Internal Medicine News articles from December 2007

Internal Medicine News archives from December 2007

Medical home set to move forward.(News)
December 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Medical home advocates hope a new set of metrics will help primary care physicians move closer to implementing this model of care. The metrics assess how patient centered an office-based practice is and how well the...

Average workweeks in selected primary care specialties were similar in 2006.(VITAL SIGNS)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Average Workweeks in Selected Primary Care Specialties Were Similar in 2006 Internal medicine: pediatric (n = 76) 38.7 hours Internal medicine: general (n = 3,368) 37.0 hours Pediatric: hospitalist (n = 62) 36.6...

Fenofibrate curbed retinopathy in diabetic patients: need for laser therapy was cut by 37%.(Endocrinology)(Clinical report)
December 1, 2007... ORLANDO -- Treatment with fenofibrate led to a substantial drop in the need for laser treatments for retinopathy in a controlled trial of nearly 10,000 patients with type 2 diabetes. Physicians should "consider using fenofibrate on all...

Oral purgatives linked with acute kidney injury.(News)
December 1, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO -- Acute kidney injury may not be as rare a consequence of oral sodium phosphate bowel purgatives as previously thought, researchers said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrology. In a retrospective study...

Vioxx payout signals new FDA era.(News)
December 1, 2007... Merck & Co. has announced that it will pay $4.85 billion into a fund to settle claims that its cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor rofecoxib (Vioxx) was responsible for causing myocardial infarction and stroke in patients who took the drug for pain. ...

First colonoscopy has most impact on mortality.(News)
December 1, 2007... PHILADELPHIA -- The first colonoscopy done on a person has the greatest impact for preventing death from colorectal cancer, and subsequent surveillance colonoscopies play a lesser role, based on a new analysis of 20-year follow-up data...

CMS unveils electronic records project for smaller practices.(News)
December 1, 2007... Primary care doctors welcomed news of a federal project aimed at extending the use of electronic health records in small- to medium-sized practices, but noted that its success rests on how it is implemented. "The devil is in the details," Dr....

Health IT use varies by specialty.(News)(information technology)
December 1, 2007... Adoption of health information technology varies significantly among physicians in different specialties, according to a new study from the Center for Studying Health System Change. While only 12% of physicians overall have adopted...

MI warning added to rosiglitazone black box.(News)(myocardial infarction )
December 1, 2007... A warning about the potential increased risk for myocardial infarction associated with rosiglitazone has been added to the existing black box warning for the antidiabetic agent, reflecting the results of the widely publicized meta-analysis of...

Sexually transmitted disease rates continue to increase.(News)
December 1, 2007... Rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis increased in the United States during the past year and continued recent upward trends, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Young women, racial and ethnic...

Which approach is best for colon surgery?(POINT/COUNTERPOINT)
December 1, 2007... Strong evidence supports the laparoscopic approach. Evidence from randomized trials of open vs. laparoscopic cholecystectomy has clearly demonstrated less impairment and more rapid recovery of pulmonary function after laparoscopy. These...

Coping with chronic kidney disease.(GUEST EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
December 1, 2007... Chronic kidney disease affects more than 20 million Americans and costs our health care system billions of dollars annually. About 8 million individuals have an estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 60 mL/min per 1.73 [m.sup.2], and of...

Accounts receivable in action.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... Eighteen months ago our 35-person group practice read with great interest Dr. Joseph S. Eastern's article ("How to Slash Accounts Receivable," March 15, 2006, p. 13). He suggested obtaining a credit card "imprint" from all patients and...

Treatment options for MRSA.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... As medical director for Homeless Health Care Los Angeles, where I run a clinic at a needle exchange on Skid Row, and as a staff physician at the free Venice Family Clinic, where 25% of our patients are homeless, I treat wounds and abscesses on...

Correction.(Correction notice)
December 1, 2007... In "CT Not Advised for Lung Ca Screening" (Oct. 15, 2007, p. 1), we incorrectly reported that Dr. James L. Mulshine participates in the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program. Also, the statement that General Electric Co. has provided...

Credit cards: the nuts and bolts.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
December 1, 2007... Accepting credit cards in your office--both for capturing charges immediately at the time of service and for billing residual balances--has huge advantages. But how do you arrange for credit card processing at your office at the best possible...

Social rhythm therapy reduces bipolar episodes.(Psychiatry)( interpersonal and social rhythm therapy )
December 1, 2007... VIENNA -- A psychosocial intervention aimed at instilling greater regularity of daily routines in patients with bipolar disorder effectively protects against recurrences of both mania and depression, Ellen Frank, Ph.D., said at the annual...

Inform patients before prescribing lamotrigine.(Psychiatry)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... MIAMI BEACH -- Inadequate informed consent places physicians prescribing lamotrigine at increased risk of malpractice liability, Dr. Neelam Varshney suggested. Given that, it is important to inform patients about the risk of a rare but...

Drivers taking Ambien should follow proper regimen.(Psychiatry)
December 1, 2007... MIAMI BEACH -- A medical literature review and a news database search indicate that zolpidem is safe when a proper dosing regimen is followed--despite recent media reports suggesting an association between the agent and driving impairment. ...

Preclinical clues may speed diagnosis of Parkinson's.(Neurology)
December 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- The recognition that Parkinson's disease is a systemic disease with identifiable prodromal features is providing hope for early detection and, ultimately, for possible early therapeutic intervention before the disabling clinical...

Many migraine patients at risk for serotonin syndrome.(Neurology)
December 1, 2007... VIENNA -- An estimated 700,000 Americans were at risk for serotonin syndrome in 2004 because they were simultaneously on a triptan and a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, according to data...

Midlife migraine/aura linked with late-life brain infarcts.(Neurology)
December 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Migraines in midlife with accompanying visual aura predict later-life brain infarcts, according to a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association. Furthermore, the relationship between...

Alcohol may be neuroprotective in trauma.(Neurology)
December 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- Alcohol may actually protect the cognitive health of some patients who sustain a head injury while intoxicated, Rael Lange, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism. His conclusion stands in stark...

Stroke awareness tool kit in Spanish.(Neurology)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... A Spanish language tool kit to increase stroke awareness in the Hispanic population is available from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health. The kit is for health care...

Search for OA susceptibility gene gets started.(Rheumatology)(osteoarthritis)
December 1, 2007... A genomewide association study of osteoarthritis susceptibility is underway in the United Kingdom with 8,000 affected patients and 6,000 controls, the largest study of its kind ever undertaken. Dr. John Loughlin, principal investigator of...

Arthritis can take a painful toll on workers: among adults with physician-diagnosed arthritis, work limitations were reported by a median 33%.(Rheumatology)(Survey)
December 1, 2007... Arthritis creates work limitations for about a third of the working-age adults with the disease, impacting nearly 7% of the total U.S. workforce, according to a state-by-state study by the Centers for Disease Control. The first-of-its-kind...

Dry powder inhalers are commonly misused.(Pulmonary Medicine)
December 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- Nearly one-third of patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease incorrectly used their dry powder inhalers in a study of 224 patients reported at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians. ...

IL-9 blocker appears safe in asthmatics.(Pulmonary Medicine)
December 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- An investigational fully humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks interleukin-9 cleared an early safety hurdle in patients with asthma. In a phase II prospective randomized trial, no serious treatment-related adverse events,...

Asthma diagnosis and management.(THE EFFECTIVE PHYSICIAN)
December 1, 2007... Background Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases of children and young adults, affecting more than 22 million Americans. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recently released updated guidelines for the diagnosis and...

Symlin pens to be available for select patients.(Endocrinology)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The glucose-lowering drug pramlintide will now be available in pens, but only for patients using premeal bolus insulin. Last month the Food and Drug Administration said Amylin could begin marketing the SymlinPen 60 and the SymlinPen 120...

Potency specifications tightened for levothyroxine.(Endocrinology)
December 1, 2007... The Food and Drug Administration has tightened the potency specifications required for levothyroxine sodium products, mandating that they cannot lose more than 5% of their baseline potency by the time they reach their expiration date. The...

Vegans don't need dairy for good bone health.(Endocrinology)
December 1, 2007... HONOLULU -- Although vegans do not eat dairy products, they appear to have surprisingly good bone health, according to results from a study presented in a poster at the annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. ...

Bazedoxifene helps reduce vertebral fracture risk after menopause.(Endocrinology)
December 1, 2007... HONOLULU -- Bazedoxifene is safe and effective in reducing the risk of new vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, according to the results of a 3-year, phase III, placebo-controlled trial presented at the annual meeting...

Pedicure caution and other onychomycosis tips.(Dermatology)
December 1, 2007... CORONADO, CALIF. -- A patient who has abnormal-looking nails with a normal plantar and web surface is unlikely to have onychomycosis, Dr. Boni E. Elewski said at the annual meeting of the Pacific Dermatologic Association. The presence of...

Smoking history increases psoriasis risk in women.(Dermatology)
December 1, 2007... Women who smoke cigarettes increase their risk of developing psoriasis by 78%, according to a large prospective, longitudinal study. The increased risk appears to be dose dependent, wrote Dr. Arathi R. Setty of Harvard Medical School,...

Olive, whey show promise in treating psoriasis.(Dermatology)
December 1, 2007... Two new natural products--one containing olive polyphenols and the other a proprietary combination of whey proteins--can reduce the symptom burden and appearance of mild to moderate psoriasis. Both products were recently introduced in the...

Family health history as a 21st-century genetic tool.(GENETICS IN YOUR PRACTICE)
December 1, 2007... Family history remains a crucial aspect of medical practice in 2007, even if it sometimes seems to be overshadowed by many exciting advances on the health care horizon. In this column, I will outline the reasons for a resurgence in interest in...

Consortium to investigate genetics of drug adverse events.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2007... A group of seven of the largest drug manufacturers has formed a consortium to study the genetics of serious adverse drug reactions. The Serious Adverse Events Consortium will work closely with the Food and Drug Administration on the...

Genetic testing brochure from NCI.(Clinical Rounds)(National Cancer Institute)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The National Cancer Institute is offering an eight-page brochure, "Genetic Testing: What It Means for Your Health and for Your Family's Health." It explains what genetic tests are, lists the different types, tells how they are done, and gives...

Warfarin decreases stroke in elderly AF patients: results showed a 50% reduction in the primary end point of death or major disabling stroke.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Atrial fibrillation)
December 1, 2007... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Thromboprophylaxis using warfarin produced a "huge, highly significant, 50% reduction" in death and major disability from stroke in elderly patients with a history of atrial fibrillation, roundly outperforming aspirin...

Drug-eluting stents cut mortality and revascularization rates.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
December 1, 2007... ORLANDO -- The safety of drug-eluting coronary stents, compared with bare-metal stents, received a substantial boost in an analysis of data from more than 10,000 patients who received coronary stents in Massachusetts during 2003-2004. Data...

Vitamin E beneficial in some diabetes patients.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
December 1, 2007... ORLANDO -- Vitamin E has fulfilled its promise as an antioxidant that can slow the progression of cardiovascular disease. Patients with diabetes who also had the haptoglobin 2-2 genotype and who were treated with 400 IU of vitamin E daily...

Stent thrombosis rates increase over time.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Statistical data)
December 1, 2007... VIENNA -- The incidence of stent thrombosis following placement of drug-eluting coronary stents suggested a possibly rising, curvilinear incidence during 3 years of follow-up of more than 5,000 patients treated at one center. However, it's...

Primary care often omits discussion of STD/HIV.(Infectious Diseases)(Survey)
December 1, 2007... SAN DIEGO -- A survey of STD and HIV risk among adult patients at a primary care clinic showed that 44% had never been asked about sexual health and 18% had never had a prostate or pelvic exam. Most surveys on risk behavior have targeted...

Histology shows wide variation in resurgent syphilis.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... BALTIMORE -- Secondary syphilis does not always have the textbook lichenoid-psoriasiform appearance, said Dr. Timothy H. McCalmont, a professor of clinical pathology at the University of California, San Francisco. "There's been a...

Anti-MRSA program succeeds across institutions: 'a coordinated hand-hygiene program [can] bring significant reductions in MRSA infection rates.'.(Infectious Diseases)(Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
December 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- Multisite implementation of a generic hand-hygiene culture-change program can significantly reduce infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, according to Dr. M. Lindsay Grayson. In a landmark study...

Steady growth in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus cases in U.S. hospitals.(DATA WATCH)
December 1, 2007... Steady Growth in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Cases in U.S. Hospitals Note: Based on data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project ELSEVIER GLOBAL MEDICAL NEWS

New community-acquired MRSA subclone has emerged.(Infectious Diseases)(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
December 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- The pUSA03 subclone of the USA300 strain is emerging as a major cause of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, especially in men who have sex with men. The new strain is likely spread through...

Hemorrhoidal dearterialization patients have speedy recovery.(Gastroenterology)
December 1, 2007... NEW ORLEANS -- Transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization gets patients back to their normal activities faster than does the procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids, and appears to be associated with fewer serious complications, Dr. Piero Nastro...

Cancer patients' choices clearer with decision aid.(Gastroenterology)
December 1, 2007... CHICAGO -- A decision aid designed to explain choices about chemotherapy and palliative care can help patients with metastatic cancer understand that the goal of therapy is not a cure, without increasing their anxiety, Dr. Natasha B. Leighl...

Work-based coverage cuts take toll.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The number of uninsured Americans rose by nearly 9 million, from 38 million in 2000 to 47 million in 2006, mostly as a result of a decline in employer-provided health coverage for workers and their families, according to an analysis by the...

Patent losses choke drug sales.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
December 1, 2007... The growth of pharmaceutical sales in the United States is expected to increase by 4%-5% next year, reaching an historic low, according to a report by IMS Health Inc. The Norwalk, Conn.--based research firm attributed the slowdown to a leveling...

Data on elderly glossed over.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Food and Drug Administration regulations for drug makers conducting clinical trials encourage the inclusion of elderly participants and the reporting of data by age, but the agency is not effective in getting its medical officers to include...

Depression No. 2 in disability days.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Survey)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Major depression accounts for the second-largest number of days lost to disability in the United States--387 million days a year at the population level, second only to back and neck pain, at 1.2 billion days--according to a study by Harvard...

Bill aims to boost OTC oversight.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Over The Counter)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Another bill introduced by Rep. Waxman and Sen. Kennedy, along with Rep. Tom Allen (D-Maine), would give the FDA the authority to quickly amend or appeal over-the-counter drug monographs without being required to pursue notice and comment...

MRSA mortality reaches 5%.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Almost 5% of all patients hospitalized in 2004 with a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection died, according to a statistical brief by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Hospital stays for patients with a MRSA...

Kucinich is lone candidate for single-payer system.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Anyone who asks Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) about health care policy should be prepared for the conversation to evolve into other areas--like the Iraq war. "Health care spending does not occur in a vacuum," Rep. Kucinich...

Public reporting by plans fosters rise in quality.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Thousands of lives are being saved each year as health plans and physicians more closely follow quality measures such as giving [beta]-blockers after a heart attack, managing hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, and controlling...

Prevention and services info.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2007... The Alliance for Health Reform is offering an online booklet that contains links to resources describing the basics of Medicare private fee-for-service plans, advantages and incentives of the plans, and difficulties encountered by...

Asking the right question.(REINVENTING YOUR PRACITCE)(Interview)
December 1, 2007... In most practices, many new patients come in with multiple problems and symptoms, a number of conditions, and maybe a bag full of prescription drugs. How do you home in on a patient's most pressing problem without extending the office...

Discharge sheets help patients track their care.(Practice Trends)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... About 18 months ago, Dr. Thomas Madejski realized that he needed to track his patients' medications more closely. He also wanted to be able to give them a list of their medications, the dosages, and any administration directions every time they...

Fighting infectious diseases in Peru.(WORLD WIDE MED)(Interview)
December 1, 2007... Shuttling back and forth almost monthly from Baltimore to Lima, Peru, can be hectic but also exciting, according to Dr. Bob Gilman, who has been doing it for the past 7 years. Juggling a joint professorship at Johns Hopkins University in both...

Paging Dr. Fabio.(INDICATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The Bureau of Indications knows truth is stranger than fiction. That's why we love a new study exploring the plot of medical romance novels for clues about "the romantic possibilities of primary care settings and the apparent inevitability of...

Love the one you're with.(INDICATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Manipulating a gene in female nematode worms resulted in their being attracted to other females, wrote University of Utah, Salt Lake City, researchers in Current Biology. Of course, the female worms have a big secret: They aren't really...

North Pole is stressful, study finds.(INDICATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... People on polar expeditions face a great many challenges. They can be eaten by a bear or get stuck in a blizzard. "An understanding of these demands is of great importance for prevention and treatment of morbidity and mortality related to poor...

The most wonderful time of the year.(INDICATIONS)(American Heart Association)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Happy holidays from the American Heart Association! On its Web site, the AHA offers some practical ways to have a great holiday season that we're sure you'll have no trouble following. Do not overindulge on those holiday goodies (such as the 12...

Stereoscopic images find more lesions.(News)
December 15, 2007... CHICAGO -- A novel mammography system called stereoscopic digital mammography dramatically improved the accuracy of lesion detection in breast cancer screening, according to interim data from an ongoing trial in 1,093 women at high risk for...

Who pays for personal health care?(VITAL SIGNS)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
December 15, 2007... Who Pays for Personal Health Care? Medicare 20% Medicaid 17% Out of pocket 15% Other public* 8% Other private 4% Private health insurance 36% Total...

ABIM proposes comprehensive internist concept: comments are sought through January.(News)(The American Board of Internal Medicine)
December 15, 2007... The American Board of Internal Medicine is seeking public comment on a report that outlines a potential new direction for the profession--a maintenance of certification module that would allow office-based internists to say that they have a...

DEA rule allows multiple scrips for pain meds.(News)(Drug Enforcement Administration)(pain medicine)
December 15, 2007... In a reversal, the Drug Enforcement Administration will now allow physicians to write up to three prescriptions for a 90-day supply of schedule II controlled substances. The final rule, published last month, is viewed as a victory by pain...

Standards proposed for e-prescribing.(News)(Brief article)
December 15, 2007... The Health and Human Services department has proposed federal e-prescribing standards to be used for Medicare participating physicians, pharmacists, and software vendors. The proposal was issued last month; comments are being accepted...

ACP issues call for mandated universal coverage: American College of Physicians hopes to bring health care reform to the forefront of the 2008 elections.(News)(The American College of Physicians)(Editorial)
December 15, 2007... The American College of Physicians has for the first time called for legally mandated universal coverage for all U.S. residents and has urged lawmakers to consider a single-payer system as one option for achieving that goal. In a lengthy...

Hispanics have highest uninsured rate for 2-year period.(DATA WATCH)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
December 15, 2007... Hispanics Have Highest Uninsured Rate for 2-Year Period Hispanic 22.2% Black, non-Hispanic 10.7% Asian or Pacific Islanders, non-Hispanic 7.9% White, non-Hispanic ...

Opinions diverge on idea of behind-the-counter drug class.(News)
December 15, 2007... WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration has no immediate plans to seek establishment of a new, behind-the-counter class of drugs, officials said at a meeting on the topic in November. FDA Deputy Commissioner for Policy Dr. Randall...

FDA approves changes to iPLEDGE.(News)(Clinical report)
December 15, 2007... As expected, the Food and Drug Administration has relaxed some of the rules for prescribing the acne drug isotretinoin, including eliminating the 23-day lockout period for women of child-bearing potential. However, women still must have...

New inhalers carry increased costs.(News)
December 15, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO -- The phaseout of inhalers that use chlorofluorocarbons to deliver medication for asthma or lung disease will cost patients more because newer inhalers use patented instead of generic formulations, according to experts. The...

Bridging the gastroprotection gap.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
December 15, 2007... The proportion of patients taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents without gastroprotection is a problem on a national scale. In my practice, where I have a lot of contact with geriatric patients, I've seen a lot more gastric...

Should the civilly committed mentally ill be precluded from buying guns?(POINT/COUNTERPOINT)
December 15, 2007... Restricting access would protect everyone. Many cases illustrate the importance of restricting gun purchases in this population--not only for homicides but suicides as well. People with mental illness are 10-15 times more likely to...

New ABIM subspecialties are needed.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 15, 2007... As the science and practice of internal medicine has developed, the role of the American Board of Internal Medicine has always been to evaluate emerging areas of specialty expertise. Yet the determination of categories for subspecialty...

It's getting curiouser and curiouser.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 15, 2007... What a delectable piece by Dr. Faith T. Fitzgerald! ("General Internal Medicine: Smaller and Smaller?" Adviser's Viewpoint, Nov. 15, 2007, p. 7.) The state to which general internists have been reduced has never been as pithily and accurately...

Retort on Edwards' tort reform.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 15, 2007... I find it incredible that Sen. John Edwards allows himself to comment on tort reform ("Edwards Outlines Tort and Health Care Reform," Nov. 1, 2007, p. 48). As you know, Sen. Edwards made his millions (allowing for $400 haircuts) from...

Measuring prolotherapy's effectiveness.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
December 15, 2007... The treatment of chronic back pain with prolotherapy is an excellent choice for examination with a Cochrane review ("Prolotherapy for Chronic Back Pain," Alternative Medicine, Nov. 1, 2007, p. 14). But the studies appear to be measuring...

Gastroprotection gap widens in arthritis patients.(Rheumatology)
December 15, 2007... BOSTON -- Following years of decline, the rate of stomach complications in arthritis patients taking nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs appears to be on the rise as a result of a widening gap between NSAID prescriptions and therapies that...

Long-term steroids for RA don't improve function.(Rheumatology)(Brief article)
December 15, 2007... BARCELONA -- Rheumatoid arthritis patients who use corticosteroids frequently over the long term can maintain a low disease activity state but experience loss of functional capability, Dr. Eiichi Tanaka reported at a poster session at the...