Cost-effectiveness analysis of patent foramen ovale closure with Amplatzer plus medical therapy compared to medical therapy in patients with a history of stroke in France.

Background: A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is formed when the ovale foramen does not close spontaneously or re-opens leaving the right and left atrium connected. The present study was conducted to analyze the cost-effectiveness of PFO closure with Amplatzer device plus medical therapy (MT) compared to MT alone in the French reimbursement system for PFO patients with a prior history of stroke, using the RESPECT study data.

Methods: A multi-state Markov model was used.

Relationship Between Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability and Hindfoot Varus Using Weight-Bearing Cone Beam Computed Tomography.

Background: Varus hindfoot deformity may increase the risk of chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI). Our aim was to analyze hindfoot alignment (HFA) in patients with CLAI using weight-bearing cone beam computed tomography (WBCT) to assess this risk.

Methods: This retrospective, comparative analysis was carried out using an existing WBCT database (Talas, CurveBeam LLC), including data sets for 370 consecutive feet (189 patients) obtained between July 2016 and October 2018 at a single institution.

Double-Blind Controlled Randomized Trial of Cyclophosphamide versus Methylprednisolone in Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Therapeutic options are limited in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). Open-label studies suggested efficacy of monthly IV cyclophosphamide (CPM) without induction for delaying progression but no randomized trial was conducted so far.

Objective: To compare CPM to methylprednisolone (MP) in SPMS.

Cost-effectiveness of drug-eluting stents versus bare-metal stents in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objective: To determine the cost-effectiveness of drug-eluting stents (DES) compared with bare-metal stents (BMS) in patients requiring a percutaneous coronary intervention in France, using a recent meta-analysis including second-generation DES.

Methods: A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed in the French National Health Insurance setting. Effectiveness settings were taken from a meta-analysis of 117 762 patient-years with 76 randomised trials.

Metabolic imbalance of the insulin-like growth factor-I axis in Zucker diabetic fatty rats.

In healthy conditions, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) acts in a coordinated fashion with insulin to lower glycemia, mainly by increasing insulin sensitivity in peripheral tissues. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between glucose homeostasis and the endocrine IGF-I axis in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. The plasma levels of glucose, insulin, growth hormone, free IGF-I, total IGF-I (associated to insulin-like growth factor binding proteins plus free), and corticosterone were measured in 13-week-old ZDF rats and in age-matched controls under fasting and postprandial conditions.