Skin & Allergy News articles from November 2006

Skin & Allergy News archives from November 2006

Ink bodes well for removable tattoos.(Dermatologic Surgery)
November 1, 2006... Dermatologist R. Rox Anderson and a small group of other physicians and investigators plan to market a removable tattoo ink next year, and if the ink lives up to the inventors' expectations, dermatologists will be able to remove permanent...

Atopic dermatitis stabilizes in most western nations; U.S. prevalence, however, continues to rise.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... RHODES, GREECE -- The prevalence of atopic dermatitis appears to be stabilizing in some parts of the Western world, ending what has been considered an epidemic in those areas, but elsewhere it is on the rise, Dr. Anne Braae Olesen reported at...

Total time will tell when coding for iPLEDGE visits.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- The extra time required for prescribing isotretinoin under the iPLEDGE program does not need to go unreimbursed, Dr. Allan Wirtzer said at the annual meeting of the California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. ...

iPLEDGE changes lockout rule.(News)
November 1, 2006... Women who have no chance of becoming pregnant, as well as men, no longer need to observe a 23-day lockout period before they start a new prescription of isotretinoin for the treatment of acne, according to a statement from the Food and Drug...

Report faults FDA for lack of postmarketing focus.(Food and Drug Administration)
November 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration should shift its emphasis from the preapproval period to postmarkethag, when new drugs pose the greatest risk of safety problems, a sweeping report from the Institute of Medicine recommends. Many...

Infliximab approved for severe plaque psoriasis.(News)
November 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration in late September approved infliximab for the treatment of chronic severe plaque psoriasis, based on studies that found treatment resulted in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index 75 scores ranging from 75% to 88%...

Posaconazole approved for fungal infections.(News)
November 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug intended for the prevention of Aspergillus and Candida fungal infections in immunocompromised patients. Posaconazole, to be marketed as Noxafil by Schering-Plough, was approved on...

FDA panel rejects sinusitis indication for gemifloxacin.(News)
November 1, 2006... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has recommended against approving the fluoroquinolone gemifloxacin for the treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis, based on the noninferiority design of the studies submitted...

FDA approves vorinostat for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: Orphan drug is the first histone deacetylase inhibitor; the disease afflicts 3 in 1 million people.(News)
November 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration approved a new drug for the treatment of refractory or recurrent cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, the agency announced in a statement. Vorinostat (Zolinza), the first FDA-approved histone deacetylase (HDAC)...

Cardiovascular risk data added to label of contraceptive patch.(News)
November 1, 2006... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- The Food and Drug Administration has updated the product labeling for the Ortho Evra brand contraceptive patch to include, under the warning section, data from two studies, one of which indicates possible increased risk of...

Lupus patients sought for stem cell transplant study.(News)
November 1, 2006... Researchers are recruiting patients with severe and active systemic lupus erythematosus to participate in a pilot study involving hemapoietic stem cell transplant. Potential participants with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) should be...

New melanoma metastasis risk factors are identified; past history of nonmelanoma skin cancer and of cancer other than skin should be added to the list.(News)
November 1, 2006... NOORDWIJK, NETHERLANDS -- The list of risk factors associated with the development of metastases in melanoma should be expanded by two, Jeremy Brauer wrote in a prizewinning poster presented at a conference on melanoma sponsored by Imedex Inc....

Controversy over equine melanoma has a more human explanation.(News)
November 1, 2006... PORTLAND, ORE. -- Several cases of the puzzling entity "equine melanoma" or "'animal-type melanoma" are in fact examples of metastasized melanoma in which the primary lesion has regressed and left melanophages, Dr. Terry L. Barrett said at the...

CDC urges routine HIV screening for ages 13-64.(News)
November 1, 2006... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that voluntary HIV screening be a routine part of medical care for all patients between the ages of 13 and 64 years. The recommendations are intended to simplify the HIV testing...

President's veto will cost lives.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... President Bush's recent veto of a bill to provide federal funding for embryonic stem cell research is dismaying but not surprising, considering the continual pandering among Republicans to the Religious Right ("President Bush Vetoes Expansion...

Physicians pushed into concierge care.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... The article on concierge motives was informative, but it raised more questions than answers ("Concierge Care: Money Is Not the Sole Motive," August 2006, p. 49). I have a fee-for-service rheumatology/pain management practice. I have opted...

Correction.(Correction notice)
November 1, 2006... The headline that appeared with the article "Taclonex Improves Psoriasis in the Short Term, Long Term Unclear" (SKIN & ALLERGY NEWS, August 2006, p. 30) instead should have said that "Taclonex Improves Psoriasis Short and Long Term." ...

Why are you prescribing that, Doc?(Under My Skin)
November 1, 2006... "I've had this groin rash for weeks," says Harry. "Dr. Skimpole's tried different creams." Harry dumps tubes from a plastic bag onto his lap. The first is ketoconazole, the second fluocinonide, the third mupirocin. Good question: What was...

The bright side of iPLEDGE.(Guest Editorial)
November 1, 2006... While the transition to iPLEDGE has certainly been painful, with a remarkably steep learning curve, things are getting better. The iPLEDGE call center, which was woefully understaffed and provided inconsistent information early on, has reduced...

New drugs could slow rise in fungal infections.(Dermatologic Therapy)
November 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- The incidence of cutaneous fungal infections is on the rise in the United States, and the old standby antifungal drugs aren't working as well as they used to, Dr. Ted Rosen said at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy 2006...

Fusidic acid resistance persists despite moves to curb use.(Dermatologic Therapy)
November 1, 2006... MANCHESTER, ENGLAND -- Levels of fusidic acid-resistant Staphylococcus aureus have not fallen despite efforts to limit the use of this topical antibiotic, suggesting that a community reservoir of resistance has developed, Dr. Angana Mitra said...

Paclitaxel additive doubles survival in melanoma.(Dermatologic Therapy)
November 1, 2006... NOORDWIJK, NETHERLANDS -- The addition of a novel small-molecule compound to paclitaxel in metastatic melanoma resulted in a doubling of progression-free survival time from 2 to 4 months, Dr. Stephen O'Day reported at a conference on melanoma...

Boswellia.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
November 1, 2006... The Boswellia serrata tree is native to central and western India, where it is known as salai guggal. It is a member of the Burseraceae family, which comprises roughly 30 tree and bush species found in India, the Middle East, and East Africa....

Investigational drug improves mild to moderate atopic dermatitis.(Dermatologic Therapy)
November 1, 2006... PARIS -- An investigational anti-inflammatory drug shows promise in reducing the severity of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis, Dr. Karl Beutner said in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the European Society for Dermatological...

IVIG benefits pediatric Stevens-Johnson patients.(Dermatologic Therapy)
November 1, 2006... SAN ANTONIO -- Most pediatric patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome showed clinical improvement after treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, Dr. Denise W. Metry said at a meeting of Skin Disease Education Foundation. Researchers...

Skin barrier function repair is the next step in atopic dermatitis treatment.(Dermatologic Therapy)
November 1, 2006... SAN ANTONIO -- Treatment of atopic dermatitis in pediatric patients is shifting from symptom control to repair of the skin barrier function, Dr. Rebecca Lynn Smith said at a meeting of Skin Disease Education Foundation. "It used to be we...

Rituximab effective in difficult pemphigus cases.(Dermatologic Therapy)
November 1, 2006... PARIS -- The monoclonal antibody rituximab appears to be effective in the treatment of recalcitrant and relapsing forms of pemphigus and may act through several mechanisms, according to data presented at the annual meeting of the European...

British study links psoriasis with higher MI risk.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... Psoriasis appears to be an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction, conferring the same magnitude of risk as other major cardiac risk factors, according to Dr. Joel M. Gelfand of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and his...

Post--kidney-transplant Prograf may spur diabetes.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... BOSTON -- Use of tacrolimus after kidney transplantation may be a risk factor for new-onset diabetes and impaired fasting glucose that should be considered when choosing immunosuppressive regimens, speakers said at the 2006 World Transplant...

Autoreactive response seen in psoriasis therapy.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... MANCHESTER, ENGLAND -- A psoriasis fare accompanied by an elevated antistreptolysin O titer during treatment with a biologic agent may represent an autoreactive response, Dr. David A. Fairhurst said in a poster session at the annual meeting of...

Time is key in thwarting DRESS syndrome effects.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... SAN ANTONIO -- Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome is a severe drug hypersensitivity reaction syndrome that can manifest weeks after initiation of therapy, so detective work may be needed to identify and quickly stop the...

Gender differences seen among melanoma cases.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Melanoma of the foot and ankle occurred far more commonly in women than in men, but men were more likely to have thicker tumors associated with a worse prognosis, Dr. Hugh T. Greenway said at the annual meeting of the California...

Melanocytes may masquerade as melanoma in situ.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- An accurate diagnosis of melanoma in situ is often lifesaving, but its histology can be difficult to distinguish from benign histologic findings, Dr. Philip E. LeBoit said at the annual meeting of the California Society of...

Surgery gaining as metastatic melanoma option.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... NOORDWIJK, NETHERLANDS -- Surgery is becoming increasingly important in the management of metastatic melanoma, despite the fact that even patients with isolated, potentially resectable distant metastases may harbor microscopic metastases, Dr....

T-cell booster improves chemo effect in melanoma.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... NOORDWIJK, NETHERLANDS -- An immunomodulatory approach combined with chemotherapy is showing potential benefits in an ongoing phase II trial of patients with stage IV melanoma, Dr. Roberto Camerini said at a conference on melanoma sponsored by...

Odd fungi on the rise, often elude diagnosis.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- The rise in incidence of unusual fungi, especially in immunocompromised individuals, is complicating the diagnosis of cutaneous mycoses, said Dr. Ted Rosen at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy 2006 conference. ...

MRSA common in diabetic foot treatment failure.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- The isolation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, either alone or as part of a polymicrobial infection, was associated with treatment failure in 35% of patients with a diabetic foot infection, Dr. Matthew E. Falagas...

Chemicals may prompt false rubber allergy dx.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... WINNIPEG, MAN. -- Nearby chemicals can trigger allergic contact dermatitis attributed to rubber allergy, Dr. Josephine Okwechime said at the annual conference of the Canadian Dermatology Association. A retrospective study of 206 patients...

Inherited disorders shed light on desmosomes; several diseases can be traced to mutations in the complexes that form epithelial cell junctions.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... PARIS -- Over the last several years, reports and studies of several inherited desmosome disorders have shed light on the role of desmosome components in skin biology, Dr. John McGrath said at the annual meeting of the European Society for...

Sun, ethnicity links questioned in actinic prurigo.
November 1, 2006... PORTLAND, ORE. -- A disorder once considered a variant of polymorphous light eruption in Native Americans may be neither a form of PMLE nor a condition limited to Native Americans, Dr. Lisa H. Williams said at the annual meeting of the Pacific...

Allergy-related illnesses on the rise in kids.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... The overall prevalence of childhood asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema is increasing in many countries, particularly in younger children, but there is good news in regard to asthma prevalence in older children, according to the...

Data collected on CTCL in children.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... MONTREAL -- Hypopigmented mycosis fungoides is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in children, and CTCL that occurs in children typically presents at an early stage, Dr. Elena Pope said at the annual meeting of the Society for...

Pediatric inflammatory nevus signals psoriasis risk.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... MONTREAL -- Pediatric inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus may be a manifestation of an underlying psoriatic predisposition, according to results of a retrospective study presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric...

Interview, exam are equally valuable in vulvar dx.(diagnosis)
November 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Patience, persistence, and asking patients the right questions are key to diagnosing vulvar disease, Dr. Erika Klemperer said at the annual meeting of the California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. Does it...

Address androgen excess in women with hirsutism symptoms.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... SAN ANTONIO -- Address the underlying androgen excess when a woman presents for correction of cutaneous effects of hyperandrogenism, Dr. Ellen E. Wilson said at a meeting of Skin Disease Education Foundation. Polycystic ovarian syndrome...

Genital lesions common in oral lichen planus.
November 1, 2006... PORTLAND, ORE. -- Gingival lichen planus, particularly forms that are erosive, ulcerative, or bullous, should raise the red flag of suspicion about the presence of genital lesions, Dr. Roy S. Rogers III said at the Pacific Northwest...

Age takes its toll from head to toe.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... SAN ANTONIO -- Older women are at increased risk for a number of skin conditions, including alopecia, xerosis, and foot ulcers, compared with younger women, according to a presentation at a meeting sponsored by Skin Disease Education...

Interventions lower barriers to IUD use.(intrauterine devices)
November 1, 2006... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- Specific interventions to increase the availability of intrauterine devices hold considerable potential for improving the use of these convenient and highly effective contraceptive tools, Dr. Suzan Goodman said at the annual...

Check HIV patients for comorbid herpes, syphilis.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Clinicians should be proactive in checking their HIV patients for herpes and syphilis because of the risk of coinfection, Dr. Connie Celum said at the Ryan White CARE Act meeting on HIV treatment. "If you don't look for STDs...

Flap surgery can prevent diabetic foot amputation.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Amputation of the diabetic foot can be prevented by surgical reconstruction using an anterolateral thigh perforator flap, according to a 4-year retrospective study reported by Dr. Joon Pio Hong at the annual meeting of the...

Skin punch biopsy may predict, diagnose neuropathy early.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Analysis of skin punch biopsy specimens has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy. Using this technique, physicians may be able to predict its occurrence in at-risk patients, diagnose diabetic...

Plavix, emend.(New & Approved)
November 1, 2006... Plavix (clopidogrel bisulfate, Sanofi-Aventis/Bristol-Myers Squibb) This antiplatelet agent has a newly approved claim for reducing the rate of death from any cause and the rate of a combined end point of death, reinfarction, or stroke...

Pneumatic device touted as hair-removal pain reliever.(Dermatologic Surgery)
November 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- A novel pneumatic skin-flattening device may reduce the pain associated with laser or light-source hair removal treatments, although comprehensive data are not yet available to verify the results, said Dr. Gary Lask at the annual...

Tumescent anesthesia not just for liposuction.(Dermatologic Surgery)
November 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- Physicians should think outside the liposuction box when it comes to using tumescent anesthesia in dermatologic surgery practices, Dr. Jeffrey A. Klein said at the annual meeting of the California Society of Dermatology and...

IOM to Medicare: phase into pay-for-performance.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2006... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services should gradually replace Medicare's current payment system with a pay-for-performance system that would reward physicians and other providers for efficiency along with patient-centered, quality...

Medicare is losing doctors, says CMS advisory council.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- The failure to address low physician pay and looming reimbursement cuts in the Medicare program is starting to affect beneficiaries, members of Medicare's Practicing Physicians Advisory Council said at a recent meeting of the...

Physician, shield thyself from employee lawsuits.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2006... PORTLAND, ORE. -- As if it weren't aggravating enough to worry about frivolous lawsuits filed by patients, physicians, like all employers, also need to consider their legal liability with regard to their employees. Fortunately, most...

Cosmetics for Calif. oral surgeons.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2006... California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has signed a bill that will grant new privileges to oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The governor vetoed a similar bill in 2005. Board-certified and licensed dentists who have completed an oral and...

Specialty drug demand is inelastic.(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Patients who need expensive specialty drugs will keep using the products even if they have to pay more--and that can drive up the cost of health care, said RAND Corp. researchers, who argued against tight restrictions and higher patient...

Psoriatic arthritis resources.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2006... The National Psoriasis Foundation has partnered with Abbott to provide psoriatic arthritis patients with online tools to manage their symptoms. The Web site, found at www.psoriasis.org/ PATH, offers information on diet, exercise, and reducing...

Coalition seeks more FDA funds.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... A coalition of strange bedfellows has joined together to call on the White House and Congress to increase funding for the Food and Drug Administration, saying that the agency's mission and responsibilities have expanded hugely while its...

Low physician e-mail use.(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Physicians rarely use e-mail to communicate with patients, according to one study, and yet patients overwhelmingly report that they would like to use e-mail to set appointments, talk with the doctor, and receive test results, according to a...

Criteria for 99213 code are met for most visits; documentation is the key: dermatologists often fail to provide the necessary detail in their charts.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- The "vast majority" of dermatologic office visits qualify for a CPT code of 99213, so long as they are properly documented, Dr. Allan S. Wirtzer said at the annual meeting of the California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic...

Tips can ease choice of electronic record system: with President Bush's mandated online EMR only 8 years away, it's not too early to start shopping.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2006... BOCA RAYON, FLA. -- The right electronic medical record software can supercharge efficiency, help cap costs, increase the bottom line, reduce medical errors, and provide better care, according to a talk given at the annual meeting of the...

Consensus elusive on financial disclosure issues.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2006... Officials in charge of disclosing financial interests in research agree that disclosure is important, but are confused about how to do so effectively and appropriately, Kevin P. Weinfurt, Ph.D., and his colleagues reported. Their survey of...

Tuning in to a new frequency.(The Rest of Your Life)
November 1, 2006... After Dr. Thomas C. Shives underwent cervical disk surgery 18 years ago, he could not work for 3 months and was going stir crazy. So he stopped by KROC-AM 1340, a news and talk radio station in Rochester, Minn., to ask if he could deliver...

Selling a medical practice.(Managing Your Dermatology Practice)
November 1, 2006... A generation ago, the sale of a medical practice was much like the sale of any other business: A retiring physician would sell his or her practice to a young doctor and the practice would continue on as before. Occasionally that still happens,...

Electronic prescribing appears to reduce errors in office setting.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2006... SEATTLE -- Electronic prescribing may be a way to significantly reduce medication errors, according to a study that reviewed records involving 749 private-practice patients and more than 1,000 prescriptions. The study found an error rate...

Changes ahead for national practitioner data bank.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2006... PHILADELPHIA -- A new service being offered by the National Practitioner Data Bank will make it easier for hospitals and other institutions to find out when a physician with privileges at their institution has had a data bank report filed on...

Managing office staff across the generation gap.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- A good office staff is essential for a thriving medical practice, and understanding generational differences is key to finding and keeping good employees, Dr. Larry Anderson said at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy...

Diagnosis: disseminated mycobacterium marinum.(Case of the Month)
November 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- The differential diagnosis in this immunocompromised patient pointed to infection, likely complicated by an underlying process related to Crohn's disease and/or pyoderma gangrenosum. Bacterial infection, Mycobacterium...

Radiowave cosmetic surgery.(Products)
November 1, 2006... The Surgitron Dual Frequency unit combines two optimal radiowave frequencies to provide surgical control, precision, versatility, and safety. The high frequency of 4.0 MHz minimizes heat dissipation and thus avoids cellular alteration. Clinical...

Acne treatment comes in pump form.(Products)
November 1, 2006... The BenzaClin (clindamycin 1%, benzoyl peroxide 5% gel) pump 50-g topical gel is the newest dispensing option available to patients with mild to moderate acne. BenzaClin is approved for both inflammatory and noninflammatory acne lesions. For...

High-level, fragrance-free sunblock.(Products)
November 1, 2006... HelioSol SPF 57 is a fragrance-free sunblock with a light, nongreasy feel. It contains avobenzone for UVA protection, and oxybenzone for UVB protection. A stabilizer prevents breakdown of the photo-unstable avobenzone. The sunscreen is...