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PADUA, Italy -- Sudden cardiac deaths among athletes in the Veneto region of Italy dropped by 89% since initiation of a pre-participation screening program a quarter-century ago for those in competitive athletics.

BETHESDA, Md. -- Obesity and smoking, when combined, add up to as much as a fivefold increase in the risk of early all-cause mortality.

ISTANBUL, Turkey -- A blood test may be able to distinguish between a malignancy in the lung and a benign pulmonary pathology, researchers reported here.

ATLANTA -- Giving progesterone to adults with traumatic brain injury can cut their risk of near-term death in half and may improve chances for recovery in patients with less severe injuries.

CAMBRIDGE, England -- Despite what clinicians generally believe, the newer antipsychotic drugs are no better than earlier medications in improving quality of life for patients, researchers here say.

NEW YORK -- Low-birth-weight infants with no apparent disability can have subtle motor and cognitive deficits that can be discerned at age 16, said investigators here.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The likelihood of spontaneous urinary stone passage can be increased significantly by treatment with calcium channel blockers or ? blockers, according to pooled data on nearly 700 patients with urinary calculi.

The authors report the incidental finding of a persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) during the routine placement of a left subclavian central line in an elderly man with acute renal failure.

Allopurinol, commonly used to treat patients with gout, has been known to cause hypersensitivity reactions. We report a case of drug-induced delayed multiorgan hypersensitivity syndrome secondary to allopurinol use. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage in a patient presenting with allopurinol-induced rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms.

Abstract: There is solid evidence that a positive association exists between nasal allergy and acute or chronic sinusitis in both adults and children. Patients with perennial allergic rhinitis--especially those with significant sensitivity to molds and/or house dust mites--are particularly susceptible to acute sinusitis. It therefore seems reasonable to assume that controlling rhinitis by controlling allergens in the home environment will minimize recurrences of acute sinusitis. Conversely, many patients with chronic sinusitis also have nasal allergy. Thus, management of nasal allergy should be included in the treatment strategy for chronic sinusitis. (J Respir Dis. 2006; 27(10):435-440)

The weight of some of my patients exceeds the upper limit of our office scales. Rather than invest in a more expensive scale for this small group of patients, we placed 2 scales side by side. Patients can put one foot on each scale and need not even try to balance their weight equally between the two. The numbers on the scales can be added together to determine a reasonably accurate total weight.

During my career, I have been on both sides of the clinical fence. From 1980 until 1992, I was a practicing nephrologist; from 1992 on, I have been a primary care physician (PCP). It should come as no surprise to the readers of CONSULTANT that I have found primary care practice to be much more demanding.

When patients come in for a Pap smear, we have them write their name and address on an envelope, which we file in a box organized by month. Then as results come in, we retrieve the appropriate envelopes from the box and mail them out. Any envelopes left in the folder at the end of the month serve as reminders that those patients haven't been contacted yet.

These photographs were taken 1Z\x hours after a 45-year-old woman accidentally dropped a hot curling iron onto her right eye while she was styling her bangs. The images show white coagulation of the superficial corneal epithelium, erythema of the lateral infraorbital area, and a transverse pale area of the superior eyelid. Severe pain occurred immediately after the injury. The vision in her right eye was partially obscured by the white coagulation.

Before you prescribe an anticholinergic for patients with urinary frequency or urge incontinence, advise them to cut out all caffeine. Complete avoidance--rather than just decreased intake--often results in an immediate improvement in symptoms. Also instruct patients to keep their daily fluid intake under 64 oz. Should medication still be needed, these steps can help ensure a good outcome.

Diagnosing the cause of abdominal pain in a child can be difficult. When I suspect appendicitis, I ask the patient to jump down from the exam table. If this causes no pain, the diagnosis is most likely not appendicitis. Pain indicates rebound tenderness, and further workup is likely needed.

When using pulse oximetry to evaluate patients with Buerger disease, Raynaud phenomenon, a history of heavy smoking, or other conditions that cause vasoconstriction of the fingers, place the probe on the earlobe. In such patients, this gives a more accurate measurement of arterial hemoglobin saturation than does a digital placement.-- Lynda Sutliff, RN, FNP San Angelo, Tex