New cholesterol guidelines: Better, but harder to follow
The new guidelines on lowering cholesterol are good in theory but may prove cumbersome in practice.
B.F. MANDELL

A young woman with fever, headache, and lymphadenopathy
What is the cause of this patient's symptoms? A self-test on a clinical case.
R.F. CHEMALY and S.J. REHM

  Brief answers to specific clinical questions

How should hyperuricemia be treated in a patient with allopurinol hypersensitivity?
If other methods of lowering uric acid fail, desensitization to allopurinol is an option but poses serious risks.
S.D. MONEV

Does salmeterol increase mortality in patients with COPD?
Salmeterol is safe and FDA-approved, but it should be used only as part of a total program that includes education, smoking cessation, oxygen supplementation, and rehabilitation.
R.B. GERBER and M. KAVURU

A 47-year-old man with a sore throat 
Questions and answers on the visible signs of diseases.
M. ZAPOR and S.L. FRASER

Use of cholinesterase inhibitors for treatment of Alzheimer disease
These drugs may slow but do not halt disease progression. They may be most beneficial if started early.
A.M. HAKE

Using the new cholesterol guidelines in everyday practice
Many more patients have become candidates for lipid-lowering therapy under new guidelines recently released.
D.L. SPRECHER and J.P. FROLKIS

Mitochondrial cytopathy in adults: What we know so far
The manifestations of mitochondrial cytopathy are remarkably diverse, and the syndromes identified so far probably represent only a few of the disorders.
B.H. COHEN and D.R. GOLD

Maximizing response to erythropoietin in treating HIV-associated anemia. 
A number of treatable factors can impair the response to erythropoietin in HIV patients.
O. IFUDU

Recognizing and treating social anxiety disorder
Consider this diagnosis when a patient avoids social situations because of marked and persistent fear and anxiety.
D.J. MUZINA and S. EL-SAYEGH

Trends in hospital medicine: Hospitalist advantages revealed
Available data indicate that hospitalists reduce health care costs while providing care of at least equal quality to that provided by primary care physicians.
F.A. MICHOTA