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Are derm surgeons properly trained?
September 1st 2002New Orleans - The training received by dermatologic surgeons is more than adequate for the task; in fact, dermatologists pioneered many of the skin surgery techniques in common use today, outgoing American Academy of Dermatology president Ronald G. Wheeland, M.D., said here at a "controversies in dermatology" session at the AAD's annual meeting
Office efficiency can be found in little changes
September 1st 2002New Orleans - Working smarter, not harder, is a rule people want to live by but is often more difficult than it sounds. In a medical practice setting, where efficiency can sometimes fall by the wayside, physicians must keep an eye out for simple but smart strategies to overcome office shortcomings.
Fluconazole Tx for cutaneous leishmaniasis
September 1st 2002Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - For treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major, a six-week course of oral fluconazole is effective and avoids the potentially severe side effects of standard parenteral therapy, according to Abdulrahman A. Alrajhi, M.D., M.P.H.
Reforms needed in face of rising malpractice costs
September 1st 2002The high cost of medical malpractice insurance, both for patients and physicians, is gaining renewed attention in Washington with President Bush calling for reform and a new report by the Department of Health and Human Services urging legislative action.
Combination adapalene/clindamycin hastens, improves clearing of inflammatoryacne
September 1st 2002Paris - Combination topical-antibiotic-plus-retinoid treatmentof inflammatory acne using adapalene 0.1 percent gel (Differin) with clindamycin1 percent lotion offers better efficacy and safety compared with clindamycin1 percent lotion alone, according to the results of a study presented atthe World Congress of Dermatology.
Call made for anti-inflammatory systemic Tx
September 1st 2002Berlin - New therapeutic modalities are needed for treating thesubstantial population of acne patients with marked inflammatory diseaseand scarring. Available data indicate compounds with selective anti-inflammatoryactivity may help fill that niche, Christos C. Zouboulis, M.D., said.
Enzyme converting DHEAS to DHEA deemed viable target for anti-acne drugdevelopment
September 1st 2002Paris - Selective inhibition of the enzyme steroid sulfatase (STS)with a topically applied nonsteroidal compound may offer a novel approachto the treatment of acne, scientists from the Novartis Research Institute,Vienna, Austria, said at the World Congress of Dermatology.
Combination clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide succeeds simply in moderate-to-severeacne
September 1st 2002New Orleans - The combination product containing clindamycin 1percent with benzoyl peroxide 5 percent in an aqueous vehicle base (BenzaClin)is a highly effective and well-tolerated treatment for patients with moderateto moderately severe acne, according to the results of two randomized, controlled,double-blind studies presented at the annual meeting of the American Academyof Dermatology.
Issues influence antimicrobial treatment decisions
September 1st 2002New Orleans - The growing emergence of resistant bacteria and confusion created by an expanding number of antimicrobial agents on the market make selection of effective antimicrobial therapy an increasing challenge for dermatologists, James Q. Del Rosso, D.O., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Less common modalities play role in Tx
September 1st 2002Buenos Aires - Conventional treatment regimens based on the use of topical and systemic retinoids and antimicrobial agents are effective in controlling the majority of cases of acne across the entire spectrum of disease severity, but there are a wide range of less commonly used modalities that can provide valuable alternatives in a number of clinical scenarios, Ana Kaminsky, M.D., Ph.D., said.
Growing Latino population has intricacies
August 1st 2002New York-The incidence of skin disease is not significantly different among Latinos than with other patient groups, but physicians who treat Latino patients need to be aware of some differences in the frequency of diagnosis as well as the cultural aspects of treatment, Miguel R. Sanchez, M.D., said.
Asian patients new to U.S. require special attention
August 1st 2002New York - Awareness and sensitivity about beliefs and cultural practices are important tools in treating the Asian population - especially those that are newly immigrated, Henry W. Lim, M.D., said at the annual meeting of The Skin of Color Center, St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York.
Derm drugs pose serious fetal risks
August 1st 2002New York - A number of drugs used commonly in dermatology have teratogenic potential, making careful screening and comprehensive and ongoing pregnancy prevention counseling a must when prescribing medications for female patients, Robyn Gmyrek, M.D., said.
Government takes pro Maine prescription position
August 1st 2002Although the Bush Administration, in the person of the Solicitor General, filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court suggesting that it refuse to hear an appeal from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) on Maine's Rx prescription law, the court agreed to hear the case.
HHV-8 present in immunocompetent
August 1st 2002Rome - Human herpesvirus-8 has been implicated as the causative agent of Kaposi's sarcoma, often seen in patients with AIDS. Until recently, primary HHV-8 infection had been described only in immunocompromised patients, such as AIDS patients. Massimo Andreoni, M.D., and colleagues from Italy and Egypt presented the first report of primary HHV-8 infection in immunocompetent individuals (JAMA 2002; 287: 1295-1300).
Caspofungin adds to aspergillosis armamentarium
August 1st 2002New Orleans - The novel antifungal agent caspofungin (Cancidas) is a helpful addition to the armamentarium of medications that are currently used to treat aspergillosis, according to Tamara Koss, M.D. It may be a particularly appropriate modality in immunocompromised patients who have not responded to conventional antimycotics, she said.
Oral antihistamines not a cure for all cutaneous itching
August 1st 2002New Orleans - As antipruritic drugs, newer second-generation oral antihistamines, including loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec), fexofenadine (Allegra), and desloratadine (Clarinex), offer several advantages compared with their predecessors. However, clinicians should be aware that these newer compounds are neither all alike nor routinely effective for controlling all types of cutaneous itch, Michael D. Tharp, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
AMA one step closer to funding physicians' union
August 1st 2002Washington - The executive committee of the Board of Directors of the American Medical Association approved the operating budget for Physicians for Responsible Negotiation, the physician's union launched by the AMA in 1999. The final vote from the full board was expected to take place in late July, and advocates were optimistic about the recommendation from the executive committee.