International collaborative systematic review of controlled clinical trials on pharmacologic treatments for acute pericarditis and its recurrences.

Background: Acute pericarditis is common, yet uncertainty persists on its treatment. We thus aimed to conduct a comprehensive systematic review on pharmacologic treatments for acute or recurrent pericarditis.

Methods: Controlled clinical studies were searched in several databases and were included provided they focused on pharmacologic agents for acute pericarditis or its recurrences.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials appraising the impact of cilostazol after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Drug-eluting stents reduce the risk of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) but may pose a risk of thrombosis. Cilostazol, an oral antiplatelet agent with pleiotropic effects including inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia, could hold the promise of preventing both restenosis and thrombosis. We systematically reviewed randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on the angiographic and clinical impact of cilostazol after PCI.

Percutaneous coronary intervention with everolimus-eluting stents (Xience V): systematic review and direct-indirect comparison meta-analyses with paclitaxel-eluting stents (Taxus) and sirolimus-eluting stents (Cypher).

First-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) have brought major improvements in results of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, there is currently debate on the safety of these first-generation DES, given the potential for late stent thrombosis, especially after discontinuation of dual antiplatelet therapy. Second-generation DES, such as zotarolimus- (Endeavor) and everolimus-eluting stents (Xience V), have recently become available in the USA and/or Europe.