C-reactive protein: It’s back
Who would have thought that CRP, long used in rheumatology, would be a marker of coronary disease?
J.D. CLOUGH

  Brief answers to specific clinical questions

When should digoxin be used in patients with diastolic dysfunction?
Treatment with digoxin must be individualized.
M.H. YAMANI

Is glucosamine an effective treatment for osteoarthritic pain?
Glucosamine shows promise, but studies had flaws that render much of the data inconclusive.
M. HOOPER

The promise and reality of nitric oxide in the diagnosis and treatment of lung disease
Extensive research has shown mixed results.
R.A. DWEIK

Microbial drug resistance and the roles of the new antibiotics
Indiscriminate use of broad-spectrum antibiotics such as vancomycin and quinolones is promoting antibiotic resistance.
D.L. LONGWORTH

Inflammatory myopathies: Narrowing the differential diagnosis
How to differentiate inflammatory myopathy from other causes of muscle weakness.
K. RENDT

C-reactive protein: A 'golden marker' for inflammation and coronary artery disease
Elevated levels of CRP are associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
V.B. PATEL, M.A. ROBBINS, and E.J. TOPOL

C-reactive protein elevation can be caused by conditions other than inflammation and may reflect biologic aging
CRP elevations are a sensitive test for inflammation, but are not specific.
I. KUSHNER

Evidence of smoke and atherosclerotic fire
Why it is premature to extend the clinical use of the highly sensitive CRP assay as a test for coronary disease.
B.F. MANDELL

It's a rave new world: Rave culture and illicit drug use in the young
New and potentially dangerous illicit drugs are popular among young people today.
E.S. ROME

West Nile fever: Here to stay and spreading
Most cases are asymptomatic, but some patients develop encephalitis or even die. Public health measures are paramount.
J. PILE

Anticoagulation therapy in an elderly woman with atrial fibrillation
What is the cause of this patient’s symptoms?
A self-test on a clinical case.
A. MARSCHALK and B.J. MESSINGER-RAPPORT

Using aspirin and ACE inhibitors in combination: Why the hullabaloo?
Preliminary, mostly observational data indicate that aspirin may counteract ACE inhibitors. We offer recommendations.
J.G. PETERSON and M.S. LAUER

CME Calendar