Clopidogrel 150 mg/day to overcome low responsiveness in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention: results from the VASP-02 (Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein-02) randomized study.

Objectives: We investigated whether maintenance therapy with clopidogrel 150 mg/day produces greater platelet inhibition than the standard 75-mg/day dose and whether the higher maintenance dose increases platelet inhibition in low responders to clopidogrel 75 mg/day.

Background: Patients show interindividual variability in their platelet response to clopidogrel. Low responders could potentially obtain greater clinical benefit from greater doses of clopidogrel.

Continuous positive airway pressure vs. proportional assist ventilation for noninvasive ventilation in acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema.

Objective: To compare continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and proportional assist ventilation (PAV) as modes of noninvasive ventilatory support in patients with severe cardiogenic pulmonary edema.

Design And Setting: A prospective multicenter randomized study in the medical ICUs of three teaching hospitals.

Patients: Thirty-six adult patients with cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPA) with unresolving dyspnea, respiratory rate above 30/min and/or SpO2 above 90% with O2 higher than 10 l/min despite conventional therapy with furosemide and nitrates.

[Delays of treatment of acute myocardial infarction with ST elevation admitted to the CCU (coronary care unit) in Alsace].

Objective: to determine the time delay from symptom onset to diagnosis and treatment of patients with persistant ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Design: prospective observational study.

Method: patients with symptoms onset < 24 h admitted in all 10 cardiac intensive care units in one French administrative region (Alsace).

Endovascular gamma irradiation for the prevention restenosis after angioplasty of femoropopliteal de novo stenoses.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and detect side effects of centered, overlapped endovascular gamma irradiation after angioplasty of de novo femoropopliteal stenoses. Thirty patients (age 65.3+/-9.

Postcatheterization pseudoaneurysm: results of US-guided percutaneous thrombin injection in 240 patients.

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate ultrasonographically (US) guided percutaneous thrombin injection for treatment of femoral artery and brachial artery pseudoaneurysms.

Materials And Methods: The university institutional review board approved the study. Informed consent was obtained from all patients.