Family Practice News articles from June 2003

Family Practice News archives from June 2003

Guidelines reframe HT management. (Emphasis On Diuretics).(hypertension)
June 15, 2003... NEW YORK -- New hypertension guidelines issued by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute reflect an urgent need to intervene earlier and more aggressively to prevent high blood pressure from causing serious health consequences. ...

Western U.S. is next frontier for West Nile virus: a cool winter and wet spring may serve to protect much of the East and Midwest. (Summer Forecast).
June 15, 2003... West Nile virus may march westward during the summer of 2003, promulgating disease in record numbers in the Great Plains, the West, and Alaska, two Harvard investigators predict. In the meantime, physicians are urged to stay alert to the...

Intense glucose, HT care may not help diabetics: patients in standard care did just as well. (Type 2 Disease).(hypertension)
June 15, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- After participating for 15 years in a landmark diabetes trial, patients with type 2 diabetes who received intensive glucose and blood pressure management are doing no better 5 years later than patients who received standard care....

Perception of health status linked to depression in patients with diabetes. (Survey Findings).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Patient perception about the effect of diabetes on overall health, rather than disease chronicity, illness severity, and treatment type, probably plays a key role in the "etiology of depression in individuals with diabetes," reported Dr....

Statin lowers risk of recurrent vascular event. (Older Patients Benefit).
June 15, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- High-risk patients who have a first-time major vascular event while on a cholesterol-lowering statin drug reduce their risk of subsequent events by nearly 50% if they remain on statin therapy, according to follow-up data from the...

Panel favors biologic therapy for allergic asthma. (Approval Expected This Month).
June 15, 2003... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- An expert panel has supported the approval of omalizumab, an injectable monoclonal antibody that blocks immunoglobulin E, as a treatment for people aged 12-64 years with moderate to severe allergic asthma. In two...

Preparedness is key.(Editorial)
June 15, 2003... My experience with the nation's first anthrax case taught me that we must better prepare our medical systems to respond to bioterrorism. Only through training can we become prepared. Until local health departments develop and test their...

Talk Back online.
June 15, 2003... TALK BACK ONLINE Have you taken precautions in your practice in response to the threat of SARS? (May 15, 2003, p. 1) YES 58% NO 42% Note: Table made from pie chart

Should [beta]-blockers remain first-line therapy for uncomplicated hypertension in the elderly? (Pro & Con).
June 15, 2003... YES [beta]-Blockers, in combination with diuretics, reduce morbidity and mortality in hypertensive patients as well, and in as many patients, as other medications. ([beta]-blockers are highly effective in the treatment of angina,...

Obesity linked to increased cancer mortality. (Will People Listen?).
June 15, 2003... New evidence of sharply increased cancer mortality in overweight adults offers yet another argument for maintaining a healthy weight--but will people listen? Obesity experts who spoke with this newspaper expressed doubts that findings...

Dietary fiber may cut colon cancer risk after all. (American, European Data).
June 15, 2003... Roughage just might prevent colon cancer after all. Contradicting previous evidence, two large multicenter studies--one American, the other European--have documented a strong association between increased consumption of dietary fiber and...

Radiation injury: what to look for, what to do. (Nuclear Terrorism, Accidents).
June 15, 2003... ATLANTA -- Emergency departments should expect to see several kinds of radiation injury in the event of a nuclear accident or terrorism involving radiation, Dr. Neil Wald said at a conference sponsored by the American College of Occupational...

Triage radiation patients by presenting symptoms. (Focus On Those Who May Live).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... ATLANTA -- An easy to follow flowchart that focuses on symptoms, rather than radiation dose, can allow even inexperienced responders to effectively triage victims of a radiation event, Dr. Michael Kuniak said at a conference sponsored by the...

Military guide outlines response to radiation emergency. (Clinical Rounds).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... The Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute is beta testing a computer program designed to help health care workers manage victims of a radiologic event. The Biodosimetry Assessment Tool (BAT) equips health care providers with...

Cholesterol guidelines 'hopelessly out of date'. (Expert Opinion).
June 15, 2003... SNOWMASS, CoLo. -- National Cholesretol Education Program guidelines need an urgent overhaul, Dr. Robert A. Vogel asserted at a conference sponsored by the American College of Cardiology. "I'm basically here to trash the guidelines. I...

Local officials question smallpox vaccination plan. (Mistrust of CDC Voiced).
June 15, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration's effort to vaccinate health care providers for smallpox was criticized recently by several local health officials, some of whom questioned the credibility of the federal Centers enters for Disease...

When to take the keys from Alzheimer's patients. (Use the Grandchildren Test).
June 15, 2003... BALTIMORE -- Two simple tests can help convince reluctant families that it is time for a person with Alzheimer's disease to stop driving, Dr. Constantine G. Lyketsos said at a meeting on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias sponsored by...

Exercise, visitors, music curb apathy in Alzheimer's. (As Effective As Drugs).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... BALTIMORE -- Nonpharmacologic interventions are at least as effective as drugs in the treatment of apathy in Alzheimer's disease, Dr. Chiadi Onyike said at a meeting on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias sponsored by Johns Hopkins...

Ricketts in residents. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... House staff are at marked risk for vitamin D deficiency, particularly during winter months, Dr. Elizabeth Haney reported at the annual meeting of the Society of General Internal Medicine. She conducted a dietary survey and obtained blood...

Viagra and protease inhibitors. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Protease inhibitors can cause more than a 10-fold increase in sildenafil levels, which can lead to unpleasant side effects in patients taking both drugs, Ian R. McNicholl, Pharm.D., said at a meeting on HW management sponsored by the...

Naratriptan in migraine. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Naratriptan appeared to be effective for treating refractory chronic migraine in a retrospective, open-label study of 27 patients, Dr. Marcelo E. Bigal reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology At baseline, the...

Ibuprofen undermines aspirin. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Patients with cardiovascular disease who take low-dose aspirin for secondary prevention raise their mortality risk if they also take ibuprofen for other indications, according to Dr. T.M. MacDonald and Dr. L. Wei of Ninewells Hospital and...

H. pylori prevalence in GERD. (Clinical Capsules).(Helicobacter, gastroesophageal reflux disease)(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may be lower in countries where the prevalence of H. pylori is high in the general population, reported Anan Raghunath of the University of Durham...

Topiramate studied for migraine prevention. (Two Randomized Trials).
June 15, 2003... HONOLULU -- Topiramate, previously approved as an adjunctive therapy for a variety of seizure types, appears to be safe and effective in the prevention of migraine headaches, according to two studies presented at the annual meeting of the...

Eletriptan beats sumatriptan for migraine control. (Randomized, Controlled Trial).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... HONOLULU -- Eletriptan 40 mg was more effective than sumatriptan 100 mg on several measures of migraine control in a large randomized trial, Dr. Ninan T. Mathew reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. The...

New & Approved: NIOX nitric oxide test system; Activa dystonia therapy system. (Rx).
June 15, 2003... NIOX Nitric Oxide Test System (Aerocrine AB) A noninvasive test for measuring nitric oxide (NO) levels in exhaled human breath, as a method of monitoring responses to treatment in persons aged 4 years and older with asthma. *...

HRT linked to increase in urinary incontinence. (Estrogen Plus Progestin).(hormone replacement therapy)
June 15, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Hormone replacement therapy was associated with a greater than twofold increase in risk of urge urinary incontinence and an almost fourfold increase in risk of stress urinary incontinence in postmenopausal women, according to a...

Rapid bone loss associated with hormone cessation. (Assess BMD).(bone marrow density)
June 15, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Postmenopausal women who decide to stop hormone therapy must be assessed for fracture risk and possible treatment intervention, Dr. Lois Wehren advised. "I strongly earnestly recommend that they have bone [mineral] density...

Systolic function key to heart mortality in women. (HERS Trial Yields New Data).(Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study)
June 15, 2003... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Risk factors for mortality in women with congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease differ depending upon whether or nor systolic function is preserved, Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo reported at the annual meeting...

Gestational diabetes: prescribe diet, exercise post partum. (Many Will Develop Type 2 Diabetes).
June 15, 2003... LITTLE ROCK, ARK. -- Diabetes prevention strategies should be initiated in all women who had gestational diabetes during pregnancy, Dr. Sin Kjos said at the annual meeting of the North American Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group. About...

Common drugs of abuse. (Drugs, Pregnancy, and Lactation).
June 15, 2003... In the late 1990s, an estimated 3% of pregnant women used illicit drugs in early gestation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pregnancy complications and poor fetal outcomes are common in these women. However, drug...

Hydroquinone/retinol combo lightens melasma. (Patented Polymeric System).
June 15, 2003... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Anew product that combines microentrapped 4% hydroquinone and 0.15% retinol cream significantly improved melasma and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in a small study Dr. Pearl Grimes reported at a meeting sponsored by...

Myths, misconceptions cloud the management of vulvar lichen sclerosus. (May be Mistaken for Trauma).
June 15, 2003... HOUSTON -- Several myths or misconceptions may confuse the diagnosis and management of vulvar lichen sclerosus, Dr. Elizabeth Edwards said at a conference on vulvovaginal diseases sponsored by Baylor College of Medicine. Conventional...

Asthma treatment inadequate in urban children. (Primary Care Setting).
June 15, 2003... DENVER -- Primary care physicians of 323 high-risk, inner-city children with asthma prescribed medications in accordance with guidelines in just 60% of cases, Kristin A. Riekert, Ph.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy...

Close look distinguishes conjunctivitis etiologies. (Use Cotton Swab to Flip Lid).
June 15, 2003... HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- Several dues can help distinguish allergic, viral, and bacterial causes of conjunctivitis in a child, Dr. Irene Tien said at a meeting on clinical pediatrics sponsored by Boston University. Start by taking a...

Ten Commandments for handling vaccines. (Use Best Practices).
June 15, 2003... CHICAGO -- Errors in vaccine handling put patients in danger and can cost hundreds of millions of dollars nationwide each year if physicians don't implement best practices for vaccine storage and handling, Gary Coil said at the National...

Varicella vaccine coverage up to 76% in 8 years. (Deaths Now Rare).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... CHICAGO -- Varicella still claims a small number of lives, but overall the 8-year-old vaccination program is successful, Dr. Jane Seward said at the National Immunization Conference sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention....

Smallpox in the Red Book. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... The newest edition of the American Academy of Pediatrics Red Book will have a chapter on smallpox for the first time since 1977, Dr. Julia A. McMillan announced at a meeting on pediatric trends sponsored by Johns Hopkins University in...

LASIK for lazy eye. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... A 2-year-old boy with severe amblyopia has become the youngest patient on record to undergo LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) vision correction surgery Dr. Jonathan M. Davidorf reported at a meeting of the American Society of...

Timing tympanostomy tubes. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Developmental outcomes at age 3 years are not significantly affected by whether tympanostomy tubes were inserted sooner or later after persistent otitis media diagnosis, said Dr. Jack L. Paradise of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and...

Sleep deprivation and conduct. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Conduct problems in children may be associated with symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing, restless legs syndrome, or periodic leg movements during sleep, said Dr. Ronald D. Chervin of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and his...

Not a timesaver. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Prescribing an unneeded antibiotic does not save you time, Dr. Marion E. Hare reported at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting. Data from 2,076 pediatric office visits for respiratory conditions during 1993-1999 revealed that the 43%...

Poor communication. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Americans are more likely than those in other industrialized countries to report communication difficulties with their physicians. A Commonwealth Fund survey that compared patients in five industrialized countries found that 31% of U.S....

Consensus on safety practices. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... There's more than one way to reduce medical errors in health care settings. The National Quality Forum's 173 member organizations have endorsed 30 patient safety practices that should be used to reduce the risk of harm to patients. These...

Kudos for uninsured bill. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Physician groups are hailing Sen. Jeff Bingaman's (D-N.M.) bill to help the uninsured through an expansion of existing private and public programs. Under the legislation, people with incomes up to 200% of poverty would be able to obtain...

Variations among the uninsured. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... The frequently used statistic that 40 million Americans are uninsured overstates the number of people who are uninsured "all year," the Congressional Budget Office reports. The CBO's paper "How Many People Lack Health Insurance and for How...

Medicaid funding cutbacks. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... President Bush's current Medicaid proposal would result in nearly half a trillion dollars being cut from the program over the next decade, according to an analysis by the nonprofit Families USA. Federal support for Medicaid and the SCHIP...

Men's health office. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Congress is responding to the fact that not enough men go to the doctor. "Too frequently, men ignore warning signs of disease and fail to get routine or emergency medical checkups and attention," says Sen. Michael Crapo (R-Idaho), who has...

Overworked nurses. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Three out of five hospital nurses say they care for too many patients, according to a survey from the American Federation of Teachers and its health care division, AFT Healthcare. "Nurse understaffing may seem to save money in the short...

Residencies brace for new work hours. (July 1 Implementation).
June 15, 2003... Most residency programs will be able to comply with the new work hours that go into effect in July, but they'll have to make some adjustments. Dr. Ingrid Philibert, director of field activities with the Accreditation Council for Graduate...

Uniform Medicare coverage decisions in dispute. (Local or National).
June 15, 2003... BALTIMORE -- Federal agencies disagree about whether Medicare should continue to have two types of coverage policies: local ones that affect only a certain geographic area, and national ones that affect all beneficiaries. Representatives...

HHS warns about 'contractual joint ventures'. (Penalities of Up to $50,000).(Department of Health and Human Services)
June 15, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Physicians who have recently started joint ventures in their offices, beware: The Department of Health and Human Services may be taking a special interest in you. The department's Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently...

MedPAC panel recommends tests of provider payment incentives. (Rewarding Quality).(Medicare Payment Advisory Commission)
June 15, 2003... WASHINGTON -- There has got to be a better way for Medicare to reward physicians who provide quality care. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is advising the Department of Health and Human Services to test provider payment...

Klingon mission aborted. (Indications).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Sorry, enterprising Trekkies, there are no jobs for Klingon interpreters in Oregon's Multnomah County. The county's Department of Human Services had included Klingon--the language created for the furrow-browed "Star Trek" aliens--on a list of...

Puppy painkiller. (Indications).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Is your pooch hounded by joint pain? Fear not, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor drugs have gone to the dogs. Dogs with osteoarthritis, or who have pain and inflammation from orthopedic surgery, now have their own drug, Deramaxx (deracoxib),...

Candy is dandy, but. (Indications).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Sweets may be helpful in capturing someone's heart, but they're no great incentive if you want to get information from a dermatologist. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania sent four types of mailings to a sample of members of the...

On the ropes for asthma. (Indications).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... To celebrate World Asthma Day and raise money for the National Asthma Campaign in the United Kingdom, nearly 100 people abseiled (or as we say on this side of the pond, rappelled) from the balcony of the Tate Modern art museum in London....

The right to look wrong. (Indications).(GlaxoSmithKline sponsors Wrong Trousers Day on July 4, 2003 with proceeds going to the Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation)(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Speaking of unusual British medical fundraisers, this July 4, people donating money to a charity for children's hospitals and hospices can earn the right to walk around in pants that don't match the rest of their clothes. Pharmaceutical firm...

Reporting errors in primary care: FP study in Wisconsin.(family physician)
June 1, 2003... ARLINGTON, VA. -- The outpatient primary care setting needs a system of reporting medical errors separate from those for hospital reporting, Dr. John W Beasley said at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians National...

Young, healthy HRT users at low risk for CV event: WHI results may not apply to healthy women treating menopausal symptoms. (Data From Four Large Trials).(hormone replacement therapy; cardiovascular events)
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- The risk of cardiovascular events is extremely low in healthy women in early menopause who rely on hormone therapy to treat their menopausal symptoms, according to pooled data from four large randomized clinical trials. ...

MRI highlights cerebral atrophy in type 1 diabetes: patients' brains exhibit 'accelerated aging'. (Three Theories).
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- An MRI study of young, otherwise healthy individuals with type 1 diabetes has revealed significant cerebral atrophy that may underlie cognitive deficits, Dr. Richard K.T. Chan reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy...

Medicare among Americans' top health priorities for the President and Congress. (Vital Signs).
June 1, 2003... VITAL SIGNS Medicare Among Americans' Top Health Priorities for the President and Congress Percent Saying Percent Saying "Very Important "Most Important Helping elderly...

Experts debate new Swedish mammography study: 44% decrease in mortality. (News).(breast cancer diagnosis)
June 1, 2003... A new Swedish study linking routine screening mammography with a 44% decrease in breast cancer mortality hasn't convinced some experts, who claim it suffers from the same flaws that plagued a 2002 study by the same authors. The new...

Medicare tests coverage of PET scans for dementia diagnosis: cost could be an issue. (News).
June 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has decided to implement a "demonstration program" to test coverage of PET scans for use in diagnosing suspected dementia, but experts disagree over whether the test is worth...

Patients with 2 resistant bugs at risk for VRSA. (Burn Unit Patients).(vancomycinresistant S. aureus infections)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... ARLINGTON, VA. -- A study documenting patient-to-patient transmission allowing cocolonization with two antibiotic-resistant organisms with potential for gene transfer raises the specter of the sudden emergence of vancomycin-resistant...

Chronically ill children up to date on shots. (National Health Interview).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Children with chronic medical conditions are more likely than their healthy counterparts to receive age-appropriate immunizations, data from nationally representative population-based surveys show. The findings, which...

SARS appears less severe in young children. (Report On Hong Kong Patients).( severe acute respiratory syndrome )
June 1, 2003... Data on the first 10 pediatric patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome suggest that young children develop a milder form of disease with a less aggressive clinical course than teens and adults, said Dr. K.L.E. Hon of the Chinese...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
June 1, 2003... In "Fondaparinux Matches Heparins for Venous Thromboembolism" (May 1, 2003, p. 13), the outcome measure "rate of recurrent venous thromboembolic events" was incorrectly cited in both studies as "death rate." In the article "Reduce the...

Building coalitions. (Guest Editorial).
June 1, 2003... Today's leaders of the American Academy of Family Physicians are strengthening and forming partnerships with other medical organizations at an unprecedented level. Over the past 2 years, the leaders of the AAFP, the American College of...

Do all ultrasound units need 3-D capabilities? (Pro & Con).
June 1, 2003... YES Three-dimensional capabilities should be on every ultrasound machine, but 3-D doesn't have to be used on every patient who gets an ultrasound. If I'm in a room that doesn't have 3-D, I will often move to a different room, because I'm...

Polio-like paralysis reported in some cases of West Nile infection. (Autopsy Results).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- Muscle weakness and acute flaccid paralysis can be features of infection with West Nile virus, Dr. Jonathan Fratkin reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Fratkin and his colleagues at the...

Prescribe frequent or intense exercise to improve patients' cardiovascular health: combine factors for greatest impact. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... SALT LAKE CITY -- Physical activity must be either intense or frequent--preferably both--in order to exert cardiovascular benefits on sedentary individuals. Exercising at a moderate intensity only three or four times a week provides no...

Exercise may lower level of C-reactive protein: anti-inflammatory effect. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Regular exercise may reduce levels of C-reactive protein, the inflammatory marker now recognized as a novel risk factor for coronary heart disease, Dr. Michelle A. Albert said at the annual meeting of the American College of...

Noninvasive procedure eyed for heart failure: enhanced external counterpulsation. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Enhanced external counterpulsation shows intriguing promise as a treatment for congestive heart failure, Dr. George A. Beller said at a conference sponsored by the American College of Cardiology. This noninvasive...

Kyphoplasty offers advantages over vertebroplasty: reduces angle of deformity. (Clinical Rounds).(osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture treatment)
June 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Kyphoplasty offers advantages over vertebroplasty as the first-line surgical treatment for patients who have failed medical management for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, Dr. Frank Phillips said at a meeting sponsored...

Choose wisely between new, established osteoporosis drugs: more data needed. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... CLEVELAND -- Clinicians treating osteoporosis should be selective in their use of new anabolic therapies that are expensive but not necessarily more effective, until more data become available, Dr. Michael McClung advised at a meeting on...

Avocado, soy unsaponifiables for osteoarthritis. (Alternative Medicine).
June 1, 2003... * Blinded studies suggest that a mixture of avocado and soy unsaponifiables may provide relief of osteoarthritis symptoms. * No serious adverse effects have been seen after 2 years of treatment. Rationale for Use A proprietary...

Wrist-fracture test detects osteoporosis. (Simple Intervention).
June 1, 2003... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- A simple emergency-department--based quality improvement intervention can sharply increase the rate of detection and treatment of osteoporosis in older patients with a wrist fracture, Dr. Sumit R. Majumdar reported at the...

Modest steps could restrain U.S. obesity trend: more exercise, fewer bites. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... The constant expansion of the national waistline seems inexorable, but reversing the trend could be relatively simple. All that's needed is 15 minutes of walking a day--or just fewer bites of oversized portions, according to James O....

Derm diagnosis.(Degos disease)
June 1, 2003... A 36-year old man presented with pain and redness in one eye which was diagnosed as scleritis of unknown etiology. He later complained of progressive joint pain in the knees anti heels and was prescribed an NSAID. Papular le sions developed...

Specialist 'division of labor' confounds latex allergy treatment: frustrating for patients. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... MAUI, HAWAII -- Dermatologists and allergists have specialty tunnel vision when it comes to diagnosing occupational skin disease in health professionals and other glove wearers, according to Dr. Curtis P. Hamann. Very few dermatologists...

Latex allergy in health care settings declining: contact dermatitis on the rise. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... MAUI, HAWAII -- There is both good news and bad news regarding current trends in latex allergy among health professionals and others with occupational exposure. The good news: The incidence of type I immediate hypersensitivity to latex...

Heyday's over for sigmoidoscopy in primary care: cost, training cited as barriers. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- Flexible sigmoidoscopy as a screening tool for colorectal cancer is losing its appeal in primary care offices because of significant barriers to its use, Dr. Gregory Ginsberg said at the annual meeting of the American College of...

Rate of colorectal cancer screening remains low: 87,729 adults surveyed. (Clinical Rounds).
June 1, 2003... A little more than half of all people in the United States aged 50 years or older were screened for colorectal cancer within recommended periods in 2001, according to a large survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention....