Heart rate and death and hospitalization for heart failure in patients with persistent or permanent atrial fibrillation: Insights from the ARISTOTLE trial.

Rate control is fundamental in the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The independent association of heart rate with outcomes and range of heart rate associated with best outcomes remains uncertain. We assessed the relationship between heart rate and clinical outcomes in patients with persistent or permanent AF enrolled in the randomized, double-blind ARISTOTLE trial.

Attachment of flexible heparin chains to gelatin scaffolds improves endothelial cell infiltration.

Long-term survival of implanted cells requires oxygen and nutrients, the need for which is met by vascularization of the implant. The use of scaffolds with surface-attached heparin as anchoring points for angiogenic growth factors has been reported to improve this process. We examined the potential role of surface modification of gelatin scaffolds in promoting endothelial cell infiltration by using a unique macromolecular conjugate of heparin as a coating.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of dronedarone versus other anti-arrhythmic drugs for the treatment of atrial fibrillation--results for Canada, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.

The ATHENA clinical trial enrolled 4,628 patients in 37 countries and evaluated the efficacy of dronedarone 400 mg twice daily versus placebo for the prevention of cardiovascular hospitalisation or death from any cause in patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. The trial showed a statistically significant 24% reduction in the primary endpoint cardiovascular hospitalisations or all-cause death. In the current paper, parameters that drive the cost-effectiveness of dronedarone on top of standard therapy versus likely comparators, i.

Molecular characterization of the stomach microbiota in patients with gastric cancer and in controls.

Persistent infection of the gastric mucosa by Helicobacter pylori can initiate an inflammatory cascade that progresses into atrophic gastritis, a condition associated with reduced capacity for secretion of gastric acid and an increased risk of developing gastric cancer. The role of H. pylori as an initiator of inflammation is evident but the mechanism for development into gastric cancer has not yet been proven.

Twin studies reveal specific imbalances in the mucosa-associated microbiota of patients with ileal Crohn's disease.

Background: Large interindividual variation in the composition of the intestinal microbiota between unrelated individuals has made it challenging to identify specific aspects of dysbiosis that lead to Crohn's disease (CD).

Methods: To reduce variations in exposure during establishment of the gut flora and the influence of genotype, we studied the mucosa-associated microbiota of monozygotic twin pairs that were discordant (n = 6) or concordant (n = 4) for CD. DNA was extracted from biopsies collected from 5 locations between the ileum and rectum.