An individual patient data meta-analysis to determine cut-offs for and confounders of NAFLD-fibrosis staging with magnetic resonance elastography.

Background & Aims: We conducted an individual patient data meta-analysis to establish stiffness cut-off values for magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) in staging liver fibrosis and to assess potential confounding factors.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature identified studies reporting MRE data in patients with NAFLD. Data were obtained from the corresponding authors.

Clinical indicators of periodontal disease in patients with coronary heart disease: a 10 years longitudinal study.

Objectives: There is evidence about a possible relationship existing between periodontal diseases and coronary heart disease. The aim of the present longitudinal study was to investigate the changes in periodontal evolution after etiological periodontal treatment, comparing a healthy control group with another having coronary heart disease.

Study Design: The study included initially 55 patients of which 44 finished it.

Interhospital variation in appropriateness of cataract surgery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the inter-hospital variation in the appropriateness of cataract phacoemulsification in Spain.

Methods: This observational, multicentre, prospective study involved patients aged 18-90 years. Each phacoemulsification intervention was classified as 'necessary', 'appropriate', 'uncertain' or 'inappropriate' according to explicit appropriateness criteria previously established using the RAND/UCLA methodology.

Transmyocardial laser revascularization versus medical therapy for refractory angina.

Background: Chronic angina and advanced forms of coronary disease are increasingly more frequent. Although the improved efficacy of available revascularization treatments, a subgroup of patients present with refractory angina. Transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMLR) has been proposed to improve the clinical situation of these patients.

Validity of newly developed appropriateness criteria for cataract surgery.

Objective: The introduction of phacoemulsification in the early 1990s significantly changed the treatment of cataract. It is possible that appropriateness criteria for cataract extraction developed before the widespread adoption of phacoemulsification no longer is as accurate or valid as possible. The objective of this study was to validate newly developed explicit appropriateness criteria.

First-line antiretroviral therapy with efavirenz or lopinavir/ritonavir plus two nucleoside analogues: the SUSKA study, a non-randomized comparison from the VACH cohort.

Background: Efavirenz and lopinavir/ritonavir are both recommended antiretroviral agents for combination first-line therapy, although information on direct comparisons between them is scarce. A retrospective longitudinal study from the VACH cohort comparing both regimens was performed.

Methods: Efficacy was examined comparing time to virological failure, CD4 recovery and clinical progression.

[Effectiveness of a multifactorial strategy for implementing clinical guidelines on unstable angina: cluster randomized trial].

Unlabelled: INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES. Clinical practice in unstable angina is not always based on best evidence. Guidelines have the potential to improve quality of health care.