Multiplex PCR for bacterial, viral and protozoal pathogens in persistent diarrhoea or persistent abdominal pain in Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Nepal.

In contrast to acute diarrhoea, the aetiology of persistent digestive disorders (≥ 14 days) is poorly understood in low-resource settings and conventional diagnostic approaches lack accuracy. In this multi-country study, we compared multiplex real-time PCR for enteric bacterial, parasitic and viral pathogens in stool samples from symptomatic patients and matched asymptomatic controls in Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Nepal. Among 1826 stool samples, the prevalence of most pathogens was highest in Mali, being up to threefold higher than in Côte d'Ivoire and up to tenfold higher than in Nepal.

Development of a 3-Dimensional Prognostic Score for Patients With Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease: PAD Score.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a high-risk condition for cardiovascular (CV) events, but no specific prognosis assessment tool exists. We developed an individual risk score (PAD) based on the combined predictive value for mortality, including (1) age, (2) severity of PAD, and (3) extent of atherosclerosis. Patients (n = 1310) with symptomatic PAD were followed up for a mean of 50 ± 26 months.

Adherence to statin therapy favours survival of patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease.

Aims: We hypothesized that adherence to statin therapy determines survival in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Methods And Results: Single-centre longitudinal observational study with 691 symptomatic PAD patients. Mortality was evaluated over a mean follow-up of 50 ± 26 months.