News

National report - Americans will finally have direct market access to products offering long-lasting and complete broad-spectrum UV protection following the long-awaited federal approval of the sun filter Mexoryl, dermatologists say.

National report - Dermatologists are faring better - and often dramatically better - than the average doctor, whose net income fell 7 percent between 1995 and 2003, while the workweek shrank and the proportion of time spent on patient care rose, according to a new report.

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Results from one year of follow-up in a phase 3 trial investigating infliximab (Remicade, Centocor) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis demonstrate that the dramatic responses, achieved rapidly after induction therapy, are sustained with maintenance therapy in the majority of patients and without the emergence of new safety concerns, reported Alan Menter, M.D., at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy '06.

While biologic drugs may not provide a first-line treatment for psoriasis, dermatologists are reaching for them somewhat more readily, an expert says.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a unique form of inflammatory arthritis that occurs in patients with psoriasis, usually manifesting itself well after the skin lesions of psoriasis appear.

As research and clinical experience continue to clarify biologic drugs' roles, the key to successful treatment remains educating and involving patients in treatment decisions, experts say.

Anti-T-cell therapeutic agents treat psoriasis by interfering with the immune responses involved in the generation of psoriasis.

The combination regimen was associated with about a 50 percent improvement in symptoms of depression evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory.

Results of a phase 4, open-label, multicenter study indicate that low-dose acitretin (Soriatane, Connetics) in moderate to severe psoriasis patients provides efficacy as monotherapy by 24 weeks, but requires patience, said Gerald G. Krueger, M.D., at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy '06.

The National Psoriasis Foundation used its national conference Aug. 4-6 as a platform to introduce the public phase of its $5 million Finding a Cure campaign.

The key components that will determine a physician's success with injectables are education about what is out there, choosing the right product line and then perfecting the injection techniques.

Every fund has to pay its managers and cover normal operating expenses. That's where the annual management fee comes in. Whatever the rate of return generated by the fund, it will be reduced by the amount of the annual fee.

Documentation is invaluable in assisting an employer to paint the picture that the action he or she took was firm, fair and legitimate.

Combining botulinum toxin with filler in a deep groove, for example, will often give a better result (than either alone). Botulinum toxin will arrest the static lines and the filler will plump out the groove.

National report - Poly-L-lactic acid filler Sculptra (Dermik) can offer some excellent long-term results in adding volume when patients have facial lipoatrophy, and Cherie Ditre, M.D., offers some key tips to further enhance successful use of the filler.

San Diego - Preventing and treating hypertrophic scars and keloid formation has always been a difficult task for dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons.

DermaSmart is a new concept in the treatment of atopic dermatitis from Hill Pharmaceutical.

Chicago - Acne, common in women of all ages, can be treated differently depending in part upon age, according to Julie C. Harper, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham.

London - Lichen myxedematosus (LM) is not a single disease, but represents two clinicopathologic subsets that are important to distinguish because they differ with respect to prognosis and treatment, said Franco Rongioletti, M.D., at the annual meeting of the European Association of Dermatology and Venereology.

San Diego - A multitude of fungi live in our ecosystem, and we can hope for peaceful coexistence with them - staying free from infection - but this is not always the rule. Sometimes when the immune system takes a turn for the worse fungi seize the opportunity to multiply and clinical presentation is the result.

San Francisco - A new study is providing additional support for the controversial hypothesis that exposure to solar ultraviolet B (UVB) protects against many forms of cancer through photosynthesis of vitamin D.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Muslims in Malaysia may have to learn to live with their wrinkles after the country's top Islamic xbody ruled against Botox (Allergan) injections.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been recognized as a health problem for more than 20 years.

Eckley M. Keach's article in the June 2006 issue of Dermatology Times ("Successful malpractice defense lies in body of evidence") provides tips for dermatologists to reduce the risk of malpractice liability from treating high-risk melanoma patients.

I recently moderated numerous advisory panels during which we spoke to 226 practicing specialists in the field of dermatology on the topic of rosacea management. The panels were conducted across the United States and included dermatologists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. We met in small groups, mixing didactic presentations with open-ended discussions. We discussed a wide array of topics, from the history of rosacea therapies in the United States to new frontiers for topical treatments.

My professional life has changed radically over the past several months. I have left academic medicine and have started a private practice. Living in the professional cocoon of the university, I had absolutely no idea of the complexities, pressures, anxieties and great joy associated with this enterprise. I never dreamed that I would be paying a practice management consultant, a phone installation consultant, an employee health insurance agent, a computer consultant, an office security consultant, a janitorial consultant and the credit card processing company sales associate to provide advice.

Schaumburg, Ill. -- The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) hopes results of its recent iPLEDGE survey will prompt changes in the federal isotretinoin registry, which doctors and patients say is cumbersome and frustrating and hampers the delivery of quality medical care.

Parkville, Victoria, Australia -- Researchers here report that patient-applied ointment comprising 0.1 percent diphencyprone and 15 percent salicylic acid in white soft paraffin is effective in treating palmoplantar warts.

Washington -- In a move considered by many to be long overdue, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a sunscreen product that contains Mexoryl, an ingredient considered to be more effective than other filters in protecting the skin against the sun's potentially damaging UVA rays.