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Oral medication alitretinoin effective in treating moderate or severe hand dermatitis

Use of the oral medication alitretinoin was effective in treating moderate or severe hand dermatitis in nearly half of patients previously unresponsive to standard treatment, according to an article in the December issue of The Archives of Dermatology.

20 Dec 2004

Benzoyl peroxide effective treatment for acne

Results of a UK study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET highlight how over the counter benzoyl peroxide (BEN-zoe-ill per-OX-ide) lotion is as good as prescription antibiotics for the treatment of mild to moderate facial acne.

20 Dec 2004

Rett Syndrome, the first identified epigenetic disease - linked to specific defects in the three-dimensional folding of chromatin

Sometime between the age of 6 and 18 months, after a period of seemingly normal development, girls affected with Rett Syndrome lose interest in play; they gradually become withdrawn and anxious, develop autistic-like behaviors, and acquire specific symptoms like repetitive teeth-grinding and hand-wringing.

20 Dec 2004

The way the movies represent amnesia is profoundly misleading

Analyzing a host of movies from the silent era up to the present day, the paper traces a number of regular misconceptions about the condition.

20 Dec 2004

M.E. emerges from the wilderness

In 1955 medical literature first defined and described M.E., an illness that had probably been with us for hundreds of years. But with a wide range of symptoms, no diagnostic test and much misunderstanding about its cause, people with M.E. often had to struggle to manage the illness with little support from specialist services.

14 Dec 2004

Understanding what causes narcolepsy

Results of a preliminary study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET suggest a step forward in our understanding of the processes behind narcolepsy; there appears to be an underlying autoimmune process for people with a certain genetic profile. Future diagnostic testing of people with this profile should lead to substantial improvements in disease treatment.

13 Dec 2004

Metabolic syndrome is a public health time bomb

The metabolic syndrome is a public health time bomb. It may affect as many as 1 in 5 adults in some parts of Europe, greatly increasing the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

29 Nov 2004

Fathers' genes play an equal part in the spread of eczema

Doctors have known for many years that eczema - also known as atopic dermatitis - runs in families. In the past, it was thought that if a baby suffered from eczema, it was more likely to have come from the mother's side.

29 Nov 2004

Effective management of insomnia begins with recognition and adequate assessment

A seminar in this week’s issue of THE LANCET outlines the common but poorly understood condition of insomnia, concluding that awareness and assessment of insomnia by family doctors is a priority.

29 Nov 2004

Nearly two-thirds of smokers are not concerned about developing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of smokers are not concerned about developing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), America’s fourth ranking cause of death even though more than half of them (55 percent) experience at least one of the symptoms of COPD a minimum of once a week.

18 Nov 2004

Not all congestion-producing chronic rhinosinusitis infections are the same

Rather, this problem that afflicts some 30 million Americans annually has four severity classifications that could help guide treatment today and help find better treatments in the future, says the lead author on the study published in the November issue of The Laryngoscope.

18 Nov 2004

Millions of people threatened by the diabetes time bomb

Millions of lives are threatened by the dual epidemics of diabetes and obesity that are bound to explode in this century, international diabetes and obesity organizations said today in the run up to World Diabetes Day.

11 Nov 2004

Heart arrhythmias easily treated, yet few know risks

Since she was a young girl, Sandra Moore, 46, of Glen Ellyn, Ill., had episodes every few months when her heart started racing.

9 Nov 2004

Amputations due to diabetes can be prevented

Taking a minute or two every day to inspect your feet and observing a few simple rules can make the difference in sparing diabetes patients from a preventable outcome of the disease a foot amputation.

4 Nov 2004

The Royal Society of Medicine Press has published new Primary Care Guidelines for the Management of Females with Epilepsy

These guidelines were produced following a multidisciplinary consensus meeting of epilepsy experts and cover such topics as the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, preconception counselling and the management of epilepsy during and after pregnancy.

3 Nov 2004

Brain imaging technology shows how the adult dyslexic brain can change

New findings from researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center in collaboration with Wake Forest University School of Medicine have shown that there is hope for individuals suffering a life-long history of reading problems.

1 Nov 2004

Innovative guide for Moms, Kids with ADD

Unlike other ADD parenting guides, "When Moms and Kids Have ADD" is ADD- friendly. Bold topic headings, bulleted lists, clear print, eye-catching graphics and summaries make the guide easy for an ADD parent to read.

26 Oct 2004

New help to explain treatments for colorectal cancer

To help patients and their families better understand how different treatments work to cure colorectal cancer, the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology has published the new patient information brochure Radiation Therapy for Colorectal Cancer: Facts to Help People Understand Their Treatment Options.

25 Oct 2004

Experts take aim at the obesity epidemic in Canada

A panel of experts today took aim at the obesity epidemic in Canada, exploring innovative ideas to help individuals, organizations and governments address this major health threat.

25 Oct 2004

Discovery of the gene for a form of Joubert Syndrome

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have discovered the gene for a form of Joubert Syndrome, a condition present before birth that affects an area of the brain controlling balance and coordination in about 1 in 10,000 individuals.

21 Oct 2004