Testosterone concentrations and associated predictors in men with cystic fibrosis: A retrospective, single-center study.

Background: Men with cystic fibrosis (CF) have sexual health concerns such as delayed puberty, infertility, and hypogonadism. The causes and prevalence of hypogonadism have not been well studied. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of a low testosterone concentration in men with CF.

Vitamin D for the Immune System in Cystic Fibrosis (DISC): a double-blind, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Background: Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have increased risk of vitamin D deficiency owing to fat malabsorption and other factors. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risk of pulmonary exacerbations of CF.

Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to examine the impact of a single high-dose bolus of vitamin D3 followed by maintenance treatment given to adults with CF during an acute pulmonary exacerbation on future recurrence of pulmonary exacerbations.

Operative strategies to reduce cerebral embolic events during on- and off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery: A stratified, prospective randomized trial.

Objective: To determine the impact of different aortic clamping strategies on the incidence of cerebral embolic events during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: Between 2012 and 2015, 142 patients with low-grade aortic disease (epiaortic ultrasound grade I/II) undergoing primary isolated CABG were studied. Those undergoing off-pump CABG were randomized to a partial clamp (n = 36) or clampless facilitating device (CFD; n = 36) strategy.

Exercise Capacity, Heart Failure Risk, and Mortality in Older Adults: The Health ABC Study.

Introduction: Data on the association between exercise capacity and risk for heart failure (HF) in older adults are limited.

Methods: This study examined the association of exercise capacity, and its change over time, with 10-year mortality and incident HF in 2,935 participants of the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study without HF at baseline (age, 73.6 [SD=2.

Effect of Angiotensin II Type I Receptor Blockade with Valsartan on Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis: A Double Blind Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Valsartan and Placebo (EFFERVESCENT).

Background: Progression of atherosclerosis is associated with a greater risk for adverse outcomes. Angiotensin II plays a key role in the pathogenesis and progression of atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate the effects of angiotensin II type-1 receptor blockade with Valsartan on carotid wall atherosclerosis, with the hypothesis that Valsartan will reduce progression of atherosclerosis.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Results in Improvement of Pulmonary Function in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been identified as a risk factor for morbidity and mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). We hypothesized that a portion of pulmonary dysfunction in patients with severe aortic stenosis may be of cardiac origin, and has potential to improve after TAVR.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was made of consecutive TAVR patients from April 2008 to October 2014.

Effect of Surgical Atrial Fibrillation Ablation at the Time of Cardiac Surgery on Risk of Postoperative Pacemaker Implantation.

The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate whether performing surgical atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation in conjunction with cardiac surgery (CS) increases the risk for postoperative permanent pacemaker (PPM) requirement. The 30-day risk for PPM requirement was analyzed in consecutive patients who underwent CS from January 2007 to August 27, 2013. Patients were divided into 3 groups: (1) those who underwent AF ablation concomitant with CS (AF ABL), (2) patients with any history of AF who underwent surgery who did not undergo ablation (AF NO ABL), and (3) those with no histories of AF who underwent surgery (NO AF).

Consumption of less than 10% of total energy from added sugars is associated with increasing HDL in females during adolescence: a longitudinal analysis.

Background: Atherosclerotic changes associated with dyslipidemia and increased cardiovascular disease risk are believed to begin in childhood. While previous studies have linked added sugars consumption to low high-density lipoprotein (HDL), little is known about the long-term impact of this consumption. This study aims to assess the association between added sugars intake and HDL cholesterol levels during adolescence, and whether this association is modified by obesity.

Effects of clopidogrel therapy on oxidative stress, inflammation, vascular function, and progenitor cells in stable coronary artery disease.

Background: Traditional cardiovascular risk factors lead to endothelial injury and activation of leukocytes and platelets that initiate and propagate atherosclerosis. We proposed that clopidogrel therapy in patients with stable coronary artery disease imparts a pleiotropic effect that extends beyond antiplatelet aggregation to other atheroprotective processes.

Methods: Forty-one subjects were randomized in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study to receive either clopidogrel 75 mg daily or placebo for 6 weeks and then transitioned immediately to the other treatment for an additional 6 weeks.

Racial differences in arterial stiffness and microcirculatory function between Black and White Americans.

Background: Compared with whites, black Americans suffer from a disproportionate burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We hypothesized that racial differences in the prevalence of CVD could be attributed, in part, to impaired vascular function in blacks after adjustment for differences in risk factor burden.

Methods And Results: We assessed vascular function in 385 black and 470 white subjects (mean age, 48±11 years; 45% male).

Successful use of Plasma Preparation Tubes™ (PPTs) in the COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® TaqMan® HIV-1 test.

Background: Since switching to the COBAS(®) AmpliPrep/COBAS(®) TaqMan(®) HIV-1 Test, v. 1.0 from the Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor Test, v.

Association of coronary wall shear stress with atherosclerotic plaque burden, composition, and distribution in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Extremes of wall shear stress (WSS) have been associated with plaque progression and transformation, which has raised interest in the clinical assessment of WSS. We hypothesized that calculated coronary WSS is predicted only partially by luminal geometry and that WSS is related to plaque composition.

Methods And Results: Twenty-seven patients with coronary artery disease underwent virtual histology intravascular ultrasound and Doppler velocity measurement for computational fluid dynamics modeling for WSS calculation in each virtual histology intravascular ultrasound segment (N=3581 segments).

Effect of intensive atorvastatin therapy on coronary atherosclerosis progression, composition, arterial remodeling, and microvascular function.

Background: There is a discrepancy between the marked reduction in adverse events with statins and their modest effect on atheroma regression. We hypothesized that, in a Western population, high-dose atorvastatin will result in alterations in coronary atheroma composition, phenotype, and microvascular function.

Methods: Serial coronary radiofrequency intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS), coronary flow reserve (CFR), and hyperemic microvascular resistance (HMR) were performed at baseline and after 6 months of treatment with 80 mg atorvastatin in 20 patients with moderate coronary artery disease (CAD).

Computer-aided diagnosis of renal obstruction: utility of log-linear modeling versus standard ROC and kappa analysis.

BACKGROUND: The accuracy of computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) software is best evaluated by comparison to a gold standard which represents the true status of disease. In many settings, however, knowledge of the true status of disease is not possible and accuracy is evaluated against the interpretations of an expert panel. Common statistical approaches to evaluate accuracy include receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and kappa analysis but both of these methods have significant limitations and cannot answer the question of equivalence: Is the CAD performance equivalent to that of an expert? The goal of this study is to show the strength of log-linear analysis over standard ROC and kappa statistics in evaluating the accuracy of computer-aided diagnosis of renal obstruction compared to the diagnosis provided by expert readers.

Key variables for interpreting 99mTc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine diuretic scans: development and validation of a predictive model.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to facilitate interpretation of (99m)Tc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) diuretic scans by identifying key interpretative variables and developing a predictive model for computer-assisted diagnosis.

Materials And Methods: Ninety-seven studies were randomly selected from an archived database of MAG3 baseline and furosemide acquisitions and scan interpretations (obstruction, equivocal finding, or no obstruction) derived from a consensus of three experts. Sixty-one studies (120 kidneys) were randomly chosen to build a predictive model for diagnosing or excluding obstruction.

Culturally-adapted and audio-technology assisted HIV/AIDS awareness and education program in rural Nigeria: a cohort study.

Background: HIV-awareness programs tailored toward the needs of rural communities are needed. We sought to quantify change in HIV knowledge in three rural Nigerian villages following an integrated culturally adapted and technology assisted educational intervention.

Methods: A prospective 14-week cohort study was designed to compare short-term changes in HIV knowledge between seminar-based education program and a novel program, which capitalized on the rural culture of small-group oral learning and was delivered by portable digital-audio technology.

Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) therapy and vitamin D insufficiency in patients with chronic kidney disease: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) in raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH)]D) levels and reducing parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: In this double-blind, randomized controlled pilot study, participants with CKD stage 3 and 4 (estimated glomerular filtration rate, 15-59 mL/min/1.73 m2), vitamin D insufficiency (serum 25[OH]D <30 ng/mL), and serum intact PTH levels >70 pg/mL were randomly assigned to receive either 50 000 IU of cholecalciferol or placebo once weekly for 12 weeks.

Diagnostic performance of an expert system for interpretation of 99mTc MAG3 scans in suspected renal obstruction.

Unlabelled: The purpose of the study was to compare diuresis renography scan interpretation generated by a renal expert system with the consensus interpretation of 3 expert readers.

Methods: The expert system was evaluated in 95 randomly selected furosemide-augmented patient studies (185 kidneys) obtained for suspected obstruction; there were 55 males and 40 females with a mean age +/- SD of 58.6 +/- 16.

Use of classification and regression trees in diuresis renography.

Rationale And Objectives: Decision support systems have the capacity to improve diagnostic performance and reduce physician errors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of classification and regression trees (CART) with bootstrap aggregation as a decision support system in the baseline plus furosemide (F + 20) diuresis renography protocol to determine when obstruction can be excluded without the furosemide acquisition and to identify the key parameters for making this determination.

Materials And Methods: Patients with suspected ureteral obstruction were randomly assigned to a training set (80 patients, 157 kidneys) and a validation set (64 patients, 124 kidneys).