Appropriate therapies predict long-term mortality in primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death.

Background: Less than 50% of patients implanted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) receive device therapy during the follow-up. The aim of our study was to prospectively evaluate the predictive role of appropriate ICD therapy on long-term survival of patients implanted for primary or secondary sudden death prevention.

Methods: From 2002 to 2003, 139 consecutive patients [mean age 66±9 years, male 77%, ischemic heart disease 56%, New York Heart Association functional class >II (74%), primary prevention 74%, mean left ventricular ejection fraction 30±9%, cardiac resynchronization ICD 65%] were enrolled.

Methodological lessons and pilot data on the effect of proximity of homes and schools to highways on pediatric asthma and lung function.

Purpose: Numerous studies have found that either living or attending school near highways or exposure to pollutants associated with heavy motor vehicle traffic are associated with a high prevalence of asthma and reduced lung function. Yet, few investigations have assessed school and home exposure in the same study.

Methods: We recruited children aged 5-19 years from a pediatric clinic in an urban center (Boston Chinatown) for many of whom housing and school were located immediately adjacent to two major highways.

Lessons for primary prevention of asthma: foreign-born children have less association of SES and pests with asthma diagnosis.

There are no proven interventions for primary prevention of asthma. As asthma prevalence varies globally, comparing asthma in native and foreign-born children might provide insights. We pooled data from five cross sectional asthma surveys (N = 962).