Internal Medicine News articles from August 2003

Internal Medicine News archives from August 2003

CNS changes may signal neuropathy; possible early marker in diabetes.(News central nervous system)
August 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Patients with diabetes who develop peripheral neuropathy experience early central nervous system changes that can be detected rapidly and noninvasively, according to a study presented at annual scientific sessions of the American...

Drug firms' global R&D expenditures outstrip National Institutes of Health Budget.(Vital Signs)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Note: Based on a survey of foreign and domestic expenditures for company-financed R&D of 33 members of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and their foreign divisions. Source: Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of...

Test for West Nile virus approved as disease returns; blood now being screened: with 90%-99% sensitivity, the first rapid lab test requires confirmatory testing.(News)
August 1, 2003... Federal health officials are hailing blood screening assays and the first rapid laboratory test for West Nile virus as major developments in the fight against the summer scourge, but they warn that early signs point to exacerbation of the...

Infliximab/MTX combo effective against early RA: major head-to-head trial: findings may alter care for early disease.(News rheumatoid arthritis)
August 1, 2003... LISBON -- Aggressive treatment with infliximab in combination with methotrexate packs a significantly stronger punch against early rheumatoid arthritis than methotrexate alone, according to results from the largest trial comparing the regimens....

Clinical trial to test interferon in West Nile virus patients.(News)
August 1, 2003... A multicenter clinical trial is recruiting patients who may be infected with West Nile virus. The study will assess whether rapid and aggressive treatment with interferon alfa-2b can prevent severe neurologic sequelae or death, said Dr....

Oral insulin doesn't guard against type 1 diabetes in family members; major head-to-head trial.(News)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Oral insulin does not prevent type 1 diabetes in people at moderate risk, Dr. Jay Skyler reported at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association. The disappointing findings are from the second part of...

Two years between retinal exams okay for selected patients; major head-to-head trial.(News)
August 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- An analysis of data from a diabetes registry suggests that a 2-year screening interval after a negative dilated pupil retinal examination is appropriate for diabetic patients in good glycemic control, Dr. Joe V. Selby said at the...

Diabetic neuropathy easily goes unrecognized in primary care; foot exam AIDS recognition.(News)
August 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Diabetic neuropathy is underdiagnosed in everyday clinical practice, according to a study of 7,378 patients assessed at more than 2,000 primary care physician offices and endocrinology clinics. Most patients have an...

High costs of peripheral neuropathy.(News)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The total annual direct medical costs of diabetic peripheral neuropathy were $1.3 billion for people with type 1 diabetes and $17.5 billion for people with type 2 diabetes in 2001, according to a poster presentation at the meeting. ...

ACP calls tax credits for poor inadequate for Medicaid reform; critique of AMA proposal.(News American College of Physicians )
August 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- When it comes to improving the health insurance market for the poor, tax credits aren't enough, the American College of Physicians asserts. The ACP was responding to a report by the American Medical Association's Council on...

Uninsured cost up to $130 billion annually: Institute of Medicine study.(News)
August 1, 2003... Uninsured Americans cost the nation $65 billion to $130 billion per year, a report from the Institute of Medicine concluded. The costs are mainly due to the poorer health and shorter lives of Americans who lack insurance, not to the cost of...

Maine universal health care plan could burden physicians; state to collect quality data.(News)
August 1, 2003... A universal health care plan that promises to cover Maine's uninsured in 5 years could mean added hassles for physicians. They'll have to be more prudent about divulging medical records, disclosing charges to patients, and submitting claims...

Education before economics.(Letters)
August 1, 2003... Dr. Lawrence G. Smith appears to admit that limitations of resident work hours are necessary. He also "strongly oppose[s] micromanagement" of work hours ("Limiting Resident Work Hours," Guest Editorial, May 15, 2003, p. 9). He argues that...

Talk back online.(Opinion)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Do you recommend routine annual physical examinations for your patients? (July 1, 2003, p. 2) NO 16% YES 84% Note: Table made from pie chart. To Talk Back, visit www.einternalmedicinenews.com

Mind, body, and gut.(Guest Editorial)(Editorial)
August 1, 2003... It's not often in medicine that we turn to 17th-century philosopher Rene Descartes and his theory of dualism, but that is where we should start an examination of the biopsychosocial approach to functional gastrointestinal disorders. This...

Should everyone with ischemic cardiomyopathy and an ejection fraction <30% receive an ICD?(Pro & Con)
August 1, 2003... YES The facts are in, and all evidence points to the efficacy of implantable cardioverter defibrillators as primary prophylaxis in these patients. In randomized clinical trials, patients with ejection fractions less than 30% do better when...

UV exposure occurs mainly during adult years; state to collect quality data.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2003... Most UV exposure occurs during adulthood, according to a study that challenges the widely accepted belief that Americans get about 80% of their lifetime UV exposure by age 18. Americans, in fact, receive only 23% of their lifetime exposure...

Rate of new melanoma cases is still rising fast; 6% increase per year.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2003... SEVILLE, SPAIN -- Melanoma is in a growth phase. "The incidence rates of melanoma are increasing faster than for any other cancer," Dr. Darrell S. Rigel said at the Ninth World Congress on Cancers of the Skin. The increase is occurring...

Less sunscreen, more burning in young adults: 2003 survey.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... SEVILLE, SPAIN -- Sun exposure behavior among Americans took a turn for the worse from 1996 to 2003, based on a telephone survey commissioned by the American Academy of Dermatology. In 2003, 40% of those surveyed said they regularly used...

Save chemo for high-risk testicular Ca patients: cardiovascular risk, renal impairment.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Chemotherapy for testicular cancer can lead to increased cardiovascular risk, impaired spermatogenesis, renal impairment, and reduced testosterone levels, Dr. Richard S. Foster said at the annual meeting of the American Urological...

Lower PSA level should trigger prostate biopsy; 2.5 ng/ml or higher.(Clinical Rounds prostate-specific antigen)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- A prostate-specific antigen threshold of 2.5 ng/mL is more appropriate than the standard level of 4.0 ng/mL in determining the need for prostate biopsy, according to findings reported at the annual meeting of the American Urological...

Novel injectable agent lowers glucose levels: used with oral agents in type 2 diabetes.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Synthetic exendin-4, a novel compound for treating type 2 diabetes, has shown promising results in an open-label phase III trial, Dr. Alain D. Baron said at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association. ...

Enzyme inhibitor cuts glucose in type 2 diabetes; taken daily at breakfast.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- A novel enzyme inhibitor taken daily at breakfast for 4 weeks reduced fasting and postprandial glucose in people with type 2 diabetes, researchers found. The inhibitor, LAF237, blocks an enzyme that rapidly degrades the...

Antipsychotics tied to diabetes risk in elderly: prescription claims data.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- Antipsychotic medication is associated with an increased risk of diabetes in elderly patients, Peter D. Feldman, Ph.D., and his colleagues reported. In a study that used new prescriptions for antihyperglycemic agents as a...

New data challenge set point theory of obesity; weight returns due to inactivity.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2003... DENVER -- It's high time to toss out the long-popular set point theory of obesity, according to speakers at an international conference of the Academy for Eating Disorders. The set point theory holds that obesity entails a metabolic defect...

Set realistic goals for metabolic syndrome patients: weight loss, physical activity.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Setting realistic, incremental goals for weight loss and physical activity can help patients succeed in their struggle with metabolic syndrome, Dr. Daniel Bessesen said at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes...

Type 2 diabetes prevention would save money in long term; generic metformin also cost saving.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Routine implementation of moderate weight loss and physical activity in patients with impaired glucose tolerance wouldn't be merely cost-effective, it would actually save money in the long term while improving health outcomes,...

Severe PMS may predict severity of symptoms during menopause; more hot flashes, sleep disturbances.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Women who have severe symptoms of premenstrual syndrome are more likely to have severe menopausal symptoms, Dr. Paulo Rinaudo reported at the annual meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. In his study of 436...

Most women who stop using HRT remain off therapy: satisfied with decision.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... New ORLEANS -- Most of the women in a study on discontinuation of hormone replacement therapy were satisfied with their decision to stop therapy and were still off it 3-4 months later, Dr. Steve Hasley said at the annual meeting of the American...

Literature abstracts: JournalToGo.(Digital Assistance)
August 1, 2003... Overview: JournalToGo is a free service that automatically downloads selected medical literature abstracts and health care news to handheld computers. Straightforward Web site configuration, bookmarking, and capability for export to memo pad...

Formoterol-budesonide inhaler offers advantage; vs. Budesonide alone.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Single-inhaler therapy with formoterol and budesonide was more effective than budesonide alone in treating mild to moderate asthma in a randomized, double-blind study. Of 467 adult asthma patients, those using an inhaler twice a day with...

Assessment methods skew COPD estimates: prevalence hard to define.(Clinical Rounds chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Differences in how chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is assessed help explain why prevalence estimates of the disease vary widely, according to a review of studies that were published between 1962 and 2001. A Medline search of studies...

Probiotics for allergy prevention: alternative medicine: an evidence-based approach.(Clinical Rounds)
August 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...

Better compliance with asthma guidelines seen: parallel shift in office visits.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2003... Physician compliance with asthma pharmacotherapy guidelines is improving, and this could have something to do with a recent steadying in the number of asthma-related doctor visits, Dr. Randall S. Stafford of Stanford (Calif.) University and his...

Adult asthma rates stabilize: ethnicity may be factor.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The number of adults with asthma is holding after rising steadily for almost 2 decades. The lifetime prevalence of adult asthma in 2001 was 11.0%, an insignificant increase from the 10.5% rate in 2000. The current prevalence of adult...

New approaches boost lung cancer survival rates; early stage, locally advanced, recurrent.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Non-small cell lung cancer has some long-awaited new enemies. Adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery for early stage disease; a three-pronged regimen of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery for local disease that has spread to...

SF-36 survey may flag depression in chronic pain.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- The SF-36 health survey might be a useful clinical tool for assessing depression, not just overall quality of life, in chronic pain patients, Dr. Thomas Elliott reported during a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the...

Duloxetine may relieve pain in depression: investigational agent.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Duloxetine, an investigational drug, can be effective in treating depressed patients with painful physical symptoms, Dr. Madelaine Wohlreich reported in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Pain Society. ...

Depression tied to higher mortality in Ca patients; antidepressant trials warranted.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2003... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Depressive symptoms are an independent predictor of mortality in cancer patients, Susan Zickmund, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society of General Internal Medicine. This finding from a large, prospective study...

OTC omeprazole is set to hit stores this fall; self-diagnosis of abdominal pain a concern.(Rx)
August 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration has approved over-the-counter sales of Prilosec, and the drug is slated to hit store shelves nationwide this fall accompanied by a massive advertising campaign. Although the use of omeprazole (Prilosec)...

Drug update: irritable bowel syndrome.(Rx)
August 1, 2003... A few short years ago, even gastroenterologists cringed when a patient with irritable bowel syndrome walked in. Today, thanks in large part to a public relations push and a better understanding of the disorder, primary care physicians can...

Valacyclovir backed to cut genital herpes spread; FDA panel recommendation.(Rx)
August 1, 2003... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- A federal advisory panel recommended that suppressive therapy with valacyclovir be approved for reducing the risk of genital herpes transmission from infected to uninfected sexual partners. The Food and Drug...

Plicator approved for GERD.(gastroesophageal reflux disease)(Products)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The Plicator device has been approved for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The instrument is passed transorally, so the process can be performed in an outpatient procedure. Through direct endoscopic visualization, the device...

Bacterial conjunctivitis Tx.(treatment)(Products)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Vigamox (moxifloxacin HCl ophthalmic solution) 0.5% is indicated for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis in adults and children aged 1 year and older. For more information, contact Alcon Inc., 800- 757-9195, www.vigamox.com.

Anticlotting drug for elderly.(Products)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Additional labeling information supporting the use of the anticlotting drug Fragmin (dalteparin sodium injection) in geriatric patients has been approved. Data from clinical studies did not reveal any differences between elderly and younger...

New Zocor labeling.(Products)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Zocor (simvastatin) 40 mg is now recommended, along with diet, as the starting dose for people with coronary heart disease or diabetes to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Labeling changes reflect data showing that the drug is...

Hepatitis C assay.(Products)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Versant HCV RNA 3.0 (branched DNA) is approved for the quantitative detection of hepatitis C in serum or plasma. The predictive test directly measures the virus RNA levels, which will aid physicians in making therapeutic decisions early in...

New HIV-1 drug dose.(Products)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Viracept (nelfinavir mesylate) has been approved in a 625-mg formulation. The new formulation reduces the number of pills that patients with HIV-1 infection will have to take, from five 250-mg tablets twice a day to two 625-mg tablets twice a...

Somavert okay for acromegaly.(Products)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Somavert (pegvisomant for injection) is approved for the treatment of acromegaly in patients who have had an inadequate response to surgery and/or radiation therapy and/or other medical therapies, or for whom these therapies are not...

New indication for rapamune.(Products)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Rapamune (sirolimus) oral solution and tablets are now indicated for use within an immunosuppressive regimen that allows for the withdrawal of cyclosporine 2-4 months after renal transplantation in patients considered at low to moderate...

Vitamin D injection approval.(Products)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Calcitriol liquid vitamin D injection is approved to treat chronic kidney dialysis patients with abnormally low levels of calcium in the circulating blood. For more information, contact aaiPharma Inc., 800-575-4224), www.aaipharma.com.

Laser for lithotripsy.(Products)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The FREDDY laser is available for shock wave lithotripsy. It produces nonthermal laser pulses that fragment calculi without perforating or coagulating tissue. The technique can be used in the entire urinary tract. For more information, contact...

Migraine medicine available.(Products)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Relpax (eletriptan HBr) is available for the acute treatment of migraine headaches. The drug is available in 20- and 40-mg tablets. The maximal recommended single dose is 40 mg, and the daily dosage should not exceed 80 mg. It should not be...

Ezetimibe-statin combo reduces serum lipids; five studies.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
August 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- The newest lipid-lowering drug on the U.S. market, ezetimibe, performed well when paired with a statin, based on the results of five studies reported at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology. Several studies...

Cholesterol guidelines deemed 'hopelessly out of date'; expert favors five major changes.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
August 1, 2003... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- National Cholesterol 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 think...

Poor adherence to drug therapy in coronary artery disease patients; despite quality improvement effort.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- A substantial portion of patients with known coronary artery disease become nonadherent within 6 months following discharge on key evidence-based medications, even at a medical center having an aggressive cardiovascular therapy...

Carvedilol study sparks debate on CHF therapy; 'clear difference' over metoprolol.(Cardiovascular Medicine congestive heart failure)
August 1, 2003... The first large study to compare carvedilol and metoprolol for reducing mortality in congestive heart failure showed a "clear difference" favoring carvedilol, according to Dr. Philip Poole-Wilson. All-cause mortality, the primary end...

Stable angina update.(The Effective Physician)
August 1, 2003... Background Early this year, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines released an update of its 1999 Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Chronic Stable Angina. It is...

Night and day.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Among acute MI patients who undergo angioplasty during the "off hours" of 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., 30-day mortality is twice as high as that in patients whose angioplasty is done during regular daytime hours. It is unclear whether this...

Outcome after defibrillation.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Long-term survival after rapid defibrillation for cardiac arrest is similar to survival in matched patients who don't have a cardiac arrest, and most patients report a quality of life equal to that in the general population, said Dr. T. Jared...

Breathing for resistant HT.(Clinical Capsules hypertension)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Doing brief, daily slow-breathing exercises reduced ambulatory blood pressure in a small group of patients whose hypertension was resistant to optimal doses of a triple-drug regimen, reported Dr. Reuven Viskoper and his associates at the...

Folic acid fails in stable CAD.(Clinical Capsules coronary artery disease)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Folic acid supplements do not reduce the recurrence of cardiovascular events in patients with stable coronary artery disease, even though they do decrease plasma homocysteine levels, according to Dr. Anho Liem of Oosterschelde Hospital, Goes,...

Video capsule spotlights unexplained abdominal pain, obscure GI bleeding; preliminary findings.(Gastroenterology)
August 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Video capsule endoscopy can aid clinicians in the often vexing diagnosis of unexplained abdominal pain, but the technology is more likely to yield clinical findings in patients with obscure GI bleeding, according to a study...

Video capsule endoscopy approved for first-line use; small bowel disorders.(Gastroenterology)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... A video capsule endoscopy system previously approved only for adjunctive use in the diagnosis of small bowel disorders has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a first-line diagnostic tool. The M2A capsule endoscope,...

Video spots NSAID injury to small bowel; endoscopy capsule shows lesions.(Gastroenterology)
August 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- About one in four arthritis patients who swallowed a video capsule for endoscopy had small bowel injury associated with chronic NSAID use, according to a study presented at the annual Digestive Disease Week. The new...

Urgent colonoscopy has little impact in lower GI bleeding; compared with standard care.(Gastroenterology)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Urgent colonoscopy for lower gastrointestinal bleeding was better than the standard care algorithm at identifying a definitive source of bleeding but did not lead to improvements in key outcome measures in a prospective...

Researchers test method to control motion of video capsule device: first test drive in human volunteer.(Gastroenterology)
August 1, 2003... ORLANDO FLA. -- For the first time, a video capsule endoscope was "driven" through the small intestine in a human volunteer. Researchers stopped the capsule, backed it up, and moved it forward, demonstrating that they are no longer at the mercy...

Options for detecting Crohn's disease: video capsule, CT enterography.(Gastroenterology)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Video capsule endoscopy and computed tomography enterography were each significantly better than small bowel follow-through x-ray studies for detecting small bowel Crohn's disease. Small bowel follow-through studies,...

FDA panel: ipecac OTC status no longer justified, lack of efficacy data.(over the counter)(Gastroenterology)
August 1, 2003... BETHESDA, MD. -- A Food and Drug Administration Advisory Panel voted 6-4 that ipecac syrup, used for years as an emergency in-home method of gastrointestinal decontamination, should no longer be available over the counter. The product's...

GERD and respiratory disease.(gastroesophageal reflux)(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Severe gastroesophageal reflux is associated with an impaired exchange of carbon monoxide through the lungs, reported Dr. Linda M. Schachter of the Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, Heidelberg, Australia, and her associates. They...

GERD, obesity, and estrogen.(gastroesophageal reflux)(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The likelihood that a woman will develop gastroesophageal reflux symptoms rises with increasing body mass index, and is exacerbated by postmenopausal hormone therapy, reported Dr. Magnus Nilsson of the Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, and his...

Risk factors for constipation.(Clinical Capsules)
August 1, 2003... A wide variety of commonly used drugs is associated with chronic constipation in primary care patients, reported Dr. Nicholas J. Talley of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and his colleagues. In a retrospective analysis of data from the...

Nonresponders to HCV therapy.(hepatitis C virus)(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Patients with chronic hepatitis C who are positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV) after treatment with a combined therapy of interferon-[alpha] and ribavirin can maintain some improvements if changed to ribavirin monotherapy; reported Dr. Jay H....

HPV vaccine yields 'excellent' antibody response; lack of efficacy data.(human papillomavirus)(Infections Diseases)
August 1, 2003... BETHESDA, MD. -- Vaccines that contain viruslike particles from human papillomavirus types known to cause cervical cancer have produced consistent, durable antibody responses in small trials, Doug Lowy, Ph.D., reported. Viruslike particles...

Pneumococcal vaccine should be a priority for cochlear implant patients; high risk of bacterial meningitis.(Infections Diseases)
August 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- Patients who have received cochlear implants should be vaccinated against Streptococcus pneumoniae, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended at its summer meeting. ...

Postcard reminders raise flu shot rates in patients at risk; eight rural clinics.(Infections Diseases)
August 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Using disease management database information to remind at-risk patients to get influenza vaccinations was effective for a group of clinics in central Washington state, Dr. Richard Tucker said at the National Immunization Conference...

Decline in antimicrobial prescriptions driven by office-based physicians: use has soared in outpatient setting.(Infections Diseases)
August 1, 2003... BETHESDA, MD. -- Antimicrobial prescriptions for ambulatory patients have declined steadily in the last decade, a trend driven largely by a striking decrease in prescribing by office-based physicians, Linda F. McCaig reported at an annual...

Cocolonization with resistant organisms might spawn VRSA.(vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)(Burn Unit Patients)
August 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...

Flu: prevention and treatment.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The neuroaminidase inhibitors oseltamivir and zanamivir are effective against influenza, a metaanalysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials shows. Intention-to-treat analysis of data from 17 treatment trials and 7 prevention trials...

New HIV drug approved.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration has approved a once-daily protease inhibitor for HIV infection. Reyataz (atazanavir sulfate) is used with other antiretrovirals, and offers HIV patients a treatment choice that reduces pill burden. Approval...

Voriconazole: salvage therapy.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Voriconazole was effective and well tolerated for refractory, uncommon, and new fungal infections in a recent study of patients at high risk for treatment failure. The broad-spectrum triazole led to satisfactory global responses in 47% of...

West Nile paralysis.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Acute flaccid paralysis, seen in a small number of cases of West Nile virus, appears to be associated with spinal anterior horn cell involvement and resultant poliomyelitislike syndrome, a review of cases suggests. Previously, the...

State cuts threaten Medicaid mental health plans; medications, outpatient care affected.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2003... As state budget officers try to figure out how to best squeeze blood from a stone, advocates worry that Medicaid mental health patients are increasingly falling victim to budget cuts. "I'm very alarmed about this," said Dr. Paul S....

Disease management programs need to work harder to woo physicians; seen as too time consuming.(Practice Trends)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... BALTIMORE -- Do the words "disease management" make you think of doing more work without any benefit? If so, that's because disease management programs haven't been doing enough to gain support from physicians, Dr. Bob Kolock said at a...