THERAPEUTICS
▸ Review: Lactulose or lactitol may improve hepatic encephalopathy but may be less effective than antibiotics
Als-Nielsen B, Gluud LL, Gluud C. Nonabsorbable disaccharides for hepatic encephalopathy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004;(2):CD003044.
▸ Review: Antileukotriene agents at licensed doses plus inhaled corticosteroids do not reduce asthma exacerbations more than inhaled corticosteroids alone
Ducharme F, Schwartz Z, Hicks G, et al. Addition of anti-leukotriene agents to inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004;(2):CD003133.
▸ Review: Lipid-lowering agents reduce cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes
Vijan S, Hayward RA. Pharmacologic lipid-lowering therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus: background paper for the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med 2004;140:650–8.
▸ Cardiac resynchronization therapy reduced all-cause death and hospitalization in chronic heart failure
Bristow MR, Saxon LA, Boehmer J, et al. Cardiac-resynchronization therapy with or without an implantable defibrillator in advanced chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med2004;350:2140–50.
▸ A prophylactic cardioverter-defibrillator prevented sudden death from arrhythmia in nonischemic cardiomyopathy
Kadish A, Dyer A, Daubert JP, et al. Prophylactic defibrillator implantation in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. N Engl J Med2004;350:2151–8.
▸ Fondaparinux was as effective as (noninferior to) enoxaparin in acute symptomatic deep venous thrombosis
Büller HR, Davidson BL, Decousus H, et al. Fondaparinux or enoxaparin for the initial treatment of symptomatic deep venous thrombosis: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med2004;140:867–73.
▸ Adding aspirin to clopidogrel increased bleeding without reducing recurrent ischemic vascular events in high-risk patients
Diener HC, Bogousslavsky J, Brass LM, et al. Aspirin and clopidogrel compared with clopidogrel alone after recent ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack in high-risk patients (MATCH): randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet2004;364:331–7.
▸ Perioperative use of atorvastatin reduced cardiovascular events in patients having vascular surgery
Durazzo AE, Machado FS, Ikeoka DT, et al. Reduction in cardiovascular events after vascular surgery with atorvastatin: a randomized trial. J Vasc Surg2004;39:967–76.
▸ Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation increased risk for death in respiratory failure after extubation
Esteban A, Frutos-Vivar F, Ferguson ND, et al. Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation for respiratory failure after extubation. N Engl J Med2004;350:2452–60.
▸ Intensive management reduced disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis
Grigor C, Capell H, Stirling A, et al. Effect of a treatment strategy of tight control for rheumatoid arthritis (the TICORA study): a single-blind randomised controlled trial. Lancet2004;364:263–9.
▸ Exercise training reduced ischemic events more than percutaneous coronary intervention in stable coronary artery disease
Hambrecht R, Walther C, Möbius-Winkler S, et al. Percutaneous coronary angioplasty compared with exercise training in patients with stable coronary artery disease: a randomized trial. Circulation 2004;109:1371–8.
▸ Helicobacter pylori eradication had no effect on heartburn or gastro-esophageal reflux in H pylori infection
Harvey RF, Lane JA, Murray LJ, et al. Randomised controlled trial of effects of Helicobacter pylori infection and its eradication on heartburn and gastro-oesophageal reflux: Bristol helicobacter project. BMJ 2004;328:1417–20.
▸ Cardiac outcomes occurred more frequently with PCI than CABG or medical therapy in coronary artery disease
Hueb W, Soares PR, Gersh BJ, et al. The medicine, angioplasty, or surgery study (MASS-II): a randomized, controlled clinical trial of three therapeutic strategies for multivessel coronary artery disease: one-year results. J Am Coll Cardiol2004;43:1743–51.
▸ Training informal caregivers of patients with stroke improved patient and caregiver quality of life and reduced costs
Kalra L, Evans A, Perez I, iet al. Training carers of stroke patients: randomised controlled trial. BMJ2004;328:1099–1103.
▸ Combination disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy reduced work disability in early rheumatoid arthritis
Puolakka K, Kautiainen H, Möttönen T, et al. Impact of initial aggressive drug treatment with a combination of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs on the development of work disability in early rheumatoid arthritis: a five-year randomized followup trial. Arthritis Rheum 2004;50:55–62.
PDF