August 1, 1998

Appropriate medical advice for travelers is based on the most recent expert recommendations related to the destination plus an appreciation of the needs and risk factors of each patient.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura is a vasculitis of childhood that results in a purpuric rash, abdominal pain and arthritis. The symptoms often do not appear as a triad, which can create difficulty in establishing the diagnosis.

In performing medical certification examinations, the physician's primary responsibility is to protect the public from potentially unsafe drivers.

When prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening is examined critically from the standpoint of the general principles of screening, evidence from prospective studies to support the routine use of PSA testing is lacking.

Commonly overlooked indications for steroid use include croup, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, hyperthyroidism, cancer-related pain and alcoholic encephalopathy.

Intrauterine growth restriction carries an increased risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality. General management measures include treatment of maternal disease, good nutrition and institution of bed rest.

Management of atrial fibrillation may include control of heart rate and rhythm, anticoagulation therapy, or a combination of these strategies.

(Canada—Canadian Family Physician, April 1998, pp. 749, 757.) Thyroid-related eye disease most commonly occurs in cases of Graves' disease, but the eye may also be involved in other forms of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism or may be affected in patients who are clinically and…

It's time once more to bid farewell to AFP's editorial fellow: Rosaire Verna, M.D., just completed the 1997–98 John C. Rose medical editing fellowship under the guidance of our editor, Jay Siwek, M.D., at Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. As much as we are…

Selected policy and health issues news briefs from AAFP News Now.

Support from friends may help people recover from a traumatic injury more quickly, according to the American College of Surgeons. A 1997 study that assessed 302 patients stated that physical impairment counted for only 23 percent of a patient's continued dysfunction one year…

Market-based health care reform has changed the face of medical practice. One change has been the emergence of inpatient admitting teams, now referred to as “hospitalists.” The hospitalist function is nothing new, but now that a small group of physicians has decided that they…

The fact that increasing numbers of family physicians are limiting themselves to an office practice is alarming. There always has been a small minority of family physicians who chose to practice in the “Doc in the Box” environment, but with the advent of the “hospitalist…

Because of heightened awareness and media attention directed at high-profile celebrity cases, prostate cancer is one of the most commonly discussed diseases in both the scientific and lay literature. Moreover, debates regarding the diagnosis and treatment of this common…

It is always odd for a physician to be on the receiving end as the patient, but SEF has discovered that this experience gives physicians a new level of authority, especially when dealing with issues of maternity care or children's care. SEF is now pregnant for the first time…

Photo Quiz presents readers with a clinical challenge based on a photograph or other image.

(Annual Winter Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society) Responding to plantar fasciitis quickly with a conservative care program can be an effective way to alleviate pain, according to results of a study of 120 patients with plantar fasciitis. The study…

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has released recommendations for the prevention and control of influenza during the 1998–99 influenza season. The recommendations cover options for the control of influenza, inactivated vaccine for influenza A and B, use…

During the past six years, the overall prevalence of smoking among high school students has increased by nearly one third, according to results of a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study, “Tobacco Use Among High School Students—United…

Also Received

International Travel: Tips for Staying Healthy

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (say: hen-awk shern-line purr-purr-ah) causes blood vessels to get inflamed (irritated and swollen). This inflammation is called vasculitis. It usually affects the small blood vessels in the skin (capillaries). It can also affect blood vessels in the…

Intrauterine growth restriction (“IUGR,” for short) is a term for a baby who is smaller than normal during pregnancy. The baby is not growing inside the uterus at the normal rate. These babies usually have a low weight at birth.