http://www.imng.com Elsevier Global Medical News Group has provided physician specialists with authoritative coverage of medical meetings, breaking medical news and analysis, clinical trial results, updates on drug prescribing, pertinent summaries of clinical guidelines, and perspective and opinion from medicine thought leaders. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Global Medical News. All rights reserved. en-us Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:00:12 GMT InfoDesk http://media.ny.idsk.com/multimedia/logos/rsslogo_imng.gif http://www.imng.com http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn090120101828289367 By Alicia Ault Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:28:28 GMT imn090120101828289367 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn090120101700019364 Intensive blood pressure control doesn’t slow the progression of chronic kidney disease any better than standard blood pressure control in most patients, according to a report in the Sept. 2 New England Journal of Medicine. By Mary Ann Moon Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:00:01 GMT imn090120101700019364 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn090120101700009363 Long-term use of the weight loss drug sibutramine was not associated with an increased risk of death; however, the drug was associated with a significantly increased risk of nonfatal myocardial infarctions and strokes among overweight and obese people with preexisting cardiovascular conditions, based on data from the Sibutramine Cardiovascular Outcomes (SCOUT) trial. By Elizabeth Mechcatie Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:00:00 GMT imn090120101700009363 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn090120101631219359 An automated assay designed for use in Third World regions rapidly and accurately detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and resistance to rifampin, according to a report published online Sept. 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine. By Mary Ann Moon Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:31:21 GMT imn090120101631219359 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn090120101616289355 Alternatives to tigecycline “should be considered” when treating patients with serious infections because the intravenous antibiotic has been associated with an increased mortality rate in this population, according to a safety alert issued by the Food and Drug Administration on Sept. 1. By Elizabeth Mechcatie Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:16:28 GMT imn090120101616289355 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn090120101446469351 STOCKHOLM (EGMN) – Use of the oral factor Xa inhibitor apixaban slashed the risk of stroke or systemic embolism by more than half, compared with daily aspirin, in patients with atrial fibrillation who were candidates for but unable to take warfarin, in the phase III AVERROES trial. By Bruce Jancin Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:46:46 GMT imn090120101446469351 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn090120101330169346 The first human trial of metformin for precancerous colorectal lesions hints that the diabetes drug may be poised for a second incarnation – this time as a chemopreventive agent for several cancers, including lung, colon, and prostate cancers, and even breast malignancies. By Michele G. Sullivan Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:30:16 GMT imn090120101330169346 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn090120101048119342 By Denise Napoli Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:48:11 GMT imn090120101048119342 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn083120101619059334 All health care workers should be vaccinated annually against influenza, and doing so should be a condition of new or continued employment, according to a position paper from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. By January W. Payne Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:19:05 GMT imn083120101619059334 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn083120101600009329 Prophylactic mastectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy significantly decrease mortality as well as the risks of breast and ovarian cancer among women who carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, according to a report published in the Sept. 1 issue of JAMA . By Mary Ann Moon Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:00:00 GMT imn083120101600009329 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn083120101600009332 Among births that occur during the term and postterm range of 37-44 weeks’ gestation, the risk of cerebral palsy is lowest at 40 weeks and highest at the “early” extreme of 37-38 weeks and the “late” extreme of 42 weeks or more, according to a report in the Sept. 1 issue of JAMA. By Mary Ann Moon Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:00:00 GMT imn083120101600009332 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn083120101552029328 STOCKHOLM (EGMN) – The use of fondaparinux as an antithrombotic agent in percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndromes could get a major boost in clinical practice now that the optimal dose of adjunctive unfractionated heparin has been carefully defined in the large randomized FUTURA/OASIS-8 study. By Bruce Jancin Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:52:02 GMT imn083120101552029328 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn083120101100309313 STOCKHOLM (EGMN) – Four simple clinical conditions play the biggest role in risk-stratifying outpatients with stable atherothrombotic disease, based on a 45,000-patient, international registry followed for 4 years. By Mitchel L. Zoler Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:00:30 GMT imn083120101100309313 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn083020101850589305 One in three first time mothers are being delivered by cesarean section, and prelabor repeat cesarean deliveries contribute almost one-third of cesarean deliveries overall, according to a National Institutes of Health study. By Diana Mahoney Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:50:58 GMT imn083020101850589305 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn083020101621489301 Approximately 40% of emergency department visits for sports-related concussions in young athletes occurred in children aged 8-13 years, based on data from concussion-related ED visits in the United States between 2001 and 2005, according to a study published online Aug. 30 in Pediatrics. By Heidi Splete Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:21:48 GMT imn083020101621489301 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn083020101600159296 Black patients who received drug-eluting stents were significantly more likely to develop stent thrombosis compared with nonblack patients, based on data from more than 7,000 adults published online Aug. 30 in Circulation. By Heidi Splete Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:00:15 GMT imn083020101600159296 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn083020101526479295 In an article titled “Heart Rate Cut With Ivabradine, Trims Heart Failure Deaths in Phase III Study” (published Aug. 30, 2010), mortality was incorrectly described in reference to the study’s primary end point. The sentence should have read: “This safety finding and the significant impact of the investigational drug both on the combined primary end point of the study and on heart failure mortality should give ivabradine a clear path toward U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, followed by widespread adoption in practice, predicted U.S. heart failure experts.” Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:26:47 GMT imn083020101526479295 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn083020101339459293 STOCKHOLM (EGMN) – Patients’ possession of a clopidogrel loss-of-function genetic polymorphism is likely to worsen outcomes when the antiplatelet agent is prescribed for acute coronary syndromes that are likely to be treated with coronary stenting, but not when the drug is given for atrial fibrillation or chronic coronary artery disease. By Bruce Jancin Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:39:45 GMT imn083020101339459293 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn083020101012419287 STOCKHOLM (EGMN) – Patients with moderate to severe systolic heart failure and an elevated heart rate had a marked drop in their rate of heart failure death and hospitalization when they were treated with the heart-rate–lowering drug ivabradine in a phase III, randomized trial with more than 6,500 patients. By Mitchel L. Zoler Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:12:41 GMT imn083020101012419287 http://inews.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=imn082620101455229256 Annual estimates of influenza-associated deaths from 1976-2007 varied substantially by season, influenza virus type, underlying cause of death, and age group, according to revised statistical models, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported August 27 in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. By Diana Mahoney Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:55:22 GMT imn082620101455229256