A Surrogate Marker for Prostate Cancer Survival?
Circulating tumor cell count predicted survival in patients receiving treatment for metastatic castration-resistant disease.
Are Topical Estrogens Effective for Skin Aging?
Dermatology Summary and Comment
Free
Only where the sun doesn’t shine
By Craig A. Elmets, MD
November 7, 2008
Covering:
Rittié L et al., Arch Dermatol 2008 Sep; 144:1129
Preferences for End-of-Life Treatment Change with Time
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Presented with a scenario involving irreversible brain damage, 58% of physicians who indicated preference for cardiopulmonary resuscitation at baseline declined such a measure 3 years later.
Testosterone for Low Libido in Postmenopausal Women: Not Ready for Prime Time
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Testosterone cannot be viewed as a clear-cut answer for women with HSDD; long-term side effects and risk for breast cancer remain uncertain.
By Robert W. Rebar, MD
November 5, 2008
Covering:
Davis SR et al., N Engl J Med 2008 Nov 6; 359:2005
Heiman JR., N Engl J Med 2008 Nov 6; 359:2047
Infective Endocarditis in Older Adults: A Cohort Study
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Prospectively collected data show that patient age is a key factor in the clinical features and outcome of IE.
By Joel M. Gore, MD
November 5, 2008
Covering:
Durante-Mangoni E et al., Arch Intern Med 2008 Oct 27; 168:2095
A Potential New Target for Future Alzheimer Treatment
Neurology Summary and Comment
New research in mice shows that ApoE is important for A-beta clearance from the brain and that pharmacologic enhancement of ApoE lipidation improves this clearance.
By Warren J. Strittmatter, MD
November 4, 2008
Covering:
Jiang Q et al., Neuron 2008 Jun 12; 58:681
Statin Use and Incident Cognitive Impairment or Dementia
Neurology Summary and Comment
A prospective cohort study suggests a protective effect from statins.
By Edmond Teng, MD, PhD, and Bruce Ovbiagele, MD
November 4, 2008
Covering:
Cramer C et al., Neurology 2008 Jul 29; 71:344
Requests for Assisted Suicide: Does Depression Play a Role?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
One quarter of patients in an Oregon study who sought aid in dying were clinically depressed.
By Peter Roy-Byrne, MD
November 3, 2008
Covering:
Ganzini L et al., BMJ 2008 Oct 8; 337:a1682
van der Lee ML., BMJ 2008 Oct 8; 337:a1558
More About Blood Pressure in the Very Old
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Once again, a study suggests an inverse relation between blood pressure and mortality in the oldest segment of the population.
By Allan S. Brett, MD
October 30, 2008
Covering:
Molander L et al., J Am Geriatr Soc 2008 Oct; 56:1853
Minimally Invasive Treatments vs. Transurethral Resection for BPH
General Medicine Summary and Comment
TURP is associated with risk for blood loss and longer hospital stays, but minimally invasive procedures are less effective in improving symptom scores.
Depression in Patients Who Request Physician Aid in Dying
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Under Oregon’s Death with Dignity law, some depressed, terminally ill patients can receive lethal prescriptions.
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy to Prevent Heart Failure: A Step Toward the Future?
Cardiology Summary and Comment
In a trial underpowered for clinical events, CRT promoted reverse remodeling in patients with NYHA class I or II symptoms.
By Mark S. Link, MD
October 29, 2008
Covering:
Linde C et al., J Am Coll Cardiol 2008 Sep 17
Statin Side Effects — Targets of Ongoing Research
In particular, researchers are looking at cognitive and musculoskeletal effects of statins.
USPSTF Recommends Screening for Colorectal Cancer Through Age 75
General Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline Watch
Only fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy is recommended, starting at age 50.
By Richard Saitz, MD, MPH, FACP, FASAM
October 28, 2008
Covering:
Zauber AG et al., Ann Intern Med 2008 Oct 6
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force., Ann Intern Med 2008 Oct 6
Whitlock EP et al., Ann Intern Med 2008 Oct 6
Pignone M and Sox HC., Ann Intern Med 2008 Oct 6
Ahlquist DA et al., Ann Intern Med 2008 Oct 7; 149:441
Surveillance of Men with Low-Risk Prostate Cancer
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Two new reports — in combination with other published data — suggest that surveillance is a strategy that can be used safely and more widely for selected patients.
By Allan S. Brett, MD
October 28, 2008
Covering:
Barocas DA et al., J Urol 2008 Oct; 180:1330
Ercole B et al., J Urol 2008 Oct; 180:1336
USPSTF Recommends Against CRC Screening in Older Age Groups
Gastroenterology Clinical Practice Guideline Watch
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force concludes that the risks of colorectal cancer screening outweigh the benefits in patients older than 75.
By Douglas K. Rex, MD
October 24, 2008
Covering:
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force., Ann Intern Med 2008 Oct 6
Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: Pushing the Envelope
Cardiology Summary and Comment
In a small randomized trial, pulmonary-vein isolation proved better than AV-node ablation plus biventricular pacing in patients with congestive heart failure and AF.
By Mark S. Link, MD
October 22, 2008
Covering:
Khan MN et al., N Engl J Med 2008 Oct 23; 359:1778
Vitamin B Supplementation and Progression of Alzheimer Disease
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Dietary supplementation with folate, vitamin B6 , and vitamin B12 did not slow progression of dementia at 18 months.
By Thomas L. Schwenk, MD
October 21, 2008
Covering:
Aisen PS et al., JAMA 2008 Oct 15; 300:1774
Clarke RJ and Bennett DA., JAMA 2008 Oct 15; 300:1819
Fatigue in Early Parkinson Disease
Neurology Summary and Comment
A 40-week, placebo-controlled trial in levodopa-naïve patients with PD showed that carbidopa-levodopa moderated progression of fatigue.
By Jau-Shin Lou, MD, PhD
October 21, 2008
Covering:
Schifitto G et al., Neurology 2008 Aug 12; 71:481
Premature Aging Takes the Heat with Infrared
Dermatology Summary and Comment
Free
Infrared A radiation increased levels of the collagen-degrading enzyme MMP-1 and depleted cutaneous antioxidents.
By Craig A. Elmets, MD
October 17, 2008
Covering:
Schroeder P et al., J Invest Dermatol 2008 Oct; 128:2491
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Free
During a 4-year study, death rates were lower among heart failure patients who received
By Bruce Soloway, MD
October 16, 2008
Covering:
GISSI-HF Investigators., Lancet 2008 Oct 4; 372:1223
GISSI-HF Investigators., Lancet 2008 Oct 4; 372:1231
PPIs to Prevent Aspirin-Induced Ulcers
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Esomeprazole affords short-term gastrointestinal protection, regardless of aspirin dose.
By Allan S. Brett, MD
October 16, 2008
Covering:
Yeomans N et al., Am J Gastroenterol 2008 Oct; 103:2465
Risk for Falls in Older Women: The Sleep Factor
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Older women with short or fragmented sleep had excess risk for falls, independent of use of common insomnia medications.
Testosterone Recovery After Limited Androgen Deprivation Therapy
Risk factors for low testosterone reserve were associated with longer time to androgen normalization.
Carotid Stenting vs. Endarterectomy: Longer-Term Outcomes
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Free
Among patients without periprocedural complications, adverse outcomes at
By Allan S. Brett, MD
October 9, 2008
Covering:
Eckstein H-H et al., Lancet Neurol 2008 Oct; 7:893
Mas J-L et al., Lancet Neurol 2008 Oct; 7:885
