JUPITER II is an international multi-centre, double blind, randomized clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of JANUS Tacrolimus-eluting Carbostent in the treatment of coronary lesions in “direct stenting” procedures as compared to TECNIC Carbostent. A total of 332 patients were enrolled in 16 European centers and randomized to either JANUS (166 patients) or TECNIC (166 patients). Enrolment was completed on 21 December 2004 and direct stenting was performed in 86.1% of proce
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a frequent syndrome with an increasing prevalence. It is a frequent cause of impeding symptoms, has a negative prognosis and absorbs about two percent of the budgets of health-care systems in the industrialized nations.
Optimal management of patients with chronic heart failure has to detect emerging symptoms of a beginning hemodynamic imbalance in time and to administer an appropriate therapy in order to avoid decompensation and hospital admission. T
March of Dimes calls on FDA to increase fortification levels to save more babies
Folic acid fortification of grain foods has produced a one-third decline in serious birth defects of the brain and spine, but the March of Dimes urged federal officials to help spare a greater number of babies from these devastating conditions by requiring higher levels of the B vitamin.
The March of Dimes restated its longtime position in response to two articles published today in Pediatrics.
Randomized trial finds reduced spread of GI infections in families with children in day care
Using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer gel significantly reduces the spread of gastrointestinal infections in the home, according to a study in the September issue of Pediatrics. In a study of 292 Greater Boston families — half of which were given hand sanitizer — those that used the gel had a 59 percent reduction in the spread of GI illnesses.
“This is the first randomized trial
Researchers in Norway determined that stroke severity measured by the Scandinavian Stroke Scale is a statistically significant predictor for epilepsy after stroke. Data shows that more than 20,000 Americans will develop epilepsy due to stroke each year. This research is published in the August issue of the journal Epilepsia.
In one of the longest follow-up studies performed with data from almost 500 patients, researchers found that 3.1% of people who suffered a stroke developed ep
Exercise is essential for reducing the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease in post-menopausal women. But too much exercise in pre-menopausal women may actually increase the risks. These claims will be made by Dr Karen Birch, Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology at the University of Leeds, during the BA Festival of Science in Dublin this week.
From puberty to the menopause, females cyclically produce the reproductive hormones oestrogen and progesterone. Research has now sho
Scientists believe that knowing exactly which type of dirt provides the best ‘education’ for the immune system, could be key to providing new treatments for diseases such as asthma.
Speaking at the launch of the BA Festival of Science today, Professor Peter Openshaw, explains that a lack of exposure to dirt and common viral infections among children could be behind the rise in the levels of asthma.
Professor Openshaw, from Imperial College London, and based at St Mary’s
Researchers from Imperial College London are looking for volunteers to test whether cannabinoids, the active ingredient of cannabis, can be used to alleviate the sensation of breathlessness caused by illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The team are looking for volunteers aged between 50 and 70, who don’t have breathing difficulties.
Dr Elspeth Pickering, clinical research fellow, from Imperial College London and Chelsea and Westminster Hospi
The fact that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one killer of European women is still not widely known, nor is that women are disadvantaged in terms of risk assessment, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.
CVD is the biggest cause of death in European women, accounting for 40% of all deaths- twice as much as all cancers combined. Coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke together are TEN times commoner than breast cancer, yet many women -and indeed health professionals-
We know very little about the risk of sudden death associated with exercise in young competitors, so the benefits versus the hazards of sports activity pose a clinical dilemma. However, we know from a study in the Veneto region of Italy that adolescents and young adults involved in competitive sport had a two and a half times higher risk of sudden death. The young competitors who died suddenly were affected by silent cardiovascular diseases, predominantly cardiomyopathies. Sport did not directly
The number of hospitalizations for heart failure is about the same as for acute myocardial infarction.
Our knowledge over acute heart failure patients treated at hospitals for heart failure is based on surveys. In Europe the information is still scarce but emerging especially through the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Euroheart survey program.
In the Euroheart Heart Failure I survey performed in 2000, which collected information from 10701 patients treated by heart f
During the last decade, cardiac resynchronization, as adjunctive therapy for patients with severe chronic heart failure has been the subject of many clinical trials. From its inception, although the idea of resynchronization had numerous supporters, chiefly those involved in pacing, while there were also a hardly insignificant number of skeptics.
The first encouraging results of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) application were supported in studies that evaluated the hemodynamic benef
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is common, deadly, disabling, costly but fortunately – treatable. During the last ten to 15 years, treatment of CHF has been dramatically improved by pharmacological therapy and devices. Treatment also has become more complicated. The Guidelines are intended as a support for practising physicians and other health care professionals as most patients with CHF are treated by non-cardiologists. Heart failure clinics are common in Scandinavia with specialized nurses managing pa
Scientists at the University of Liverpool are leading a major European clinical engineering project that should see human tissue grown from stem cells available for transplant in the next four years.
Scientists will develop the technology to target heart failure, diabetes, chronic ulcers and neurodegenerative diseases in particular.
The £17million project, funded by the European Commission and led by the University of Liverpool and Italian pharmaceutical company Fidia,
A US Army lab found dehydration has a minimal effect in the cold, but cuts performance by 8% in temperate weather. It’s the difference between a 2 hour-30 minute and a 2:42 marathon. Plus, five “common sense” tips on hydration, exercise and weather
Dehydration has minimal effect in cold, but cuts performance by 8% as temperature rises; the difference between a 2:30 and a 2:42 marathon
Common sense” tips on hydration
For over 20 years, the U.S. Army Research I
Percutaneous aortic valve replacement is becoming a reality and brings new hope for a number of patients who cannot currently be treated with traditional surgical techniques.
Whereas surgical valve replacement concerns about 200,000 patients worldwide every year, it is estimated that between 1/3 (Iung et al, Euro Heart Survey, 2003) and 2/3 (Rambas Pai, USC AHA 2004) of patients do not receive surgery due to either excessive risk factors and comorbidities or patient refusal due to
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