Intravascular ultrasound measures of coronary atherosclerosis are associated with the Framingham risk score: an analysis from a global IVUS registry.

Aims: In addition to an adjunctive imaging platform during coronary angiography, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) with Virtual Histology (VH) is increasingly being used to quantify coronary atherosclerosis. The relationship between VH-IVUS measures of coronary atherosclerosis and traditional cardiovascular risk factors has not been completely described. The objective of this study was to determine if an association exists between VH-IVUS measures of coronary atherosclerosis and the Framingham risk score in a prospective, multinational registry.

Perspective on patient payment.

Concerns over patient collections, a common cause of distress for practice administrators, can be attributed to an increase in high-deductible health plans, according to MGMA's Practice ctives on Patient Payments research.

Analysis of the long-term effects of drug-eluting stents on coronary arterial wall morphology as assessed by virtual histology intravascular ultrasound.

Background: Animal models show impairment of arterial healing after drug-eluting stents (DES) compared with bare-metal stents (BMS). Virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) offers an opportunity to assess lesion morphology in vivo.

Methods: We used VH-IVUS in 80 patients to assess long-term (median = 10 months) native artery vascular responses after 76 implantations of DES compared with 32 BMS.

Medical practice today: what you have to say. Your top challenges: results from MGMA's second annual member opinion survey.

Results from our annual questionnaire asking about the challenges you face in your job and career put the sagging economy at the forefront. But you emphasized that you also must contend with myriad other issues--and offer commentary on topics ranging from physician recruitment to ethics to quality in health care.

Medical practice today. What members have to say. Rising operating costs + declining reimbursement + EHR implementation = your top challenges.

We invited you to share your thoughts on the practice and career challenges that confront you today. You responded emphatically to our questionnaire, and two issues--maintaining physician compensation as reimbursement declines, and operating costs that are escalating faster than revenues--essentially tied for first place. The threat of further cuts in Medicare reimbursement makes these dilemmas even more acute.

Adoption and perceptions of electronic health record systems by ophthalmologists: an American Academy of Ophthalmology survey.

Objective: To assess the current state of electronic health record (EHR) use by ophthalmologists, including adoption rate and user satisfaction.

Design: Population-based, cross-sectional study.

Participants: A total of 592 members of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) participated.

Systemic nanoparticle paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) for in-stent restenosis I (SNAPIST-I): a first-in-human safety and dose-finding study.

Background: Paclitaxel-eluting stents inhibit restenosis; however, this technology has drawbacks (e.g., stent thrombosis, requirement for long-term antiplatelet therapy, and cost--particularly for patients with multivessel disease).