Disease Management plus Recommended Care versus Recommended Care Alone for Ambulatory Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

The efficacy of disease management programs in the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains uncertain. To study the effect of disease management (DM) added to recommended care (RC) in ambulatory patients with COPD. In this trial, 1,202 patients with COPD (age, ≥40 yr), with moderate to very severe airflow limitation were randomly assigned either to DM plus RC (study intervention) or to RC alone (control intervention).

Severe and non-severe asthma in the community: A large electronic database analysis.

Background: A large electronic database analysis was conducted in a community of 351,799 people, ages 20-70 years to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of severe asthma, according to 2014 international guidelines and healthcare utilization.

Methods: Severe asthmatics were grouped into controlled severe-asthma and uncontrolled severe-asthma and additional subgroups of uncontrolled severe asthma on the basis of medications dispensed. Non-asthmatic population at the same ages served as controls.

Thyrotropin levels within the lower normal range are associated with an increased risk of hip fractures in euthyroid women, but not men, over the age of 65 years.

Context: The contemporary literature on the relationship between serum TSH levels and osteoporotic fractures in euthyroid individuals is limited by conflicting results and analyses conducted on a small number of fractures.

Objective: Our objective was to examine the association between the normal range of variation of TSH and the incidence of hip fractures in male and female euthyroid patients aged 65 years or older.

Design And Setting: We performed a population-based historical prospective cohort study within the Clalit Health Services population.

Lipid control in patients with coronary heart disease treated in primary care or cardiology clinics.

Background: Guidelines recommend low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) target of <70 mg/dL in patients with coronary disease. However, this goal is not achieved in many patients.

Objectives: We compared LDL-C control in patients with coronary disease treated by a primary care physician or with the addition of a cardiologist.

Comparison of mortality in patients with coronary or peripheral artery disease following the first vascular intervention.

Objectives: Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) less frequently achieve secondary prevention goals compared with patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to compare mortality rates in patients with PAD and CAD following first vascular intervention.

Patients And Methods: Patients 18 years of age or older without a history of cardiovascular disease, who underwent first coronary or lower limb vascular intervention between 2002 and 2010, were included in this study.

Comparison of lipid control in patients with coronary versus peripheral artery disease following the first vascular intervention.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Therefore, target low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level in patients with PAD is ≤70 mg/dl, similar to patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, despite their high cardiovascular risk, patients with PAD less frequently achieve LDL cholesterol goals compared to patients with CAD.

Mortality and coronary heart disease in euthyroid patients.

Background: Subclinical thyroid dysfunction is associated with increased mortality and cardiovascular risk. It is unknown whether this association remains within normal thyroid function range.

Methods: The study was conducted using the computerized database of the Sharon-Shomron district of Clalit Health services.

HDL-C levels and revascularization procedures in coronary heart disease patients treated with statins to target LDL-C levels.

Background: A low level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is a strong predictor for cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality at all low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations.

Hypothesis: We evaluated this association in routine clinical practice among statin-treated coronary heart disease patients who achieved LDL-C target levels. This association also exists in routine clinical practice.