Therapeutics
Sibrafiban was more toxic than aspirin for prevention of cardiovascular events after acute coronary syndromes
The SYMPHONY Investigators. Comparison of sibrafiban with aspirin for prevention of cardiovascular events after acute coronary syndromes: a randomised trial. Lancet 2000 Jan 29;355:337–45.
Review: low-molecular weight heparin reduces death but not recurrent VTE events, bleeding, or thrombocytopenia in venous thromboembolism
Dolovich LR, Ginsberg JS, Douketis JD, et al. A meta-analysis comparing low-molecular-weight heparins with unfractionated heparin in the treatment of venous thromboembolism. Arch Intern Med 2000 Jan 24;160: 181–8.
Low-molecular-weight heparin reduced recurrent venous thromboembolism in patients with pulmonary embolism and proximal DVT
Hull RD, Raskob GE, Brant RF, et al, for the American-Canadian Thrombosis Study Group. Low-molecular-weight heparin vs heparin in the treatment of patients with pulmonary embolism. Arch Intern Med 2000 Jan 24;160:229–36.
Review: enteral immunonutrition reduces infection risk, days on ventilation, and hospital stay in critically ill patients
Beale RJ, Bryg DJ, Bihari DJ. Immunonutrition in the critically ill: a systematic review of clinical outcome. Crit Care Med 1999 Dec;27:2799–805.
Review: kava extract reduces symptoms in adults with anxiety
Pittler MH, Ernst E. Efficacy of kava extract for treating anxiety: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2000 Feb;20:84–9.
Risedronate was effective and well tolerated in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
Harris ST, Watts NB, Genant HK, et al, for the Vertebral Efficacy with Risedronate Therapy (VERT) Study Group. Effects of risedronate treatment on vertebral and nonvertebral fractures in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. A randomized controlled trial. JAMA 1999 Oct 13;282:1344–52.
Infliximab at different doses was effective for rheumatoid arthritis after unsuccessful methotrexate treatment
Maini R, St. Clair EW, Breedveld F, et al, for the ATTRACT Study Group. Infliximab (chimeric anti-tumour necrosis factor α monoclonal antibody) versus placebo in rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving concomitant methotrexate: a randomised phase III trial. Lancet 1999 Dec 4;354:1932–9.
Intra-arterial recombinant prourokinase improved neurologic recovery in acute middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke
Furlan A, Higashida R, Wechsler L, et al, for the PROACT Investigators. Intra-arterial prourokinase for acute ischemic stroke. The PROACT II Study: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 1999 Dec 1;282;2003–11.
Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator at 3 to 5 hours after ischemic acute stroke onset was not effective or safe
Clark WM, Wissman S, Albers GW, et al, for the ATLANTIS Study Investigators. Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (alteplase) for ischemic stroke 3 to 5 hours after symptom onset. The ATLANTIS study: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 1999 Dec 1;282:2019–26.
Review: calcium antagonists do not reduce death or dependency in acute ischemic stroke
Horn J, Limburg M. Calcium antagonists for acute ischemic stroke. Cochrane Review, latest version 3 Oct 1999. In: Cochrane Library. Oxford: Update Software.
Efavirenz plus zidovudine and lamivudine was more effective and better tolerated than indinavir plus zidovudine and lamivudine in adults with HIV-1 infection
Staszewski S, Morales-Ramirez J, Tashima KT, et al, for the Study 006 Team. Efavirenz plus zidovudine and lamivudine, efavirenz plus indinavir, and indinavir plus zidovudine and lamivudine in the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults. N Engl J Med 1999 Dec 16;341:1865–73.
Diagnosis
Review: helical computed tomography for suspected pulmonary embolism needs further evaluation
Mullins MD, Becker DM, Hagspiel KD, et al. The role of spiral volumetric computed tomography in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. Arch Intern Med 2000 Feb 14;160:293–8.
Review: helical computed tomography for suspected pulmonary embolism needs further evaluation
Rathbun SW, Raskob GE, Whitsett TL. Sensitivity and specificity of helical computed tomography in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med 2000 Feb 1;132:227–32.