Comparison of Anticoagulants for Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Pilot Study.

Background: Direct-acting oral anticoagulants are indicated for the treatment of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, but their use in patients after undergoing cardiac surgery is poorly defined despite a high prevalence of postoperative atrial fibrillation in this population.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with postoperative atrial fibrillation were prospectively randomized to warfarin or apixaban. Safety, efficacy, and economic outcomes were evaluated until their 4- to 6-week postoperative appointment.

The Oldest Old: A National Analysis of Outcomes for Patients 90 Years or Older With Lung Cancer.

Background: Most clinicians will encounter patients 90 years or older with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but evidence that informs treatment decisions for this extremely elderly population is lacking. This study evaluated outcomes associated with treatment strategies for this nonagenarian population.

Methods: Treatment and overall survival for patients 90 years and older with NSCLC in the National Cancer Data Base (2004-2014) were evaluated using logistic regression, the Kaplan-Meier method, and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models.

Mission of Mercy patient characteristics and dental-related emergency department use.

Background: Although dental Mission of Mercy (MOM) events have existed for more than 2 decades and are held in more than 30 states, systematic data collection and reporting on patient characteristics, oral health care use patterns, and oral health care needs are lacking.

Methods: The authors surveyed patients attending the 2016 Florida MOM, asking about their reasons for seeking oral health care, oral health care use, and dental-related emergency department (ED) use. The authors conducted descriptive and multivariable analyses of survey and patient registration data to describe patient characteristics and examine associations between patient characteristics, time to last dental visit, and ED use.

Validity of arm-leg elliptical ergometer for VO2max analysis.

Maximal oxygen consumption ((Equation is included in full-text article.)) can be determined through multiple exercise modalities intended to elicit an individual's maximal aerobic exertion. Uphill treadmill running is considered the best modality for measuring (Equation is included in full-text article.

WT1 peptide vaccinations induce CD4 and CD8 T cell immune responses in patients with mesothelioma and non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: The transcription factor, WT1, is highly overexpressed in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and immunohistochemical stains for WT1 are used routinely to aid in its diagnosis. Using computer prediction analysis we designed analog peptides derived from WT1 sequences by substituting amino acids at key HLA-A0201 binding positions. We tested the safety and immunogenicity of a WT1 vaccine comprised of four class I and class II peptides in patients with thoracic neoplasms expressing WT1.

Analysis of GD2/GM2 synthase mRNA as a biomarker for small cell lung cancer.

Background: GD2/GM2 synthase is a key enzyme in the synthesis of GD2 and GM2 gangliosides found on the surface of neuroblastoma and small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) cells. In neuroblastoma, persistent levels of GD2/GM2 synthase RNA in bone marrow (BM) following therapy portend poorer progression-free and overall survival. We conducted this study to determine if GD2/GM2 synthase RNA could be detected in SCLC cell lines and human tissues, and whether mRNA transcript levels corresponded with disease status.