Acupuncture May Moderately Reduce Short-Term Pain in Neck Disorders

A systematic Cochrane review showed that acupuncture was moderately effective in reducing pain associated with neck disorders during short-term follow-up. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

Contrast MR Angiography as Effective as CT Angiography or DSA in Detecting Arterial Stenoses

Magnetic resonance angiography can disclose critical supra-aortic arterial lesions about as often as computed tomographic or digital-subtraction angiography, according to investigators. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

Pay for Performance Linked to Modest Improvements in Hospital Quality

Hospitals engaged in both public reporting and pay for performance achieved modestly greater improvements in quality than did hospitals engaged only in public reporting.
Medscape Medical News
Laurie Barclay

Biomarkers May Predict Outcome for Bladder Cancer Patients

A new test may help clinicians identify patients at the highest risk of recurrence after surgery.
Medscape Medical News
Allison Gandey

Guidelines Issued on Venous Thromboembolism Diagnosis and Management

The American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Physicians released clinical practice guidelines on the diagnosis and management of venous thromboembolism. (CME,CE)
Medscape Medical News

Proteins That Regulate Cerebral Blood Flow Linked to Alzheimer's Pathogenesis

The overexpression of 2 proteins that regulate cerebral blood flow has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
Medscape Medical News
Caroline Cassels

Traffic Pollution Decreases Lung Function in Children and Adolescents

In a prospective cohort study, exposure to pollution from freeway and local traffic adversely affected lung development in children 10 to 18 years. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

Updated Statement on Hormone Therapy

For menopausal women with few risk factors for heart disease and-or breast cancer, hormone therapy for vasomotor and vaginal symptoms is safe, the North American Menopause Society stresses. (CME,CE)
Medscape Medical News

Low-Dose Glucocorticoids May Slow Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis

A review suggests that low-dose glucocorticoid therapy, added to standard treatment, reduces the rate of erosion progression in the short-term; long-term adverse effects still need to be determined. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

FDA Approvals: Yaz, NovoLog, Vidaza

The FDA has approved a new indication for 24-day drospirenone-ethinyl estradiol, a revised pregnancy category rating for insulin aspart, and a new route of administration for azacitidine. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

Arsenic Survival Benefit in Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia

Positive results showing a survival benefit when arsenic is added to the standard regimen were released early so that all patients can benefit.
Medscape Medical News
Zosia Chustecka

Walking, Recreational Exercise Do Not Increase Risk for Knee OA in Older Adults

The Framingham Offspring Study showed that in the middle-aged and elderly without knee osteoarthritis, many of whom were overweight, recreational exercise did not reduce or increase risk for knee OA. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

FDA Safety Changes: Depakote and Strattera

The FDA has approved revisions to the safety labeling for divalproex (Depakote, Depakote ER, and Depakote sprinkles) and atomoxetine HCl (Strattera). (CME)
Medscape Medical News

Prenatal Folic Acid Reduces Risk for Isolated Cleft Lip

A study showed that folic acid supplements during early pregnancy were effective in reducing the risk for isolated cleft lip in infants by about one third. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

MRI Superior to CT for Detection of Stroke

Magnetic resonance imaging is more accurate than the more commonly used computed tomography scan and should be the first-line diagnostic test in patients with suspected acute stroke. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

Dedicated Units Significantly Reduce Acute Stroke Morbidity, Mortality

Stroke patients who attend a dedicated stroke unit have a 20% reduced risk of death or disability 2 years after discharge compared with their counterparts who are admitted to a conventional hospital ward, a new study suggests.
Medscape Medical News
Caroline Cassels

Huge Rise in Esophageal Cancer Rates Because of Obesity

The obesity epidemic has resulted in a huge rise in esophageal adenocarcinomas resulting from chronic reflux disease.
Medscape Medical News
Zosia Chustecka

Adding Cetuximab to Radiotherapy Doesn't Increase Adverse Effects for Head and Neck Cancer Patients

New data suggest that combination therapy with cetuximab does not increase the rate or duration of mucositis or dysphagia and that patients are likely to resume oral intake at a rate similar to patients treated with radiotherapy alone.
Medscape Medical News
Allison Gandey

Center Effect Found in Anemia Management of Dialysis Patients

Anemia management in dialysis patients was found to be influenced by facility-specific processes, independent of other factors, in a study of Medicare patients who received dialysis in 2000 and 2001.
Medscape Medical News
Marlene Busko

Unified Score Improves Prediction of Stroke After TIA

Researchers have developed a tool combining the California and ABCD risk scores to improve the prediction of impending stroke after a previous transient ischemic attack. (CME,CE)
Medscape Medical News

Simplified Depression Tool Useful for Cancer Patients

A new simplified version of a depression detection tool ? the Brief Edinburgh Depression Scale (BEDS) ? is useful in patients with advanced cancer, say UK researchers.
Medscape Medical News
Zosia Chustecka

Rule Helps Predict Early Rheumatoid Arthritis in Patients With Undifferentiated Arthritis

Researchers developed a clinical rule with 9 variables, including age and swollen joint count, to predict early RA in patients with undifferentiated arthritis. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

Reduced Caffeine Intake in Late Pregnancy May Not Affect Birth Weight, Gestation

In a randomized trial, a moderate reduction in caffeine intake in the second half of pregnancy did not affect birth weight or length of gestation. (CME,CE)
Medscape Medical News

New PET Guidelines for Assessment of Response to Lymphoma Treatment

The Imaging Subcommittee of International Harmonization Project in Lymphoma has developed guidelines for performing and interpreting positron emission tomography for patients with lymphoma. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

FDA Expands "Lean" Claim to Include Lower-Fat Fast Food

The claim can now be advertised on products such as burritos, pizza rolls, egg rolls, and sandwiches with less than 8 g of total fat, up to 3.5 g of saturated fat, and less than 80 mg of cholesterol.
Medscape Medical News
Yael Waknine

FDA Orphan Drug Approvals: Droxidopa, LX201, Marqibo

The FDA has granted orphan drug status to L-threo-dihydroxyphenylserine (Droxidopa), a cyclosporine A-eluting ocular implant (LX201), and vincristine sulfate liposomes injection (Marqibo).
Medscape Medical News
Yael Waknine

Thrombolysis Safe and Effective for Stroke Treatment in European Centers

An observational monitoring study that had been a condition of provisional European approval for tPA in stroke shows similar rates of intracerebral hemorrhage to those seen in the major tPA trials but lower death rates. The researchers hope the results will spur EMEA to grant permanent licensing for tPA and encourage broader use.
Medscape Medical News
Susan Jeffrey

FDA Device Approvals: Protege RX, Duet, Mesomark

The FDA has approved a carotid stent (Prot?g? RX), a new indication for an automated scanning microscope and image analysis system (Duet), and a blood test for mesothelioma (Mesomark).
Medscape Medical News
Yael Waknine

Updated Rates of US Neurological Disorders Show Increased MS, AD Prevalence

A comprehensive review updating US prevalence and incidence data of 12 neurological conditions shows multiple sclerosis prevalence is approximately 50% higher than it was 25 years ago.
Medscape Medical News
Caroline Cassels

Intramuscular Methylprednisolone May Be Helpful for Inflammatory Hand Pain

In a study of patients with inflammatory hand pain, intramuscular methylprednisolone treatment significantly improved function and symptoms. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

Physical Activity Improves Lipid Profile in Postmenopausal Women

A study suggests that physical activity may be a safe and effective alternative to improve lipid profile and reduce CVD risk regardless of hormone therapy use in postmenopausal women. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

Early Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy Improves Postural Balance

In a randomized trial, postmenopausal women receiving estrogen-progestogen hormone therapy had improved postural balance, similar to that of healthy young women. (CME)
Medscape Medical News

Soy Protein Improves Lipid Profile in Postmenopausal Women

In a randomized, double-blind study of postmenopausal women, soy-protein-containing isoflavones decreased total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein particle number. (CME,CE)
Medscape Medical News

International Approvals: Exforge, HepaGam B, Sutent

The EU has approved valsartan plus amlodipine besylate tablets (Exforge) and a new indication for sunitinib malate capsules (Sutent); Canada has approved hepatitis B immune globulin [human] injection (HepaGam B).
Medscape Medical News
Yael Waknine