Enhanced health event detection and influenza surveillance using a joint Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense biosurveillance application.

Background: The establishment of robust biosurveillance capabilities is an important component of the U.S. strategy for identifying disease outbreaks, environmental exposures and bioterrorism events.

Impact of subclinical thyroid disorders on coronary heart disease, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis.

Background: Previous studies have suggested that sub-clinical thyroid states may have detrimental effects on the coronary heart disease (CHD). Whether subclinical thyroid dysfunction is a risk factor for the above is controversial.

Methods: A systemic search of the literature using Pubmed, Medline and Ovid online tool was performed to identify relevant studies.

Statin-induced myopathy: the two faces of Janus.

Statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) have been shown to be effective at lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and decreasing the risk of coronary heart disease. Although safe and well tolerated by most patients, statins have also been associated with muscle-related adverse events. This article reviews statin-associated myotoxicity to clarify the definitions of muscle-related adverse events and discusses their incidences in major statin trials, case reports, and review articles through January 2006.

Sodium-hydrogen exchange inhibition during ventricular fibrillation: Beneficial effects on ischemic contracture, action potential duration, reperfusion arrhythmias, myocardial function, and resuscitability.

Background: Inhibition of the sarcolemmal sodium-hydrogen exchanger isoform-1 (NHE-1) is emerging as a promising novel strategy for ameliorating myocardial injury associated with ischemia and reperfusion. We investigated whether NHE-1 inhibition (with cariporide) could minimize mechanical and electrical myocardial abnormalities that develop during ventricular fibrillation (VF) and improve outcome using a porcine model of closed-chest resuscitation.

Methods And Results: Two groups of 8 pigs each were subjected to 8 minutes of untreated VF and randomized to receive either a 3-mg/kg bolus of cariporide or 0.