The American journal of medicine
-
Osteoporosis is the prevalent manifestation of bone involvement in patients with systemic mastocytosis. Mastocytosis-related osteoporosis is characterized by both absolute and relative prevalence of osteoclastic activity, consistent with the positive results reported in small series of patients with antiresorptive drugs, such as bisphosphonates. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of zoledronic acid in patients with mastocytosis-related osteoporosis. ⋯ A single 5 mg zoledronic acid intravenous infusion in patients with osteoporosis secondary to indolent systemic mastocytosis is associated with significant increases in spine and hip bone mineral density and decreases of bone turnover markers over at least 1 year. Yearly zoledronic acid might represent a therapeutic option for indolent systemic mastocytosis-associated osteoporosis.
-
Interactive Tutorial
Screening, diagnosis, treatment, and management of hepatitis C: a novel, comprehensive, online resource center for primary care providers and specialists.
Current initiatives focusing on hepatitis C (HCV) screening and diagnosis, together with the advent of oral interferon (IFN)-free treatment regimens have prompted Elsevier Multimedia Publishing and the American Journal of Medicine (AJM) to develop a novel, comprehensive, online Resource Center dedicated to providing both primary care providers and specialists with the latest information on the screening, diagnosis, treatment, and management of HCV. To date, only 25% of infected patients have been diagnosed and only 5% cured. With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Prevention Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation of one-time screening for all individuals born between 1945 and 1965, and the availability of safe and effective therapy, it is anticipated that primary care providers and community practices will become increasingly responsible for the screening, diagnosis, and management of infected patients, as well as providing access to care by specialists when needed. ⋯ Each channel of the Resource Center will be comprised of a variety of specific communication elements, which are open to sponsorship, and include roundtable panel discussions, case studies, and direct links to relevant original research, review articles, and guidelines. All Resource Center components are peer-reviewed for publication on the Resource Center by the AJM Editorial Office and the Resource Center Guest Editor, Edward Lebovics, MD. The AJM Hepatitis C Resource Center will be accessible from the AJM online home page (http://www.amjmed.com) and will be launched immediately prior to the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Liver Meeting to be held from November 7 to 11, 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts.