Internal Medicine News articles from March 2002

Internal Medicine News archives from March 2002

Incidentaloma size guides treatment. (Clinically Inapparent Adrenal Masses).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... BETHESDA, MD,. -- The size of clinically inapparent adrenal masses found incidentally during scans for other conditions should guide the decision to recommend surgery, according to an independent panel convened at a National Institutes of...

Late-breaking flu season delays vaccine selection: Newly emerging influenza B pathogens eyed in choice of vaccine components. (Early Shortages a Possibility).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... BETHESDA, MD. -- Members of a government advisory committee charged with helping to select next year's flu vaccine voted to retain the two current influenza A vaccine components and to wait and gather more data on emerging influenza B pathogens...

Panel says Mammography screen may not cut death: Review reignites metaanalysis controversy. (Audit of Data Considered).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The benefits of screening mammography have once more been called into question, this time by an independent panel that reviewed the evidence on behalf of the National Cancer Institute. The panel, called the Physician Data Query Screening...

Cost prevented one in five Americans from filling at least one prescription. (Vital Signs).(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... VITAL SIGNS Cost Prevented One in Five Americans From Filling at Least One Prescription (*) Income All Less than $15,000- $25,000- ...

CAP guidelines appear flawed for nursing home residents. (Study of Community-Acquired Pneumonia).(community-acquired pneumonia )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... CHICAGO - Adherence to guidelines for treating community-acquired pneumonia in the late 1990s was associated with a higher death rate and more adverse effects when they were applied to elderly patients in chronic care facilities. These...

Breast Cancer Brachytherapy cuts irradiation to 4-5 days. (Less Cost, More Convenience for Patient).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... SAN ANTONIO -- Short-course brachytherapy offers advantages over external beam irradiation in breast cancer patients undergoing breast-conserving therapy, Dr. Robert R. Kuske said at the annual breast cancer symposium sponsored by the San...

Large Breast Cancers may be eligible for Conserving Surgery. (Hormone Therapy, Two-Stage Miniflap).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... SAN ANTONIO -- Breast-conserving surgery can now be extended to many women not traditionally considered good candidates due to large tumor size, Dr. J. Michael Dixon said at the annual breast cancer symposium sponsored by the San Antonio Cancer...

Oseltamivir cuts flu's spread in family to 7%. (All Members Received Antiviral Drug).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- Prophylaxis with an antiviral drug safely prevented the household spread of influenza, Dr. Robert B. Belshe reported at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy sponsored by the American Society for...

RSV in 11% of Chronic Coughs in college students. (Diagnostic Tests Needed).(respiratory syncytial virus)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- Respiratory syncytial virus is a major cause of persistent cough among college students, Dr. Jo-Ann Harris reported at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Development of rapid RSV diagnostic...

Six predictors of Pneumonia in long-term care. (Clinical Features in VA Residents).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... CHICAGO - Pneumonia may be a preventable disease for some nursing home residents. Nursing home acquired pneumonia is the most common infection of people who live in long-term care facilities. Researchers compared 96 residents in a Veterans...

Pityriasis Rosea linked to HHV-6, -7 reactivation. (Antivirals Might Shorten Course).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... BETHESDA, MD. -- Human herpesviruses 6 and 7 are found in the blood and skin lesions of young adults with acute pityriasis rosea, implying that antiviral therapy might shorten the 8-weeklong course of this rash, Dr. Andrew Blauvelt said at a...

Vaginal vaccine halved rate of recurrent UTIs. (Investigational Vaginal Suppository).(urinary tract infections)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- The incidence of recurrent urinary tract infections in women was cut nearly in half over 6 months by the use of an investigational vaccine. The vaccine, formulated into a vaginal suppository, will next undergo efficacy testing...

Colorectal Cancer Screening. (Guest Editorial).(Brief Article)(Editorial)
March 1, 2002... Colorectal Screening: Sixty percent of Americans aged 50 years or older don't get screened for colorectal cancer--and most of the time, it's because they believe their doctor doesn't recommend screening for this disease. More than half of...

Is ablation the treatment of choice for atrial fibrillation after one failed antiarrhythmic drug? (Pro & Con).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... YES I believe the recognition that the triggers for atrial fibrillation originate from atrialization of the pulmonary veins will be looked upon as one of the seminal observations in cardiology of the last century. We now have the ability...

Fewer adverse stroke outcomes with atrial fib. (Texas Community Hospital Database).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Stroke patients with atrial fibrillation have fewer major adverse outcomes and thrombolytic therapy does more harm than good for stroke patients treated at community hospitals, according to an analysis of a large database of...

Ejection fraction rise of 15% boosts CHF survival rate. (After Initial Treatment).(congestive heart failure)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- A 15% or greater improvement in ejection fraction after initiating treatment for congestive heart failure is a powerful predictor of better survival, Dr. J. Thomas Heywood said at a meeting on cardiovascular disease and stroke...

Ranolazine increased exercise capacity in Angina. (First pFox Inhibitor Triumphs in Trials).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- The success in clinical trials of the investigational drug ranolazine has sent a challenge to the field of therapeutic angiogenesis. "Ranolazine, I think, is going to be one of the drastic changes we may see: drugs that...

Selection criteria proposed for biventricular pacing. (Benefits About Two-Thirds).(Multicenter InSync Randomized Clinical Evaluation trial)
March 1, 2002... SNOWMASS, COLO. - A recent secondary analysis of data from last year's Multicenter InSync Randomized Clinical Evaluation trial raises a "really disturbing" question about patient selection for biventricular pacing therapy, Dr. William H....

Doppler finds Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. (Permits Early Treatment).
March 1, 2002... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- With tissue Doppler imaging, familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy might be diagnosable before left ventricular hypertrophy develops, Dr. Robert Roberts said at a conference sponsored by the American College of Cardiology. ...

Microalbuminuria is powerful risk factor for Heart events. (Hope Trial Spotlights Renal Risk Factor).
March 1, 2002... MORAN, Wyo -- A key lesson from the landmark Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation trial--one that is just beginning to be recognized outside of endocrinology--is that microalbuminuria is a novel and powerful cardiovascular risk factor, Dr....

Anticoagulation risks. (Clinical Capsules).
March 1, 2002... Patients with atrial fibrillation are much more accepting of the risks of anticoagulation than are their physicians, reported Dr. P.J. Devereaux of Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S., and associates. The researchers randomly selected 61...

Routine Vancomycin in CABG. (Clinical Capsules).(coronary artery bypass graft)
March 1, 2002... Routine antibiotic prophylaxis with vancomycin in coronary artery bypass graft patients would prevent more infections and be less costly than with cefazolin, according to Dr. Giorgio Zanetti of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, and his...

MRI Angiography and CAD. (Clinical Capsules).(coronary artery disease)
March 1, 2002... Noncontrast coronary magnetic resonance angiography detects 94% of cases of coronary artery disease identified by the invasive standard diagnostic strategy, according to Dr. W Yong Kim of Harvard Medical School, Boston, and associates. ...

Drug shortens sickle cell crises. (Clinical Capsules).(purified poloxamer 188)
March 1, 2002... Purified poloxamer 188 (PP188), a surfactant that improves microvascular blood flow by decreasing blood viscosity and adhesive frictional forces, cuts the duration of vasoocclusive crises in patients with sickle cell disease, reported Dr....

Tandem transplant: 60% remission in Myeloma. (Reduced Relapse and Mortality).(multiple myeloma)
March 1, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- About 60% of patients with multiple myeloma achieved complete remission when a conventional autologous transplant was combined with a nonmyeloablative allogenic transplant, Dr. David G. Maloney said at the annual meeting of the...

Novel agent stabilizes, aids refractory Myeloma. (Clinical Trials Slated for PS-341).
March 1, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Most patients with refractory or relapsing multiple myeloma stabilized or significantly improved when they took a novel agent known as PS-341, Dr. Paul Richardson reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of...

Pretransplant drug combo less toxic to Myeloma patients. (Dexamethasone Thalidomide).
March 1, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Dexamethasone plus thalidomide is a welcome alternative to more toxic pretransplant therapies for patients with multiple myeloma. The combination can be taken orally, which is a significant improvement over the standard...

Perioperative evaluation. (The Effective Physician).
March 1, 2002... Background The identification and amelioration of risk factors for patients undergoing noncardiac surgery is a core activity of many internal medicine practices. The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association...

Benefits of Acupuncture bypass stroke patients. (Small, Single-Blind Study).
March 1, 2002... EXETER, ENGLAND -- Acupuncture is showing "rather disappointing results" in the treatment of stroke patients according to the results of an interim analysis, Dr. Edzard Ernst said at a health care symposium sponsored by the University of...

One Month of Anticoagulation Inadequate for VTE. (Patients with Transient Risk Factors).(venous thromboembolism)
March 1, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Four weeks of anticoagulation therapy is not long enough for patients who've had an episode of venous thromboembolism due to transient risk factors, Dr. Clive Kearon said at the annual meeting of the American Society of...

Postphlebitic Ulcer risk higher with Warfarin. (Compared to LMWH).(low-molecular-weight heparin)
March 1, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Patients taking long-term warfarin therapy for deep-vein thrombosis are about nine times more likely to develop postphlebitic ulcers as are those on long-term low-molecular-weight heparin, Dr. Russell Hull said at the annual...

D-dimer can guide need for repeat ultrasound. (Deep Vein Thrombosis, Low-Risk Patients).
March 1, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- D-dimer tests can help to reduce the need for serial ultrasound in select patients at risk for deep vein thrombosis, Dr. David R. Anderson said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. Dr. Anderson...

ACE inhibitors best for Nondiabetic Renal Disease. (Averts Doubling of Serum Creatinine Level).
March 1, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- ACE inhibitors are the superior antihypertensive agent for patients with nondiabetic renal disease, Dr. Andrew Levey said at the World Congress of Nephrology. Dr. Levey and his colleagues in the ACE Inhibitor and...

Renal failure after admission raises mortality. (Retrospective Study).(acute renal failure)
March 1, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- The prognostic significance of acute renal failure varies depending upon whether the condition is present at admission or develops during hospitalization, Dr. Marlies Ostermann said at the World Congress of Nephrology. ...

Market release of GlucoWatch called imminent, boosts glucose monitoring. (One Year After Approval).(GlucoWatch Biographer from Cygnus Inc.)
March 1, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- The GlucoWatch Biographer, an automated, noninvasive, glucose monitoring device that's worn like a wristwatch, will be available for sale in the United States within the next several months, according to Michael Mitchell of...

Evidence-based dietary guidelines for diabetes. (American Diabetes Association).
March 1, 2002... New dietary guidelines from the American Diabetes Association focus on prevention as well as treatment, are evidence-based for the first time, and allow patients a few spoonfuls of sugar. The new document also addresses several nutritional...

CD4 counts beat viral load for initiating HIV Rx. (When to Treat Asymptomatic Patients).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- CD4 cell levels have become the primary criteria for deciding when treatment of asymptomatic HIV-infected patients should start, several specialists said at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy...

Cardiac, Liver Comorbidities are rising in HIV patients. (Shift from Opportunistic Infections).
March 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- "Liver disease will become a major concern of chronic HIV treatment," Dr. William G. Powderly said at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology. ...

Tenofovir good add-on drug for resistant HIV infections. (New Anti-HIV Therapy).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- Tenofovir, the newest anti-HIV drug, was able to reduce serum levels of HIV RNA for 24-96 weeks, even in patients infected with drug-resistant strains, researchers reported at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial...

HAART and Prognosis. (Clinical Capsules).(highly active antiretroviral therapy)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A new scoring system appears to help determine prognosis in HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy. In an initial study of 2,027 patients, the most recent measures of CD4 count, viral load, and hemoglobin...

Anthrax vaccine. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The anthrax vaccine is now approved for routine distribution. BioPort Corp., the only licensed manufacturer of the vaccine, was granted the license supplements necessary to distribute the vaccine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on...

Ofloxacin in COPD. (Clinical Capsules).(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... New fluoroquinolones such as ofloxacin may have a role in the treatment of patients with severe exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a recent study. Of 93 patients with acute COPD exacerbations who required...

Influenza activity. (Clinical Capsules).(www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5104a3.htm)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Reports of influenza activity remained low between October and mid-January but both the number of specimens and the percentage of specimens testing positive for flu viruses are on the rise. By mid-January, laboratories of the World Health...

Adefovir Dipivoxil in Chronic HBV. (Once-Daily Investigational Therapy).(hepatitis B infection)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... DALLAS -- Adefovir dipivoxil improved liver function and reduced viral levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection and in patients who were lamivudine-resistant after liver transplantation, based on the findings of two studies...

Sphincter tear linked to anal incontinence in 38% by 5 years. (Subsequent Vaginal Deliveries Boost Risk).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... SAN DIEGO -- A substantial proportion of women who undergo immediate surgical repair after sustaining an anal sphincter tear during vaginal delivery will experience anal incontinence 5 years later, Dr. Johan Pollack said at the annual meeting...

FDA considers return of IBS Drug Lotronex.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Food and Drug Administration has issued a letter informing people with irritable bowel syndrome that the agency is working with manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline "to find a way to make Lorronex available to people who need it, while assuring...

Levatoroplasty adds to result of prolapse surgery. (Reduced Recurrence Rate).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... SAN DIEGO -- Perineal rectosigmoidectomy plus levatoroplasty for rectal prolapse has a lower recurrence rate and better functional outcome than rectosigmoidectomy alone, Dr. Sung-Won Chun reported at the annual meeting of the American Society...

Laparoscopic Colectomy. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The clinical benefits of laparoscopic-assisted colectomy were modest and were not associated with improvements in quality of life when compared with open colectomy in a trial of unselected patients undergoing excision of newly diagnosed colon...

TIPS in Budd-Chiari syndrome. (Clinical Capsules).(transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Most patients were alive and free of ascites a mean of 3 years after undergoing trans-jugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement for management of Budd-Chiari syndrome, based on findings from a small study reported by Dr. Antonia...

Obesity and Liver Transplants. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Morbid obesity should be considered a relative contraindication for orthotopic liver transplantation, according to Dr. Satheesh Nair of the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans and associates. The investigators reviewed the United Network for...

Colorectal Carcinoids. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Colorectal carcinoids are associated with an increased risk for second cancers within and outside the GI tract, reported Dr. David S. Tichansky and his associates at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. A review of the National...

Prevacid oral suspension. (Products).(TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc., )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Prevacid (lansoprazole) for delayed-release oral suspension is now available to treat acid-related disorders, such as gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Designed to accommodate patients who have difficulty swallowing capsules, it is available in...

NutraPrep colon exam diet. (Products).(E-Z-EM Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... NutraPrep is a meal kit for use before a colon examination. The kit provides essential daily nutrition while significantly reducing the amount of residue remaining in the bowel after digestion. NutraPrep contains a full day's worth of shakes,...

Eligard for Prostate Ca. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Eligard (leuprolide acetate for injectable suspension) is now indicated for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer. The recommended dose is a 7.5-mg subcutaneous injection, according to Atrix Laboratories Inc., 970-482-5868,...

Once-daily Sustiva. (Products).(Bristol-Myers Squibb)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Sustiva (efavirenz) has been approved in a once-daily, 600-mg formulation. It is a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor used in combination treatment for HIV. This new formulation of Sustiva is approximately the same size as a 200-mg...

FabriWear exam gown. (Products).(Graham Medical Products)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The FabriWear exam gown is a disposable gown made of a soft, nonwoven material with the look and feel of linen. Available in medium blue, the gown has sewn shoulders for added strength, an attached waist tie, and comes in one size designed to...

Injection pain Blocker. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The ShotBlocker is small blue plastic disk with several short blunt skin contact points on its underside and a centrally located opening through which injections can be administered. Designed to block the pain of routine injections, the device...

Lupron Depot for endometriosis. (Products).(TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Lupron Depot (leuprolide acetate for depot suspension), 3.75 mg and Lupron Depot-3 Month 11.25 mg are now indicated for the initial management of endometriosis, as well as recurring symptoms, in combination with norethindrone acetate (5 mg...

Reusable Nebulizer. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Ventstream Reusable High-Efficiency Nebulizer provides fast, targeted delivery of aerosol medications. It is easy to clean and use, and is reusable for a full 6 months. The nebulizer responds to a patient's breathing pattern, delivering...

Electronic Stethoscope. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The 3M Littmann Electronic Stethoscope Model 4000 provides 18 times the amplification of conventional stethoscopes and can digitally record, store, and transmit sound via infrared to another Model 4000 or to a PC. An LCD display in the chest...

Celebrex for acute pain. (Products).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Celebrex (celecoxib), available in 100-mg and 200-mg capsules, is now indicated for the management of acute pain in adults as well as the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. For more information, contact Pharmacia Corp. at 888-678-2692, or visit...

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. (Drug Update).
March 1, 2002... Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) affects about 7% of American adults every day and about 40% at least weekly. It's generally a chronic condition, and although medication labels generally recommend a finite duration of treatment, experts...

Hospitalists foresee subspecialty status. (Inpatient Physicians' 5-Year View).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Hospitalists are working toward subspecialty status, following a path reminiscent of that taken by emergency medicine physicians. In the first 5 years since the formation of the National Association of Inpatient Physicians,...

The Bush budget. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... President Bush's budget request for fiscal year 2003 seeks a 45% increase in funding for the Department of Health and Human Services' bioterrorism preparedness efforts. The $4.3 billion would be used to develop new vaccines and diagnostics, as...

Help for low-income seniors. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... About 368,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Illinois will receive prescription drug assistance, paying $3 or less for each prescription. The Illinois project will provide the model for other states that apply for "Pharmacy Plus," a new program that...

Disciplinary Alert Service. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Federation of State MedicalBoards has developed a Disciplinary Alert Service to inform hospitals and managed care organizations when disciplinary actions have been taken against physicians, says. the federation's interim CEO, Dale L....

Role of surgeon general. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Dr. David Satcher, stepping down at the end of his 4-year term as surgeon general, told a National Press Club audience in February that the independence and credibility of his office depend on the surgeon general's willingness to be "true to...

More Medicare prevention. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Glaucoma testing for high-risk patients has joined the list of preventive care and similar benefits covered by Medicare. Patients with diabetes, those with a family history of glaucoma, or African American patients aged 50 years and older are...

OTC drug advice. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Television and radio announcements will be asking consumers to contact their physician, pharmacist, or other health care provider if they have a question about the drug facts label on an over-the-counter drug. "Physicians play an important role...

New accrediting authority. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The National Committee for Quality Assurance now has the authority to review a Medicare Plus Choice organization in six key categories: access to services, antidiscrimination, confidentiality and accuracy of enrollee records, information on...

Council issues charter on Professionalism. (3 Principles, 10 Commitments).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... An international council of medical organizations has issued a set of guidelines defining medical professionalism. Physicians' professionalism is being compromised by new technology, changing market forces, problems in health care delivery,...

Nerve signal. (Indications).(Tissue Engineering)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Researchers at the University of Utah's Keck Center for Tissue Engineering found a way to showcase biomedical technology while celebrating Salt Lake City's hosting of the Olympic Winter Games. Patrick Tresco, Ph.D., and his associate used...

Let's play 'Anthrax'. (Indications).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... You can be the first on your block to diagnose a case of anthrax--using a computer simulation. "Anthrax" is the latest emergency medicine simulation game from ERSim.com, run by Legacy Interactive, Los Angeles. The company offers its games free...

Sheep deprivation. (Indications).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Somnolent sheep have more than Serta mattresses to blame for their declining fortunes. In a study of 50 insomniacs at the Oxford University (England), subjects fell asleep 20 minutes faster when they pictured a pleasant or relaxing scene; they...

Mary had a little bug. (Indications).(typhoid fever)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Blame the cook. Among hundreds of carriers of typhoid fever in the 19th and 20th centuries, "Typhoid Mary" got the notoriety, due perhaps in part to the prejudices of the time. A middle-aged, unmarried Irish immigrant, Mary Mallon became known...

Dinner party disorder. (Indications).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... If Mary were alive today, she might suffer from "kitchen performance anxiety" David Warburton, professor of psychology at the University of Reading (England), reportedly coined the term after researching the behavior of people who were giving...

Hawthorn for heart failure. (Alternative Medicine).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... * Hawthorn extract is considered to be a safe, effective treatment for mild to moderate congestive heart failure in some European countries. * A large, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial is underway to evaluate the effect...

Scan finds prostate cancer metastases. (Confirms Clinical Staging).(SPECT imaging)
March 15, 2002... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. - novel imaging study can determine which patients with biopsyproven prostate cancer have lymph node metastases. A whole-body ProstaScint scan plus a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan can confirm...

Flu vaccine urged for adult household contacts of infants: The measure protects infants under 6 months, who should not receive flu vaccine. (Begin Effort in November).
March 15, 2002... ATLANTA - Adult household contacts of healthy infants and toddlers have been added to the list of individuals who should receive the influenza vaccine. That decision is expected to be part of new influenza guidelines approved at a meeting...

Optical coherence image detects unstable plaque: Will monitor response to lipid therapies. (Resolution Beats Ultrasound).(optical coherence tomography)
March 15, 2002... SNOWMASS, CoLo. - Optical coherence tomography "for the first time enables us to identify the large lipid core and thin fibrous cap so characteristic of the unstable plaque," Dr.James S. Forrester said at a conference sponsored by the American...

Tongue piercing linked to brain abscess. (First Reported Case).
March 15, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- The first reported case of brain abscess following tongue piercing constitutes a cautionary tale in an era when body art is increasingly popular, Dr. Richard A. Martinello said at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases...

Single-trial drug approvals. (Guest Editorial).(Brief Article)(Editorial)
March 15, 2002... To better treat our patients' unmet medical needs, we must have better drugs brought to the market faster. To do this, we need to revamp the way drugs are developed and approved. The Food and Drug Administration's standard for drug approval...

Pro & con: Is 'concierge' care an ethical alternative?(boutique or fee-for service medical care)
March 15, 2002... YES Boutique medical practices are spreading across the nation and generating a chorus of moral outrage. In boutique or "concierge" practice, patients pay a yearly fee in return for services superior to those offered by...

Virtually your physician. (Heart of the Matter).(telemedicine)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2002... Telemedicine has expanded opportunities to improve patient care. Medical records, once confined to paper, can now move across the world in milliseconds, allowing physicians to share patients' data and to identify changes in their medical...