Internal Medicine News articles from December 2006

Internal Medicine News archives from December 2006

Virtual colorectal imaging: new era?(News)(Report)
December 1, 2006... BOSTON -- The debut of virtual colonoscopy as a mainstream option for colorectal cancer screening may be just months away, experts said at an international symposium on virtual colonoscopy sponsored by Boston University. The...

Most internists surveyed are at least somewhat satisfied with their jobs.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Most Internists Surveyed Are at Least Somewhat Satisfied With Their Jobs Very satisfied 19% Somewhat satisfied 40% Somewhat dissatisfied 27% Very dissatisfied 14% Note: Based on responses from 143 internists....

VTE prophylaxis deficient for most at-risk inpatients: two-thirds not given appropriate therapy.(News)(Report)
December 1, 2006... SALT LAKE CITY -- Only one-third of U.S. medical inpatients at increased risk for venous thromboembolism receive appropriate prophylaxis as recommended by American College of Chest Physicians guidelines, according to a large study. About...

CDC campaign targets chronic fatigue syndrome.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)(Neurology)(Report)
December 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Chronic fatigue syndrome has gained new stature as a public health concern with the launch by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of a national education campaign aimed at promoting diagnosis and treatment of the...

Fatality at 28 days after first venous thromboembolism.(DATA WATCH)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Fatality at 28 Days After First Venous Thromboembolism VTE Deaths: Type Deep Vein Thrombosis 62% Pulmonary Embolism 38% VTE Deaths: Causes Secondary, Cancer-Related 59% Secondary, Noncancer-Related 21%...

Thermoplasty may reduce asthma exacerbations.(News)(Report)
December 1, 2006... SALT LAKE CITY -- Bronchial thermoplasty is an innovative outpatient procedure showing considerable promise as a long-term nondrug treatment for asthma, Dr. Michel Laviolette said at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest...

Trials compare alternatives to traditional colonoscopy.(News)
December 1, 2006... LAS VEGAS -- Capsule colonoscopy achieved a higher sensitivity for detecting polyps than did virtual colonoscopy in a comparative study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, but no test has yet approached...

Early trauma tied to adult mental, physical health.(News)
December 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- Traumatic stress in youth is the single most important contributor to later psychiatric morbidity and mortality, according to a new report. Prevention of trauma and violence could be the single most effective strategy for...

Aricept.(NEW & APPROVED)(Drug overview)
December 1, 2006... Aricept (donepezil, Eisai Inc.) A cholinesterase inhibitor approved for severe dementia in people with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Approved in 1996 for mild to moderate AD, this is the second drug approved for treating advanced stages...

Betaseron.(NEW & APPROVED)
December 1, 2006... Betaseron (interferon beta-lb, Berlex) The indications and usage section of the Betaseron label now states that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in whom efficacy has been demonstrated include those "who have experienced a first...

Pioglitazone blocked atherosclerosis in diabetics.(News)(Clinical report)
December 1, 2006... CHICAGO -- Treatment with pioglitazone for 18 months halted progression of atherosclerosis in patients with early type 2 diabetes, Dr. Theodore Mazzone reported at the annual scientific sessions of the American Heart Association. Carotid...

Hope for a type 1 diabetes cure.(GUEST EDITORIAL)(Editorial)(Clinical report)
December 1, 2006... One promising new therapy for type 1 diabetes involves treating newly diagnosed patients with humanized anti-CD3 monoclonal antibodies. The idea is that these antibodies will help preserve pancreatic islet [beta]-cell insulin secretory capacity...

Is frequent glucose testing a waste of time for most patients with type 2 diabetes?(POINT/COUNTERPOINT)(Clinical report)
December 1, 2006... There is no good evidence that patients benefit. My arguments do not apply to anyone who uses insulin, who is troubled by hypoglycemia, who has gestational diabetes, or who is experiencing temporary situations of intercurrent illness,...

Dementia screening tools questioned.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I read with interest the article highlighting Dr. Peter Lin's methodology for screening for dementia, which includes drawing a clock, recalling three objects, and naming as many animals as possible within 1 minute ("Use Simple Screening Tools...

Flu vaccine arrives late or not at all.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I felt guilty about not offering flu shots to my patients again this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the federal government, and state public health department all knew about...

Califano advocates for HMOs.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... Since when has former Health, Education, and Welfare Secretary Joseph A. Califano Jr. become such a big physician advocate worried about "a lack of intelligent and patient-friendly health care policy right now?"("It's No 'Holiday' for...

Pain relievers.(Opinion)(Cartoon)
December 1, 2006... "It's e-mail from the patient in 914."

iPLEDGE rules simplified for men, some women.(Dermatology)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Women who have no chance of becoming pregnant, as well as men, are now exempt from a 23-day lockout period before starting a new prescription of isotretinoin for the treatment of acne, according to a statement from the Food and Drug...

Dermatophytes tracked among family members.(Dermatology)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- Athlete's foot and onychomycosis can be spread among family members sharing common areas, but not easily, Mahmoud A. Ghannoum, Ph.D., said at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. In...

Spironolactone useful for acne Tx in women.(Dermatology)
December 1, 2006... SAN ANTONIO -- The diuretic spironolactone is inexpensive, well tolerated, and effective for most women with acne vulgaris. Dr. Steven A. Davis said at a meeting of Skin Disease Education Foundation. "This is one of the better products" for...

New tattoo ink will be removable.(Dermatology)
December 1, 2006... Dermatologist R. Rox Anderson and a small group of other physicians and investigators plan to market a removable tattoo ink next year, and if the ink lives up to the inventors' expectations, dermatologists will be able to remove permanent...

First skin cancer may flag risk for second cancer.(Dermatology)
December 1, 2006... WINNIPEG, MAN. -- People who developed their first basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma had a higher risk of developing and dying of a second primary cancer, data from a retrospective study of 43,275 patients showed. A first...

CFS traced to childhood trauma, emotional instability, stress.(Neurology)(chronic fatigue syndrome)
December 1, 2006... Childhood trauma and neglect, long-standing emotional instability, and stress all were forerunners of chronic fatigue syndrome that developed decades later, researchers reported in two separate studies. The findings support the idea that...

Nerve conduction studies safe in ICD patients.(Neurology)(implanted cardiac defibrillators)
December 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Routine nerve conduction studies do not interfere with the function of implanted cardiac defibrillators or pacemakers, and they are safe diagnostic tools in patients with these devices, Dr. Michelle Mellion and her colleagues...

Methadone linked to sleep-disordered breathing.(Neurology)
December 1, 2006... Dr. Amanda A. Beck and her colleagues were puzzled by some of their patients at the University of New Mexico's Sleep Disorders Center in Albuquerque. The patients took methadone, but they did not have histories of drug abuse. They were...

Methadone prescribing is tricky, experts warn.(Neurology)
December 1, 2006... Clinicians should not rely on standard conversion tables when switching chronic pain patients to methadone from other opioid analgesics, according to three pain experts who have published guidance on methadone prescribing. The widely...

In-house dialysis at nursing homes eases fatigue.(Geriatrics)
December 1, 2006... Seeing his frail residents make the crosstown trip for dialysis three times a week used to wrench Kenneth Sherman's heart. "Watching that group go out in all types of weather and come back exhausted was so hard," said Mr. Sherman, senior...

Rules for nursing home dialysis units may loosen.(Geriatrics)
December 1, 2006... New Medicare regulations that are under consideration may make it easier to provide renal dialysis in long-term care facilities. For the time being, however, the dialysis units at McCauley Manor, Hornell, N.Y., and the Jewish Home and...

Six-question interview screens for elder abuse.(Geriatrics)
December 1, 2006... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Canadian researchers have developed and validated a user-friendly six-question index that can be used in the office to elicit suspicion of elder abuse in seniors who are cognitively intact. The goal of the Elder Abuse...

Annual bisphosphonate greatly reduces fractures.(Endocrinology)
December 1, 2006... PHILADELPHIA -- Once-yearly therapy with zoledronic acid has resulted in impressive reductions in fracture incidence at the three most common fracture sites in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, according to phase III findings presented at...

Periodic ibandronate injections improve BMD at 2 years.(Endocrinology)
December 1, 2006... PHILADELPHIA -- Intermittent intravenous injections of ibandronate continue to improve bone mineral density of the spine and hip at 2 years, according to data presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral...

Combination regimens may enhance weight loss.(Endocrinology)
December 1, 2006... BOSTON -- Combination therapy using agents known to cause weight loss is showing some success in early studies as a treatment for obesity. Two such studies were presented at the annual meeting of NAASO, the Obesity Society, but safety...

Artificial lighting may play role in rising obesity rate.(Endocrinology)(Report)
December 1, 2006... LAS VEGAS, NEV. -- The lack of seasonal variation in a modern world governed by artificial light may help explain the current obesity epidemic and the rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes, Dr. Eleanor M. Scott suggested at the Fourth World...

Minorities rely on diet, exercise as weight-loss strategies.(Endocrinology)(Survey)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... DALLAS -- African Americans and Hispanics were more likely to use diet and exercise to lose weight than to seek counseling from a dietitian or try prescription medications, according to a poster presented at the annual meeting of the National...

Gout guidelines highlight risk factor analysis.(Rheumatology)
December 1, 2006... Optimal treatment for gout requires both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapy to reduce the severity of acute attacks and prolong the period between them, according to new gout management guidelines from the European League Against...

Managing atraumatic knee pain without surgery.(Rheumatology)
December 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Atraumatic knee pain, especially on the outside of the knee, is a common complaint in primary care offices, and although its mechanisms are poorly understood, the pain is real, even in those lacking clinical symptoms such as...

BP device has vital signs options.(PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2006... The Fusion monitor is available to take sensor-based blood pressure readings at the wrist, with options that include simultaneous, sensor-based pulse oximetry and thermometry. For more information, contact Medwave Inc. by calling the toll-free...

FDA approves Skin Sterol Test.(PRODUCTS)(Food and Drug Administration)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration has approved the PREVU Point of Care Skin Sterol Test. The test uses a second-generation color spectrometer that does not need to be attached to a computer to measure the amount of cholesterol in skin. High...

Alternative device to CPAP.(PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2006... The BiPAP M Series sleep systems are an alternative for adults with obstructive sleep apnea who have difficulty complying with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure devices. The sleep systems use an algorithm to determine how much of a response...

New formulation of phenytoin.(PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2006... Extended-release phenytoin sodium capsules are indicated for seizures related to epilepsy and neurosurgery. The 100-mg extended-release generic capsules are the bioequivalent of Dilantin Kapseals (Pfizer). For more information, contact Taro...

Generic BP drug approved.(PRODUCTS)(blood pressure)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Diltiazem HCl ER, a generic drug used to treat hypertension, angina, or chest pain, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The once-a-day, extended release capsules come in strengths of 120, 180, 240, 300, 360, and 420 mg and...

Colorectal cancer drug approved.(PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration has approved the monoclonal antibody Vectibix (panitumumab) for the treatment of patients with epidermal growth factor receptor-expressing, metastatic colorectal carcinoma that has progressed during or after...

Combo capsules target H. pylori.(PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2006... Axcan's Pylera 3-in-l capsules have been approved for the treatment of Heliobacter pylori infection, the main cause of gastric and duodenal ulcers. Each capsule contains 140 mg of biskalcitrate potassium, 125 mg of metronidazole, and 125 mg of...

Drug for breakthrough cancer pain.(PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2006... Fentanyl buccal tablets (Fentora) are available in a range of dosage strengths for managing breakthrough pain in cancer patients who tolerate opioid therapy for chronic underlying pain. The tablets are designed for partial absorption through...

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

Eczema emollient gains approval.(PRODUCTS)(Sanofi-Aventis U.S.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Dermatop emollient cream has received FDA approval for treating mild to moderate eczema in patients aged 1 year and older. The safety and effectiveness of this topical corticosteroid has not been established for longer than 3 weeks in pediatric...

Sphere aids prolapse recovery.(PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2006... The Colpexin sphere, an intravaginal device manufactured by Adamed Inc., helps in managing pelvic organ prolapse and improving pelvic floor muscle weakness. Twice a day, the patient inserts the sphere and performs Kegel exercises, and the...

Fondaparinux cut event, bleeding risk in ACS.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(acute coronary syndrome)
December 1, 2006... BARCELONA -- The selective factor Xa inhibitor fondaparinux proved superior to enoxaparin or unfractionated heparin for the treatment of the full spectrum of acute coronary syndrome, from unstable angina through ST-elevation MI, in a weighty...

Thrombolysis is unexpected flop in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest study.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
December 1, 2006... BARCELONA -- Routine thrombolytic therapy in patients with refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest failed to show even a glimmer of benefit in the 1,050-patient Thrombolysis in Cardiac Arrest trial, the first major randomized double-blind...

Study finds link between psoriasis and risk of MI.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(myocardial infarction)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Psoriasis appears to be an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction, conferring the same magnitude of risk as other major cardiac risk factors, according to Dr. Joel M. Gelfand of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and his...

Weight loss cuts risks in prehypertension.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
December 1, 2006... BOSTON -- Prehypertensive patients who participate in a structured weight-management program can significantly reduce their risk factors and may avoid the need for antihypertensive drug therapy, according to a study presented at the annual...

Chinese study finds no blood pressure J-curve.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Report)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... SAN ANTONIO -- Among patients with known cardiovascular disease, there is no J-shaped association between blood pressure and either future cardiovascular events or all-cause mortality, new data suggest. "These data indicate there is a...

Tigecycline tested as CAP therapy.(Infectious Diseases)
December 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- Tigecycline appeared to be comparable in efficacy and tolerability to levofloxacin in treating community-acquired pneumonia in two phase III studies of 891 hospitalized patients needing intravenous therapy, Dr. Gary Dukart...

Antibiotics, DMARDs quell Lyme arthritis.(Infectious Diseases)
December 1, 2006... BOSTON -- Antibiotic therapy decreases the duration of persistent joint inflammation in Lyme arthritis, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs can reduce its severity in individuals with antibiotic-refractory disease, Dr. Alan Steere...

Lyme disease prevention and treatment.(THE EFFECTIVE PHYSICIAN)
December 1, 2006... Background The Infectious Diseases Society of America recently updated its guidelines on identification and management of Lyme disease and other zoonoses associated with bites from Ixodes ticks. Conclusions Ixodes scapularis ticks...

Adult cyclic vomiting syndrome is easy to miss.(Gastroenterology)
December 1, 2006... BOSTON -- Cyclic vomiting syndrome in adults often goes unrecognized for years after onset, despite its severe and disabling consequences. The disorder may be the cause of repeat visits to emergency departments, unnecessary surgeries and...

New bowel prep superior with half the volume.(Gastroenterology)
December 1, 2006... BERLIN -- A new bowel-cleansing formula was more effective and had better patient acceptance than did a conventional bowel-preparation solution in a controlled study with 356 patients. The Moviprep formulation of polyethylene glycol,...

Hydrotherapy may offer bowel prep advantages.(Gastroenterology)
December 1, 2006... LAS VEGAS -- The safety, efficacy, and--perhaps most important--tolerability of bowel preparation for colonoscopy came under intense scrutiny at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. "We desperately need to have...

Adalimumab can suppress Crohn's after infliximab fails.(Gastroenterology)
December 1, 2006... BERLIN -- Treatment with adalimumab led to significantly more remissions than did placebo in patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease who had failed treatment with infliximab, in a study with 325 patients. The safety and...

Medicare ranks high on congressional agenda.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2006... Changes in leadership brought about by the November mid-term elections are likely to change the way Congress approaches health policy issues, according to several experts. One change many physicians are hoping the new Democratic leadership...

Telehealth licensure studied.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Officials at the Federation of State Medical Boards are tackling the issue of licensure for physicians engaged in telehealth and those involved in the multistate practice of medicine. FSMB recently received a grant from the federal government...

CDC finances investigated.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Members of Congress are looking into alleged financial problems at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a letter, members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee requested that CDC officials provide an analysis done by Deloitte...

Health IT standardization.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT), founded in 2004 by three health IT industry organizations, has been designated officially as a Recognized Certification Body by the Health and Human Services...

Smoking rates level off.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Survey)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... An 8-year decline in adult smoking rates may be flattening, according to the CDC. The agency analyzed self-reported data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey and found that the nation is falling behind in efforts to reduce cigar and...

Medicare Handbook bias.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
December 1, 2006... A group of senior House and Senate Democrats have charged that the 2007 Medicare Handbook casts HMO plans in a more favorable light than fee-for-service plans. The Bush Administration favors Medicare Advantage, the HMO program, which had...

Voters acted on smoking, abortion initiatives.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2006... BOSTON -- Voters in several states made their voices heard last month on smoking bans and restrictions on abortion. Public health experts offered their views on the ballot initiatives at the annual meeting of the American Public Health...

Do it yourself: computerized education in the exam room.(REINVENTING YOUR PRACTICE)
December 1, 2006... A Maine internist has distinguished himself by turning his exam room computers into time-saving patient education tools. Dr. Mukesh Bhargava has developed a "show and tell" system that helps patients learn how to examine themselves for...

Tweaking an EMR system to speed prescription refills.(REINVENTING YOUR PRACTICE)(electronic medical records )
December 1, 2006... How would you like to reduce your practice's patient data research load by 12 hours a week? That's precisely what Dr. Alan Brush did for his multi-specialty practice in Cambridge, Mass. "Using the EpicCare electronic medical record system's...

Value-based competition to debut in next 2 years.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Schemes measuring the quality of health care services against price will emerge in some local markets for several procedures in the next 2 years, Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt said at a meeting on health...

Ambulatory training to lead residency reforms: task force on reform discusses the core curriculum, evaluation of residents, and hospital staffing issues.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2006... Leaders of academic internal medicine are developing plans to reform residency training so residents can spend more time in ambulatory settings and so programs can promote residents on the basis of their mastery of certain skills. The...

Future of ambulatory training faces uncertainty.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2006... The ability of hospitals to maintain ambulatory training for medical residents seems to be in doubt with the departure of Dr. Mark McClellan as head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Dr. McClellan left without resolving an...

Access to HPV vaccine may hit funding barriers.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- The challenge of paying for vaccinations has become even greater now the human papillomavirus vaccine is on the immunization schedule. At a meeting of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee, representatives from several...

Beware the liability pitfalls of electronic records.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- From a liability perspective, health information technology remains a double-edged sword whose parameters still need to be spelled out, experts maintained at a meeting sponsored by eHealth Initiative and Bridges to Excellence. ...

Fat and happy.(INDICATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... A physician in the United Kingdom is now marketing something he calls "the doctor's chocolate." (No word on whether the British National Health Service reimburses for this treatment.) Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby claims his chocolate truffles reduce...

A little crab'll do ya.(INDICATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The brazen theft of three pallets of Little River-brand canned lump crabmeat in October have led police in Suffolk, Va., to issue a warning that two of the pallets might have been tainted with a powerful antibiotic, the Associated Press...

Hospital, hotel, whatever.(INDICATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Hospitals, by treating disease and even curing illness, are running themselves out of business! A recent public relations e-mail to the Bureau of Indications plugged a book called "Turn Your Customers On" (something most physicians try to...

Goates' wits beat nits.(INDICATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Researchers at the University of Utah have developed a new treatment for the schoolyard scourge of head lice, as reported in the November issue of Pediatrics. Brad M. Goates and colleagues in their paper subtitled "A Lot of Hot Air" tested six...

Better dead than not red.(INDICATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Before the recent congressional elections, the city of Houston, faced with a lawsuit by the Republican party, ceased offering free influenza vaccinations to people 50 years and older at early voting sites in low-income areas, the Associated...

New Preventive Services PDA tool.(FYI)
December 1, 2006... The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released the Electronic Preventive Services Selector (ePSS). This tool is based on the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and allows clinicians to identify and offer...

Research consortium launched.(FYI)
December 1, 2006... The National Institutes of Health has announced the launch of a national consortium focused on transforming how clinical research is conducted in the hopes of providing patients with new treatments more quickly and effectively. Twelve...

Elastic ultrasound identifies breast Ca.(News)
December 15, 2006... CHICAGO -- Elastic imaging, a noninvasive ultrasound technique, can help physicians improve the accuracy of breast cancer diagnosis in women with abnormal mammograms, according to a study of 99 women. Elastic imaging works by combining...

Internists in group practice earn more in the west.(VITAL SIGNS)
December 15, 2006... Internists in Group Practice Earn More in the West Note: Based on median income. Source: 2005 survey data, Medical Group Management Association ELSEVIER GLOBAL MEDICAL NEWS

Medication beats late angioplasty following acute MI: delayed PCI not helpful in stable patients.(News)
December 15, 2006... CHICAGO -- Routine late coronary intervention to open a persistently occluded infarct-related artery in stable patients is no longer appropriate in light of the findings of the 2,166-patient Occluded Artery Trial, said Dr. Judith S. Hochman at...

Low literacy limits drug label comprehension.(News)
December 15, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Patients who read at or below the 6th-grade level had a low level of comprehension of instructions on the labels of five commonly used medications, according to a study led by Terry Davis, Ph.D., of the Louisiana State University....