For histologically mild chronic hepatitis C, initial combination therapy compared with periodic liver biopsy should reduce the future risk for cirrhosis, prolong life, and be cost-effective.

Neither fluconazole nor itraconazole showed statistically superior efficacy in nonmeningeal coccidioidomycosis, although there was a trend toward slightly greater efficacy with itraconazole.

A multicomponent program of warfarin management reduced the frequency of major bleeding in older patients. These findings support the premise that efforts to reduce the likelihood of major bleeding will lead to safe and effective use of warfarin therapy in older patients.

Ultrasonography altered clinical management for 63% of patients referred to a thyroid nodule clinic after abnormal results on thyroid physical examination. The results suggest that routine thyroid ultrasonography should be seriously considered for all patients with suspected thyroid nodules.

Intravenous methylene blue improved hypoxemia and hyperdynamic circulation in patients with liver cirrhosis and severe hepatopulmonary syndrome.

Vasovagal syncope is a common, difficult to manage clinical syndrome. Advancements are being made in laboratory investigations of its triggering mechanisms. Randomized, controlled trials of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions are needed.

Part 2 of this two-part conference focuses on treatments for osteoarthritis, including oral medications, alternative therapies, biomedical approaches, and surgery.

In this issue, Schenk and colleagues provide new insight into the pathogenesis of vasodilation in liver disease and raise extremely important therapeutic issues.

Only by temporarily shedding our emotional armor for dying patients and their families will physicians be able to regain the trust of our individual patients and the trust of society as a whole.

Naming is generally an act of tremendous symbolic and practical significance, and there is no reason to think it any less so in medical science. The growth of trial names in recent years reflects important professional and proprietary trends in medicine that deserve our attention.

This Update reviews key literature relevant to the care of hospitalized patients. Topics covered include pulmonary medicine, cardiology, infectious diseases, and end-of-life care.