Use of statins in primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke. Meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Objective: To estimate the relative risk reduction of the clinical outcomes (coronary events, strokes, cardiovascular, non-cardiovascular and all-cause mortality) associated with statin therapy in primary and secondary prevention.

Data Sources: A literature search of the Medline and Cohrane databases for articles published from 1985 to July 2002 was performed. The data on systematic reviews and preliminary reports were also included in this study.

Inventory of regulations and analysis techniques for trace elements in some water supply companies in eastern and western Europe.

With the ultimate objective in contributing to the improvement of the quality control of drinking water and to facilitate the checking of its compliance with the respective regulations, an inventory of analytical techniques used in water supply companies in Eastern and Western European countries is presented. The existing regulations for drinking water and bottled mineral water quality with respect to trace elements in these countries are compared to regulations of the World Health Organisation. The data obtained can be useful for further harmonisation of the respective regulations in Europe.

Therapy of opportunistic infections.

Opportunistic infections are becoming really or apparently more frequent because of improved diagnostic techniques, increased age of the people in the developed world, better medical therapy, and higher number of patients living with transplanted organs and on immunosuppressive and glucocorticoid therapy, and also because of AIDS pandemic. Prevention of bacterial, fungal and viral infections includes classical preventive measures, surveillance, and education of patients and medical personnel. Vaccination is important especially to prevent viral diseases and also some bacterial ones.

Subcutaneous erythropoietin in the treatment of renal anaemia.

Erythropoietin was applied subcutaneously to 49 patients, 41 have been treated by hemodialysis, 3 by continuous ambulatory peritoneal-dialysis, 5 had chronic progressive renal failure. Mean initial dose of erythropoietin was 139.4 U/kg/week and maintenance dose 115.