Therapeutics
Femoral venous catheterisation was associated with increased risk of infection and thrombosis in critically ill patientsMerrer J, De Jonghe B, Golliot F, et al, for the French Catheter Study Group in Intensive Care. Complications of femoral and subclavian venous catheterization in critically ill patients: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2001 Aug 8;286:700–7
Review: albumin administration is not associated with excess mortality in acutely ill patientsWilkes MM, Navickis RJ. Patient survival after human albumin administration. A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials. Ann Intern Med 2001 Aug 7;135:149–64
An early invasive strategy reduced the incidence of major cardiac events in patients with unstable coronary syndromesCannon CP, Weintraub WS, Demopoulos LA,et al, for the TACTICS - Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 18 Investigators. Comparison of early invasive and conservative strategies in patients with unstable coronary syndromes treated with the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor tirofiban. N Engl J Med 2001 Jun 21;344:1879–87
Abciximab was more effective that tirofiban in preventing ischaemic events in patients having coronary stentingTopol EJ, Moliterno DJ, Herrmann HC,et al, for the TARGET Investigators. Comparison of two platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, tirofiban and abciximab, for the prevention of ischemic events with percutaneous coronary revascularization. N Engl J Med 2001 Jun 21;344:1888–94
Review: low-dose dopamine does not prevent acute renal failure or reduce mortality or need for haemodialysisKellum JA, Decker JM. Use of dopamine in acute renal failure: a meta-analysis. Crit Care Med 2001 Aug;29:1526–31
Review: extended-duration prophylaxis with heparin prevents deep venous thrombosis in hip or knee replacementEikelboom JW, Quinlan DJ, Douketis JD. Extended-duration prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism after total hip or knee replacement: a meta-analysis of the randomised trials. Lancet 2001 Jul 7;358:9–15
Review: some new bolus tPA-derived fibrinolytics are comparable to tPA in acute MI but others increase bleedingLlevadot J, Giugliano RP, Antman EM. Bolus fibrinolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction. JAMA 2001 Jul 25;286:442–9
Interferon β-1a decreased the risk of conversion to clinically definite multiple sclerosisComi G, Filippi M, Barkhof F, et al, and the Early Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis Study Group. Effect of early interferon treatment on conversion to definite multiple sclerosis: a randomised study. Lancet 2001 May 19;357:1576–82
Salmeterol was not as effective as triamcinolone for persistent asthmaLazarus SC, Boushey HA, Fahy JV, et al, for the Asthma Clinical Research Network of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Long-acting β2-agonist monotherapy vs continued therapy with inhaled corticosteroids in patients with persistent asthma. A randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2001 May 23/30;285:2583–93
Stopping triamcinolone led to treatment failures in patients with persistent asthma on salmeterol and triamcinoloneLemanske RF, Sorkness CA, Mauger EA, et al, for the Asthma Clinical Research Network of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Inhaled corticosteroid reduction and elimination in patients with persistent asthma receiving salmeterol. A randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2001 May 23/30;285:2594–603
Diagnosis
Helical computed tomography results indicated small to moderate changes in the probability of pulmonary embolismPerrier A, Howarth N, Didier D, et al. Performance of helical computed tomography in unselected outpatients with suspected pulmonary embolism. Ann Intern Med 2001 Jul 17;135:88–97
Combining electrocardiography and necrosis biomarkers improved detection of acute myocardial infarction in patients with LBBBKontos MC, McQueen RH, Jesse RL, et al. Can myocardial infarction be rapidly identified in emergency department patients who have left bundle-branch block? Ann Emerg Med 2001 May;37:431–8
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