THERAPEUTICS
▸ Review: Antibiotic prophylaxis of pancreatic necrosis in acute pancreatitis reduces mortality and sepsis
Villatoro E, Larvin M, Bassi C. Antibiotic therapy for prophylaxis against infection of pancreatic necrosis in acute pancreatitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004;(2):CD002941.
▸ Review: Etanercept (25 mg subcutaneously twice weekly) reduces symptoms and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis
Blumenauer B, Judd M, Cranney A, et al. Etanercept for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev2003;(4):CD004525.
▸ Review: Transfer for primary angioplasty is better than immediate thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction
Dalby M, Bouzamondo A, Lechat P,et al. Transfer for primary angioplasty versus immediate thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction: a meta-analysis. Circulation 2003;108:1809–14.
▸ Review: Pneumococcal vaccination does not prevent pneumonia or death in adults
Dear K, Holden J, Andrews R, et al. Vaccines for preventing pneumococcal infection in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2003;(4):CD000422.
▸ Review: Interventions targeting intrinsic and environmental risk factors reduce falls in older persons
Gillespie LD, Gillespie WJ, Robertson MC, et al. Interventions for preventing falls in elderly people. Cochrane Database Syst Rev2003;(4):CD000340.
▸ Review: Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants are moderately effective for reducing chronic low back pain
Staiger TO, Gaster B, Sullivan MD, et al. Systematic review of antidepressants in the treatment of chronic low back pain. Spine2003;28:2540–5.
▸ Pravastatin reduced major coronary heart disease (CHD) events in patients with abnormal fasting glucose and a history of CHD
Keech A, Colquhoun D, Best J, et al. Secondary prevention of cardiovascular events with long-term pravastatin in patients with diabetes or impaired fasting glucose: results from the LIPID trial. Diabetes Care2003;26:2713–21.
▸ Enhanced depression care improved arthritis pain and function in older patients
Lin EH, Katon W, Von Korff M, et al. Effect of improving depression care on pain and functional outcomes among older adults with arthritis: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA2003;290:2428–34.
▸ Doxazosin plus finasteride reduced clinical progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia more than either drug used alone
McConnell JD, Roehrborn CG, Bautista OM, et al. The long-term effect of doxazosin, finasteride, and combination therapy on the clinical progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia. N Engl J Med2003;349:2387–98.
▸ Levofloxacin-based triple regimens were better than standard quadruple regimens for second-line eradication of Helicobacter pylori
Nista EC, Candelli M, Cremonini F, et al. Levofloxacin-based triple therapy vs. quadruple therapy in second-line Helicobacter pylori treatment: a randomized trial. Aliment Pharmacol Ther2003;18:627–33.
▸ Valsartan plus captopril did not improve survival more than captopril alone after myocardial infarction
Pfeffer MA, McMurray JJ, Velazquez EJ, et al. Valsartan, captopril, or both in myocardial infarction complicated by heart failure, left ventricular dysfunction, or both. N Engl J Med2003;349:1893–906.
▸ Early insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter did not increase mortality in shock or the acute respiratory distress syndrome
Richard C, Warszawski J, Anguel N, et al. Early use of the pulmonary artery catheter and outcomes in patients with shock and acute respiratory distress syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA2003;290:2713–20.
▸ Homocysteine-lowering therapy did not prevent stroke recurrence
Toole JF, Malinow MR, Chambless LE, et al. Lowering homocysteine in patients with ischemic stroke to prevent recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, and death: the Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention (VISP) randomized controlled trial. JAMA2004;291:565–75.
▸ Vasopressin was not better than epinephrine for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
Wenzel V, Krismer AC, Arntz H, et al. A comparison of vasopressin and epinephrine for out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation. N Engl J Med2004;350:105–13.
▸ A disease management program reduced hospital readmission days after myocardial infarction
Young W, Rewa G, Goodman SG, et al. Evaluation of a community-based inner-city disease management program for postmyocardial infarction patients: a randomized controlled trial. CMAJ2003;169:905–10.
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