Age is a strong risk factor for atrial fibrillation after pulmonary lobectomy.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) after pulmonary lobectomy can be associated with increased morbidity and mortality as well as increased costs.

Methods: The records of 360 patients who underwent lobectomy between 2004 and 2008 at a single institution were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify whether any recorded parameters served as prognostic variables in the development of AF.

Informed consent, capitation, and conflicts of interest in clinical trials: views from the field.

Background: The beliefs of research team members about informed consent practices are not well studied, especially in regard to financial aspects of research such as capitation fees. Sponsors of research offer capitation fees for the enrollment of subjects, and although this money is intended to cover the costs of the research it can sometimes be used in other ways. There is no clear consensus about whether this financial aspect of trials should be part of the informed consent process or whether it represents a potential conflict of interest.