NEW ORLEANS -- Levels of lead in the blood now considered safe increase the risk of death, epidemiologists reported today.

SEATTLE -- Functional rhinoplasty improves the quality of life of patients with a severe nasal obstruction, according to surgical research here.

SEATTLE -- Functional rhinoplasty improves the quality of life of patients with a severe nasal obstruction, according to surgical research here.

HOBART, Tasmania -- For children who can't or won't get enough calcium from their diets, supplements seem to be an inadequate substitute, a meta-analysis suggested.

HOBART, Tasmania -- For children who can't or won't get enough calcium from their diets, supplements seem to be an inadequate substitute, a meta-analysis suggested.

YORK, England -- Acupuncture is no panacea for the ravages of unspecified low back pain, but the needles can help a little over the long haul, according to researchers here.

YORK, England -- Acupuncture is no panacea for the ravages of unspecified low back pain, but the needles can help a little over the long haul, according to researchers here.

DALLAS -- Airborne fine particles of metal, particularly zinc, may contribute to the development of lung cancer, according to an ecological study here.

DALLAS -- Airborne fine particles of metal, particularly zinc, may contribute to the development of lung cancer, according to an ecological study here.

SAN ANTONIO -- The shortage of lungs deemed suitable for transplantation could be eased with a combination of medical management of donor organs and less stringent acceptance criteria, researchers here asserted.

SAN ANTONIO -- The shortage of lungs deemed suitable for transplantation could be eased with a combination of medical management of donor organs and less stringent acceptance criteria, researchers here asserted.

BALTIMORE -- Mild anemia, long associated with fatigue and weakness, may be an independent risk factor for loss of so-called executive function in older patients, researchers reported.

BALTIMORE -- Mild anemia, long associated with fatigue and weakness, may be an independent risk factor for loss of so-called executive function in older patients, researchers reported.

CHICAGO -- Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) can be a moving target, and genetic differences may predict whether it will respond to Gleevec (imatinib) or Sutent (sunitinib).

CHICAGO -- Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) can be a moving target, and genetic differences may predict whether it will respond to Gleevec (imatinib) or Sutent (sunitinib).

My patient has diabetes, end-stage renal disease, and congestive heart failure (CHF)--and does not want to use insulin. What oral medication(s) would be considered optimal in this setting?

A 44-year-old African American woman presented to the emergency department with constipation of 4 days' duration. She also complained of a sticking sensation in her throat over the past year and dysphagia to solids but not liquids. Over the past 2 years, she had an unintentional 40-lb weight loss, which she attributed to decreased appetite.

For patients who require long-term antibiotic therapy (eg, for acne or rosacea), suggest that they regularly eat yogurt or take Lactobacillus acidophilus to reduce the risk of yeast infections and diarrhea. L acidophilus is available at health food stores and in many pharmacies. An added benefit of recommending acidophilus: it demonstrates an openness to more "natural" approaches, and this often improves relationships with patients.

Early acute treatment of epileptic emergencies may help prevent brain damage. "Don't wait to get the patient to the emergency department [ED]. The longer one waits to treat, the higher the chance for morbidity and mortality," said John M. Pellock, MD, chair of the Division of Child Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, at the June 2006 meeting of the American Epilepsy Society (AES).

I provide a strainer for my patients with kidney stones to use when they urinate. However, if they don't have this with them, I tell them that they can use paper strainers from the paint department of a hardware store, a fine mesh kitchen strainer, or even disposable coffee filters.