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Oral rofecoxib (Vioxx) may have a role in controlling postoperative pain patients undergoing knee surgery. Researchers in Chicago enrolled 70 patients who were undergoing total knee arthroplasty and randomized them to rofecoxib 50 mg the day prior to surgery, 1-2 hours prior to surgery, and for 5 days postoperatively, then 25 mg daily for another 8 days; or matching placebo at the same times.
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A high saturated-fat and no-starch diet resulted in modest weight loss without negative effects on serum lipid levels; weight loss can be continued for up to a year with such a diet.
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A consensus panel updates recent understanding about the causes and treatment in common neuropathic pain problems.
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The study found that high-intensity warfarin therapy was not necessary for the prevention of recurrent thrombosis in the APA syndrome.
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A majority of gastric fundic polyps are benign. Their presence in unscreened individuals older than 50 might warrant colonoscopy.
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The FDA has approved tadalafil, the third phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5) for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
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Two injectable biologic therapies, etanercept and efalizumab, have been shown to be highly effective in treating psoriasis. Etanercept has been used in rheumatoid arthritis since 1998, and efalizumab is a new agent in phase III trials. Psoriasis is a debilitating autoimmune illness, and these new therapies, while expensive, will be a welcome addition for patients suffering from a severe form of this disease.
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Sulfonamide Antibiotics and Sulfonamide Nonantibiotics; Autoantibodies Before Onset of SLE; Prevention of VTE with Ximelagatran
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