Skin & Allergy News articles from May 2005

Skin & Allergy News archives from May 2005

Women flourishing in dermatology.(Practice Trends)
May 1, 2005... More than 30 years have passed since a small group of women dermatologists banded together to form the Women's Dermatologic Society to give voice and unity to women in the specialty. The solidarity seems to have paid off: Today, the WDS boasts...

Botulism disaster helps uncover fake Botox market: four physicians indicted on federal charges.(Practice Trends)
May 1, 2005... Dermatologists are among the physicians cited by name in federal court documents exposing an underground network to distribute cutrate botulinum toxin type A to physicians suspected of using it on patients who may have assumed it was Botox. ...

Pimecrolimus, tacrolimus black box challenged.(Dermatologic Therapy)
May 1, 2005... MAUI, HAWAII -- The American Academy of Dermatology and other professional groups maintain that insufficient evidence exists to justify the Food and Drug Administration's announcement that it will add a black box warning to the labels of...

Bextra withdrawn from market.(News)
May 1, 2005... The market withdrawal of valdecoxib and the black box warnings on celecoxib and all other remaining prescription NSAIDs have some physicians fuming and patients worried and confused, experts say. In addition to calling for valdecoxib...

TNF-[alpha]-blocking drugs may cause skin reactions.(News)
May 1, 2005... Skin reactions to tumor necrosis factor [alpha]-blocking drugs for rheumatoid arthritis might be more common and varied than previous studies have indicated, results of a new prospective study show. The study authors, from Radboud...

Advisory panels: no go on OTC topical steroids.(News)(over the counter drugs)
May 1, 2005... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- Although some manufacturers are seeking Food and Drug Administration approval to sell prescription-strength topical corticosteroids over the counter, it is not likely to happen soon. At a joint meeting of the FDA's...

Varicella remains deadly despite vaccine's prevalence, efficacy.(News)
May 1, 2005... Varicella is still around despite the vaccine--and in some cases it can still be fatal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Varicella vaccination is more than 95% effective against severe disease, and, since 1996,...

New antifungals boast fewer drug interactions.(News)
May 1, 2005... MIAMI -- The echinocandin antifungal agents appear to have little significant toxicity and may ultimately prove to be safer than the azoles or amphotericin B in terms of potential interactions, according to Paul O. Gubbins, Pharm.D. ...

Mycamine joins ranks of approved antifungals.(News)
May 1, 2005... MIAMI -- Approval of micafungin by the Food and Drug Administration in March added another option for combatting infections caused by Candida or Aspergillus species John R. Perfect, M.D., said at a meeting on fungal infections sponsored by...

How to make health plans compete on quality.(Guest Editorial)
May 1, 2005... Today's health care plans primarily compete on price. In large part, that's because many employers seek to offer the lowest-cost health plans to their employees, which forces the health plans to offer the lowest possible rates. Many physicians...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
May 1, 2005... Several errors appeared in the article, "How to Protect Yourself From Melanoma Claims" (SKIN & ALLERGY NEWS, APRIL 2005, p. 24). SKIN & ALLERGY NEWS regrets the errors and apologizes to our readers and our source, Ashfaq Marghoob, M.D. 1....

Show me the signal, FDA.(Guest Editorial)
May 1, 2005... Those of us who travel a fair amount look at life as "Before 2001" and "After 2001." Things are very different now. I feel very comfortable taking off my slip-on shoes at the airport. I don't wear tie shoes to travel post-Sept. 11. In much...

A pinch of assault.(Under My Skin)
May 1, 2005... I've just desiccated a tag on Reba's eyebrow. A moment later she says, "Ah, now my skin is starting to feel numb. Too bad I don't need it to be numb now." Then she pauses for effect: "Maybe next time we can wait for the anesthetic to start...

Vaccinate and educate.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... Dr. Jerome A. Klobutcher argues that the availability of a human papillomavirus vaccine might cause an increase in rates of sexually transmitted infections because HPV-vaccinated individuals may feel impervious to STIs and may therefore engage...

The rest of your exercises.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... I enjoyed the recent article on exercise and would like to add a few more tips that I share with my patients ("Adding Exercise to Your Routine," The Rest of Your Life, March 2005, p. 50): * Make it fun. I recommend the physical education...

Compare grads' diagnostic accuracy.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... The recent article about residents' dermatopathology training should have pointed out that the amount of time allocated to dermatopathology does not necessarily correspond to the accuracy of diagnosis ("Residents' Dermatopathology Training...

Should only fellowship-trained dermatologic surgeons perform Mohs' surgery?(Pro & Con)
May 1, 2005... YES Mohs' micrographic surgery can't be mastered during a short training period such as a preceptorship or residency, and is best learned in a Mohs' fellowship. Experience matters for any surgical technique. This has been demonstrated...

Dapsone gel appears safe, effective for acne.(Dermatologic Therapy)
May 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- A 5% dapsone gel appears safe and effective in clearing inflammatory and noninflammatory acne lesions and seems more effective with longer use, researchers said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. ...

OCs are best used as an adjunct acne therapy.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Oral contraceptives)
May 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Oral contraceptives are a safe and effective treatment for acne but are best used as adjunct therapy, Julie C. Harper, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. Topical retinoids such as...

Compounded topical capsaicin cream may relieve pruritus ani.(Dermatologic Theraphy)
May 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- A specially compounded ointment containing 0.006% capsaicin extract is effective at relieving recalcitrant pruritus ani, as well as pruritus of the vulva and scrotum, Timothy Berger, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the...

Triple therapy promising for hyperpigmentation.(Dermatologic Therapy)
May 1, 2005... MIAMI BEACH -- A three-ingredient topical combination therapy was more effective than dual combination therapy in the treatment of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation secondary to acne, according to the results of a phase III study reported at a...

Skin cancer chemoprevention is showing promise.(Dermatologic Therapy)
May 1, 2005... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Skin tumors and their precursors possess potentially attractive targets for chemoprevention, and many are being actively investigated, according to David R. Bickers, M.D. Exposure to UV light causes mutations in several...

Spanish-language ca resources on Web.(Dermatologic Therapy)
May 1, 2005... The American Society of Clinical Oncology's patient information Web site--People Living With Cancer--now offers Spanish translations of information about the top eight cancers that are most frequently diagnosed in Hispanics living in the United...

Toxicity limits cytokines' role in melanoma Tx.(Dermatologic Therapy)
May 1, 2005... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Some cytokines are showing positive results in the treatment of advanced-stage melanoma, but continuing problems including toxicity indicate that cytokines may be best used as part of a multimodal approach to melanoma, said...

Turmeric and curcumin.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
May 1, 2005... Spices do more than season foods. Many of them are used as medicines, and some even play a role in preventing life-threatening conditions. Turmeric (Curcuma longa L. Zingiberaceae) is best known as a seasoning in Asian and other cuisines,...

Temporalis grafts help reduce glabellar furrows.(Dermatologic Surgery)
May 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Temporalis grafts, performed at the same time as endoscopic brow lifts, can reduce residual glabellar furrows, Allan E. Wulc, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Of the 78 patients who...

Consider adding volume in periorbital surgery.(Dermatologic Surgery)
May 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Tissue removal during traditional blepharoplasty is often a counterproductive approach, Robert Alan Goldberg, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Deflation caused by the progressive...

Donor density only limiting factor in hair transplantation.(Dermatologic Surgery)
May 1, 2005... MIAMI BEACH -- Modern-day hair transplantation yields high patient satisfaction and a low risk of side effects, according to a presentation at a symposium sponsored by the Florida Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. ...

Multiple passes, reduced settings tighten tissue with ThermaCool.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Thermage's ThermaCool TC system)
May 1, 2005... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Radiofrequency tissue tightening using Thermage's ThermaCool TC system has gained favor for wrinkle reduction with the standard use of a single pass of the device, but better results and greater tolerance are seen with a...

Expert offers practical nail surgery pearls.(Dermatologic Surgery)
May 1, 2005... MONTEREY, CALIF. -- Nail surgery can be fun, and dermatologists are perfectly positioned to offer this treatment to patients, Dr. Stuart J. Salasche said at the annual meeting of the California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery....

PDLs equally good for scar ablation.(Dermatologic Surgery)(pulsed dye lasers)
May 1, 2005... NEw ORLEANS -- The pulsed dye lasers 585 nm and 595 nm are equally effective in surgical-scar ablation, Maria P. Rivas, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. Although there were no significant...

Lasers' effect on acne linked to increased cytokine.(Dermatologic Surgery)
May 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Nonablative laser therapy for acne doesn't kill Propionibacterium aches or decrease sebum production but instead appears to work by inducing a rapid and dramatic increase in transforming growth factor beta, Edward Seaton, M.D.,...

Needle on par with laser for blepharoplasty.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Electrocautery using the Colorado needle appears to be at least as effective as the UltraPulse C[O.sub.2] laser for blepharoplasty, Cameron K. Rokhsar, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic...

Tailor technique for better hidradenitis outcomes.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa is most successful when the surgical technique is tailored to fit the location and extent of disease involvement, Richard J. Kagan, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the Central...

Proper wound care, wrapping essential for all forms of EB.(Clinical Rounds)(epidermolysis bullosa)
May 1, 2005... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Physicians diagnosing epidermolysis bullosa in a newborn have few initial clues about which type of the disease their patient has, or the course it will take, until they do electron microscopy and immunofluorescence testing,...

Lidocaine's OTC presence, allergic reaction rising.(Clinical Rounds)(over-the-counter)
May 1, 2005... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Dermatologists may start seeing allergic reactions to lidocaine more frequently with the increasing use of the substance in many over-the-counter preparations, according to one expert. Although allergy to lidocaine is...

Sublingual immunotherapy safe, effective in children under 5 years.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Sublingual immunotherapy is safe and effective in children younger than 5 years--a group considered ideal for early allergy intervention, according to Italian researchers. "Immunotherapy has been shown to prevent the onset of...

Pain relievers.
May 1, 2005... "I need a Botox job."

New penicillin skin test on horizon for next year.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- A penicillin skin test is expected to return to the market in about 1 year to fill the gap that was left when the original manufacturer, Hollister-Stier, halted production of PrePen in September 2003. The announcement, which...

Isolated limb infusion is safe for melanoma: minimally invasive method of delivering regional chemotherapy is considered easier to perform.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Isolated limb infusion is a safe alternative to isolated limb perfusion in patients with advanced melanoma or soft tissue sarcoma of the limb, Mary Susan Brady, M.D., reported at a symposium sponsored by the Society of Surgical...

Stem cell transplant therapy improves refractory SLE.(Clinical Rounds)(systemic lupus erythematosus)
May 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Patients with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus have had "substantial improvements" following autologous stem cell transplants in an uncontrolled, phase I-II study. The next step is to test the treatment in a...

Advise transplant patients of higher skin ca risk.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... KEY BISCAYNE, FLA. -- With the growing number of organ transplant recipients living longer, dermatologists are more likely to treat and counsel these patients about their significantly higher risk of skin cancers, according to a presentation at...

New recommendations for managing DVT in cancer patients.(Clinical Rounds)(deep vein thrombosis)
May 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Low-molecular-weight heparin should be the drug of choice for the initial treatment of deep vein thrombosis in cancer patients, according to new management recommendations developed by the National Comprehensive Cancer...

Dark skin tied to later cancer Dx, poorer survival.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Melanoma and other skin cancers in blacks and Hispanics are likely to be discovered at a more advanced stage and are associated with significantly poorer survival rates, researchers said at the annual meeting of the American...

Sarcoidosis in blacks presents diagnostic puzzle.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Because of its myriad presentations on black skin, sarcoidosis can be called "the great imitator," Rebat Halder, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. "The appearance on the skin can have...

Neurofibromatosis: normal ca rates in adulthood.(Clinical Rounds)(breast cancer)
May 1, 2005... GRAPEVINE, TEX.--Patients with a history of neurofibromatosis type 1 do not have an increased risk of cancer after they reach adulthood, according to findings from a study conducted in Denmark. In a long-term follow-up study of 212...

Pegasys-Copegus, Symlin.(New & Approved)
May 1, 2005... Pegasys-Copegus (peginterferon-alfa-2a and ribavirin, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.) A pegylated (long-acting) form of interferon alone or in combination with the antiviral ribavirin for treating chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in...

Are you fluent in dermatology's colorful terms? Specialty's adjective-rich, descriptive imagery boosts recall of several classic cutaneous presentations.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... STOWE, VT. -- A dermatology case report can be something of a parallel universe in which a string of pearls is not jewelry, a deck chair is not furniture, and snail tracks are not the calling card of tiny mollusks. "Dermatology has more...

Use sex hormone-binding globulin as screen for PCOS.(Clinical Rounds)(polycystic ovary syndrome)
May 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- A sex hormone binding globulin assay is one of the best tests a dermatologist can order when screening patients for potential polycystic ovary syndrome, Mary Gail Mercurio, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.(Drug Update)
May 1, 2005... Bronchodilators are the first-line pharmacologic treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The choices are the anticholinergics ipratropium bromide and tiotropium bromide and the short-and long-acting [beta]-agonists. COPD treatment...

Look past ulcers to diagnose Behcet's, aphthosis.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... HOUSTON -- Strict adherence to diagnostic criteria for Behcet's disease can lead physicians to misdiagnose patients who actually have complex aphthosis, Peter J. Lynch, M.D., warned at a conference on vulvovaginal diseases sponsored by Baylor...

Keep current with erosive vulvovaginal disorders.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... HOUSTON -- Elizabeth "Libby" Edwards, M.D., gave an overview of erosive, noninfectious skin diseases at a conference on vulvovaginal diseases sponsored by Baylor College of Medicine. According to Dr. Edwards, chief of dermatology at the...

Drug changes can reverse lipoatrophy in HIV.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... BOSTON -- Switching antiretroviral medications can reduce the incidence and severity of drug-induced lipoatrophy in some HIV patients, according to studies presented at a conference on retroviruses and opportunistic infections. ...

In HIV therapy adherence, almost isn't good enough.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... Being almost compliant with antiretroviral therapy was associated with a sharp increase in the risk that HIV-infected patients would develop resistance to one or more of the drugs, R Richard Harrigan, Ph.D., reported at an American Medical...

Feds outline flu pandemic preparedness plan.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... BALTIMORE -- Acknowledging that "flu has a huge news factor," Bruce Gellin, M.D., spelled out the federal influenza pandemic preparedness plan at a biodelense research meeting sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology. The...

Inhaled corticosteroids indicated for some asthma.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... Children with mild to moderate persistent asthma who have low pulmonary function and/or elevated signs of allergic inflammation should be treated with inhaled corticosteroids. Other asthmatic children could receive a trial of either inhaled...

Cardiac problems may appear late in Kawasaki.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Cardiac abnormalities in patients with Kawasaki disease may appear well after their short-term treatment phase, even in those with no previous evidence of cardiac involvement, results from a follow-up study show. The results...

Distinguish diaper psoriasis from seborrheic dermatitis.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... BAL HARBOUR, FLA. -- Diaper-area psoriasis, also known as napkin psoriasis, is a fairly common finding in children, Amy Paller, M.D., said at the annual Masters of Pediatrics conference sponsored by the University of Miami. Although...

Infliximab and TB.(Clinical Capsules)(tuberculosis)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Patients with infliximab-induced tuberculosis may be at increased risk of a paradoxical response to antituberculous therapy, Carolina Garcia Videl, M.D., of the University of Barcelona (Spain) and her colleagues reported. A retrospective...

TB trends.(Clinical Capsules)(tuberculosis)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The tuberculosis case rate in the United States is declining, but the rate of decline from 2003 to 2004 was the lowest in a decade, and racial disparities remain a concern, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More...

Hepatitis B: mono vs. combo therapy.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... In the treatment of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients who had chronic hepatitis B, sustained viral response rates after discontinuing treatment were similar to those treated with pegylated interferon alfa-2b alone and those who...

SARS recommendations.(Clinical Capsules)(severe acute respiratory syndrome)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Another outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is likely, and research is needed to better understand the etiology and to establish more specific treatment options, according to an expert panel convened by the National Heart,...

Smallpox vaccine.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... A cell-cultured smallpox vaccine can provide a safe and immunogenic alternative to the currently approved calf-lymph-derived vaccine, a randomized controlled study suggests. Of 350 vaccinia-naive and non-naive volunteers studied, 349 had...

FDA approves entecavir for chronic hepatitis B.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- Entecavir, an oral antiviral drug that has several advantages over currently available treatments for chronic hepatitis B, was approved recently by the Food and Drug Administration. The approval came subsequent to the...

Pruritus, xerosis ubiquitous in nursing homes.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- The two most common dermatologic problems facing patients in nursing homes are pruritus and xerosis, Robert A. Norman, M.D., wrote in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. Dr....

Bleeding risk high with moderate aspirin dose.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... ORLANDO, FLA. -- When it comes to prescribing daily aspirin for the prevention or treatment of vascular events, the lowest risk of bleeding complications in a new metaanalysis involving more than 192,000 patients was seen at dosages less than...

Study quantifies familial risk of CHD, stroke.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2005... GRAPEVINE, TEX. -- A strong family history of heart disease can increase an individual's future risk for coronary heart disease fourfold, and even a moderate family history can lead to a twofold increase in risk, a population-based study has...

WHO says no to underage tanning.(Policy & Practice)(World Health Organization)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... No individual under age 18 should use a tanning bed, according to the World Health Organization. Young people who I get burned from exposure to UV light will have a greater risk of developing melanoma later in life and studies show a direct...

Skin cancer education.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Medical students generally want earlier exposure to how to do a skin cancer exam and how to provide patient education, according to interviews and focus groups of students and dermatology educators from five U.S. medical schools. The research...

Rise in facial plastic surgery.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... There was a 22% increase in overall cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures from 2003 to 2004, according to a study from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS). The most common procedures in 2004 were...

The cost of skin disease.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Skin disease cost the United States $37 billion each year, according to a study released by the American Academy of Dermatology and the Society for Investigative Dermatology. The most costly skin diseases are skin ulcers and wounds, melanoma,...

Discount cards: not created equal.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Some discount medical cards provide value, while others have serious drawbacks such as high-pressure sales tactics, exaggerated claims of savings, inaccurate promotions, or difficulty finding participating physicians, a survey from the...

'Rent-a-patient' fraud.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Hundreds of patients from across the country underwent unnecessary and sometimes dangerous surgical procedures that resulted in the submission of tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent medical claims, according to a $30 million lawsuit filed...

Conflict-of-interest rules targeted.(Policy & Practice)
May 1, 2005... People with direct financial conflicts of interest should not be put on committees that advise the Food and Drug Administration, a coalition of public interest groups has recommended. Financial conflicts undermine "the public's faith in the...

Blog brings Texas dermatology students together.(Practice Trends)(www.digutmb. blogspot.com)
May 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Some members of the dermatology community are getting in on the latest Internet craze--blogging. A "blog," which is shorthand for "Web log," can be anything from an online diary to a list of Web links. Blogging has really...

AAMC explores ways of curbing med school debt.(Practice Trends)(Association of American Medical Colleges)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... U.S. medical schools need to improve their tuition- and fee-setting processes to help students pay off their debts, the Association of American Medical Colleges concluded in a new study. The median indebtedness of medical school graduates...

Class actions against some insurers now closer to reality.(Practice Trends)
May 1, 2005... Physicians frustrated with seemingly arbitrarily denied claims will have their day in court later this year with at least six insurers, thanks to a recent Supreme Court decision to deny the plans' appeal of a class action suit. But settlements...

New federal law will limit class-action lawsuits.(Practice Trends)
May 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- People who have suffered adverse outcomes due to drugs or medical devices may face more delays in suing manufacturers for damages now that federal class-action lawsuit legislation has been signed into law. The law, known as...

Raising a child with special needs.(The Rest of Your Life)
May 1, 2005... It's been 10 years since Elyse May was born with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, but her mother, Michelle May, M.D., remembers the experience as if it were yesterday. While Dr. May suspected that her daughter had congenital adrenal...

How to run effective office meetings.(Managing Your Dermatology Practice)
May 1, 2005... "What do you discuss at office meetings?" a colleague wrote me recently. "We used to hold them monthly, and I never thought we accomplished anything. So now we don't bother anymore." It's a comment I hear fairly often. Doctors and...

Many group practices stand by their trusty paper records.(Practice Trends)
May 1, 2005... Most group practices are still using paper medical records and charts, according to preliminary results from a survey by the Medical Group Management Association. "Paper is still the dominant mode of data collection," William F. Jessee,...

Medicare joins the pay-for-performance troops.(Practice Trends)
May 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is jumping on the pay-for-performance bandwagon, but members of a physician advisory group warned CMS officials to be careful how they go about it. "I'm only hoping that you'll...

Critical elements missing from the management of atopic dermatitis.(SUPPPORTING HEALTHY SKIN IN PATIENTS WITH DERMATOSES)
May 1, 2005... Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common, chronic, and potentially debilitating inflammatory skin diseases. Acute symptom relief can be achieved with today's therapeutic options, but an approach that can safely manage the disease over the...

Diagnosis: Langerhans cell histiocytosis.(Case of the Month)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... KEY BISCAYNE, FLA. -- The 46-year-old patient once again saw an ear, nose, and throat specialist, who ordered a biopsy of the ear. He also saw a dermatologist for a groin rash and had a separate skin biopsy performed. Laboratory tests indicated...