OB GYN News articles from December 2002

OB GYN News archives from December 2002

New data on ICSI called 'reassuring'. (More Follow-Up Needed).
December 1, 2002... SEATTLE -- Concerns about genetic and developmental abnormalities among children conceived through assisted reproductive technology continue, although they have not been borne out by two new studies. "Many of the developmental problems in...

Top 10 donors in federal election battles. (Vital Signs).
December 1, 2002... Top 10 Donors in Federal Election Battles, 1989-2002 Millions Percent to Of Dollars Democrats Republicans American Federation Of State, County, and...

Suppressive TX cuts transmission of genital herpes: susceptible partners in the valacyclovir group got 50% fewer HSV-2 infections. (Randomized, Controlled Trial).
December 1, 2002... SAN DIEGO -- Once-daily valacyclovir halved transmission rates of herpes simplex virus 2 in the first randomized, controlled trial to show that an antiviral medication can reduce the spread of a sexually transmitted disease. The results...

Viagra eases sexual arousal disorder in some women: helps resolve physiologic problems. (Causal Factors Key).
December 1, 2002... MONTREAL -- Among women with sexual dysfunction, those with sexual arousal disorder appear to be the most likely candidates for treatment with Viagra, results of a study of 200 women suggest. Still, not all women with sexual arousal...

No survival advantage for mastectomy after 20 years. (More than 2,500 Women Studied).
December 1, 2002... Long-term survival rates among women who have undergone breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy for early-stage disease are similar to those of women who have had mastectomies. That finding emerged from two studies of more than...

Fewer shunts after fetal spina bifida surgery. (Results of 50 Cases at One Center).
December 1, 2002... BALTIMORE -- In utero repair of myelomeningocele has now been done on more than 50 fetuses by surgeons at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Among the first 50 cases, 40% required treatment with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt after they...

Vaccine may be 100% effective in preventing HPV 16. (Large Phase III Study).
December 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- A human papillomavirus vaccine has shown 100% efficacy against carcinogenic type 16 HPV at 3 years, Laura A. Koutsky Ph.D., reported at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Merck's experimental...

Six or 10 years of alendronate maintain BMD. (Two Long-Term Studies).
December 1, 2002... SAN ANTONIO -- Ongoing treatment with alendronate maintained or increased bone density in postmenopausal women when the duration of treatment extended to 6 or to 10 years. That finding emerged from two studies sponsored by Merck, which...

Letters.
December 1, 2002... First, Do an Exam I have great respect for Dr. David A. Grimes, but I am somewhat concerned about his recent guest editorial "No Strings Attached?" (Oct. 15, 2002, p. 6). Although it may appear to him that women are required to get Pap...

Physicians vs. Bioterrorism. (Guest Editorial).
December 1, 2002... Biological weapons pose a growing strategic threat, and physicians have two roles to play in the fight against these agents. First, we can work against the misuse of biological research and support the development of appropriate biological...

Survey: many told their pelvic pain is 'normal'. ('We have to do a Better Job').
December 1, 2002... SEATTLE -- Women with chronic pelvic pain relating to endometriosis are routinely told that they are exaggerating their pain or that they should consider it "normal." This unsympathetic attitude is expressed not only by family members and...

Psammoma bodies in routine pap smears may not herald malignancy. (Asymptomatic Women).
December 1, 2002... RANCHO MRAGE, CALIF. -- The presence of psammoma bodies in a cervical cytology smear has long been thought to be associated with gynecologic malignancies, but a retrospective review of 400,000 smears collected during routine screening suggests...

Blue light spots tiny endometriosis lesions. (Investigational Device).
December 1, 2002... NEW ORLEANS -- Endometriosis lesions preferentially absorb light of the blue spectrum, allowing detection of previously nonidentifiable microscopic lesions, Dr. Larry A. Demco reported. The findings, from an ongoing study of more than 60...

Vaginal ring deemed 'highly acceptable' in study. (Dropout Rate 2.5% for Ring-Related Issues).
December 1, 2002... SEATTLE -- A vaginal contraceptive ring that continually releases low doses of estrogen and progestin has proven "highly acceptable" to women and their partners a large North American study. A total of 1,177 women filled out a 21-item...

Contraceptive miscues tied to pregnancy. (Poor Patient-Provider Communication).
December 1, 2002... DENVER -- A health care provider's failure to convey important information or provide effective contraception options was linked to unintended pregnancies in 51 of 355 women who sought first-trimester abortions at a private medical practice....

PCR test aids in diagnosis of T. vaginalis. (Costly Screening).
December 1, 2002... The polymerase chain reaction assay improves the specificity and sensitivity of Trichomonas vaginalis diagnosis, compared with standard methods, Dr. Karen A. Wendel and her associates at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, reported. The...

Beware of the downsides to molecular testing. (Communication with the Lab is Key).
December 1, 2002... BANFF, ALTA. -- Don't get too comfortable with the latest molecular test methods for determining the presence of ob.gyn. infections, Peter H. Gilligan, Ph.D., warned at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and...

Many more women suitable for sentinel node biopsies. (Patient Age, Tumor Type not an Issue).
December 1, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Sentinel node biopsies are appropriate for a much larger pool of breast cancer patients than previously thought, arid testing biopsied tissue for a newly identified breast cancer biomarker appears to substantially reduce the...

Physicians left out of online genetic tests aimed at consumers. (Results May be Misinterpreted).
December 1, 2002... BALTIMORE -- The Internet is now giving consumers direct access to genetic tests, without the need for any physician involvement. A systematic survey done last spring by researchers at the National Human Genome Research Institute turned up...

Poor breast cancer survival rates in older women linked to fewer axillary dissections. (Understaged, Inadequate Tx).
December 1, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Older women who had breast-conserving surgery without axillary dissection were almost twice as likely to die from their breast cancer within 7 years as women who received either axillary dissection, radiotherapy, or both in a...

Top 10 causes of death in the U.S. (Data Watch).
December 1, 2002... Top 10 Cause of Death In the U.S., 2000 % of 2000 Total Deaths Heart disease 710,760 29.6 Malignant neoplasms 553,091 23.0...

Most postlaparotomy fevers don't need work-up. (Low-Risk Asymptomatic Patients).
December 1, 2002... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- Fevers occurring in the first 24 hours after laparotomy require no laboratory or other testing, unless the patient is symptomatic, researchers concluded after studying fevers in nearly 200 postoperative patients. ...

Stand tall for difficult vaginal surgery. (Place Table at Maximum Height).
December 1, 2002... ST. LOUIS -- Physically demanding vaginal surgery is best done standing upright with the operating table at maximum height, Dr. Stephen L. Larson advised during the 12th International Pelvic Reconstructive and Vaginal Surgery Conference. ...

Zosyn called a great first-line agent for postoperative pelvic cellulitis. (Advice from an Expert).
December 1, 2002... ST. Louis -- Piperacillin/tazobactam (Zosyn) is a superb first-line agent for postoperative pelvic cellulitis, Dr. Sebastian Faro said at the 12th International Pelvic Reconstructive and Vaginal Surgery Conference. Stay away from the...

'Be a Rambo' when treating wound infections. (Fully Open Wound Without Delay).
December 1, 2002... ST. Louis -- The key to successful management of surgical wound infections is aggressive action, Dr. Sebastian Faro emphasized at the 12th International Pelvic Reconstructive and Vaginal Surgery Conference. "You've really got to be a Rambo...

Nitrofurantoin advocated for treatment of cystitis. (Seven-Day Course).
December 1, 2002... ST. LOUIS--A 7-day course of nitrofurantoin is hard to beat for cystitis in women, according to Dr. Sebastian Faro, professor of ob.gyn. at the University of Texas, Houston. "I'll be honest with you. This drug is my favorite. At 100 mg...

Ditching sophisticated tests for fecal incontinence. (History, Anal Exam May Suffice).
December 1, 2002... ST. LOUIS -- A thorough history and anal examination in a patient with fecal incontinence generally enables a surgeon to dispense with sophisticated diagnostic testing before proceeding to sphincteroplasty, according to speakers at the 12th...

Pudendal neuropathy patients called good candidates for artifical sphincter. (Intractable Fecal Incontinence).
December 1, 2002... ST. LOUIS -- An artificial sphincter for intractable fecal incontinence provides impressive quality of life benefits--when implanted in the right patients. Who's a good candidate? Far and away the largest pool consists of patients with...

Test useful for suspected suburethral diverticulum. (Use Early in Evaluation Process).
December 1, 2002... ST. LOUIS -- Positive-pressure urethrography is a very useful test early in the clinical evaluation of patients with a suspected suburethral diverticulum, Dr. C. Rodney Meeks said at the 12th International Pelvic Reconstructive and Vaginal...

Osteoporosis drugs 'vastly underused'. (Only 20% Got TX After his Fracture).
December 1, 2002... SAN ANTONIO -- Drug treatments for osteoporosis are "vastly underused," Dr. Daniel H. Solomon said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, He and his associates found that in 1999, about 20% of the...

Bisphosphonate shows efficacy on intermittent regimen. (Schedule Called 'Impractical').
December 1, 2002... SAN ANTONIO -- For the first time, treatment with a bisphosphonate on an intermittent schedule has been shown to cut the incidence of osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women. Treatment with ibandronate, a new bisphosphonate that is...

Bone density--fracture risk link holds for very elderly women. (Aged 80 and Older).
December 1, 2002... SAN ANTONIO -- Women aged 800 or older have as much risk from weak bones as younger women do, based on a survey of more than 160,000 women. "The relationship between fracture risk and bone mineral density persisted regardless of age, Dr....

Gestational diabetes in Hispanics tied to anomalies. (High Rates Seen).
December 1, 2002... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- Congenital anomalies were seen at a high rate in infants born to Hispanic mothers with diet-controlled gestational diabetes in a retrospective review of births at one center. Just over 11% of the infants born to...

Leading causes of neonatal death in the U.S. (Data Watch).
December 1, 2002... Leading Causes of Neonatal Death in the U.S., 2000 Neonatal % of Neonatal Deaths Deaths Disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight 4,318 ...

Get to know OTIS. (Drugs, Pregnancy, and Lactation).
December 1, 2002... Many physicians are unfamiliar with the Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS), a group that provides practical information to health care providers and their patients concerning exposure to various drugs, chemicals, and other...

Complications Mar one-quarter of pregnancies. (Large California Study).
December 1, 2002... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- More than a quarter of all pregnancies were complicated by at least one major medical condition in a large, cross-sectional cohort study representing the vast majority of births during 1 year in California. Topping...

Experts say guidelines out of step with trend toward elective C-section. (Pelvic Floor Protection at Issue).
December 1, 2002... ST. LOUIS -- Practice guidelines discouraging scheduled elective cesarean section are out of step with increasingly liberal attitudes toward the procedure on the part of rank-and-file ob.gyns., panelists asserted at the 12th International...

Karyotype after second first-trimester loss. (Rule out Nongenetic Causes).
December 1, 2002... BALTIMORE -- Get a chromosomal karyotype for every first-trimester spontaneous abortion if the mother has had at least one prior pregnancy loss, Ahigail L. Byrnes said while presenting a poster at the annual meeting of the American Society for...

HIV-1 in mothers linked to heart defects in babies. (Seen in Infants with and Without HIV).
December 1, 2002... Infants born to HIV-1-infected mothers had elevated heart rates and impaired left ventricular function, compared to control children, Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz reported. Even mild left ventricular dysfunction can lead to increased mortality,...

Intravaginal misoprostol effective in evacuation. (Failed First-Trimester Gestations).
December 1, 2002... SEATTLE -- Misoprostol administered intravaginally is "highly effective" for uterine evacuation in women with failed first-trimester gestations, Dr. Jerry M. Gilles said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine....

Misoprostol works as well as [PGF.sub.2[alpha]] for abortion. (Second-Trimester Pregnancies).
December 1, 2002... BALTIMORE -- Intravaginal misoprostol was as effective for ending second-trimester pregnancies as intraamniotic prostaglandin [F.sub.2[alpha]] in a controlled study with 217 women. Although intraamniotic prostaglandin [F.sub.2[alpha]]...

Fetal fibronectin testing reduces maternal transfers. (High-Risk Women).
December 1, 2002... SAN DIEGO -- Measurement of fetal fibronectin in high-risk women at small community hospitals is a good way of preventing unnecessary maternal transfers to tertiary care facilities, Dr. Davin Lundquist said at the annual meeting of the American...

New evidence-based guidelines target IBS. (Diagnostic Work-Up Simplified).
December 1, 2002... SEATTLE -- The time is ripe for a major medical campaign targeting irritable bowel syndrome, American College of Gastroenterology officials declared in announcing the first evidence-based management recommendations for this common and disabling...

Hospitals, offices have similar rates of medical errors. (System Failures Faulted).
December 1, 2002... BOSTON -- Physicians in a private practice setting make a similar number and type of medical errors as their colleagues working in a hospital setting, according to findings of a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of...

Two thyroid measures unnecessary, study says. (TSH Alone is Adequate).
December 1, 2002... SAN DIEGO -- The chance that a patient with a normal TSH level will be found to have an abnormal free thyroxine level is 1%, according to a study that steps into the controversy over whether only one or both tests are needed to adequately...

High depression rate seen in recent Korean immigrants. (More Common in Women).
December 1, 2002... SAN DIEGO -- Recent Asian immigrants are at high risk for depression, according to a survey of 100 Korean immigrants who were randomly selected in a primary care clinic. The survey showed that 30% of these immigrants reported significant...

Slow-release garlic may counter atherosclerosis. (Placebo-Controlled Trial).
December 1, 2002... BETHESDA, MD. -- A sustained-release garlic preparation led to decreased intima-media thickness of the common carotid arteries in a 24-month study of 103 men with atherosclerosis, Dr. Igor Sobenin reported at a meeting on the cardiovascular...

Depression often precedes chronic pain. (Cross-Sectional Study).
December 1, 2002... SAN DIEGO -- Depression may be a risk factor for the onset of chronic pain, say investigators at the University of Iowa. Two-thirds of 252 chronic pain patients who responded to a questionnaire had been diagnosed with depression, and in 68%...

Public health program focuses on prevention. (Doctorate Program Breaks New Ground).
December 1, 2002... As he surveyed the growing public health crisis tearing through the Baltimore community around him and considered that a mere 2% of the billions of dollars in annual public health funds in the United States go to prevention of problems such as...

Insurers limit coverage of nonsedating antihistamines. (Increasing Copays, Restricting Access).
December 1, 2002... Treating patients with nonsedating antihistamines is becoming tricky as insurers start to limit coverage for these commonly used medications. Managed care and state Medicaid programs are doing so by increasing copays; restricting access to...

Hager flap continues. (Policy & Practice).
December 1, 2002... Reproductive rights and religious organizations are arguing over the potential appointment of Dr. W David Hager to the Food and Drug Administration's Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee. Dr. Hager, an obstetrician and gynecologist from...

Sen. Wellstone mourned. (Policy & Practice).
December 1, 2002... Reproductive rights organizations are mourning the death of Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.). Sen. Wellstone was killed in plane crash in October along with his wife, daughter, members of his campaign staff, and flight crew. "Often in the face of...

Breast cancer ad concerns. (Policy & Practice).
December 1, 2002... A new advertising campaign called "Think Before You Pink" warns consumers of supporting some breast cancer marketing campaigns that do not disclose exactly where donations go or what they're used for. As the latest cause to be enlisted into...

Privacy upheld in Iowa. (Policy & Practice).
December 1, 2002... An Iowa county attorney has withdrawn a request that the state's Planned Parenthood chapter open its medical records to law enforcement to assist in a criminal investigation there. "The county attorney's decision upholds the basic principle of...

Bioterror research studies. (Policy & Practice).
December 1, 2002... The Food and Drug Administration's Office of Women's Health is spending about $2.3 million to investigate ways to counteract the effects of biologic and chemical agents on pregnant women. The funding supports research studies at four...

Abortion down among teens, up among the poor. (Overall Rate Decreased 11% Since 1994).
December 1, 2002... NEW YORK -- Abortion rates have decreased nationally by 11% since 1994, with a 39% decline among teenage girls. But the rate has increased by 25% among poor and low-income women, according to Rachel Jones, Ph.D., Senior Research Analyst at...

Roe v. Wade turns 30 facing an uncertain future, activists say. (Challenges to Abortion at the State Level).
December 1, 2002... NEW YORK -- January 2003 will mark the 30-year anniversary of the precedent-setting Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that made abortion a legal option for all women in the United States. In the decades since 1973, Roe v. Wade has remained...

Reimbursement for blood products 'inadequate'. (Medicare Payments).
December 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Medicare reimbursement for blood products is not adequate to encourage hospitals to use new technologies that ensure the safety of the blood supply, a fact that is especially troubling as new blood-borne diseases emerge, according...

Cancer support network. (FYI).
December 1, 2002... Voices of Experience provides one-on-one encouragement and assistance to new cancer patients and their families through trained support volunteers, all of whom are cancer survivors. The free and confidential network is the result of a...

Free medications. (FYI).
December 1, 2002... The Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation Inc. has launched a new patient assistance program that will provide Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals' prescription medications free to U.S. residents who cannot afford them. Under the program,...

Medication guide in Spanish. (FYI).
December 1, 2002... "Think It Through: A Guide to Managing the Benefits and Risks of Medicines" from the Food and Drug Administration is now available in Spanish. "Pienselo Muy Bien: Una Guia Para el Control de los Beneficios y Riesgos de las Medicinas" offers...

Heart Truth campaign. (FYI).
December 1, 2002... The Heart Truth campaign is part of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Women's Heart Health Education Initiative and aims to increase awareness of heart disease in women. In addition to public service announcements, the campaign is...

Medline in Spanish. (FYI).
December 1, 2002... The National Library of Medicine's consumer health information Web site, Medlineplus, is now available in Spanish. The free site contains more than 560 health topics with information federal government agencies and health-related organizations....

West Nile Virus Guide. (FYI).
December 1, 2002... The National Pesticide Information Center is a cooperative effort between the Environmental Protection Agency and Oregon State University in Corvallis. NPIC has developed "NPIC's West Nile Virus Resource Guide" as a source of information on the...

Handheld ultrasound. (Products).
December 1, 2002... The iLook 15 handheld ultrasound system provides for "quick look" diagnostics in a variety of settings, including emergency medicine, radiology, and surgical recovery. The iLook 25 system offers vascular imaging that can aid in inserting...

Prenatal heart rate monitor. (Products).
December 1, 2002... The VersaLab APM2 portable ante-partum monitor can measure a single heart rate or two heart rates simultaneously. It can also combine separate measurements of uterine activity and the fetal heart rate into a single display. The monitor is...

Medical pocket light. (Products).
December 1, 2002... The Sabre FreeHand high-intensity medical pocket light allows for one-handed examinations. The light features a universal adapter, which can securely hold standard tongue blades, cervical scrapers, or culture swabs. Made of high-impact plastic...

Quickly absorbed suture. (Products).
December 1, 2002... Caprosyn (polyglytone 6211), a monofilament synthetic absorbable suture, is indicated for general soft-tissue approximation or ligation. The suture offers wound support, pliability, and knot security. Caprosyn can be absorbed in as quickly as...

Surgical gloves. (Products).
December 1, 2002... Maxxim Medical has introduced an eight-product line of latex and nonlatex specialty surgical gloves for general, micro, and orthopedic surgery. The new glove lines, which include SensiCare, Neolon, and Eudermic, provide maximum barrier...

US, blood test flag Down syndrome. (93% First-Trimester Detection Rate).
December 15, 2002... NEW YORK--First-trimester screening using a combination of dried blood biochemistries and ultrasound examination of fetal nuchal translucency detected 93% of Down syndrome cases with a false-positive rate of 5% in a prospective study of 14,779...

ACS: Start pap tests by age 21, May end at age 70: women over 30 with three normal tests in a row can be screened every 2-3 years. (American Cancer Society).
December 15, 2002... The American Cancer Society has issued new guidelines that call for young women to begin cervical cancer screening by age 21 and give selected older women the option of stopping screening at age 70. The guidelines, issued last month by an...

FDA approves nonsurgical sterilization system: metallic coils deployed via hysteroscopy. (Procedure Considered Irreversible).
December 15, 2002... Women in the United States interested in sterilization now have a nonsurgical option that can be performed transcervically without general anesthesia or an incision. Last month the Food and Drug Administration approved the Essure system,...

Paroxetine tied to birth complications. (Third-Trimester Use).
December 15, 2002... Neonates exposed to paroxetine in the third trimester have significantly higher chances of having birth complications than neonates exposed in the first or second trimester or not exposed at all, said Dr. Adriana Moldovan Costei of the...

Vaginal hysterectomy safe despite prior uterine surgeries in one patient series. (One Surgeon's Experience).
December 15, 2002... St. Louis -- Previous uterine surgery is often cited as a contraindication to vaginal hysterectomy--but it needn't be, according to Dr. Stephen L. Larson. This is a point particularly deserving of emphasis in light of rising cesarean...

MRI may help detect more genetic breast cancer. (Fewer False Negatives Than Mammography).
December 15, 2002... BOSTON -- False-negative mammograms are more likely to occur in women whose breast cancer is linked to a BRCA gene mutation than in those with sporadic disease, Dr. Madeleine Tilanus-Linthorst reported at a meeting sponsored by the American...

High-fiber, low-fat diet may boost breast ca prevention. (Vitamin E, Fiber Linked to Lower Risks).
December 15, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Women whose diets are rich in high-fat meat are at increased risk of developing breast cancer, while those who consume high amounts of fiber and vitamin E are at decreased risk of benign breast disease. Those conclusions...

Most cord prolapses in term, vertex pregnancies. (Study of 52 Cases).
December 15, 2002... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- Seven years' worth of experience at two Oregon hospitals calls into question several commonly held beliefs about risk factors for umbilical cord prolapse, since the majority of 52 cases occurred in term, vertex...

Letters.
December 15, 2002... Zelnorm Safety, Efficacy I would like to take this opportunity to clarify some of the issues raised by the article "New & Approved: Zelnorm, Xyrem" (Sept. 15, 2002, p. 25). Clinical data from more than 4,500 patients demonstrate the...

Why eradicate disease? (Guest Editorial).
December 15, 2002... The concept of totally eradicating a disease has long been a siren song. For some, it has transcended reason and become a crusade. Only smallpox has been successfully eradicated. Four other eradication efforts have failed, and two in...

Is intrauterine insemination a valid option for initial treatment of infertility in women aged 40-42? (Pro & Con).
December 15, 2002... YES Intrauterine insemination is indeed an option in women aged 40-42. We know that advancing age decreases the success of reproductive technologies as well as the success of pregnancy; the rates of spontaneous pregnancy loss increase...

Regular periods don't rule out low testosterone. (Advice from Experts).
December 15, 2002... MONTREAL -- Physicians who see young women complaining of low libido should consider that the problem could be low testosterone even if the women have regular menstrual periods. That advice was offered by several experts in female sexual...

Women want physicians to ask about their sexual satisfaction. (Appropriate During an Exam).
December 15, 2002... MONTREAL -- Physicians rarely ask their female patients about sexual satisfaction even though most patients think such questions are appropriate, according to results of a small survey. "We found that most patients want their providers to...

Primary and secondary syphilis rates on the rise. (Up 2% Between 2000 and 2001).
December 15, 2002... For the first time in more than a decade, primary and secondary syphilis rates increased slightly Dr. Ronald O. Valdiserri said during a teleconference sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The incidence of primary...

Micrometastases found despite negative nodes. (Early-Stage Cervical Cancer).
December 15, 2002... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- Stored lymph node specimens revealed micrometastases in the lymph nodes of 14% of 132 early-stage cervical cancer patients who had been categorized as having negative histologies, Dr. Jennifer J. Dizon reported at the...