Skin & Allergy News articles from September 2005

Skin & Allergy News archives from September 2005

Be ready to treat radiation injury.
September 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- The mantra for the new world order is "It is not if, but when," and dermatologists now must be prepared to care for victims of radiation injury resulting from terrorist events, Lt. Col. Norvell V. Coots, MC, USA, said at the annual...

Case of the month.(Letterer-Siwe disease)
September 1, 2005... A girl born at 41 weeks' gestation was apneic upon delivery and had a rash from head to toe. She was immediately intubated and sent to the NICU. Skin exam showed erythematous papules with purpura, crusting, and ulceration that involved the...

FDA announces new program for isotretinoin Rx: physicians required to comply by Dec. 31.
September 1, 2005... In a move that caught many in the medical community by surprise, the Food and Drug Administration last month announced a comprehensive--and mandatory--risk management program for the teratogenic acne drug isotretinoin and demands complete...

Biologics' reach may soon extend beyond psoriasis.
September 1, 2005... CHICACO -- One of the most exciting trends to emerge in dermatology in the last year is the use of biologic therapies for diseases other than psoriasis, according to Kenneth B. Gordon, M.D. "I think that's going to be the next line for...

Nonmelanoma skin cancer incidence increasing, especially in women.(News)
September 1, 2005... In people younger than 40 years, the combined rate of basal and squamous cell carcinomas increased by 74% from 1976 to 2003, Leslie J. Christenson, M.D., and colleagues have reported. From 1976 to 1979, the combined incidence of basal and...

Vital signs.(News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... More Than Half of Patients Discussed Health Information Found Online With Their Physician in the Past Year Always 15% Never 43% Sometimes 25% Once or twice 18% Note: Based on a nationwide survey of...

'Noncompliant' claims won't be paid as of Oct. 1.(News)
September 1, 2005... Hello, October--goodbye, paper Medicare claims. Oct. 1 marks the date that physicians and other providers may no longer submit any paper Medicare claims; electronically filed claims not in compliance with federal regulations also are...

With Palladone pulled, FDA eyes other opioids: concern that other extended-relief products may interact fatally with alcohol triggers scrutiny.(News)
September 1, 2005... Shortly after Purdue Pharma announced in July that it was taking its 24-hour opioid Palladone off the market due to a potentially fatal interaction with alcohol, the Food and Drug Administration said it was looking into the possibility that...

Oral contraceptive safety reviewed in adolescents.(News)
September 1, 2005... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- No new safety concerns were raised by a review of adverse events reported during a recent 1-year period in adolescents taking a combination oral contraceptive, according to Jean Wendy Temeck, M.D., of the Food and Drug...

Panel develops Thermage guidelines to promote safe, consistent results.(News)
September 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- Treatment guidelines developed by a multispecialty panel of laser physicians will ensure more consistent results and eliminate surface irregularities previously reported with use of the Thermage radiofrequency skin-tightening...

A tale from Wales: keratin-disorder cohort's 25 years as retinoid pioneers are chronicled.(News)
September 1, 2005... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND -- A quarter century ago, a cohort of 30 patients with disorders of keratinization became pioneers at Cardiff University in Wales, being one of the first groups in the world to receive the oral retinoid etretinate for these...

Early pimecrolimus in children may halt flares.(News)
September 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Initiating treatment with pimecrolimus cream 1% during the early signs of atopic dermatitis in infants and children significantly reduced the incidence of flares, prolonged flare-free intervals, and reduced the need for a topical...

Complications relatively rare with dermatologic surgeries.(News)
September 1, 2005... PARIS -- Despite the relatively high number of procedures dermatologists perform, the incidence of complications in dermatologic surgery is relatively low, a new study suggests. A prospective study of 3,788 consecutive surgical dermatologic...

Global attention needed to combat HIV/AIDS epidemic.(News)
September 1, 2005... The HIV/AIDS epidemic can be controlled but only with intensified global attention in the form of funding and leadership, United Nations officials and AIDS experts said in response to a status report by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. ...

More letters to referral sources.(Under My Skin)
September 1, 2005... Dear Children, You adorable little tykes sure don't hold things back the way we grownups do (sometimes). If you think it, you say it. That's why I'm so grateful to you for asking your Mom, "What are those ugly brown spots on your...

Pain relievers.(Opinion)(Cartoon)
September 1, 2005... "The people on the commercials are having so much fun, I'm looking forward to getting the disease." "Not only didn't he turn into a prince, but he game me these awful warts!" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Fillers: beyond the mythic "ideal".(facial fillers)(Editorial)
September 1, 2005... Many speakers include a slide on "the Ideal Filler" in their talks at cosmetic dermatology seminars. I don't have such a slide for my presentations, because there is no ideal filler. There is not now; there never will be. Every time...

One physician's role in dermatology.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... I would agree that nonphysicians who are encroaching into the practice of cosmetic dermatology are a problem, but I disagree about the nondermatologists ("Derm Wannabes Raise Hackles," July 2005, p.1). In contrast to the lead article was...

Pay for performance and better care.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... I am at a loss regarding Dr. Charles K. Francis's "pro" comments in a recent issue ("Would pay for performance result in better care?" Pro & Con, July 2005, p. 12). Dr. Francis made the case for performance measures potentially being an...

EHR interoperability still a worry.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... Upfront costs remain the biggest stumbling block to adoption of electronic health records, especially by smaller practices ("Panel Says Incentives Would Spur Adoption of Health IT," July 2005, p.68). Physicians are also concerned about...

Provisions for marijuana Rx.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... The issue of "medical" marijuana, which is not going to go away anytime soon despite its debatable benefits, must be addressed in a reasonable manner, preferably by the medical community first ("Supreme Court Ruling Stirs the Pot," Guest...

The court got it right on marijuana.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... Dr. Marcus Conant writes of morality and politics when in fact the Supreme Court case, Gonzales v. Raich, had to do with neither ("Supreme Court Ruling Stirs the Pot," Guest Editorial, July 2005, p. 14). The decision in that case had to do...

Medical marijuana: an oxymoron?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... The Supreme Court was correct to hold that smoked marijuana is not medicine ("Supreme Court Ruling Stirs the Pot," Guest Editorial, July 2005, p. 14). The Food and Drug Administration has never approved of smoked marijuana as medicine. Our...

Let cool heads prevail.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... Relative to the diatribe by Dr. Marcus Conant, marijuana is not a medicine by any stretch of a sober person's imagination ("Supreme Court Ruling Stirs the Pot," Guest Editorial, July 2005, p. 14). Legislative actions [to legalize...

Health IT support: no 'stark' kickback.(Guest Editorial)
September 1, 2005... Physician adoption of electronic health records is woefully inadequate, and current Stark and antikickback laws are part of the problem. Congress should pass reforms that create new exceptions to these statutes so that hospital systems and...

Words you hate to hear.(Editorial)
September 1, 2005... Several months ago I asked my fellow physicians to send in words that they hate to hear. These are those aggravating little phrases that seem to be spoken at exactly the wrong times--like when you had hoped to take a quick lunch break or at the...

AKs clear with short course of imiquimod.(Dermatologic Therapy)(actinic keratoses)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- A majority of patients with actinic keratoses can use a shorter dosing regimen of imiquimod 5% cream than the established twice-weekly, 16-week regimen, according to data presented in a poster at the American Academy of Dermatology's...

Low-dose flutamide improves refractory acne in women.(Dermatologic Therapy)
September 1, 2005... QUEBEC CITY -- Dosages of the androgen receptor blocker flutamide at 125 mg/day appear to be effective in treating acne in women who have not responded to other medications, James C. Shaw, M.D., reported at the annual conference of the Canadian...

Two case reports show side effect, treatment success for imiquimod.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... VIENNA -- The use of topical imiquimod 5% can be a cosmetic problem in Asian skin, reported Il-Hwan Kim, M.D., in a poster presentation at the 10th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin. Dr. Kim reported on a single case of an 80-year-old...

Xylitol.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
September 1, 2005... Naturally occurring in various fruits and vegetables, as well as in mushrooms, cereal grains, corncobs, straw, and some seaweeds, xylitol is a polyol (specifically, a pentitol), or the alcohol form of xylose (Caries Res. 2005;39:207-15). ...

Adalimumab for acrodermatitis.(Dermatologic Therapy)
September 1, 2005... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND For--the first time, adalimumab has been used successfully to treat the highly refractory condition acrodermatitis continua, Anne-Marie Tobin, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the British Association of Dermatologists. ...

Extending higher dosage of etanercept found safe.(Dermatologic Theraphy)
September 1, 2005... CHICAGO--Maintaining patients with moderate to severe psoriasis on a higher than recommended dose of etanercept is safe, according to new long-term multi-center phase III data. Whereas the recommended dosing in the United States is for 3...

Fumaric acid Esters help some severe psoriasis patients.(Dermatologic Theraphy)
September 1, 2005... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND--Aproprietary formulation of fumaric acid esters has proved, during decades of use in Germany, to be a useful option for some patients with severe, recalcitrant psoriasis. Although the therapy is less than perfect--with...

Strategy reduces need for further monitoring of alefacept users.
September 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Assessing CD4 T cells at week 4 during the treatment of psoriasis with alefacept can reduce the need for further lymphocyte monitoring in some patients, Jennifer Cather, M.D., reported at the International Psoriasis Symposium...

Examine patient motivation for cosmetic surgery.(Dermatologic Surgery)
September 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS--Six simple words stop Rona Z. Silkiss, M.D., in her tracks after she greets a cosmetic surgery patient by asking, "What can I do for you?" Those words are the response: "I don't know, you're the doctor." Within this...

Deep injection technique may prolong results: tri-site bolus technique treats an area often uncorrected after facelift or blepharoplasty.(Dermatologic Surgery)
September 1, 2005... QUEBEC C1TY--A series of deep injections with hyaluronic acid fillers to lift the cheek and lower eyelid regions appears to provide long-term cosmetic results, Wayne Carey, M.D., said at the annual conference of the Canadian Dermatology...

Pulsed dye laser effective for genital warts in men.(Dermatologic Surgery)
September 1, 2005... PARIS -- The pulsed dye laser can selectively destroy anogenital warts in men without damaging surrounding skin, Ashraf Badawi, M.D., reported at the Fourth International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology World Congress. A prospective,...

Don't delay treatment of skin tumors in children.(Dermatologic Surgery)
September 1, 2005... PARIS -- To obtain the best cosmetic results, you must intervene early in pediatric dermatologic tumors, Patrick A. Diner, M.D., said at the Fourth International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology World Congress. A common misconception is that...

Expert describes signs of deep fungal infections.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Although deep fungal infections are rarely seen in North American children, they can present in those who visit or emigrate from tropical or subtropical areas of the world, Hector Caceres-Rios, M.D., said at the annual meeting of...

Assess ocular hemangiomas that occur with astigmatism or amblyopia.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... QUEBEC CITY -- Periorbital hemangiomas that appear small clinically may reveal characteristics on ultrasound or radiologic imaging that should prompt an ophthalmologic evaluation, Julie Powell, M.D., reported at the annual conference of the...

Prednisolone effective when IVIG fails in Kawasaki disease.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... A 3-day course of prednisolone appears effective in Kawasaki disease patients who are unresponsive to multiple infusions of intravenous immunoglobulin, Seiichiro Takeshita, M.D., and colleagues reported. Their success in treating...

Know the signs of dermatomyositis and systemic lupus erythematosus: in children, overlooking or misinterpreting certain dangerous symptoms can be lethal.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Some of the telltale signs of dermatomyositis appear on the skin, so it's important to become familiar with them, Ilona S. Szer, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. A malar rash that...

Resection advised for neurofibromas in children.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... PARIS -- Resection can't be too early or too aggressive when treating neurofibroma in children, reported McKay McKinnon, M.D., at the Fourth International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology World Congress. Neurofibroma is a usually benign...

Encourage SCHIP eligibility inquiry.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is asking physicians to encourage parents to call a toll-free number, 877-KIDS-NOW, as part of the Covering Kids & Families initiative to find out if their uninsured children are eligible for Medicaid or the...

Doctor repudiates "no pain for infants" paradigm.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Not only do infants feel pain and remember painful experiences, but this pain may be magnified in the very young, said Robert M. Kennedy, M.D., at the first annual Advanced Pediatric Emergency Medicine Assembly. "When I first...

Levemir.(NEW & APPROVED)
September 1, 2005... Levemir (insulin detemir [rDNA origin] injection, Novo Nordisk) A long-acting basal insulin analog with up to 24 hours duration of action for adults with diabetes mellitus who require long-acting insulin. The second basal insulin; the first...

Rozerem.(NEW & APPROVED)
September 1, 2005... Rozerem (ramelteon, Takeda) A melatonin receptor agonist for treating insomnia characterized by difficulty with sleep onset. The first hypnotic approved for insomnia with this mechanism of action and the first that is not scheduled as a...

Vulvar diseases common in HIV-positive women: increase seen in vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia points to need for more thorough screening.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... BETHESDA, MD. -- HIV-infected women shed more human papilloma virus, have higher rates of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and are diagnosed more frequently with vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) than are women who are not...

Apligraf used to construct congenitally absent vagina.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Apligraf has been used successfully to line a new vagina in a patient with Mayer-Rokitansky-KusterHauser syndrome. The human skin equivalent derived from human infant foreskin has been used widely for wound repair, but this...

Cast wider patch test net for contact dermatitis.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... HERSHEY, PA. -- Standard screening allergens are no match for the proliferating cosmetic and personal care products now in use, and the number of patients who will have contact dermatitis to ingredients that will not be identified with standard...

Source of contact dermatitis may be trauma, not allergens.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... HERSHEY, PA. -- Substantial or even minor trauma to the skin may precipitate irritant contact dermatitis in patients, especially after surgery or exposure to occupational hazards, James S. Taylor, M.D., said at a meeting on contact dermatitis...

Dermatitis in a mechanic? It may be the chemicals.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... HERSHEY, PA. -- A new onset of dermatitis in an auto mechanic should raise clinical suspicion for contact allergy to isothiazolinone preservatives that are found in many car repair and maintenance products, Bruce A. Brod, M.D., said at a...

New Tdap vaccine recommended for ages 11-18.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- The new adolescent / adult formula tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine should be routinely administered to 11- to 12-year-olds, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices...

Resistant infections tied to worsened outcomes.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... BETHESDA, MD. -- Evidence suggests that multidrug-resistant gram-negative organisms contribute to worse patient outcomes if patients are not severely ill, Arjun Srinivasan, M.D., said at an annual conference on antimicrobial resistance...

Know the skin-related signs of Kawasaki disease.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Be vigilant about changes to the skin that suggest a diagnosis of Kawasaki disease in infants and children, Jane Burns, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society of Pediatric Dermatology. "We don't want to miss the...

Small study: B-cell depletion helpful in lupus-linked CNS.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... VIENNA -- B-cell depletion with rituximab led to significant improvements in patients with CNS neuropsychiatric disability associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, according to a preliminary report presented by C. Michael Neuwelt, M.D., at...

Consider Demodex mites regardless of immune status.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... PARIS -- Dermatologists search for Demodex folliculorum in patients with immunosuppression because they think it is pathogenic, but they often don't search for the mite in normal patients, Fabienne Forton, M.D., said at the 4th International...

Carbapenem: poor defense against [beta]-lactamase--producing organisms.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... BETHESDA, MD. -- Patients infected with extended-spectrum [beta]-lactamase-producing organisms did not have significantly lower mortality if treated with a carbapenem, compared with untreated patients (25.8% vs. 26.1%), reported Jeremias L....

Timing and choice of antibiotic Tx are key to diabetic foot care.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Clinical symptoms are critical when distinguishing between uninfected and mildly infected diabetic foot lesions, Warren S. Joseph, D.P.M., reported at the Vascular Annual Meeting. For instance, lack of cellulitis indicates lack...

NSAIDs' class effect on MI risk affirmed in largest 'by far' study.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Although the cyclooxygenase-2-selective NSAIDs have acted as lightning rods for recent concern regarding cardiovascular risk, the reality is that many traditional NSAIDs carry as great or even greater associated risks of acute...

[beta]-blockers for heart failure.(Drug Update)
September 1, 2005... Since the late 1990s, B-blockers have been part of the standard regimen for reducing mortality and hospitalizations among patients with heart failure. Results from several clinical trials showed that [beta]-blocker treatment produces about...

NSAIDs' safety issues may spur clinical change.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... VIENNA -- What are the clinical ramifications of the growing body of evidence questioning the cardiovascular safety of NSAIDs? Thomas J. Schnitzer, M.D., has seen the writing on the wall: There will be a marked reduction in the long-term...

Omega-3 caps touted as triglyceride cutters.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... COLORADO SPRINGS -- Omega-3 fatty acid capsules are an excellent alternative to traditional fibrates or niacin for triglyceride lowering, John A. Merenich, M.D., said at a meeting of the Colorado chapter of the American College of Physicians....

More studies needed on new insomnia therapies.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2005... New benzodiazepine receptor agonists for chronic insomnia--zaleplon, zolpidem, and eszopiclone--have shown fewer adverse effects compared with other medications, but additional studies are needed to assess these drugs' long-term effectiveness,...

Purpura fulminans tied to S. aureus.(staphylococcus aureus)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Five recent cases of purpura fulminans associated with Staphylococcus aureus strains that produce high levels of superantigens suggest that this is a newly emerging clinical entity, Gary R. Kravitz, M.D., an infectious disease specialist in...

Pneumococcal vaccine deemed safe.(Clinical Capsules)
September 1, 2005... Receiving three or more doses of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine does not appear to increase the risk of serious adverse events, a retrospective study has shown. Only 1 of 179 persons who received three or more doses of 23-valent...

West Nile virus slows in 2005.(Clinical Capsules)
September 1, 2005... Significantly fewer cases of West Nile virus infection have been reported so far in 2005, compared with this time last year, but federal officials warn the season is still early. By mid-July, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

Dengue infections confirmed.(Clinical Capsules)
September 1, 2005... A total of 77 cases of travel-associated dengue infection were confirmed in the United States from 2001 to 2004, according to the CDC. Commonly reported symptoms of the infection included fever, headache, myalgias, chills, and rash. In...

Spotlighting epidermolysis bullosa.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Members of Congress are trying to raise the public awareness of epidermolysis bullosa by the creation of a national awareness week. Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) introduced a resolution (H. Res. 335) this summer that...

Psoriasis awareness increases.(Policy & Practice)
September 1, 2005... Psoriasis advocates are also celebrating increased awareness on Capitol Hill. As the National Psoriasis Foundation was ramping up awareness activities last month, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution officially designating August 2005 as...

Bill would repeal SGR.(Policy & Practice)
September 1, 2005... Physician groups are hailing the fact that a forthcoming bill from Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.), chair of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, would repeal Medicare's current sustainable growth rate and base future updates for...

Wisconsin loses cap on damages.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The Wisconsin Supreme Court's decision to remove a 30-year-old cap on noneconomic damages in malpractice cases opens the door for a medical liability crisis, the American Medical Association said. The court held that the cap, currently set at...

IT deficit noted among physicians.(Policy & Practice)
September 1, 2005... Most Medicare fee-for-service outpatient visits in 2001 were made to physicians with limited information technology support for patient care, the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) reported. Linking Medicare claims data to HSC's...

Disability call to action debuts.(Policy & Practice)
September 1, 2005... The U.S. Surgeon General has issued his first-ever Call to Action on disability. The new report outlines a series of goals that are aimed at helping individuals who have disabilities to receive better health care. The overall goals include...

Liability fears may slow safety system acceptance.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The patient safety system signed into law this summer by President Bush will likely take many months to implement; but, after operating so long in an environment of liability fear, doctors may take even longer to trust it, said...

New medicare process: limited appeal for elderly?(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2005... A new process for appealing Medicare coverage denials is raising concern among some advocates for senior citizens. "We're concerned about the ability of beneficiaries to get a fair and favorable hearing," said Vicki Gottlich, senior policy...

Onus on physicians to clarify patients' part D drug benefits.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Physician obligation to help patients negotiate the upcoming Medicare Part D outpatient drug benefit will result in "another unfunded mandate" for Medicare providers, Ronald Castellanos, M.D., chairman of the Practicing Physicians...

Medical records: what to keep--part II.(Managing Your Dermatology Practice)
September 1, 2005... Last month I listed the various options for storing your old medical records, and made the case for keeping them indefinitely. (If you missed that column, you can find it on the SKIN & ALLERGY NEWS Web site at www.skinandallergynews.com. Click...

Analysts predict surge in limited insurance policies.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Expect more health plans to offer limited insurance policies for people who are currently uninsured, Robert Laszewski said at a press briefing sponsored by the Center for Studying Health System Change. "Insurers are...

Organizations need HIPAA complaint process.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Health care organizations need a proactive process in place to deal with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act complaints, Teresa A. Williams, in-house counsel for Integris Health Inc., said at the annual meeting of...

AMA House divided on pay for performance.(Practice Trends)(American Medical Association)
September 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- The American Medical Association's new policy on pay for performance will limit its ability to negotiate with Congress, several medical specialty society groups claim. Tensions surfaced at the annual meeting of the AMA's House...

Informing low-literacy patients: clarify, simplify.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2005... IRVINE, CALIF. -- Keep an eye out for patients who are at high risk for low health literacy--typically seniors, immigrants, those with low levels of education, Medicaid recipients, and those in poor health, Jeannette Hilgert said at a meeting...

CMS calls for 4.3% pay reduction next year.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2005... Physicians face a 4.3% cut to Medicare reimbursements next year unless Congress takes action to change the sustainable growth rate formula. The reduction was announced in a proposed rule that would update payment rates and revise payment...

Doctors share their weight-loss strategies.(The Rest of Your Life)
September 1, 2005... When patients came to Nick Yphantides, M.D., for advice on how to lose weight and keep it off, he used to tell them, "Do as I say, not as I do" before replying with specifics. That's because the 6-foot-2-inch physician weighed 467 pounds....