Internal Medicine News articles from January 2004

Internal Medicine News archives from January 2004

AMA crafts plan to shore up Medicaid: tax credit option disputed.
January 1, 2004... HONOLULU -- Patient access to Medicaid and physician reimbursement from the program have reached the critical point, delegates said at the interim meeting of the American Medical Association's House of Delegates. After heated debate, 94%...

Gene assay can quantify breast Ca recurrence risk: individualizing chemotherapy decisions: marketing of the assay as a laboratory service is expected to begin early this year.
January 1, 2004... SAN ANTONIO -- The ability to predict the long-term risk of breast cancer recurrence in node negative patients is markedly enhanced by the use of a novel multigene assay, Dr. Soonmyung Paik said at a breast cancer symposium sponsored by the...

New MI indication for aspirin hits roadblock: concern about stroke, bleeding risk: FDA panel says 'no' on primary prevention.
January 1, 2004... GATHERSBURG, MD. -- A federal advisory panel voted against expanding aspirin's indications to include primary prevention of myocardial infarction. In an 11-3 vote, the Food and Drug Administration's Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory...

Do BRCA mutation testing in all with bilateral breast Ca: deleterious mutation seen in 25%.(News)
January 1, 2004... SAN ANTONIO -- Women with bilateral invasive breast cancer have a high prevalence of BRCAI and BRCA2 mutations regardless of whether they possess a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer, Alicia A. Parlanti reported at a breast...

AMA pursues tort reform as part of strategy to build membership: specialty-specific approach still an option.(Talk Back Online)
January 1, 2004... HONOLULU -- In the complicated calculus that governs membership in professional societies, winning--in state houses or on Capitol Hill--is the only thing. Medicare reform counts as a big win on the scoreboard for the American Medical...

Malpractice crisis prompts more use of ER: defensive medicine.(News)
January 1, 2004... Physicians in some states are responding to the malpractice crisis by sending their patients to emergency rooms and hospitals rather than treating them in the office, according to a study from the Center for Studying Health System Change. ...

Stigma is depressing.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... I agree with Dr. Morton M. Silverman's guest editorial "Destigmatize Physician Depression" (Dec. 15, p. 8). Besides the state licensure barriers he mentions, there are issues with hospital privileges and obtaining disability insurance....

Feet need fat.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... Inasmuch as steroids dissolve subcutaneous fat, Dr. Jeremy J. Hunt's recommendation to inject steroids on the plantar surface of the toot is contraindicated because it will diminish the Fat pad under the foot ("Inject Steroids Sooner to Soothe...

Talk back online.
January 1, 2004... Would you ever recommend medical marijuana to a patient? (Dec. 1, 2003,p.6) NO 40% YES 60% Note: Table made from pie chart. To Talk Back www.einternalmedicinenews.com

The cost of frivolous lawsuits.(Guest Editorial)
January 1, 2004... Frivolous lawsuits have adversely affected the development and availability of reproductive medical technology in the United States. As a result, we have lost access to several safe and effective medications and devices, and others will never...

Should immunotherapy be recommended for patients with allergic asthma?(Pro And Con)
January 1, 2004... YES Immunotherapy may perhaps make only a subtle difference in the lung function of asthmatic patients, according to data from clinical trials, but it may have additional benefits that are not reflected in lung function measures. By...

BP: 144/92 LDL-C: 154: good enough? Or good enough to increase the odds of an MI in the next ten years?
January 1, 2004... The data are clear: concurrently, even mild-to-moderate elevations of blood pressure and cholesterol can mean an increased risk of cardiovascular events. (1-3) Studies such as the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT), an...

Low-fat foods helped fuel obesity epidemic: reworking the food pyramid.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO--It's time to end the national obsession with low-fat foods and develop a more evidence based approach to dietary recommendations, according to Dr. Walter C. Willett. Toward that end, he is urging an over haul of the Food Guide...

Panel supports intensive weight-loss counseling: U.S. preventive services task force.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... A new recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force advises physicians to screen adult patients for obesity and offer intensive weight-loss counseling, or refer obese patients for intensive counseling. The recommendations...

Walking 10,000 steps a day may not be enough: lacks intensity.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- The popular 10,000 steps per day walking program may not go far enough. Dr. Herbert Marx reached that conclusion after studying a group of 25 over weight and obese men and women who in creased their activity to...

Testosterone use rising, but efficacy unclear: trials recommended.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... The use of testosterone replacement therapy by men continues to increase despite a lack of long-term data on safety and efficacy, a committee of the Institute of Medicine concluded. The number of prescriptions for testosterone replacement...

Mindfulness meditation for chronic disease.(Alternative medicine: an evidence-based approach)
January 1, 2004... * Mindfulness meditation involves deep breathing and heightened attention to physical and emotion al sensations, with the goal of easing stress and pain. * Many clinical studies have found benefits of mindfulness meditation in various...

Herbal combo works for mild depression: placebo-controlled trial.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... LONDON -- A proprietary formulation that combines St. John's wort, valerian, and passion flower was shown to be effective in the treatment of mild depression, Dr. Gerard P McGregor said at a symposium on alternative and complementary therapies...

Ginseng may be useful in treating type 2 diabetes: botanical supplements.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... 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. In one of the few areas of botanical...

Renal failure-associated skin diseases pose riddle: newly recognized disorders.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... BARCELONA, SPAIN -- More questions than answers currently exist regarding two recently recognized skin disorders restricted to patients in renal failure. Among the unresolved issues surrounding the disorders--nephrogenic fibrosing...

Resolutions 2004.(The Effective Physician)
January 1, 2004... At the start of the new year, we review recent items that merit emphasis for incorporation into daily practice and survey trends that bear watching in the coming months. Here are some resolutions for 2004: Develop effective care for...

Evaluate vestibular abnormalities in migraineurs: three 1-minute bedside exams.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Three simple bedside exams are more accurate than most laboratory tests in eliciting objective evidence of vestibular abnormalities in patients with migraine, Dr. David Zee said at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society....

Brief questionnaire helps screen for migraine: three simple questions.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- A simple, three-question screening tool has been developed for use in primary care settings to flag patients who are likely to have migraine. The ID Migraine screener asks patients with headache complaints these questions: ...

Nonpain symptoms can signal onset of migraine attack: early recognition.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Nearly one in six patients recognizes an imminent migraine attack even in the absence of pain, Dr. Richard B. Lipton reported at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society. That finding from a multicenter study suggests...

Digital assistance.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... Featured App: Documents To Go Originally released by DataViz in 1999, Documents To Go has been updated and expanded over the years (current version is 6.0). Its capabilities cannot be overstated. Fundamentally, Documents To Go facilitates...

Using the internet to improve the health of seniors: new web sites.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... Federal health officials have launched a Web site on senior health and a policy initiative aimed at improving the health of older Americans. A Web site that has been developed by the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of...

Atopic dermatitis therapy tied to Ca risk in adults: topical immunomodulators.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... BARCELONA, SPAIN -- New Danish National Cancer Registry data raise a cautionary flag regarding the use of topical immune modulators to treat atopic dermatitis in adults, but not in children. "Is there a cancer risk associated with the new...

New drugs target complicated skin infections: daptomycin oritavancin.(Rx)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Help is on the way for treatment of patients with complicated skin and skin structure infections. Daptomycin (Cubicin) is a novel antibiotic that received FDA marketing approval for this indication in mid-September, while...

Warning cites lead levels in litargirio powder: FDA advisory.(Rx)
January 1, 2004... The Food and Drug Administration has warned the public to avoid using a traditional product called Litargirio because it contains toxic levels of lead. Litargirio is used as a foot fungicide, a deodorant, and for burns and wound healing....

Asthma drugs face recall in Canada; FDA issues alert: certain lots targeted.(Rx)
January 1, 2004... Following a Canadian recall of certain lots of the asthma drugs Ventolin Diskus, Flovent Diskus, and Serevent Diskus, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning for U.S. residents. In November the Canadian government issued the...

Tibolone tied to increased BMD, less bleeding: as effective as hormone therapy.(Rx)
January 1, 2004... MIAMI BEACH -- The synthetic steroid tibolone appears to increase bone mineral density as well as hormone therapy, but without the side effects of breast pain and breakthrough bleeding, Dr. Robert D. Langer reported in a poster session at the...

Drug update: prevention of nephrophathy.(Rx)
January 1, 2004... Up to 40% of patients with type 2 diabetes develop nephropathy, and as many as 5%-7% develop end-stage renal disease. Diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease in the United States. Until recently, there wasn't much that a...

FDA advisory panel unanimously backs taxus stent for approval: conditions set for label.(Rx)
January 1, 2004... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- A coronary stent that slowly releases paclitaxel was unanimously recommended for approval for treating de novo lesions in native coronary arteries by a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel, with several conditions....

FDA softens stance on cypher stent: update on adverse events.(Rx)
January 1, 2004... The Food and Drug Administration has clarified its earlier public health notification regarding adverse events involving the drug-eluting Cypher coronary stent. "Based on the information currently available, we consider the Cypher stent a...

Oral Cilostazol cuts stent restenosis in bare-metal stents: extensive safety record.(Rx)
January 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Daily treatment with cilostazol cut the in-segment restenosis rate in bare-metal stents by more than one third in a controlled study with more than 450 patients. "This is a big advance. I think that cilostazol will now be...

Valsartan matches Captopril in post-MI patients: preventing deaths after MI.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
January 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Valsartan matched captopril for preventing deaths and cardiovascular events in patients during the first 2 years after a myocardial in farction in a major study with nearly 15,000 patients. Because it did not show superior...

Empiric tenecteplase may improve neurologic outcomes: sudden cardiac arrest.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
January 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Empiric thrombolysis with tenecteplase holds promise as an emergency intervention in sudden cardiac arrest, Dr. William R Bozeman said at the annual scientific sessions of the American Heart As sociation. Several prior...

PAD screening advised for diabetics over age 50: ADA consensus statement.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
January 1, 2004... All diabetic patients over 50 years of age should be screened for peripheral arterial disease using the ankle brachial index, the American Diabetes Association has recommended. If normal, the test should be repeated every 5 years. A...

Less proteinuria in diabetics with low-dose eplerenone + enalapril: randomized trial with 268 patients.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
January 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- Selective aldosterone blockade with a combination of eplerenone 50 mg daily and enalapril 20 mg daily produces a substantial reduction in proteinuria in diabetic patients, without producing clinical relevant serum potassium...

Thiazolidinediones useful against diabetes in heart failure patients: can improve lipid profiles.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
January 1, 2004... LAS VEGAS -- The thiazolidinediones--pioglitazone and rosiglitazone--are emerging as the agents of choice for treating type 2 diabetes in patients with congestive heart failure, Dr. James B. Young said at the annual meeting of the Heart Failure...

Ischemia biomarker can help assess chest pain: may reduce hospital costs.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
January 1, 2004... VIENNA -- Routine use of the new ischemia modified albumin test in the emergency department streamlines rule-out of acute coronary syndrome in patients presenting with chest pain--with a resultant financial benefit for the hospital Dr. Richard...

Silent MI found in 17% of postmenopausal women: routine ECG exams needed?(Cardiovascular Medicine)
January 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- More than 17% of postmenopausal women have a moderate or high likelihood of having silent myocardial infarction, based on findings from more than 60,000 women who participated in the Women's Health Initiative. This high...

Cough CPR may prevent sudden cardiac death: self-resuscitative technique.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
January 1, 2004... VIENNA -- Properly timed self-resuscitative coughing is a life-saving intervention in patients experiencing sudden circulatory arrest in out-of-hospital settings, Dr. Tadeusz K. Petelenz declared at the annual congress of the European Society...

Valve disease in Hodgkin's.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... People who have had radiation therapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma face an increased risk of cardiac valve disease 20 years later, reported Dr. Matthew C. Hull, a radiation oncologist at the University of Florida. Gainesville, and his associates. ...

A long flight ups DVT risk 12%.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... A single, long airplane trip per year raises the annual risk for venous thromboembolism by 12%, reported Dr. C.W Kelman of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aging, Canberra, Australia, and associates. They reviewed hospital records...

Nitrate withdrawal found safe.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Nitrate therapy can be withdrawn safely in patients with coronary artery disease who have been free of angina and hemodynamically stable for 3 months. The likelihood of recurrent angina is only 10% in such patients, and recurrences are "benign...

Central BP rises with caffeine.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Acute caffeine intake raises central but not peripheral blood pressure in healthy people who drink coffee regularly, said Dr. W. Stephen Waring and his associates at the University of Edinburgh (Scotland). In a study of 20 healthy subjects...

Campaign to target flaws in acute CHF care: data on 100,000 hospitalized patients.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
January 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- An aggressive national campaign to improve quality of care for patients hospitalized with acute heart failure is being planned in response to compelling new evidence of wide spread substantial deficiencies, Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow...

BNP testing in dyspneic patients.(Bottom Line)
January 1, 2004... VIENNA -- Routine use of a rapid B-type natriuretic peptide test in patients presenting to the emergency department with shortness of breath reduced mean total treatment cost by 26% in a randomized trial, Dr. Christian Mueller reported at the...

Experts warn of possible reemergence of SARS: CDC watching for new outbreaks.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is on the lookout for a new outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome. "SARS is the epitome of an emerging global pathogen," Dr. Larry J. Anderson said at the annual meeting...

CDC releases SARS clinical guidelines: look for epidemiolgic clues.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... Until severe acute respiratory syndrome pops up again, it should be considered as a diagnosis only for patients hospitalized for pneumonia who also raise epidemiologic suspicions, according to new clinical guidelines from the Centers for...

Physicians like clarithromycin, but prescribe azithromycin: for respiratory infections.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLa. -- Physicians tend to give clarithromycin top marks for efficacy against respiratory tract infections, but they are more likely to prescribe azithromycin, according to data from an online survey of 321 internists and family...

Researchers seek tools to defend against SARS: diagnosis remains a challenge.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... Despite the lack of severe acute respiratory syndrome activity since the containment of last year's outbreak, scientists around the world are still hard at work trying to solve key questions about the virus and develop better means of testing...

Smallpox vaccine tied to cardiac complications: CDC recommends restrictions.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Smallpox immunization of more than 38,000 health care workers in 2003 triggered 22 cases of myocarditis and pericarditis, including 9 cases of acute coronary syndrome. The ischemie complications led the Centers for Disease...

Flu virus gets grip throughout the nation: confronting vaccine shortages.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... With the 2003 2004 influenza season off to an early start, physicians braced for an in flux of patients frustrated about lack of access to the flu vaccine or already complaining of flu symptoms. Confronting regional vaccine shortages, the...

Presumed cystitis can be managed by telephone: large Kaiser experience.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Telephone treatment of women with presumed cystitis by a specially trained nurse was shown to be safe, effective, and convenient for patients in a study of more than 4,000 women. Because bladder inflections are so common they account...

Eight-day VAP treatment.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Treatment for 8 days was as effective as 15-day treatment in a recent study of ICU patients with ventilator-associated pneumunia, Dr. Jean Chastre of the Groupe Hospitalier Pitie-Salpetriere in Paris and colleagues reported. In 401...

WNV and blood products.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Two recent cases of West Nile encephalitis associated with stem cell transplantation confirm the risks of exposure to the virus via blood products, provide additional evidence that the risks are particularly high in immunocompromised patients,...

Syphilis incidence up.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Syphilis rates increased for the first time in a decade in 2001, and they increased again in 2002, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. In 2001, the rate increased by 9%, from 2.2 to 2.4 per 100,000 population,...

Malaria chemoprophylaxis.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Doxycyclme and combined atovaquone/ proguanil were the best tolerated anti-malarials, and combined chloroquine/ proguanil was the worst tolerated in a randomized study of chemoprophylaxis regimens in travelers to endemic areas. These...

CAP guidelines emphasize macrolide treatment: new recommendations from IDSA.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... A fluoroquinolone is not necessary for initial, outpatient treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in patients with uncomplicated disease, according to new guidelines issued by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The new...

Azithromycin rapidly eradicates pertussis: adult illness drawing increased attention.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Five days of azithromycin is a highly effective and well-tolerated treatment regimen for rapid eradication of Bordetella pertussis, Dr. Michael E. Pichichero reported at the annual Interscience Conference on An timicrobial Agents and...

Routine pertussis booster cost effective for teens: could avoid 68,000 cases.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Modeling suggests that routine administration of a booster dose of pertussis vaccine to adolescents would be highly cost effective, Dr. J. Jaime Caro reported at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and...

Hep C treatment resource.(Products)
January 1, 2004... Patients taking Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a) for hepatitis C now have an online support resource. The Web site offers a personalized interactive progress log, a member directory for additional support, and a personal folder for storing...

Defibrillator vest for arrhythmia.(Products)
January 1, 2004... Patients at risk of sudden cardiac arrest can wear the LifeVest cardiac defibrillator. The vest continuously monitors the patient's heart rate and delivers shock treatment to restore a patient's normal rhythm in the event of life-threatening...

Pathogen-free water.(Products)
January 1, 2004... The Purefecta water filtration system removes pathogens from drinking water. People with compromised immune systems, as well as infants, young children, pregnant women, and the elderly, are at greater risk of infection from contaminated water....

New indication for VFEND.(Products)
January 1, 2004... VFEND (voriconazole), a broad-spectrum antifungal available in tablets and for in travenous infusion, is indicated for the treatment of esophageal candidiasis. For more information, contact Pfizer Inc., 800-879-3477 (800 TRY-FIRST).

HIV protease inhibitor approved.(Products)
January 1, 2004... Lexiva (fosamprenavir calcium) is approved for the treatment of HIV inflection in adults in combination with other anti-retroviral medications. The protease inhibitor is available in 700 mg tablets. For more information, contact...

Blood glucose monitor.(Products)
January 1, 2004... The FreeStyle Flash blood glucose monitor measures 3 by 1.6 inches and requires a blood sample of 0.3 [microl]L. The monitor is available in major drug stores. The suggested retail price is $75. For more information, contact TheraSense Inc.,...

Thin insulin syringe needles.(Products)
January 1, 2004... The Ultra-Fine II short insulin syringe needle is 31 gauge. The Ultra Fine insulin syringe needle is 30 gauge and 12.7 mm (0.5 inches) in length. For more information, contact Becton, Dickinson and Co., www.bddiabetes.com, 201-847-6800.

Advair for COPD.(Products)
January 1, 2004... Advair Diskus 250/50 (fluticasone propionate 250 [micro]g and salmeterol 50 [micro]g inhalation powder) is approved for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Use twice daily for maintenance treatment of airflow obstruction,...

Biomembrane for wound care.(Products)
January 1, 2004... DressSkin is a collagen biomembrane for use in the management of wound care. It is indicated tot the management of pressure, diabetic, and venous ulcers; skin wounds; second-degree bums: and surgical, trauma, and draining wounds. For more...

Incontinence online forum.(Products)
January 1, 2004... The Bladder Control Forum is an online resource where those affected by incontinence can share information and educate the public. Launched by the National Association for Continence, the Web site was provided by Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical...

CoaguChek strips recalled.(Products)
January 1, 2004... The FDCA has posted a recall notice for CoaguChek PT diagnostic test strips (lot numbers 591 and 619), used to determine blood clotting time. Some of the foil pouches enclosing the strips were sealed improperly, allowing moisture and air to...

Protect against needlesticks.(Products)
January 1, 2004... The SurGuard2 is a needle safety device with a locking mechanism to help prevent needlestick injuries. Available as a safety needle only or as a syringe with safety needle, according to Terumo Medical Corp., 800-283-7866, www.terumomedical.com....

NSAID and proton pump tx.(Products)
January 1, 2004... Prevacid NapraPAC (lansoprazole delayed-release capsules and naproxen tablets kit) is now approved for reduction of NSAID-associated gastric ulcers in patients with a history of a documented gastric ulcer who require an NSAID. Blister packs are...

Endoscopic ultrasound aids cancer assessment: esophageal, pancreatic.(Gastroenterology)
January 1, 2004... BOSTON -- When CT scans and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography are inconclusive, endoscopic ultrasound can be useful in the diagnosis and staging of esophageal and pancreatic cancer. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is the most...

Resection possible for some pancreatic cancer patients: hope for a few.(Gastroenterology)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- After receiving a four drug chemotherapy regimen, a selected group of patients with locally unresectable pancreatic cancer can be downstaged to the point where surgery can be performed and survival prolonged, University of...

Oropharyngeal esophagram useful for diagnosis of supraesophageal reflux: custom-designed study.(Gastroenterology)
January 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Supraesophageal reflux may be best diagnosed with a custom-designed videofluoroscopic oropharyngeal esophagram, JoAnne Robbins, Ph.D., said at a meeting of the Dysphagia Research Society. Typically, patients suspected of...

Gastroesophageal Ca surgery.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... The high mortality and complication rate of gastroesophageal cancer resections are mainly based on patient factors, not surgeon factors, reported Dr. Peter McCulloch of the University of Liverpool (England) and his colleagues. Of 955...

Colorectal cancer surveillance.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... The majority of asymptomatic individuals at moderate risk for colorectal cancer who undergo a screening colonoscopy at less than 50 years of age will have a normal examination, said Dr. Nicola Bradshaw and colleagues at Western General Hospital...

Antireflux surgery.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... Surgical antireflux procedures do not lower the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in patients with Barrett's esophagus, according to a metaanalysis of 34 studies. In patients who received surgical antireflux procedures (SARP), 18...

Improved survival in HIV/HCV.(Clinical Capsules)
January 1, 2004... The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy in patients with HIV/hepatitis C virus coinfection significantly increases liver-related and overall survival, reported Dr. Nazifa Qurishi and colleagues at the University of Bonn (Germany). ...

Virtual colonoscopy: experience is key to success: multicenter retrospective study.(Gastroenterology)
January 1, 2004... BOSTON -- A virtual colonoscopy exam is only as good as the reader interpreting it, but the technology has tremendous potential. That is the consensus of investigators involved in the first multicenter retrospective performance evaluation...