All News

PORTLAND, Ore - The novel anti-smoking drug Chantix (varenicline) is effective both to stop smoking and to keep off cigarettes, according to several investigations.

BERN, Switzerland - Young women who have radiotherapy following surgery for ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) are significantly less likely to have local recurrence and the risk was even lower when boost radiotherapy was added.

SUTTON, England - A perioperative chemotherapy regimen improved progression-free and overall survival in potentially curable gastric cancer, researchers here reported.

Depression and obesity are often partners in pathology, according to investigators here.

ROCKVILLE, Md. - The FDA has approved Lucentis (ranibizumab injection) for treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.

What is the next step when a patient’s urine culture shows -hemolytic streptococci?

Abstract: Elderly persons with active tuberculosis may present with the classic features, such as cough, hemoptysis, and fever, but some patients present with less typical signs, such as hepatosplenomegaly, liver function abnormalities, and anemia. A high index of suspicion is required when a patient presents with cough or pneumonia unresponsive to conventional therapy. Acid-fast smear and mycobacterial culture of a sputum specimen are recommended for diagnosis. For an elderly patient who tests positive with purified protein derivative, 9 months of isoniazid prophylaxis is recommended. For patients who are intolerant of isoniazid or have been exposed to or infected by an isoniazid-resistant strain, rifampin single-agent preventive therapy may be an effective alternative. (J Respir Dis. 2006;27(7):307-315)

Patients with allergic rhinitis are genetically predisposed to producing specific IgE antibodies in response to environmental allergens, such as tree, grass, or ragweed pollen or cat, dog, or dust mite allergens. Patients must have symptoms suggestive of allergies and positive skin or serologic test results that correlate with their symptoms.

How strong is the evidence supporting the use of horse chestnut seed extract for chronic venous insufficiency?

Sexual dysfunction may not reverse after the drug that is causing the problem is discontinued.

A 37-year-old man presents with new-onset fever and abdominal pain of several days' duration. What does the PA film show, and what further action would you take to arrive at a diagnosis?

Rates of gonorrhea and chlamydial infection are highest among females 15 to 24 years old. Annual screening of all sexually active adolescents is warranted.

During a routine eye examination for contact lenses, a visual field defect was found in the left eye of a 27-year-old man. The patient had not noticed any vision changes.

The best place to evaluate a patient's gait is not the exam room, but the waiting room.

Patients often complain that ointments are greasy and stain clothing. Here's how to solve the problem and encourage compliance.

Break a disposable wooden cotton swab to create an instrument to test for sharp sensation.

What key question can you ask patients with chronic pain that may help lead you to a diagnosis?

A 60-year-old man presented with a pruritic rash on the chest and abdomen that had developed over a week in the summer, after a spate of yard work. The patient had multiple excoriated erythematous papules, some of which were hyperkeratotic. Joe R. Monroe, PA-C, MPAS, of Oklahoma City reports that biopsy of one of the lesions revealed epidermal hyperkeratosis and acantholysis, which confirmed the clinical diagnosis of Grover disease, or transient acantholytic dermatosis.