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April 3, 2008  Vol. 358 No. 14

Audio Summary of this Issue

Perspective
1421-1424
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On March 18, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller, a case challenging handgun control statutes adopted in 1976. Dr. Garen Wintemute argues that the overturning of gun control statutes could weaken the ...

1424-1426

In D.C. v. Heller, the question before the Court is whether the District's prohibition of further registration of handguns, its ban on the carrying of concealed guns, and its mandate that guns kept in homes remain unloaded and either locked or ...

1427-1429

Off-label prescribing is legal and common, but it is often done in the absence of adequate supporting data. Dr. Randall Stafford writes that although there is a strong rationale for greater FDA involvement in off-label use, it is moving toward ...

Original Articles
1431-1443

In a 2-year clinical trial, the addition of ezetimibe to simvastatin had no effect on the progression of atherosclerosis, as measured by carotid-artery intima–media thickness, despite the additional lowering of levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and C-reactive protein by ezetimibe when added to simvastatin. However, the study was not powered to assess clinical end points.

1444-1453

Among pregnant women in a large U.S. group-practice health maintenance organization, overweight and obese women had a significantly longer mean length of hospital stay and higher rates of prenatal testing, medications dispensed from the outpatient pharmacy, telephone calls, and prenatal visits than did women with a normal BMI. Most of the increase in length of stay was related to increased rates of cesarean deliveries and obesity-related high-risk conditions.

1454-1464

The genetic basis of a defect in the metabolism of vitamin B12 (the cblD defect) was studied in cultured skin fibroblasts from seven patients with the defect. The defect was localized to chromosome 2q23.2, and a candidate gene (designated MMADHC) was identified in this region. Mutations in MMADHC were found in all seven patients. Transfection of the gene into fibroblasts from patients rescued the affected metabolic pathways.

1465-1473

The efficacy of local treatment of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia with imiquimod, an immune-response modifier, was tested in a double-blind, randomized trial. As compared with placebo, imiquimod cream was effective in reducing or eliminating the lesion, relieving symptoms, and clearing the lesion of human papillomavirus.

Clinical Practice
1474-1482
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A 65-year-old asymptomatic man is concerned about his risk of osteoporosis. His mother died after a hip fracture at 74 years of age. The patient has no history of fractures but has lost 3 inches in height; he does not smoke and has never taken corticosteroids. He drinks two glasses of beer per day. His body-mass index is 25. Measurements of bone mineral density are consistent with osteoporosis. What should you recommend?

Review Article
1483-1494

This comprehensive account of the genetic and environmental factors that cause atopic dermatitis reconciles two hypotheses concerning the origin of the disease — IgE-mediated sensitization, or an intrinsic defect in epithelial cells that causes dysfunction of the skin barrier — with evidence that both mechanisms contribute. Clinical implications are discussed.

Videos in Clinical Medicine
e15

    Female urethral catheterization, the insertion of a catheter through the urethra into the urinary bladder to permit drainage, is a fundamental skill for the practicing health care professional. This video covers the indications, current methods, and potential complications.

    Images in Clinical Medicine
    1495
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    A 34-year-old woman presented to her primary care physician with vulvar pruritus, which she reported having had for several months. A diagnosis of condyloma on the vulvae was made, and the patient was referred for treatment. Many flesh-colored, soft ...

    e16
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    This 60-year-old woman in Korea presented with vague abdominal discomfort. Colonoscopy revealed a 20-cm worm, which moved.

    Clinical Problem-Solving
    1496-1501

      A 79-year-old man with a 5-month history of fatigue and 20-lb (9-kg) weight loss presented to his local physician. The patient also reported intermittent episodes of high temperature, night sweats, and chills.

      Editorials
      1503-1504
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      Firearms were used to kill 30,143 people in the United States in 2005, the most recent year with complete data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.1 A total of 17,002 of these were suicides, 12,352 homicides, and 789 accidental firearm ...

      1504-1507

      In this issue of the Journal, Kastelein et al.1 report the results of a 2-year study comparing daily therapy with 80 mg of simvastatin plus either placebo or 10 mg of ezetimibe on the average change in carotid intima–media thickness in patients with ...

      1507-1508
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      In this issue of the Journal, we publish the results of the Ezetimibe and Simvastatin in Hypercholesterolemia Enhances Atherosclerosis Regression (ENHANCE) trial,1 which addresses the question of whether additional lowering of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)...

      Sounding Board
      1509-1514

        The authors review potential strategies to contain health care costs and assess each proposal's potential for success. Modifications in reimbursement to reward the practice of evidence-based medicine, expansion of the use of electronic medical records, and standardization of billing transactions to reduce administrative costs are among the strategies they view as most promising.

        Correspondence
        1515-1517

        To the Editor: Vadas et al. (Jan. 3 issue)1 report platelet-activating factor (PAF) and PAF acetylhydrolase levels in patients with anaphylaxis.1 But why did the investigators not measure tryptase levels and correlate findings with PAF levels? Tryptase ...

        1517-1518

        To the Editor: We would like to raise four points with respect to the report by Lai et al. (Dec. 20, 2007, issue)1 on the 1-year results of their study comparing telbivudine with lamivudine in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. First, the ...

        1518-1521

        To the Editor: It is hard to accept that a study of patent foramen ovale and cryptogenic stroke, reported by Handke et al. (Nov. 29, 2007, issue),1 would show that almost half of 596 consecutive patients admitted to a major university medical center for ...

        1521-1522

        To the Editor: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using the body-mass index (BMI) for age as a marker in assessing patients between the ages of 2 and 20 years for obesity.1 In the article by Bibbins-Domingo et al. (Dec. 6 ...

        1522-1524
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        To the Editor: The review article by Papsin and Gordon (Dec. 6, 2007, issue)1 provides useful information about cochlear implantation. However, additional practical points should be noted. The majority of patients with hearing impairment live in ...

        1524

        To the Editor: Okie's Perspective article on Hurricane Katrina and disaster preparedness (Jan. 3 issue)1 raises awareness regarding the challenges faced by physicians in responding to mass emergencies such as Hurricane Katrina. However, the article also ...

        1525-1526

        The authors monitored by echocardiography foam distribution during foam sclerotherapy in patients with chronic venous insufficiency. In all patients studied, foam microemboli were detected after foam injection.

        Book Reviews
        1527

        This book has many positive attributes, starting with the quality of the editing. The editor, José Biller, heads the neurology department at Loyola University in Chicago and is a prolific investigator of stroke. He also has a national reputation as a star ...

        1527-1528

        Since we began to walk upright, spine pain has been one of our most common complaints, and it has become one of the most costly medical problems in the world. Low back pain is ubiquitous, prompts millions of visits to physicians annually, and is a leading ...

        1529

        Stone disease of the urinary tract is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization in the United States. The lifetime risk of stone formation is estimated to be between 5 and 10%. The medical and surgical approaches to the treatment of stones in the ...

        Correction
        1529

        Nasal CPAP or Intubation at Birth for Very Preterm Infants Original Article, N Engl J Med 2008:358;700-708.. The article should have included the following acknowledgment: “We thank Katherine Smith, statistician at the Clinical Epidemiology and ...