procedures. A public health...

Chronic idiopathic urticaria cost data studied.(News)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Direct and indirect medical costs for chronic idiopathic urticaria in the United States total nearly a quarter billion dollars a year, Dr. Laura DeLong reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. ...

Pain management fact sheet available.(News)
March 1, 2007... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has published a new fact sheet on providing pain management while avoiding psychological dependence on opioids. To order free copies of "Pain Management Without Psychological...

Derm board seeks to quell anxiety about D-MOC.(News)(Dermatology Maintenance of Certification )
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- With the new Dermatology Maintenance of Certification program beginning this year, Dr. Antoinette E Hood set out to assuage the confusion and anxiety of many attendees at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology....

Derm groups troubleshoot training needs for PAs: the AAD is meeting with physician assistant organizations to devise certification programs.(News)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Dermatology is rapidly becoming more reliant on physician extenders to help manage busy practices, yet there are no specialty-specific certification programs for physician assistants and nurse practitioners, Dr. David M. Pariser...

Concision, eloquence help make the most of media exposure.(News)(Patricia A. Clark speaks on physicians media coverage)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Medicine and health are so often in the news that it may be worthwhile to be prepared to do interviews in a variety of media when the time comes, Patricia A. Clark said at a meeting of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. ...

I have finally found 'the answer'.(Under My Skin)
March 1, 2007... Last year, a psychiatrist consulted me as a patient and brought some promotional material about Goji-juice. He said this was a marvelous nutritional supplement and suggested I sell it in the office. As a distributor, he would get a percentage....

Health insurance according to need.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Dr. Kevin Grumbach would have us emulate the Canadian healthsystem, but fails to list the long waits for most surgeries and imaging studies--waits which most U.S. citizens would find unacceptable ("What is the best way to reform the U.S. health...

Physicians lose under single payer.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... Dr. Kevin Grumbach made several points in defense of his argument for a single payer system of health care, and he made a glib comment--"physicians in Canada do very well"--to quell the worry that this system does not adequately reward...

Universal HIV test affects insurability.(Letters)
March 1, 2007... One issue that I have not seen anyone address in the discussions of universal HIV testing is what it will do to a person's insurability ("Universal HIV Screening May Overload System," January 2007, p. 71). Giving a truthful response to the...

Photosensitivity reduced with 0.5% 5-ALA.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... RHODES, GREECE -- The use of 0.5% encapsulated 5-aminolevulinic acid for facial rejuvenation appears to result in less posttreatment photosensitivity than does 20% 5-ALA, Dr. Agneta Troilius reported at the 15th Congress of the European Academy...

Combined Tx may improve male melasma.(Dermatologic Therapy)
March 1, 2007... GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS -- A topical solution containing 2% mequinol and 0.01% tretinoin can noticeably improve facial melasma in men, based on results from a small study that was presented at the Caribbean Dermatology Symposium. Male...

Immunoglobulin holds promise for melanoma.(Dermatologic Therapy)
March 1, 2007... SORRENTO, ITALY -- Administration of intravenous immunoglobulin may have a future role in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, Dr. Jack Nussbacher said at the Fifth International Congress on Autoimmunity. IVIG has been shown to have a...

Real world studies help refine use of biologics.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2007... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Results of several studies reported at medical conferences in the past year have provided a way to Free-tune the use of biologic therapies for psoriasis, Dr. Alexa Boer Kimball said at a dermatology conference sponsored by...

Etanercept appears to ease psoriasis patients' depression.(Dermatologic Therapy)
March 1, 2007... WHISTLER, B.C. -- Etanercept not only improves the clinical symptoms of psoriasis, its use may reduce the depressive symptoms that are common in psoriasis patients, according to data from two posters presented at a dermatology symposium. ...

Licorice, Part I.(Cosmeceutical Critique)(Drug overview)
March 1, 2007... Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L., also known as Liquiritae officinalis Moench) is best known in its popular confectionery form--a black or red candy sold at movies and various retail establishments. It is not often thought of as a plant, let...

Gynecomastia tied to essential oils.(Dermatologic Therapy)
March 1, 2007... Lavender oil and tea tree oil--two chemically similar ingredients in many over-the-counter lotions, shampoos, soaps, and hair gels--show estrogenic and antiandrogenic activity that appears to have caused gynecomastia in prepubertal boys,...

Cantharidin is effective treatment for molluscum.(Dermatologic Therapy)
March 1, 2007... VAIL, COLO. -- Many pediatric dermatologists have begun to treat molluscum contagiosum with cantharidin, a blistering agent produced by a beetle, instead of with liquid nitrogen. The reason they have switched is that cantharidin is much...

Etanercept, adalimumab look safe in pregnancy.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Medical condition overview)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Preliminary data suggest no increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to either etanercept or adalimumab during the first trimester, Christina Chambers, Ph.D., reported in two posters at the annual meeting of...

Biologics are showing efficacy in pediatric psoriasis patients.(Dermatologic Therapy)
March 1, 2007... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Biologic therapies are not indicated for treatment of pediatric psoriasis, but recent studies suggest that etanercept can safely improve disease symptoms in children, Dr. Brandie J. Metz said at a meeting sponsored by Skin...

Adalimumab clears phase III psoriasis hurdle.(Dermatologic Therapy)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Adalimumab was effective in treating adults with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis in a phase III study, Dr. Alan Menter reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. ...

Goeckerman therapy aids psoriasis in children.(Dermatologic Therapy)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Goeckerman therapy is a safe and effective treatment option for children with moderate to severe psoriasis, Dr. Kimberly Kortuem reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. Goeckerman therapy,...

Anti-TNF agents ease psoriatic arthritis symptoms.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2007... Treatment with tumor necrosis factor blocking agents is more effective than methotrexate monotherapy at easing pain and fatigue in patients with psoriatic arthritis and in improving their general health when used in daily clinical practice,...

Radiation helpful for some melanoma patients: consider treatment for those with recurrent disease, large nodal size, or extracapsular extension.(Dermatologic Surgery)
March 1, 2007... CORONADO, CALIF. -- Radiation therapy is underused as a treatment for malignant melanoma, Dr. Ray Lin said at a melanoma update sponsored by the Scripps Clinic. "The reasons are traced back to in vitro studies which showed that melanomas...

Mohs for melanoma limited to 1 mm.(Dermatologic Surgery)
March 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- The use of the Mohs technique for melanoma is probably limited to those with a Breslow thickness of 1 mm, because in melanomas thicker than that, sentinel node biopsy takes precedence, Dr. Kenneth Gross said at a meeting sponsored...

Selection of devices to implant may be aided by patch testing.(Dermatologic Surgery)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Presurgical patch testing may prompt surgeons to change devices to prevent allergic reactions in patients, Kurtis Reed said at the annual meeting of the American Contact Dermatitis Society. To evaluate the clinical impact of a...

Pulsed dye laser mostly safe as hemangioma Tx.(Dermatologic Surgery)
March 1, 2007... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- The introduction of dynamic cooling devices has made pulsed dye laser therapy of infantile hemangiomas safer and less painful, but rare complications do occur, Dr. Brandie J. Metz said at a dermatology conference sponsored...

Combined laser can enhance Tx of hypertrophic port wine stains.(Dermatologic Surgery)
March 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- The one-two punch of a combination pulsed dye/Nd:YAG laser system can enhance the treatment of hypertrophic port wine stains, Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic...

Alexandrite laser treatment shown to improve lentigines.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- The 755-nm alexandrite laser was highly effective in improving lentigines in 18 volunteers treated at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, Lt. Cmdr. John Paul Trafeli, USN, said at the annual meeting of the American Society for...

Surgeons have numerous rhytidectomy choices: the best technique should balance the efficacy of the lift with a low rate of suture extrusion.(Dermatologic Surgery)
March 1, 2007... PHOENIX -- In the face of myriad short-scar rhytidectomy techniques, suture extrusion rates and efficacy of lift are two variables that can help surgeons identify their preferred approach, Dr. Neff Tanna said at the annual meeting of the...

Laparoscopic technique can release large subcutaneous scars.(Dermatologic Surgery)
March 1, 2007... PHOENIX -- Large, depressed abdominal scars that complicate liposuction can be safely removed using "a novel technique" involving standard laparoscopic scissors, Dr. Marco A. Pelosi II said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of...

Artificial dermis offers wound care alternative.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Medical condition overview)
March 1, 2007... VAIL, COLO. -- A bioengineered skin substitute may have applications in reconstructive surgery that extend beyond its indication for burn victims, Dr. Kapil Saigal said at a symposium sponsored by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and...

Microdroplets provide less aggressive brow lift.(Dermatologic Surgery)
March 1, 2007... VAIL, COLO. -- The superficial injection of many botulinum toxin type A microdroplets may create a more natural-looking brow lift than more aggressive treatment of the central frontalis and nearby depressor muscles, Dr. Kenneth D. Steinsapir...

Botox put to innovative uses in facial surgery.(Dermatologic Surgery)
March 1, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- The use of botulinum toxin type A in a dermatologic surgical practice extends far beyond touching up the results of a brow lift or smoothing crow's feet to complement a facial laser procedure. Surgeons speaking at the annual...

Plasma device cuts downtime after wrinkle treatment.(Dermatologic Surgery)
March 1, 2007... PALM DESERT, CALIF. -- Performing repeated plasma skin resurfacing at low fluences improves wrinkles and results in much less patient downtime than does the use of higher fluences, Dr. Melissa Bogle reported at the annual meeting of the...

Pediatric surgery patients require special care.(Dermatologic Surgery)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Simple techniques can smooth the dermatologic surgery experience and outcomes for children, Dr. Brandie J. Metz said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. For instance, while it may seem obvious to...

How to tell 'good' from 'bad' follicular mucinosis.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... STOWE, VT. -- Distinguishing between the "good" and "bad" forms of follicular mucinosis is a clinical call, Dr. Peter W. Heald said at a dermatology conference sponsored by the University of Vermont. Follicular mucinosis, a disorder...

Face mask allergy followed SARS outbreak.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Cases of facial dermatitis in the wake of the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in Canada in 2003 were traced to an allergy to formaldehyde from protective face masks, Dr. Jeffrey Donovan said at the annual meeting of the...

Some allergies don't appear in patch tests until after 5 days.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Reading patch tests beyond 5 days identifies new allergies to metals and antibiotics, but late readings are less helpful for identifying corticosteroid allergies, Ketaki Bhate said at the annual meeting of the American Contact...

Prevention myths may cause diaper dermatitis.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Dr. Mary K. Spraker got down to the bottom of several myths about diaper dermatitis at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology * Change the diaper each time the baby urinates. Since newborns urinate more...

Skin disorder markings may echo signs of abuse.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... STOWE, VT. -- Phytophotodermatitis and lichen sclerosus are two skin disorders that can be mistaken for child abuse, Dr. Ronald C. Hansen said at a dermatology conference sponsored by the University of Vermont. Phytophotodermatitis, also...

Formula choice lowered atopic dermatitis risk.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... Babies who have been breast fed for four months and then receive certain types of hydrolyzed formula have a significantly lower risk of developing atopic dermatitis, compared with those given a cow's milk-based formula after breast-feeding. ...

In children, what looks like scabies isn't always.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... STOWE, VT. -- Beware the scabies mimics, Dr. Ronald C. Hansen advised at a dermatology conference sponsored by the University of Vermont. Gianotti-Crosti syndrome, acropustulosis of infancy, and eosinophilic pustular folliculitis are all...

Specific signs distinguish Kawasaki disease variants.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Atypical and incomplete Kawasaki disease may be distinguished from other common childhood febrile illnesses by characteristic changes to the extremities, mucosa, conjunctiva, and blood laboratory values, Dr. Fernanda Falcini...

Overweight + asthma means poor childhood quality of life.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... Children with excessive weight who also have asthma have significantly poorer quality-of-life scores than do children who have only excessive weight or are only asthmatic, according to a recent study. Dr. Rene van Gent and colleagues from...

Genetics sheds light on lentiginosis syndromes: many genes that have recently been found to be involved in oncogenesis also cause skin disorders.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Conditions in which patients have multiple lentigines commonly have an etiology that shares the same final molecular pathway that predisposes the patients to tumors, Dr. Constantine Stratakis said at a meeting of the Society for...

Nickel tops list of contact allergens in children.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Children were significantly more likely than were adults to be allergic to nickel, cobalt, and thimerosal, based on data from more than 10,000 patients presented at the annual meeting of the American Contact Dermatitis Society....

Rubber chemicals are the sole of shoe allergens.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Rubber chemicals caused most of the shoe-related allergic contact dermatitis reactions in patients patch tested between 2001 and 2004, Dr. Sarah E. Schram said at the annual meeting of the American Contact Dermatitis Society. ...

Sacral dimple: benign or sign of spinal anomaly?(Clinical Rounds)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... CHARLESTON, S.C. -- A baby's sacral dimple is usually benign, but in rare cases, a sacral dimple signals a serious spinal anomaly, Dr. Gerald Tuite Jr. said at a pediatric meeting sponsored by the Medical University of South Carolina. A...

Vitamin D deficit common in infants, an expert says.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... VAIL, COLO. -- Concern that a large proportion of the population living in North America is vitamin D deficient is extending down to pediatrics, with recent investigations suggesting that 10% of breast-fed infants may be vitamin D deficient,...

Unexplained scars may signal psychiatric disorder.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS -- Patients with borderline personality disorder often cut or burn their skin, said Dr. Gordon Strauss at the Caribbean Dermatology Symposium. Although most dermatologists won't treat patients for borderline...

Olanzapine helped trichotillomania in small study.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... PARIS -- Trichotillomania was highly responsive to olanzapine in a small, randomized, placebo-controlled trial that suggests repetitive hair-pulling may be closer to tics and Tourette's syndrome than to other obsessive-compulsive disorders. ...

Dermoscopy analysis easy by three-point method.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- A three-point method of interpreting skin lesions under dermoscopy can help you decide whether to biopsy, Dr. David L. Swanson said at a dermatology conference sponsored by Skin Disease Education Foundation. The...

Pair dermatoscopy, careful exam in melanoma Dx.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... CORONADO, CALIF. -- Dermatoscopy can help identify melanomas as small as 3 mm, but it should be combined with a careful exam for the best clinical diagnosis, Dr. James W. Steger said at an update on melanoma sponsored by the Scripps Clinic. ...

Accurate staging is crucial for melanoma management.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... CORONADO, CALIF. -- To provide optimal follow-up care of melanoma, physicians need accurate staging information, "because that affects prognosis and henceforth management," Dr. Nicole M. Annest said at an update on melanoma sponsored by the...

Cutaneous cues can help peg coccidioidomycosis.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Think of coccidioidomycosis in patients with a rash, fever, and cough, even if they don't live in the southwestern United States where Coccidioides is endemic. At least two patients have presented to the Mayo Clinic,...

Byetta.(New & Approved)
March 1, 2007... (exenatide injection, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly & Co.) An incretin mimetic approved as adjunctive therapy for people with type 2 diabetes who are using a thiazolidinedione (TZD) alone or with metformin but have not achieved adequate...

Elestrin.(New & Approved)
March 1, 2007... (estradiol gel, BioSante Pharmaceuticals Inc.) A topical estradiol formulation approved for treating moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause. * Recommended Dosage: Applied in a thin layer to upper arm once a...

Weight loss alone can improve adolescent PCOS.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... VAIL, COLO. -- Weight loss can go a long way toward improving the effects of hyperandrogenism in the adolescent with polycystic ovary syndrome, Dr. Patricia S. Simmons said at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics. "In...

Contraception still necessary in perimenopause.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... ATLANTA -- Women in perimenopause have unique issues that should be considered when developing a contraceptive plan, Dr. Miriam Zieman said at a conference on contraceptive technology sponsored by Contemporary Forums. Older women are...

Folate levels decrease in nonpregnant women.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... Women appear to be consuming less folate, according to federal data showing an 8% drop in red blood cell folate levels among nonpregnant women of childbearing age between 1999-2000 and 2003-2004. But whether this trend will result in an...

High dietary iron linked to heart disease in women with diabetes.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... The risk of coronary heart disease among women with type 2 diabetes appears to be elevated for those who consume high levels of heme iron and red meat, according to a large, long-term analysis from the on-going Nurses' Health Study. ...

Antidepressants may rapidly relieve premenstrual dysphoria.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO -- Women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder usually respond rapidly to the first treatment cycle of an antidepressant, allowing intermittent dosing that follows the menstrual cycle, Dr. Andrea J. Singer said at a meeting on...

Breast ca recurrence linked to biopsy type.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... PALM BEACH, FLA. -- Narrow surgical margins and use of core-needle biopsy appeared to correlate with recurrent breast cancer in a series of 223 women with ductal carcinoma in situ who were treated with skin-sparing mastectomy. The series...

Mouse virus--like infection may be tied to human breast cancer.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... SAN ANTONIO -- Mounting evidence suggests much breast cancer is caused by infection with human mammary tumor virus, Dr. James F. Holland said at a breast cancer symposium sponsored by the Cancer Therapy and Research Center. If indeed it...

Earlier treatment may benefit women with high HIV viral loads.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO -- Women with high HIV loads may benefit from starting highly active antiretroviral therapy slightly earlier in the course of their disease than what is currently recommended for HIV-positive adults. Such a gender-based...

Modified Roux-en-Y aids esophageal scleroderma.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is an attractive surgical strategy for the management of esophageal scleroderma, Dr. Michael S. Kent reported at the annual meeting of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Roux-en-Y gastric...

Lavage lacks predictive value in Scleroderma lung disease.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2007... SALT LAKE CITY -- An underappreciated, practice-changing finding in the landmark Scleroderma Lung Study is that baseline bronchoalveolar lavage results had no value in predicting which patients would respond to cyclophosphamide, Dr. Charlie...