Family Practice News articles from October 2003

Family Practice News archives from October 2003

Pa. FPs struggle to find coverage: novel insurer spring up.(News)(Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians)(Pennsylvania Healthcare Providers Insurance Exchange)
October 1, 2003... Anyone who needed evidence a year ago that there was a malpractice insurance crisis in Pennsylvania needed to go no further than the Harrisburg offices of the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians. "We were getting phone calls from...

How much time do you spend with patients?(Vital Signs)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
October 1, 2003... Mean Time In Minutes Psychiatry 32.4 Cardiovascular Diseases 22.2 Internal Medicine 19.4...

Study backs triple drug therapy for heart failure: undercuts existing guidelines: the Val-HeFT conclusion is dismissed as a statistical fluke due to small numbers.(News)
October 1, 2003... VIENNA -- Data from a major clinical trial are prompting a reversal of opinion about the appropriateness of adding an angiotensin receptor blocker to the treatment of patients with congestive heart failure who are already on an ACE inhibitor...

First extended-cycle oral contraceptive approved: higher incidence of spotting: allows women to have quarterly menses.(News)
October 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration has approved Seasonale, a 91-day oral contraceptive designed to reduce a woman's menstrual periods to four per year. Although women may appreciate the added convenience of having fewer periods, they should...

Paricalcitol superior to calcitriol with dialysis: secondary hyperparathyroidism.(News)
October 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- Paricalcitol was more effective than calcitriol for treating secondary hyperparathyroidism and preventing deaths in patients on dialysis in an uncontrolled, retrospective analysis involving more than 60,000 patients. This...

Study finds major new uses for ARBs in symptomatic heart failure patients: charm program.(News)(angiotensin receptor blocker)
October 1, 2003... VIENNA -- The angiotensin receptor blocker candesartan provides clinical benefits across a broad spectrum of patients with symptomatic congestive heart failure, including those also taking both an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and...

Europa: ACE inhibitor for all coronary patients: landmark trial.(News)
October 1, 2003... VIENNA -- A landmark clinical trial in secondary cardiovascular prevention has shown that all patients with stable coronary heart disease, regardless of risk level, ought to receive an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. Results of...

Penicillin reduces stroke risk in elderly patients: hypertensives.(News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Taking penicillin appears to halve the risk of stroke in elderly hypertensive patients, according to Dr. Paul Brassard of McGill University, Montreal, and his associates. The researchers reviewed the health records of nearly 30,000 elderly...

Use of hormonal contraceptives appears to reduce the risk of bacterial vaginosis: 24% reduction.(News)
October 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- The use of hormonal contraceptives was associated with a 24% reduction in risk of bacterial vaginosis in a study conducted by the Longitudinal Vaginal Flora Study Group. "The significance of our findings is that a 24% reduction...

U.S. misses target for reducing maternal mortality: other countries do better.(News)
October 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- The overall U.S. maternal mortality rate was pegged at 12 deaths per 100,000 pregnant women during the period between 1991 and 1999, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That rate is a far...

Watchful waiting behind decline in antibiotic use: more careful diagnosis.(News)
October 1, 2003... Rates of antibiotic use among children declined between 1996 and 2000, said Dr. Jonathan A. Finkelstein of Harvard University and his associates. Their analysis of claims data from nine geographically diverse health plans allowed for...

Just say no.(Guest Editorial)(Column)
October 1, 2003... In the 1980s, Nancy Reagan's solution for the rapidly expanding chemical abuse epidemic was to "Just say no." The problem with her advice was--and still is--that we Americans seem to have forgotten how to utter this little word with conviction....

Don't shortchange rural docs.(Editorial)
October 1, 2003... Geographic adjustments to physician reimbursement in the Medicare program unfairly undervalue the services of rural physicians. It is ludicrous to think that rural physicians do not work as hard or provide the same good quality of care as...

Is HIPAA helping in any way?(Pro & Con)
October 1, 2003... YES One of the positive things about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is that the statute outlines a set of minimum national requirements that people can follow. The statute makes it possible for vendors,...

Sun safety is for kids.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... I am writing in response to the article "Majority of UV Exposure Comes After Childhood" (Aug. 1, 2003, p. 2). I congratulate Dianne E. Godar, Ph.D., and her associates on their findings, which I believe are accurate, but I strongly disagree...

Gloves and Glutaraldehyde.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... In the article "Latex Allergy in Health Care Settings Declining," Dr. Curtis P. Hamann said that glutaraldehyde readily penetrates gloves currently in use in the medical field (June 1, 2003, p. 20). A 2% solution of glutaraldehyde can...

Talk back online.
October 1, 2003... Would you refer a patient to a fee-based company for help in applying for free medication? (September 15, 2003, p. 52) NO 100% To Talk Back, visit www.efamilypracticenews.com

Short-term effect similar for 3 Alzheimer's drugs: comparison of three.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... CHICAG0 -- In the short term, donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine appear equally effective against Alzheimer's disease, a small study has found. But according to unpublished results by the same investigator, differences do emerge...

Exercise boosts mood, stamina in Alzheimer's: female patients.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... ALBUQUERQUE -- A simple exercise program can improve mood and cardiovascular function in women with Alzheimer's disease, Dr. Patricia Heyn reported at the annual meeting of the International Academy of Nutrition and Aging. Twelve female...

Weight loss in elderly may flag cognitive decline: BMI, hippocampal volume linked.(Clinical Rounds)(body mass index)
October 1, 2003... Albuquerque -- Weight loss in an elderly person with mild cognitive impairment could be a surrogate for neurologic deterioration, Dr. Michael Grundman said. Imaging studies performed by Dr. Grundman and his colleagues showed a relationship...

Older age may limit cancer treatment options: disparities in referrals, trials.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- A patient's older age is a handicap when it comes to cancer treatment, referrals, and clinical research, according to findings presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. In a study of disease...

Carbs are the culprit in diet books: what patients are reading.(Clinical Rounds)(Book Review)
October 1, 2003... Diet books are perennially popular, even though the heroes and villains of the food world seem to change places every few years or so. Meats, eggs, and dairy products were vilified for years as the culprits in America's growing obesity...

Teens lose more on low-glycemic-index diet: better long-term maintenance.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... A diet that emphasizes foods with a low glycemic index may be better at managing adolescent obesity than a conventional low-fat diet, reported Cara B. Ebbeling, Ph.D., and her colleagues at Children's Hospital Boston. In a small pilot...

Three new glucose monitors are in the pipeline: technology may improve accuracy.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Three experimental models aim to improve the accuracy of "continuous" glucose monitors, Dr. Bruce Buckingham said at a conference on perinatal and pediatric nutrition. Currently available monitors, such as the MiniMed...

Topiramate relieves diabetic neuropathy pain: placebo-controlled trial.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- Topiramate was effective in treating painful diabetic neuropathy in a multicenter, placebo-controlled trial, Dr. Aaron I. Vinik reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers randomized 323...

Supplemental vitamin E linked to heart failure: effect appears specific to CHF.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... VIENNA -- A daily vitamin E supplement can harm patients by raising their risk of heart failure, and their risk of acute heart failure exacerbations that require hospitalization. This startling finding came from the continuation phase of a...

Opinions still divided on role of coronary calcium: electron beam CT.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... The role of coronary calcium scores in assessing a person's risk of having asymptomatic coronary artery disease remains controversial. The reported experience using electron beam CT (EBCT) to measure the extent of calcium deposits in...

Thrombosis warning issued for Cypher coronary stent: adverse events reported to FDA.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... In response to postmarketing reports of adverse events, the Cordis Corp. has issued a letter to health care professionals to alert them to the potential risk of thrombosis associated with the use of the Cypher coronary stent. The Food and...

Regular NSAID use may block benefits of aspirin: study of male physicians.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... Adults taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for pain plus aspirin to prevent heart attacks may risk losing their heart protection. Men who took NSAIDs at least 60 days per year plus aspirin every other day had more than twice the...

Infections traced to unclean acupunture needles: at least 270 people exposed.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... OTTAWA -- Acupuncture is not risk-free, as many discovered after an outbreak of infections stemming from the inadequate sterilization and use of needles by one acupuncturist. A Toronto dermatopathologist discovered the outbreak when five...

Ginseng may assist in treating type 2 diabetes: botanical supplements.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... SCHAUMBURG, ILL. -- Botanical therapies--especially ginseng--show promise as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, Dr. Chun-Su Yuan said at a conference on botanical and dietary supplements for women's health. Studies have shown that ginseng can...

Dark chocolate, purple grape juice, wine win: cardiovascular benefits of flavonoids.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Could hypertensive patients lower blood pressures by eating a dark chocolate bar each day? Might airlines prevent deep vein thromboses in passengers on long-haul fights by serving purple grape juice and a handful of M&Ms?...

Probiotics for allergy prevention.(Alternative Medicine: an evidence-based approach)
October 1, 2003... * The health benefits of fermented milk products have long been recognized, and improved understanding of the immunology of the gut is revealing the likely mechanisms. * Clinical studies suggest that dietary supplementation with probiotics...

MRSA infections are invading locker rooms: athletes playing dirty.(Clinical Rounds methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
October 1, 2003... No longer limited to health-care institutions, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has invaded locker rooms. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reviewed several reported clusters of skin and soft...

Wait and see with acute bacterial rhinosinusitis: know your pharmacodynamics.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... TORONTO -- Knowing when and what type of antibiotics to use is the key to treating acute bacterial rhinosinusitis, Dr. Joel Bernstein said at an international conference on allergy and clinical immunology sponsored by the State University of...

Esomeprazole superior for treating esophagitis: proton pump inhibitors.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- Erosive esophagitis healed more often in patients treated with esomeprazole than in patients treated with either lansoprazole or omeprazole, based on the results from two studies that involved more than 7,000 patients. ...

Erosive esophagitis is more common in white patients: BMI over 25 also a risk factor.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- White Americans are known to have a fivefold greater incidence of erosive esophagitis than African Americans, yet a recent study showed that the frequency of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms was the same in both populations....

Slower eating linked with lower incidence of gastroesophageal reflux: 'your was right'.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Rapid food in-take produces more gastroesophageal reflux than eating slowly, with nonacid reflux the predominant factor in the first postprandial hour, according to a presentation at Digestive Disease Week 2003. "Eating...

New drugs target different aspects of asthma: theophylline revisted.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... TORONTO -- A modern incarnation of an early asthma drug is making a comeback of sorts as part of a new wave of asthma treatments on the horizon. "The drug that is now attracting the most attention is theophylline revisited," said Dr. John...

Waiting room can keep asthma patients informed: disease education.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Improving asthma care could be as simple as placing well selected disease education materials in the patient waiting area, Dr. Thomas Plaut said at a meeting sponsored by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. ...

Nail infections due to mold are difficult to treat: consider sequential therapy.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... LAS VEGAS -- Onychomycosis caused by nondermatophytic mold infection is on the rise worldwide, and it's the culprit in an estimated 16% of cases that Dr. Antonella Tosti sees in her Bologna, Italy-based dermatology practice. Suspect mold...

Late melanoma diagnosis more likely in blacks: plantar presentation.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- Nearly a third of African American patients presented with stage III or IV melanoma, while fewer than 13% of white patients presented with late-stage disease in a 19-year retrospective review of records at Washington Hospital...

Derm diagnosis.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... Annular, slightly violaceous lesions on the inner thighs and arms of this 51-year-old woman appeared 3 weeks after she started bupropion for smoking cessation. Laboratory tests were positive for rheumatoid factor A, antinuclear antibodies, and...

FDA reviews fixed topical combo of vitamin D analogue, steroid: psoriasis therapy.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- A fixed topical combination of calcipotriol and betamethasone may soon be available in the United States for the treatment of psoriasis, reported Dr. Knud Kragballe at the Ninth International Psoriasis Symposium. The product is...

Oral tazarotene helps clear psoriasis: potential mate for methotrexate.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- Promising trial data suggest that dermatologists may soon have a new, nonbiologic weapon against psoriasis that may be particularly useful as a combination agent with methotrexate, cyclosporine, phototherapy, or even the...

Tickborne disease outbreaks.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Physicians should consider tickborne relapsing fever in their differential diagnosis of patients who present with febrile illness and have been exposed to soft ticks-generally found in western U.S. mountainous regions-the Centers for Disease...

Heart disease and depression.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Depression is associated with several cardiovascular conditions and often is clinically diagnosed before cardiovascular problems, said Jeffrey F. Scherrer of St. Louis University and his associates. In 6,903 male twins who responded to...

Safer beef?(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... A spray containing the antimicrobial protein lactoferrin soon will be marketed to protect uncooked beef. The Food and Drug Administration agreed with aLF Ventures, a Salt Lake City company, that the product is "'generally recognized as...

Bacteria might predict oral Ca.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... High concentrations of three types of bacteria in saliva samples proved more than 80% sensitive and specific in predicting oral cancer, Donna Mager, D.D.S., of the Forsyth Institute, Boston, said in a poster presented at the annual meeting of...

Drug update: tinea pedis.(Rx)
October 1, 2003... Tinea pedis--athlete's foot--is usually caused by Trichophyton rubrum, and in the mildest form, it presents with red, scaly, itchy skin on the sole and toe webs. Because self-treatment with over-the-counter medications is common, physicians...

FDA panel nixes cream/light skin cancer Tx: Metvix gets thumbs down.(Rx)
October 1, 2003... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted to not recommend for approval methyl aminolevulinate ccream used in conjunction with photodynamic therapy for the treatment of superficial and nodular basal cell...

Many women keep mum about use of botanicals: soy was most common.(Rx)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... SCHAUMBURG, ILL. -- More than 79% of 500 surveyed women said they regularly take some form of botanical dietary supplement, but nearly three-fourths of them don't tell their doctors about it. The respondents, all of whom were patients at...

FDA advises against drinking star anise tea: 40 reports of illness.(Rx)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Tea made with star anise can cause illness in infants and adults and all consumers should avoid drinking teas containing the Asian spice, according to a Food and Drug Administration advisory. Approximately 40 individuals, including 15...

Valacyclovir approved for cutting spread of HSV-2: transmission reduced by 50%-75%.(Rx)
October 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration has approved valacyclovir for use as suppressive therapy to reduce the risk of heterosexual transmission of genital herpes to susceptible partners. The approval is limited to otherwise healthy adults with...

Efalizumab likely to be next biologic treatment for psorasis: FDA advisory panel gives ok.(Rx)
October 1, 2003... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- The biologic agent efalizumab has earned a federal advisory panel's unanimous backing for approval as a treatment for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Although the panel had concerns about some adverse...

Simple concept helps explain WHI to patients: focus on attributable risk.(Women's Health)
October 1, 2003... CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. -- One simple change in the way risk is explained could have avoided much of the confusion that still surrounds results published from the Women's Health Initiative, according to Dr. Robert Reid. "Patients have to...

Low-dose estrogen boosts BMD in older women: small study.(Women's Health)
October 1, 2003... Older women treated with low-dose estrogen for 3 years had significantly increased bone mineral density and decreased bone turnover relative to untreated women in a small, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The study is...

Premenopausal anxiety may predict hot flashes: stronger predictor than depression.(Women's Health)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... BOCA RATON, FLA. -- Premenopausal women who reported high anxiety at enrollment in a 4-year study were up to 3.5 times as likely to experience hot flashes as their less anxious counterparts. "Everyone is talking about estradiol and...

Fluorine PET may predict breast cancer response: hormone therapy.(Women's Health)
October 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Physicians may now have a tool to help predict which patients with recurrent or metastatic breast cancer will respond to hormone therapy, early research suggests. PET imaging using fluorine-18 fluoroestradiol (FES) appears to...

Birth control help available online.(Women's Health)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals' interactive tool "Choosing a Birth Control Method" has been updated to include information on fertility awareness and the latest contraceptive methods. The tool is sponsored by Conceptus...

Keepsake 3-D ultrasounds: medicine or marketing? Fledgling industry sparks debate.(Women's Health)
October 1, 2003... Businesses and medical practices that offer three-dimensional obstetrical ultrasounds have waded into some very murky water over the issue of keepsake ultrasounds. In at least a dozen cities across the United States, for $75-$200 a...

SARS prognosis more guarded in pregnant women: first data.(Women's Health)
October 1, 2003... HYANNIS, MASS. -- The clinical Presentation of severe acute respiratory syndrome in pregnant women is similar to that seen in nongravid patients, but the prognosis may be more guarded. That finding emerged from a case series of seven...

Type-specific herpes simplex virus assays useful during pregnancy: obstetric management.(Women's Health)
October 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The new type-specific herpes simplex virus serology tests may turn out to be particularly useful in helping guide obstetric management of women who experience outbreaks during pregnancy and in counseling couples who are discordant...

Up to 25% of women smoke during pregnancy: support groups boost cessation odds.(Women's Health)
October 1, 2003... SARASOTA, FLA. -- Only 20%-40% of smokers quit smoking during pregnancy, which means up to 25% of American women smoke while pregnant, Dr. Haywood L. Brown said at a perinatal symposium sponsored by Symposia Medicus. Convincing smokers to...

Mind/body approach may benefit infertility: targets depression.(Women's Health)
October 1, 2003... Stopping the downward spiral of emotions associated with infertility can be a key factor to successfully over coming the condition, according to Alice D. Domar, Ph.D. Research throughout the world during the past 10-15 years has made it...

Inflammatory bowel disease increases risk of bone fracture: only 7% on bisphosphonate therapy.(Women's Health)
October 1, 2003... MANCHESTER, ENGLAND -- Only 7% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease were on appropriate bisphos-phonate therapy in a case control study, Dr. Nigel Arden said at the annual meeting of the British Society for Rheumatology. Given the...

Pick safe drugs to treat skin issues in pregnancy: communicate with colleagues.(Women's Health)
October 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- There are plenty of sources to tell physicians which drugs not to use during pregnancy, but not as much information to help them pick the best drug therapies, Dr. Barbara R. Reed said at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy...

Advise consistent condom use after bout of PID: fewer recurrences.(Women's Health)
October 1, 2003... OTTAWA -- All women who experience an episode of pelvic inflammatory disease should be encouraged to use condoms consistently, Dr. Roberta B. Ness said at a congress of the International Society for Sexually Transmitted Disease Research. ...

Dizygous monochorionic twins.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... A 48-year-old woman has given birth to dizygous monochorionic twins, forcing doctors to discount a long-held belief. "It is an accepted medical doctrine that monochorionic twins are exclusively monozygous," said Dr. Vivienne L. Souter of...

Bacterial vaginosis, HSV-2 risk.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Bacterial vaginosis increases susceptibility to herpes simplex virus type 2, Dr. Thomas L. Cherpes and his colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh reported. Of 670 sexually active, HSV-2-seronegative women (aged 18-20 years), 32 (5%)...

Guiding Botox for migraine.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Acupuncture-guided botulinum toxin injections in the scalp, neck, and shoulders may help relieve migraine headaches in women, said Dr. Bhertha Miyuki Tamura. She and a colleague gave 10 female migraineurs each a total dose of 37 U of...

Gender doesn't affect insomnia.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... More women than men have insomnia because more women are anxious or depressed than men, not because of any significant gender differences in sleep parameters, said Dr. Ulrich Voderholzer and his colleagues at the Albert-Ludwig University,...

Genetic risk of ovarian cancer.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The lifetime risk for ovarian cancer in the Ashkenazi Jewish population is as high in BRCA2 carriers as in BRCA1 carriers, but the disease manifests at a later age in BRCA2 carriers, a recent study suggests. The findings could have...

Guidelines proposed for bariatric surgery in teens: long-term data lacking.(Children's Health)
October 1, 2003... A group of pediatric surgeons and pediatricians has developed proposed guidelines for evaluating and selecting adolescents for bariatric surgery. The impetus for the guidelines came from "the recognition that there are some young people...

Bariatric surgery seems to help morbidly obese teens: first long-term follow-up study.(Children's Health)
October 1, 2003... STANFORD, CALIF. -- In most adolescents who underwent bariatric surgery for morbid obesity, the operation relieved complications of obesity such as hypertension and diabetes, according to the first study with long-term follow up, Dr. Baird M....

Molecular research has altered landscape of cystic fibrosis: seminal articles of the year.(Children's Health)
October 1, 2003... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- The profiles of few other diseases have been altered as much as that of cystic fibrosis by the development of advanced molecular research, Dr. Jeffrey S. Wagener said at a pediatric pulmonology meeting sponsored by the...

Four treatments have major impact on infants with CF: nutrition is the key.(Children's Health cystic fibrosis)
October 1, 2003... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Four treatment measures can make an important, lasting difference to infants with cystic fibrosis, even those who are minimally symptomatic or who have no symptoms, Dr.Jeffrey S. Wagener said at a pediatric pulmonology...

Headache guidelines now broader for children: won't silence all critics.(Children's Health)
October 1, 2003... New guidelines issued by the International Headache Society should help physicians make the diagnosis of headache in children. Many children and adolescents with a clinical diagnosis of migraine did not meet the definition of migraine under...

Neurally mediated hypotension tied to headaches: treat with fluids, salt.(Children's Health)
October 1, 2003... BALTIMORE -- Headaches in some children may be the result of neurally mediated hypotension, Dr. Anne M. Comi said at a meeting on pediatric trends sponsored by John Hopkins University. "I make the diagnosis by having the child stand in my...

Role of atopy in asthma: complexities still emerge: stress, infection considered.(Children's Health)
October 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The role of atopy in childhood asthma is not well understood, and is a lot more complex than once assumed, according to research presented at a meeting sponsored by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. While...

Some asthma patients may not need referral: explore common causes first.(Children's Health)
October 1, 2003... SCOOTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Before referring asthma patients to a pulmonology specialist, check out some of the typical reasons for the three most common problems encountered by the primary care physician treating asthma patients, Dr. Henry L. Dorkin...

New tool spots abuse, neglect in troubled teens: 20- to 45-minute interview.(Children's Health)
October 1, 2003... ASPEN, COLO. -- A new structured interview demonstrates convincing clinical utility for the identification of reportable abuse and neglect in youths with substance abuse and conduct problems, Dr. Thomas J. Crowley said at a meeting on stress...

Teens seeking high are poisoned by Moonflowers: 14 children poisoned.(Children's Health)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Teenagers in Ohio ingested the seeds of moonflowers in search of a high, but the results were anything but pleasant Fourteen children aged 12-19 years reported to an emergency department in the Akron/Cleveland, Ohio, area after eating...

Study supports booster seat use through age 7: insurance claims data.(Children's Health)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Children aged 4-7 years who use belt-positioning booster seats in automobiles are 59% less likely to suffer injuries, compared with their counterparts who wear regular seat belts. This finding from a large cross-sectional study highlights...