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The bronchoprotective effect of montelukast was maintained throughout 8 weeks of study. In contrast, salmeterol was associated with substantial loss of bronchoprotection at weeks 4 and 8. Long-term montelukast therapy provided consistent inhibition of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction at the end of the 8-week dosing interval without tolerance.
The incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection from 1948 to 1954 among military recruits paralleled the incidence among present-day recruits and volunteer blood donors. During 45 years of follow-up, HCV-positive persons had low liver-related morbidity and mortality rates. This suggests that healthy HCV-positive persons may be at less risk for progressive liver disease than is currently thought.
Steatosis frequently occurs in healthy persons and is almost always present in obese persons who drink more than 60 g of alcohol per day. This condition is more strongly associated with obesity than with heavy drinking.
A 69-year-old man taking 4 g of rosiglitazone per day sustained hepatic failure. Other causes of hepatic failure, such as viruses and toxins, seem to have been excluded, although congestive heart failure may also have been a causative factor.
After 2 weeks of therapy with rosiglitazone, 4 g/d, a 61-year-old man developed severe hepatocellular injury. Liver function rapidly improved and symptoms resolved after discontinuation of rosiglitazone therapy.
Among the newly developed drugs designed to block cyclooxygenase-2, celecoxib and rofecoxib are as effective as traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These agents have no antiplatelet activity and are associated with fewer endoscopically detected gastric and duodenal ulcers. They may also be associated with fewer clinically symptomatic ulcers and ulcer complications than traditional NSAIDs, but postmarketing surveillance will be needed to clarify the actual risks.
The experience with 22 cases of acquired C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency is discussed in the context of a review of published reports on diagnosis and treatment of this unusual condition.
This article describes the ways in which economic crisis and the U.S. embargo have affected Cuba's health care system during the past 15 years.
Recent reports suggest that economic sanctions can seriously harm the health of persons who live in targeted nations. Thus, in this position paper the American College of Physicians–American Society of Internal Medicine examines physicians' roles in addressing the health effects of economic sanctions.
The U.S. Secretary of State comments on the articles by Barry and Morin and colleagues concerning the importance of minimizing the impact of economic sanctions on public health.
Each night, she carefully shook out his clothes and washed them. She had no way of knowing that the asbestos fibers in his work clothes could pose a danger to her health, nor could he have known that caring for him could ultimately play a role in her death.
This Update focuses on the following four areas: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, vaccination against Lyme disease, new biological treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, and prevention and management of back pain.
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