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| ASTHMA, ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY | |
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| Airway remodeling: fact or fiction and what is airway remodeling anyway? | March 2003: In the first installment of a two part series, we will explore the controversy that is airway remodeling and answer the query to its importance. |
| Asthma severity can be quite variable from week to week | January 2003: Patients in these studies met criteria for intermittent, mild, moderate or severe asthma in 9.2%, 13.6%, 71.1% and 6.1% of weeks, respectively. |
| Breast-feeding may not protect against asthma or atopic disease | January 2003: Results of a New Zealand study contradicted previous reports. |
| CDC report addresses asthma management in school | January 2003: The prevalence of asthma in children increased 74% in children between 1980 and 1994. |
| FDA approves omalizumab for allergy-related asthma | August 2003: The prevalence of asthma in children increased 74% in children between 1980 and 1994. |
| Progress in a nutshell: researchers move toward peanut allergy vaccine | August 2003: The latest advances, research and education in the field of peanut allergy may help the more than 1 million Americans who suffer from it. |
| BREAKING NEWS AND COMMENTARY | |
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| The AAP Red Book is new and improved for 2003 | July 2003: The most recent version updates recommendations for prophylaxis for respiratory syncytial virus and group B streptococcus. |
| ACIP recommends full influenza vaccination in 2004 | November 2003: The recommendation takes effect next fall, and the encouragement will continue until then. |
| Intranasal influenza vaccine granted approval by FDA | July 2003: The vaccine should be available for use during the upcoming influenza season. |
| Keep tick-borne infections in mind when evaluating fever and rash | August 2003: Avoidance of tick-infested areas is the first line of defense against ehrlichiosis and other tick-borne infections. |
| Monkeypox detected in the Americas | July 2003: One of the first cases was detected in a 4-year-old after the child came into contact with a pet prairie dog. |
| Public health officials working feverishly to stop SARS spread | April 2003: The number of cases worldwide has topped 1,600, with deaths numbering more than 60. |
| Senate considers Pediatric Rule | June 2003: The AAP is against an amendment added to the Rule that would allow the legislation to expire by the end of 2007. |
| Vaccine guidelines updated, include cochlear implant recipients | September 2003: Children’s implant device that helps kids hear may increase the risk of acquiring bacterial meningitis. |
| West Nile season hits hard in new areas this year | September 2003: At least 17 deaths have been linked with West Nile virus this year, and the cases continue to rise. This year’s outbreak differs from last summer’s in some ways. |
| West Nile strain circulating in U.S. is virulent | October 2003: CNS disease is commonly associated with the strain that has been circulating locally since 1999. |
| Wyeth: Prevnar delays were only temporary | December 2003: A recent temporary interruption in shipments is not an indication of another shortage, company officials said. |
| CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM INFECTIONS | |
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| High-dose acyclovir reduces mortality associated with neonatal HSV | January 2003: However, antiviral therapy initiation delays remain, prompting the need for improved diagnosis. |
| DERMATOLOGY | |
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| Antifungal drug helps kids avoid hospitalizations | July 2003: Approximately 25,000 people worldwide have CGD, an inherited disorder that leaves individuals prone to frequent, severe bacterial and fungal infections. |
| Can breast-feeding or diet affect rates of atopic dermatitis? | December 2003: Breast-feeding is the best way to nourish infants, but it does not necessarily prevent atopic dermatitis. |
| Malathion kills lice more quickly – even resistant head lice | October 2003: Permethrin resistance has been documented in several case reports in the United States. |
| Scratching the surface of atopic and contact dermatitis | March 2003: Patients with atopic dermatitis are encouraged to minimize bathing, carefully choose soap and frequently use emollients. |
| EMERGING DISEASES | |
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| Epidemiology of a killer coronavirus | December 2003: SARS had a sudden onset and a quick departure from the public stage, but it left behind a lasting impression. |
| Health groups unite to battle antimicrobial resistance | November 2003: New “Get Smart” campaign promotes awareness for the public and gives doctors tools to say no when patients demand antibiotics. |
| Lyme disease: the great intimidator | May 2003: Even in hyperendemic areas the annual incidence of Lyme disease is only about 5:1,000 people. |
| National campaign promotes judicious use of antibiotics | March 2003: Physician and family education program effectively reduces antibiotic use and decreases antibiotic resistance. |
| New research sheds light on Kawasaki syndrome epidemiology | October 2003: New study supports the efficacy of present therapy used for Kawasaki syndrome. |
| Once unexplained respiratory infections now have a name: hMPV | November 2003: Human metapneumovirus may not be just another emerging disease. |
| GASTROINTESTINAL INFECTIONS | |
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| October 2003: The new drug application for ribavirin (Rebetol, Schering-Plough) was submitted in January. | |
| Helicobacter pylori causes ulcers in children | March 2003: Colonization with Helicobacter pylori usually occurs early in life. |
| Help keep your patients safe from foodborne illness this summer | May 2003: Control and prevention measures, enhanced surveillance and outbreak investigations have made the difference. |
| Infants and toddlers suffer constipation for different reasons | September 2003: Pediatricians seeing infants with constipation should consider congenital causes; in toddlers, a fear of painful stools may be to blame. |
| Recurrent abdominal pain: the ‘brain-gut’ axis needs a closer look | July 2003: Taking the time to find out what is going on in a child’s life may be the biggest answer as to why they are suffering from belly pain. |
| Think about country of origin when diagnosing GI illness in adoptees | March 2003: Patients with diarrheal illness or other gastrointestinal issues should be considered for parasites. |
| INFECTIONS OF THE SKIN | |
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| Promising early returns seen on newer therapies against lice | June 2003: Strategies to combat the problem of resistance fall into three essential categories: novel treatment modalities, stronger therapies and novel agents. |
| Warts and blisters are not necessarily innocuous | June 2003: A wart in the wrong place, such as on the nail bed of a patient’s foot, can cause pain and difficulty walking. |
| KIDNEY & UTIs | |
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| Imaging studies in children with UTIs may be unnecessary | March 2003: Study finds that renal ultrasonograms often are of limited value. |
| NEWS OF GENERAL PEDIATRICS | |
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| Bacterial cause of Ivy League conjunctivitis outbreak identified | May 2003: University officials distributed containers of hand sanitizer to students to quell a conjunctivitis problem last year. |
| Initial medical examination important for international adoptees | March 2003: Children adopted from abroad need comprehensive initial exams and regular follow-up. |
| Ipecac no longer recommended by AAP as poison treatment | December 2003: The AAP notes ipecac has been used abusively by parents with Munchausen syndrome by proxy. |
| Most children entering school are vaccinated, says survey | September 2003: School entry laws are widely credited with spurring high vaccination coverage levels across the country. |
| Otitis externa a common problem in hot, muggy weather | August 2003Pediatricians treat the lion’s share of cases; treatment includes pain management. |
| Pediatricians face obstacles in treating adolescent obesity | April 2003: The successful treatment plan involves small, incremental but permanent changes in diet and physical activity that involve the whole family. |
| Safe sleep for infants is on their backs | August 2003:The importance of placing infants on their back to sleep is one safety tip parents should practice. |
| Study identifies SIDS risk factors among American Indian infants | January 2003: Mothers drinking, infants wearing too many layers while sleeping and not receiving visits from public health nurses can all increase an infant’s risk. |
| Waterborne illnesses can pose problem for summer swimmers | May 2003: What you need to know to keep your patients safe from waterborne illnesses during swim season. |
| West Nile season gets off to a busy start; new test should help | August 2003: The West Nile test now in use should take roughly two days to process results, but due to the backlog of tests it can take up to two weeks to get results from a laboratory. |
| NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS | |
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| NICUs look to improve prevention of neonatal nosocomial bacteremia | September 2003: Nosocomial bacteremia is a significant contributor to neonatal morbidity and mortality. |
| Out of touch in the NICU: nurses and doctors practice bad hand hygiene | September 2003: More than half of the health care staff in two NICUs did not wear clean gloves or wash their hands before touching neonates, a recent study revealed. |
| PRACTICE MANAGEMENT | |
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| When your practice specializes in international adoption | March 2003: Pediatricians whose practices focus on international adoption treat more than infectious diseases. |
| RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS | |
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| AAP, AAFP drafting new guidelines to treat AOM | November 2003: Release is expected in January; OME guidelines expected in February. |
| Adjunctive therapy may be useful for sinusitis symptom relief — or not | May 2003: The medical literature has returned mixed reviews of antihistamines, saline and steroids in the treatment of sinusitis. |
| Avian influenza outbreak reported in the Netherlands population | June 2003: The outbreak of influenza A (H7N7) is the second avian flu strain to jump the species barrier this year. |
| Change in serotypes does not mean change in therapy for AOM – at least not yet | February 2003: Expect to see a decline in the amount of otitis due to resistant pneumococci, but an increase in disease due to Haemophilus and Moraxella. |
| Correct diagnosis important to distinguish sinusitis from URI | January 2003: Diagnosis should be made on clinical criteria, not imaging studies. |
| Impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on resistance is unclear | April 2003: It is too early for the receipt of the vaccine to change medical practice for young children. |
| Otitis on the rise and no one knows why | October 2003: Otitis media prevalence continues to rise and researchers are unable to explain the phenomenon. |
| Palivizumab efficacy shown in registry data | January 2003: Two separate studies on palivizumpab presented show drug’s efficacy even in children with congenital heart disease. |
| Pneumococcal vaccines may affect serotype distribution | November 2003: Resistance to many classes of antibiotics has been seen and is complicating pneumococcal treatment. |
| RSV infection during infancy may produce airway injury | September 2003: Children in the study had similar rates of wheezing but remained at higher risk for chronic productive cough at 5 to 8 years. |
| Still long road ahead in development of prophylaxis for RSV | February 2003: Although palivizumab has bolstered our armamentarium against RSV, cost issues curb widespread use. |
| Study: don’t universally treat OME with steroids | February 2003: While corticosteroids seem promising for treatment of chronic OME, their benefits must be carefully weighed against their risks. |
|
There is a choice of antibiotics for AOM, but the choice is clear |
October 2003: Extra-strength amoxicillin-clavulanate had better clinical cure rates than azithromycin in a recent study. |
| Think prevention, then treatment for influenzatle | February 2003: The vaccine against influenza is highly effective and antivirals are a good safety net for managing influenza. |
| Too many viruses, too few ‘cures’ for the common cold | February 2003: Physicians agree that the best way to treat the common cold is symptomatically with targeted medications. |
| Vaccine’s impact on AOM less than thought? | November 2003: Past studies have found reduced AOM rates after receipt of influenza vaccine, but a study from Pittsburgh tells a different story. |
| SPECIAL REPORT: THE HUMAN GENOME PROJECT | |
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| History of the genome has unfolded much like DNA itself | December 2003: The history of the human genome project has some eerie parallels with the hereditary aspects of life. |
| Human genome project could alter the face of medicine | December 2003: The possibilities are limitless, but many questions remain before genetic discoveries become clinically relevant. |
| SPECIAL REPORT: SARS | |
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| No time to rest with abatement of SARS cases | August 2003 |
| VACCINE-PREVENTABLE DISEASES | |
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| Danish study finds no link between thimerosal and autism | October 2003: Data show that the incidence of autism continued to rise in the 1990s in Denmark after use of the preservative had ended. |
| Debunking the thimerosal myth | April 2003: The vaccine community is still facing the backlash from the decision to remove thimerosal from childhood vaccines. |
| Declines in hepatitis A seen after routine vaccination initiated | April 2003: Direct causal relationship has not yet been determined, but rates are sign that vaccination is successful. |
| FDA advisory panel gives nasal influenza vaccine a shot | January 2003 |
| Finally, Prevnar shortage is over | July 2003: The CDC advises caution in instituting catch-up vaccination programs. |
| Health officials probe ‘inadvertent’ vaccinations of pregnant women | June 2003: Some women conceived before smallpox vaccination, CDC officials said. |
| Hep A antibody appears to have an end date | October 2003: Infants with maternal antibody to HAV who are vaccinated against hepatitis A had significantly less anti-HAV than infants without. |
| Infanrix approved for fifth dose of DTaP series | August 2003:The AAP recommends using the same DTaP product for the entire five-part series whenever possible. |
| Influenza vaccination could add extra visits for some children | December 2003: Study reports a high rate of healthy infants who would require an additional visit to receive influenza vaccine. |
| Insurance status a factor in whether children receive PCV7 | November 2003: Physicians surveyed were less likely to recommend the vaccine if it was not covered by the patient’s insurance. |
| Insured children in rural areas having a hard time getting PCV7 | February 2003: Rural health departments stock PCV7 for the Vaccines for Children program only. |
| Invasive pneumococcal disease reduced after vaccine introduction | June 2003: Study also demonstrates significant decline in rates of resistant disease. |
| Many successes, many challenges with today’s immunization program | April 2003: Most childhood diseases have seen dramatic drops in the last 10 years. |
| Military academy has measles outbreak | May 2003 |
| Oregon judge tosses out most class action thimerosal lawsuits | February 2003: This is the second thimerosal class action lawsuit to be dismissed; a case in Texas was dismissed earlier this year. |
| Outbreak calls attention to need for hepatitis A vaccination | December 2003: Extending immunization nationwide could reduce the number of primary cases of hepatitis A by 54% and the number of secondary cases by 76%. |
| Rotavirus vaccines on the horizon offer some hope | June 2003: Future vaccines may include bovine and attenuated human rotavirus strains. |
| States want pause in smallpox vaccination efforts | July 2003: State budgets are overrun and health officials say, “the human resources are limited.” |
| Universal influenza immunization in children is at least one year away | May 2003: Several logistical issues need to be worked out before the ACIP, AAP, AAFP and others endorse a recommendation. |
| U.S. government should shift vaccine views | September 2003: The IOM recommends a change in governmental policy toward vaccine financing to safeguard the public. |
| Vaccination programs effectively reduce hepatitis A incidence | July 2003: Vaccine programs are shifting disease incidence to high-risk groups like injection drug users and men who have sex with men. |
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