Skin & Allergy News articles from March 2009

Skin & Allergy News archives from March 2009

Warn patients about risks of efalizumab.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MAUI, HAWAII -- Somepsoriasis patients are choosing to discontinue efalizumab treatment in response to the recently reported third case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in users of the drug. "I've...

AJCC to institute new melanoma staging system: new edition to de-emphasize Clark level.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... MAUI, HAWAII -- Look for tumor mitotic rate to supplant Clark level in the forthcoming 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer melanoma staging system. "Clark level will now only be considered for staging in the rare...

Economic stimulus law will strengthen health IT.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... The newly enacted economic stimulus law will infuse tens of billions of dollars into the health care sector, providing incentives for using health information technology, increasing funds for primary care training, and launching initiatives in...

Evidence to recommend skin exam is lacking.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force still cannot recommend for or against whole-body skin examination by a primary care physician or by patient self-examination for the early detection of cutaneous melanoma, basal cell cancer, or squamous...

Staging, lymph node assessment are key to surgical melanoma management.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... The surgical management of primary melanoma varies by patient and depends in large part on key elements of the pathology report and the assessment of lymph node involvement, according to Dr. Gershenwald. In terms of staging the disease....

Do beach trips during childhood cause later melanoma?(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... Each beach vacation from birth to age 6 by white Colorado children was associated with a 5% increase in small nevi when the children were examined at age 7, but not with large nevi development. In addition, the total estimated UV dose...

iPLEDGE terminates 30 for prescribing violations.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... MAUI, HAWAII -- Physicians are being terminated from the iPLEDGE isotretinoin prescription program for rule bending that they have done on their patients' behalf. "Your patients are turning you in," Dr. Hilary E. Baldwin cautioned at the...

Lymphogranuloma venereum is making a disguised comeback.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... MAUI, HAWAII -- Lymphogranuloma venereum is making a comeback, and this time around the STD looks nothing like it did during residency training. The new clinical picture of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is proctitis in slightly older gay...

SCHIP law will cover more children, services.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... Nearly 11 million low-income children will receive health coverage under the reauthorization and expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which was recently signed into law by President Barack Obama. The legislation...

Residents prefer traditional over virtual slides.(NEWS)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2009... SAN FRANCISCO -- Medical residents made similarly accurate diagnoses using virtual microscopy or traditional glass microscopy, but said they'd prefer glass slides when being tested, results of a randomized study of 132 residents found. The...

Dermatology lexicon Web site to be launched by AAD.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... The American Academy of Dermatology is launching an online dictionary of common terms that it hopes will aid dermatologists, primary care physicians, and other practitioners in communicating, securing reimbursement, and reporting adverse...

Biologics data exclusivity debate: no end in sight.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... Follow-on biologics legislation without a long period of data exclusivity for the original drug would significantly hinder future innovation, according to one economist. Meanwhile, legislators' insistence that incentives for innovation be...

Panel split on angioedema drug safety decision.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- A federal advisory panel split on whether to recommend approval of the injectable recombinant protein ecallantide for treating acute attacks of hereditary angioedema, despite the overwhelming need for an effective treatment...

FDA calls for more research on new intravenous antibiotic.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... COLLEGE PARK, MD. -- The Food and Drug Administration has requested that a well-controlled clinical trial with an adequate number of patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus be conducted before the lipoglycopeptide antibiotic...

Methotrexate may boost efalizumab efficacy.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... MAUI, HAWAII -- Adding a short course of oral methotrexate may be a good way to jump-start the efficacy of efalizumab in psoriasis patients, a pilot study suggests. Many efalizumab-treated patients experience a lag of several months before...

FDA approves new vitamin D topical for plaque psoriasis.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... SINT MAARTEN, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES -- Physicians can offer their psoriasis patients a new option for topical treatment following Food and Drug Administration approval of a second vitamin D ointment for plaque psoriasis. Availability of a...

Efalizumab risk advisory issued.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... Three confirmed cases and one possible case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in patients treated with efalizumab for psoriasis have triggered the Food and Drug Administration to issue a public health advisory. In the advisory,...

Biologics have 'therapeutic niche' in pediatric psoriasis.(NEWS)
March 1, 2009... Most pediatric cases of psoriasis are mild and can be managed adequately with combinations of topical medicines, but some cannot, according to Dr. Kelly M. Cordoro. "The true challenge exists in treating the subset of children who present...

Mistakes.(misdiagnosis)(UNDER MY SKIN)(Essay)
March 1, 2009... Jenna wanted to show me something on her lip before she and her young family moved to Berlin in 5 days. "'This has been here for a year," she said. "I think it may have grown." I stared at it in bright light, with high magnification. "'It...

Ingenix settlements: don't drop your guard.(COMMENTARY)
March 1, 2009... The recent Ingenix settlements have been hailed as "'an enormous step toward pricing transparency and consumerism in health care," but given the insurance industry's track record in sidestepping similar agreements, physicians have little cause...

Fractional laser tx found effective for hands.(AESTHETIC DERMATOLOGY)
March 1, 2009... PHOENIX -- Nonablative fractional laser therapy applied at conservative settings achieved moderate global improvement in photodamaged hands in a pilot study. Six months following their last treatment session, 8 of the 10 patients in the...

Consider patient demographics before purchasing a laser.(AESTHETIC DERMATOLOGY)
March 1, 2009... LAS VEGAS -- Before investing in a laser, take patient demographics into consideration, suggested Dr. Arielle N.B. Kauvar. For example, for practices with a large number of patients with acne and rosacea, intense pulsed light (IPL) devices,...

Search for ideal cosmetic neurotoxin continues.(AESTHETIC DERMATOLOGY)
March 1, 2009... LAS VEGAS -- Dr. Gary D. Monheit's ideal cosmetic neurotoxin would have a rapid time of onset and a stable pharmacologic action throughout its time of activity. Its effect would also be limited to the muscle sites of injection. "There are...

Starting with massage, expert offers tips for filling lips.(AESTHETIC DERMATOLOGY)
March 1, 2009... PHOENIX -- What's the most important aspect of filler technique for the lips? Massage, Joseph Niamtu III, D.M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. "When you see someone who comes in from another...

Botox backed by nearly 20 years of safety data.(AESTHETIC DERMATOLOGY)
March 1, 2009... LAS VEGAS -- Although Botox has enjoyed a top-notch safety and efficacy record for nearly 2 decades, a mouse study published in the Journal of Neuroscience piqued the interest of Dr. Jean D.A. Carruthers, who, with her husband, Dr. Alastair...

Baby boomers are the biggest users of Botox.(AESTHETIC DERMATOLOGY)
March 1, 2009... LAS VEGAS -- Dr. Alastair Carruthers remembers a time when the public perceived repeated injections of Botox as an experimental treatment reserved exclusively for the well-heeled crowd. Today, the people most often requesting Botox...

[beta]-glucans.(COSMECEUTICAL CRITIQUE)
March 1, 2009... [beta]-Glucans are naturally occurring polysaccharides, present in various cereal grains, baker's yeast, bacteria, and fungi, particularly mushrooms (Medicina [Kaunas] 2007;43:597-606). The high concentration of [beta]-glucans in oats is known...

Combine cosmeceuticals to "protect and repair".(AESTHETIC DERMATOLOGY)
March 1, 2009... LAS VEGAS -- When patients ask Dr. Ranella Hirsch what topical cosmeceuticals to apply regularly to their skin, she responds with the mantra "protect and repair." "You protect in the morning," she said at the annual meeting of the American...

Lympho-accumulation found to drive early MF.(CUTANEOUS ONCOLOGY)
March 1, 2009... LAS VEGAS -- Early-stage mycosis fungoides appears to be a lympho-accumulative disorder, driven by defects in apoptosis mechanisms designed to regulate T-cell populations in the skin, according to Dr. Gary Wood. Cell cycle defects that...

SLN microscopic melanoma may lower survival: any patient with sentinel lymph node evidence of metastatic melanoma may be at risk for recurrence.(CUTANEOUS ONCOLOGY)
March 1, 2009... PALM BEACH, FLA. -- The presence of microscopic or even submicroscopic melanoma in a sentinel lymph node may be clinically relevant, a retrospective study has shown. "We believe patients with microscopic deposits of metastatic melanoma...

Vitamin D and other melanoma controversies examined.(CUTANEOUS ONCOLOGY)
March 1, 2009... Vitamin D, skin cancer screening, and chemoprevention top the list of current melanoma prevention controversies, according to Dr. Clara Curiel-Lewandowski. Vitamin D has been a contentious subject for many years with its being suggested...

System may predict thin melanoma recurrence.(CUTANEOUS ONCOLOGY)
March 1, 2009... SANTA FE, N.M. -- Physicians at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Los Angeles have developed a scoring system to help identify the small number of thin melanomas most at risk of nodal recurrence and in need of evaluation by sentinel lymph node...

Limb infusion an option for in-transit melanoma.(CUTANEOUS ONCOLOGY)
March 1, 2009... PALM BEACH, FLA. -- Regional chemotherapy via isolated limb infusion is an acceptable and minimally invasive alternative to hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion to combat in-transit extremity melanoma, according to a review. "Perfusion is...

New agents could shake up psoriasis treatment.(PSORIASIS)
March 1, 2009... Two fully derived human interleukin-12/23 antibodies, ABT-874, currently in phase III trials, and ustekinumab, currently seeking approval, are poised to be the next big things in psoriasis treatment. Dr. Henry H. Roenigk Jr. praised ABT-874...

Brief screen helps diagnose psoriatic arthritis.(PSORIASIS)
March 1, 2009... SINT MAARTEN, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES -- Dermatologists can use a "2-minute drill" that combines questions and a physical exam to screen psoriasis patients for psoriatic arthritis. They should routinely ask patients with psoriasis about...

Efalizumab found effective for Head and Neck Psoriasis.(PSORIASIS)
March 1, 2009... More than half of patients with head and neck psoriasis showed notable improvement after treatment with efalizumab, according to the resuits of a pooled data analysis of 2,211 adults from four randomized, placebo-controlled studies. The...

Military personnel returning with drug-resistant pathogen.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SINT MAARTEN, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES -- Be on the lookout for Acinetobacter baumannii infections among wounded military personnel returning to the United States, an expert warned. "This is a major problem with our...

Despite prevention efforts, STDs are on the rise.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
March 1, 2009... Despite massive efforts at outreach and education, many sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise throughout the United States and globally, Dr. Theodore Rosen said at the annual Hawaii dermatology seminar sponsored by Skin Disease...

Keeping children home is often not justified.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
March 1, 2009... BOSTON -- Conjunctivitis: It's red, it's itchy, it's crusty, but it is not--repeat NOT--cause for automatic exclusion from day care or school, according to the latest edition of the American Academy of Pediatrics' "Managing Infectious Diseases...

Multiple factors linked to antibiotic resistance.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
March 1, 2009... Although dermatologists are undoubtedly contributing to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, there's plenty of blame to go around, said Dr. Theodore Rosen. Patients play their part by demanding unnecessary antibiotics and failing to...

Phototherapy data are not impressive thus far.(ACNE)
March 1, 2009... LAS VEGAS -- There's plenty of sizzle behind the theory of light-based acne treatments, but Dr. Guy Webster is still waiting for some substance in the form of well-designed studies with reasonable sample sizes. "In theory, there are a lot...

Minimizing acne, rosacea drug side effects starts with a plan.(ACNE)
March 1, 2009... When treating rosacea and acne, dermatologists should pay close attention to the potential for adverse effects ranging from skin irritation to drug resistance, according to Dr. Joseph F. Fowler Jr. Irritation is especially common in rosacea...

Solubilized benzoyl peroxide bests BPO/clindamycin combo.(ACNE)
March 1, 2009... A new preparation of 5% benzoyl peroxide solubilized in a gel proved better than a 5% benzoyl peroxide/1% clindamycin preparation for treating acne vulgaris, according to the results of a poster presented at the annual Hawaii dermatology...

For chronic pain, adults still turning to alternative meds.(ACROSS SPECIALTIES)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] About 38% of adults and nearly 12% of children in the United States used some type of complementary or alternative medicine therapy in 2007, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and...

Frozen glove found to prevent docetaxel-induced onycholysis.(ACROSS SPECIALTIES)(Report)
March 1, 2009... SAN ANTONIO -- Having breast cancer patients don a pair of flexible frozen gloves during infusion of docetaxel markedly reduced the chemotherapy-induced fingernail toxicity known as onycholysis in a phase II multicenter Japanese trial. ...

Rash portends better outcome of cancer drug.(ACROSS SPECIALTIES)
March 1, 2009... SAN FRANCISCO -- Patients receiving erlotinib-based therapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer are less likely to experience progression and to die if they develop a rash, Dr. Eric Van Cutsem reported at the annual gastrointestinal cancers...

Prophylaxis cuts panitumumab's skin toxicity.(ACROSS SPECIALTIES)
March 1, 2009... SAN FRANCISCO -- Prophylactic dermatologic treatment reduced the rate of skin toxicity associated with panitumumab therapy by more than half in what is thought to be the first prospective trial to compare prophylactic and reactive approaches....

Knotless wound closure saves time, money.(ACROSS SPECIALTIES)
March 1, 2009... PHOENIX -- Time is money. And with operating room time running $30 per minute or more at many hospitals, some cosmetic surgeons are switching from the hallowed traditional stitching techniques to considerably faster knotless means of wound...

Drop in complications attests to utility of surgical checklist.(ACROSS SPECIALTIES)
March 1, 2009... SAN FRANCISCO -- Implementation of a simple checklist to be completed during surgical procedures reduced the overall incidence of complications by 32% and the risk of death by 46%, according to a study by the World Health Organization. The...

MedPAC urges 1.1% physician fee boost in 2010.(PRACTICE TRENDS)
March 1, 2009... WASHINGTON -- Medicare advisers unanimously voted to recommend increasing physician fees by 1.1% next year, while expressing dismay that their June 2008 recommendation to boost primary care pay has not yet been acted upon. The Medicare...

ICD-10 code transition set for 2013, but hurdles remain.(PRACTICE TRENDS)(Standards)
March 1, 2009... In less than 5 years, physicians and other health care providers will be required to begin using a new system of code sets to report health care diagnoses and procedures. Under a final rule published in the Federal Register, the Health and...

Botox sales decline.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Financial report)
March 1, 2009... Sales of Botox declined almost 3% worldwide in the fourth quarter of 2008--from $339 million to $329 million, reported Allergan Inc., and the company predicted a further decline. For all of last year, Botox (botulinum toxin type A) sales rose...

FDA turns down skin antibiotic.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
March 1, 2009... The Food and Drug Administration has notified Arpida Ltd. that its antibiotic iclaprim is not approvable without more clinical data. The agency said that the Switzerland-based company's new drug application didn't demonstrate that, against...

Phase III eczema study starts.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
March 1, 2009... The first phase III study of a therapy for chronic hand eczema has begun enrolling patients. Basilea Pharmaceutica AG, also Swiss based, said that its HANDEL (hand eczema research of alitretinoin) study will randomize 600 patients to oral...

Copayments limit phototherapy.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Report)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Ninety percent of dermatologists surveyed by the National Psoriasis Foundation report that copayments for phototherapy are preventing or limiting patients from seeking the treatment. The foundation said that 192 dermatologists responded to its...

Thermage's new look.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
March 1, 2009... Thermage Inc. has had a makeover to become Solta Medical. Having fully absorbed Reliant Technologies, the manufacturer of aesthetic medical devices began trading on the NASDAQ exchange as Solta in mid-January. The company makes radiofrequency...

Psoriasis chats are helpful.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
March 1, 2009... A new study in the January Archives of Dermatology finds that on-line communities provide valuable education as well as psychological and social support to psoriasis patients. Researchers at Harvard Medical School, Boston, surveyed users of...

FDA approvals increase.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
March 1, 2009... The FDA approved 21 new molecular entities and 4 new biologic drugs in 2008, compared with 17 new molecular entities and 2 biologics in 2007. Four of the 2008 approvals came in December. The agency has increased the annual number of novel...

Managing your dermatology practice: stepping outside your comfort zone.(PRACTICE TRENDS)
March 1, 2009... Each of us knows colleagues for whom medicine no longer holds the aura of excitement and fascination that we assume will last forever. Having faced their challenges and attained their goals, they are unwilling or unable to find new challenges...

CMS e-prescribing guide is available.(PRACTICE TRENDS)
March 1, 2009... A new guide from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services explains the e-prescribing incentive program, how eligible professionals can participate, and how to choose a system. By adopting e-prescribing, professionals can save time,...

ACP calls state of nation's health care 'poor'.(PRACTICE TRENDS)
March 1, 2009... Expansion of the primary care workforce is necessary to improve the "poor" state of the nation's health care, according to Dr. Jeffrey R Harris, president of the American College of Physicians. "We have too many uninsured. We have too few...

IOM panel outlines strategies to improve adolescent care.(PRACTICE TRENDS)(Report)
March 1, 2009... Health care services in the United States for adolescents are fragmented, leaving gaps in care that "safety-net" resources cannot fill, especially for those who are uninsured or vulnerable to risky behavior or poor health, according to a report...

For the love of dogs.(THE REST OF YOUR LIFE)
March 1, 2009... When Dr. Donna Chester steps onto the dog agility obstacle course with Penny, her 3-year-old papillon, she brings a team approach to the task ahead. It's them against the course timer. That sense of alliance isn't lost on Penny,...

Cream Tea Cleanser.(Products)
March 1, 2009... Aromatic Cream Tea Cleanser from emerginC contains a blend of red, white, and green teas to provide antioxidant benefits and to help the skin resist the signs of aging. Other active ingredients include Rosa centifolia and chamomile. The...

Biopsy punches.(Products)
March 1, 2009... A pair of biopsy products provide alternatives to the standard options for dermal biopsies. VisiPunch, a circular dermal biopsy punch, features viewing windows built into the blade. The windows can help to ensure clear surgical margins, and...

Three-Step Acne Treatment.(Products)
March 1, 2009... The Cosmeceutique RX 3-Step Acne Kit unclogs pores and reduces acne-causing bacteria. The kit is sold at spas and is designed for daily use at home in conjunction with professional treatments. The kit contains three products: 2% Salicylic Acid...

Biomedical Skin Care.(Products)
March 1, 2009... The CellCeuticals Biomedical Skin Treatment product line features new technology to provide an alternative for patients who may not be candidates for some types of plastic surgery procedures. The products include bioengineered lipopeptides...

Laser skin smoother.(Products)
March 1, 2009... The Sciton SkinTyte accessory is designed for use with a broadband laser to create a smoother appearance of the skin on the thighs and buttocks. The device features a thermoelectric cooler, which allows for continuous contact cooling to help...

Body Balm for very dry skin.(Products)
March 1, 2009... Lipikar Balm is available for moisturizing very dry and atopic skin in adults and children. This anti-irritant lipid-replenishing body balm uses a patented, time-release delivery system with encapsulated active ingredients to provide...

Once-daily scalp psoriasis gel.(Products)
March 1, 2009... Taclonex Scalp Topical Suspension is a gel formulation containing the vitamin D analogue calcipotriene 0.005% and the steroid betamethasone 0.064%. It is indicated for once-daily topical treatment of scalp psoriasis in adults, and is...

Coal tar foam.(Products)
March 1, 2009... Scytera Foam 2% features coal tar, an active ingredient that has demonstrated effectiveness against chronic psoriasis. Previous research has shown the benefits of coal tar for psoriasis, but the unpleasant odor and potential for staining...

Methotrexate metabolism test.(Products)
March 1, 2009... The Arise PG test measures blood levels of methotrexate polyglutamates, the active metabolites of methotrexate. Physicians can use the test results for dosage optimization and therapeutic decision making. The test is available exclusively from...

Body sculptor.(Products)
March 1, 2009... Solta Medical Inc. offers the Body Tip 16.0 as a new option for use with its Thermage NXT laser system. The tip is designed for greater effectiveness in firming "love handles" and other abdominal trouble spots. It can also be used to...

Fraxel re:pair handpiece.(Products)
March 1, 2009... The new Fraxel re:pair 600-micm handpiece is used for superficial procedures on and off the face. The handpiece treats fine lines, age spots, and sun spots. The fractional ablative device provides a more uniform treatment for better results and...

Diagnosis: Monilethrix.(CASE OF THE MONTH)(Report)
March 1, 2009... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- Upon examination, diffuse thinning of the hair could be seen in both mother and daughter. The mother had small keratotic papules on her thighs and arms consistent with keratosis pilaris. A gross examination of the...

Safety and efficacy of Evolence[R]: a novel injectable dermal filler.(CLINICAL UPDATE)
March 1, 2009... In our society, youth often is equated with health, vigor, vibrancy, and a smooth, fresh, wrinkle-free skin, all qualities that are highly valued and that are lost during the aging process. Aging fundamentally is an intrinsic chronologic...